Throughout my adult life, I have been spending a lot on face, eye and body creams from expensive brands, even if knowing that the miracle results that they’d promise wouldn’t be all that “miraculous”. Unfortunately there exists this perception that the higher you will be paying for a product and the nicer the packaging is, the more value you will be getting for your money. We all fall for it, and we all know that this is not necessarily true.
Sure, a lot of factors play out when we choose a brand or a product and alluring marketing has a lot to do with our choice. But I insist and always urge my friends and clients before they buy anything to first check the reviews online and try it on them before spending a little fortune on that latest buzz. High-end brands always offer samples which you can get from any beauty shop to have a first hand experience on their latest products. To ask for one before you buy the whole jar is common sense and wise spending. How many times did the $$$ beauty “serum” ended up collecting dust on the bathroom shelf simply because it’s just not what you wished for?
What would always puzzle me though, both in high-end and supermarket shelf brands, are all these ingredients written in fine lines, and my worry lies with the fact that even if I can (or better try to as they have these long names) read them, I don’t know what their effects are on my skin and overall health (if you want to know what chemicals your product contains visit http://www.cosmetic-ingredients.net/ who’s done an excellent database on many brands). Hazardous chemical substances have been traced in lipsticks and creams and chemicals found in cosmetics have been accused for various conditions.
Anyways, I have the tendency to a more holistic approach in life and same way I am checking every food item I intend to bring home and feed my children, I now choose cosmetics after I have done a little “homework” on their ingredients… Besides you might have heard of the saying “you should never put on your face what you wouldn’t put in your mouth”.
This is how I ended up trying APIVITA a Greek company since 1979 that produces natural and highly effective beauty products. I have been buying their kids’ line and am quite happy, so during my last visit in Greece I did my usual shopping raid at the pharmacy to be supplied with all the products I can’t find in Bahrain and bumped on to their latest face cream: Wine Elixir.
I was curious. I surely love a glass of red wine once in a while for its relaxing properties but put some on my face? That’s interesting. I was given some samples the same day of the SPF15 day cream and went straight home to try it. Very light in texture and smell, giving a cooling sensation on the face, it was absorbed in seconds. Upon application, my skin literally gulped the wine elixir and felt moisturized without being oily or even shiny.
Needless to say after 4-5 days the samples were running out so I went to the pharmacy and bought the night cream and eye and lips cream of the same line. The night cream although slightly thicker in texture than the day cream gives the same feeling of fresh and nourishment without being oily or heavy on the face. It also contains salicylic acid which does a gentle exfoliation and which we have seen in other high-end brands’ expensive serums. It is absorbed really quickly and you can immediately see the difference in the skin’s elasticity and tone. Skin feels totally moisturized and looks amazing. The claims of this product from the company’s website:
93% natural ingredients
- Rejuvenates the skin at night while reducing even the deepest wrinkles
- Red wine helps increase quality collagen and elastin to firm the skin
- Salicylic acid gently exfoliates the skin and leaves it with a natural glow
- Beeswax moisturizes and smoothes skin
- Neroli, patchouli, clary sage and geranium essential oils tone the skin and provide a sense of well-being
Exclusive innovation: APIVITA replaces water in the wine elixir range with a green tea infusion to enhance the antioxidant action of the products
Same with the eye and lips cream: it gives the same cooling sensation making any fatigue signs disappear from my eyes, any fine lines around them less visible, and my lips highly kissable!
I don’t have any serious deep lines to confirm their first claim, but surely my skin feels and looks perfect for the couple of weeks I have been using the cream and I got addicted to my night skin routine I once used to skip, because of them.
But most important: their products are Free of: Parabens, Silicone, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, Ethanolamine and Phthalates.
You may also check their online Beauty Advisor for a personal evaluation.
So, are you having a glass of APIVITA wine elixir with me? Maybe on my next visit I could bring you some! If interested, email me at idol@mail.com
Cheers !