Supersize Age Benefit Regenerating Mask 200ml
Face masks - my most favourite step in my skincare routine. Not only are they amazing for an at-home spa like feeling, but they are also game changers when it comes to re-fuelling skin. Since the beginning of lockdown face masks have become a huge part of our lives, but there are face masks (the necessary protective accessory kind) and then there are face masks, a newfound importance of beauty and self-care in the era of COVID and no longer the step in your routine that is deemed a complete extravagance. It is true - face masks just got serious in the skincare world and are a great way to hit the reset button and work wonders on your complexion as well as offer some important self-indulgence.
Yet, we at Gatineau, (a professional Parisian skincare brand spanning nearly nine decades of heritage), have been emphasizing the significance of using at-home face masks for decades and consider them the foundation of any skincare routine, not to mention the ‘icing on your face!’. Designed to drive highly active ingredients deep into the skin it is all about offering maximum results in minimum time. In fact, we are famed for our plethora of ‘pro-level mask formulas’ that tackle the swathe of complexion concerns and it should come as no surprise that in a professional salon facial a face mask is applied for nearly a third of the duration– it is no wonder slathering one on in the comfort of your home is like taking yourself off to a swanky spa! With an established and efficacious medley to choose from, depending on whatever skincare issue you are currently hung up on, our pro-level masks leverage some of the most innovative complexes giving skin instant gratification and immediate results. With this in mind I wasn’t surprised to hear from the Gatineau Laboratories that our beauty prayers have yet again been answered with the drop of a NEW game-changing mask – introducing Age Benefit Regenerating Mask, a luxurious creamy mask that promises to revitalize the complexion, enhance skin resilience, deliver ultimate hydration and comfort and offer supreme protection granting a plumper, smoother and younger looking skin. The results speak for themselves, and boy is this going to make serious waves in the beauty industry!
Age Benefit is our Rolls-Royce range which tackles all common signs of skin ageing associated with hormonal fluctuations. Hormones may still be shrouded in mystery, but they certainly rule so many aspects of the skin whether its teen breakouts, the transitional 20’s and 30’s ‘grey complexion’, or the 40’s and beyond years where the menopausal stage of our lives begin, and several profound changes ensue. For most women, the lead up to menopause is more like a marathon than a sprint. It is a process which begins with a slow decline of oestrogen (the feminine hormone responsible for pillow plumped baby soft skin) and this nosedive in hormones causes skin to get drier and more sensitive, In the first five years of the menopause the skin can lose up to 30% of its collagen – the protein that gives structure and resilience - causing skin to appear thinner and more fragile. Next there is a significant decrease in the amount of hyaluronic acid and conditioning ceramides produced which help keep skin soft and maintain the protective barrier leading to dryness and increased sensitivity. As our hormones struggle to find a new balance the tell-tale signs of age begin to creep in with the appearance of wrinkles, a slackened jawline a lack of moisture content and the absence of that luminous glow!
Age Benefit Regenerating Mask is a recharging mask and a real front runner to compliment the range as it not only oozes indulgence but promises dramatic results to rewind the years. I couldn’t wait to dive into the restorative powers of this mask and trigger my addiction and you won’t have to wait long either as it is featuring exclusively as QVC’s November Product of the Month and not only that, but in a SUPERSIZE 200ml tube!
The hero ingredient is Saffron Flower Extract otherwise known as ‘Red Gold’ and one of the world’s most precious and expensive spices. The flower is only harvested by hand once a year in South-West France and because of its high levels of antioxidants and Vitamin A it is a real skin-saviour reducing the rate of ageing and protecting the skin from the harmful effects of external aggressors. The spice’s healing power is second to none helping to soothe redness and reduce inflammation making it a real holistic cure to damaged skin all while boosting skin with bundles of moisture and softness.
As we get older our skin does go through wear and tear that result in wrinkles and skin slackening which is down to degradation of the collagen and elastin fibres in the dermal layer of the skin. Time to top up the tank and the best way to do this is by adding peptides into your regime. Peptides are the building blocks of collagen and elastin fibres and consist of short chains of amino acids that act to stabilize and rebuild these protein fibres. Elevating this genius formulation is a potent age-defying tetrapeptide complex, combining a short chain of 4 targeted amino acids, best known for boosting elasticity and improving uneven skin tone and one of the most effective peptides to fortify the dermo-proteins and strengthen skin structure. Think visibly smooth, ‘springy’ skin.
And if you are looking for a way to keep your skin dewy and hydrated then you will love this mask as it has been injected with a hefty helping of moisture attracting Hyaluronic Acid. Hyaluronic Acid is a sugar molecule naturally produced by the body and it is pretty important to keep its levels topped up to prevent dehydration, but the trouble is levels rapidly decline as we age, and skin has major withdrawals from as little as 24 hours without this water loving molecule. Hydrated skin is happy skin, so you will definitely want to include this industry adored ingredient into your skincare regime.
And with a treasure trove of nutrient dense emollients including Shea Butter and Sunflower Seed Oil, both a rich source of antioxidants and fatty acids, you can feel safe in the knowledge that your dry fragile skin will feel silky smooth, parched pores will be given much needed hydration and the complexion enveloped in a cloud of softness.
Rounding out this holy grail formula is the addition of tiny Citric Acid molecules, derived from AHA’s, which gently exfoliate dead, dulling skin cells to reveal the most luminous glow underneath, together with antioxidant Vitamin E, your skin bodyguard, which fends off collagen-damaging free radicals for the ultimate protection.
This for me is definitely a skin treatment that deserves a place in Gatineau’s Beauty Hall of Fame and is poised to pirouette its way into your skincare ritual. Uniting the best of nature and science and with a decadent velvety formula, Age Benefit Regenerating Mask is the perfect way to inject some ‘you time’ into your week whilst taking your skin on a journey of rehabilitation and recovery for that all important youthful vitality. It is a true skin-pleaser!
Lucy x
Available for £49.98 or 3 instalments of £16.66 throughout November. Shop HERE