You know what I like about skincare? You don’t get a limited edition tag on them! Even if you do, it’s to do with packaging and not product. So, it allows us all to explore and experiment and share at our leisure. Pretty much as I like it.
That’s what I’d been doing with the Caudalie Premier Cru The Elixir. It’s one of those products that I have, and use, but for one reason or another, fail to mention. It’s not because it’s a bad product. If it was, I wouldn’t be using it so often, yet it’s one of those that fall through the cracks.
But no longer! Fortunately, unlike a pretty makeup compact, it’s a permanent item :)
The Caudalie Premier Cru The Elixir is an anti-aging serum in the form of a very lightweight facial oil. If you’re one of those who have shied away from using facial oils before this because of how heavy they tend to feel on the skin, then this one makes for a very good introduction.
I like how the oil feels very light on the skin and sinks in quickly, without any of the oily, greasy after-feel that you can sometimes get. You don’t even need to mist the skin before enjoying this silky smooth texture.
When absorbed into the skin, it plumps up the skin and leaves it feeling smooth and silky and hydrated. The key ingredients are Caudalie’s signature ingredients of resveratrol, viniferine and polyphenols and 5 plant oils – prickly pear for brightening, coriander for hydration, grapeseed to nourish and repair, jojoba to help skin retain moisture and sandalwood to sooth and smooth dry skin . The Elixir sits in the higher end Premier Cru line of Caudalie, so as you might expect, the price point is relatively more steep.
The instructions say that you can use about 4 drops smoothed over your skin, before your moisturiser. This is a serum and should be treated as such. But what I prefer to do, is to mix about 2-3 drops into my night cream, instead of using it on its own. I feel that it seems to add some boost to my night cream, so my skin feels more comforted and nourished. I often find myself reaching for this as a mixer, simply because my night creams don’t seem sufficient. But when I drop this in, like a magical elixir, my skin goes “ahhh….!” I love that feeling!
So what don’t I love? The price tag and the scent. I feel it’s too strongly fragranced, and it lingers. While it isn’t terribly unpleasant, being a slightly musky woodsy scent, it is fairly strong. It might be why I prefer mixing it in with my moisturisers. It helps to diffuse the scent somewhat, and makes it more pleasant.
It also come with a rather high pricetag, weighing in at RM295 or US$99 for 29.5ml. Being an oil and because about 3 drops is good enough for most people (unless you live where it’s very dry or have very dry skin) it will last you a long while. I’ve had my bottle for coming on a year, and although sporadic with my use, I am fairly generous with my use, and I’m not even a quarter of the way through the bottle. While mileage may vary, know that it will last a while.
IN A NUTSHELL
The Caudalie Premier Cru The Elixir is an anti-aging serum in the form of a lightweight oil. It is strongly fragranced with a spicy, woodsy scent, which may or may not sit well on skin. Getting over that, this light oil seems to instantly comfort skin that is irritated or dry. I like mixing it with a moisturiser for an additional boost in the evenings. You can use just 1-2 drops instead of the recommended 4 drops, if you prefer something lighter. For me, I like how comfortable it makes my skin feel and maintains my skin texture, since I take pretty good care of my skin overall. It is nice, if you’re branching out into using facial oils and want something light to try.
PROS: Very lightweight oil that absorbs quickly into skin, Makes skin feel hydrated, soft and smooth with regular use
CONS: Strong fragrance, Pricey
WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who is new to facial oil or who prefers using a light textured face oil
PRICE: RM295 | US$99 for 29.5ml
AVAILABILITY: Kens Apothecary, Caudalie counters, Sephora stores, Sephora (online)
For those interested, here is the ingredient list:
Coco-Caprylate*, Isoamyl Cocoate*, Coriandrum Sativum (Coriander) Seed Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil*, Oleic/Linoleic/Linolenic Polyglycerides*, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Seed Oil*, Tocopherol*, Tocopheryl Acetate*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil*, Fragrance, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract*, Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract*, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract*, Geraniol, Linalool, Citronellol, Coumarin. *Plant origin.
Might you have any chance tried this oil? Are you into using facial oils yet?
I’m pretty big on facial oils, if you didn’t already know :) Some do work better than others, and some are more impressive than others. This one falls somewhere in between.
Paris B
I’m still using the face oil from La Mer and it’s all hearts! And for me, just one bottle of face oil is enough. A friend of mine have a few bottles and some turned rancid before she could get through them. The one thing I want to try from Caudalie is the brightening serum. One day, when I’ve run out of serums, I will pick that up!
That’s a very good one from La Mer, so I’d tend to agree with you! Yes, oils will turn rancid over time, especially if they are not blended oils, but the pure oils. Those don’t last very well especially in our weather, so that’s part of the reason I prefer to go with blended ones. I tried the Caudalie brightening serum – Vinoperfect? It was so drying for me, I gave up in just 2 weeks :P But it could work for you!