USEFUL FOR: BLEMISHES, ACNE
The French always had an interesting approach to aesthetics. Famous heritage brands started out in the apothecary tradition, and today, while most utilise more commercial methods with flashy advertising to sell their products, brands like Académie, La Roche Posay, Bioderma, Avene & many others still employ a low-key, prescriptive approach in delivering skin solutions.
Académie, in particular, has been around for 125 years and boasts solid following in both medical and aesthetic community. It is not uncommon to find Académie products selling in a hospital pharmacy. And the range of products, from packaging to form factor, is completely no-frills and functional. Today we take a look at the unlikely powerhouse, the Purifying Concentrate.
Housed in a solid frosted-glass vial, the product aims to purify the epidermis and dry out skin blemishes. It is targetted specifically for oily skin, making it perfect for men. As men's skin produces more sebum and is thicker, a good product has to balance its penetrative abilities without aggravating the skin's natural balance.
The product is a concentrate, more than 80% Iris-Zinc complex. Zinc is utilised for its benefits to wound healing and the repair of damaged tissues. It is also for this same reason that Zinc is the main ingredient in most healing scalp remedies and products. The composite ingredient is Iris (Iris Florentina) extract, rich in iso-flavones, both anti-aging and calming. It works together with the Zinc to fortify the dermis by limiting the degradation of structural proteins. Both preventive and healing!
Effect:
I had noticed the early signs of a nodule-type acne forming, denoted by the bruise-like feel when grazed. If left to "ripen", the zit would begin to harden, causing a visible bump, before coming to a postule-filled head. The aftermath would be a mark on the skin, that darkens and fades over a few months. If not extracted properly, the zit would heal into a lump on the skin, as a result of residual pus. I decided this was the perfect opportunity to put the product to the test.
Over the course of 5 days, I applied the product every 6 hours. Each time, the area was wiped beforehand with toner or micellar solution. I applied the rollerball to clean fingers, then to the acne (instead of directly). The last application before bed was also a bit more generous, allowing the product to work as the body rested.
By the second day, there was a reduction in the size of the swelling. It was still visible to the eye, however, there was no pain and it was not as hard as it should be. Under normal circumstances, it would have been very red and angry looking, and sensitive to the touch.
On the third day, the size is further reduced. There is no postule or pain, the lump seems to have stabilised and gone back to healing. Over the next 2 days, the lump has flattened and best of all, minimal discolouration to the skin.
The product has managed to counter the acne and stop it in its tracks. While I am sure, the trapped sebum is still within the epidermis, it can be extracted or deep-cleansed via gentler means.
I was really happy and amazed at the effectiveness of the product. It delivered on its promise, and showed results fast. I am excited to use this also on other non-acne areas, like sun-spots or razor burns, to see if it works as a general skin-repair.
If there was one flaw to pick on; the product life once opened is 12 months. While that would not be a problem for users with considerable acne, for most people, this would mean considerable wastage at the end of its lifespan. Currently only sold in the 8ml vial, it has a batch / expiry number stamped on the bottom, which at least gives assurance on the pride and quality that has gone into it.
Another demerit is also the glass vial. Though it is well constructed and very thick, it is still breakable. Without doubt, the manufacturers have gone with glass as it is non-reactive and will not leach into the product, but it still took some care to not drop this during the 5 days of trial. It also might not travel well, as glass is a no-fly item for most airport security.
Official Product Info
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MANDESCRIPT REVIEW
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