This Travel-Friendly Face Cream Is Like Botox In A Bottle
When cosmetic chemists, dermatologists, and Hollywood celebrities close their eyes at night, we like to think that they're all dreaming about the same thing: topical Botox. We're still a few years away from making their wrinkle-free dreams a reality. But that's not to say we haven't made serious progress toward creating anti-aging products that mimic the effects of neurotoxins. First there was Erasa XEP30, Linda Evangelista's go-to serum, which works by delaying facial muscle contractions with a patented neuropeptide. And now La Prairie is aiming to get one step closer with the Line Interception Power Duo, a day cream and night cream housed together in a single airless tube. It's a gamechanger in every sense of the word.
We'd be remiss to not immediately point out the novelty of having a day and night cream packaged together. It's a carry-on luggage's best friend. At 1.7 ounces, it's small enough to pack with you and even has a nifty little lock button on the neck of the bottle to ensure that it doesn't spill out inside your bag. The airless pump is also slow-clap-worthy; it protects the potent ingredients inside from oxidation and exposure to gnarly finger germs. Though it's not a lot of product for the $350 price tag, the bottle should last you about two or three months if used everyday.
But enough about the bottle, because it's the formulas-and results-that really matter. The day cream is the breakout star of the two. It contains a mix of special peptides that work in conjunction to slow your muscle contractions. How exactly do they do that? Well, it's by interfering with the process at every step along the way. The first peptide, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-52, reduces the amount of neurotransmitters that can get through the channel (from your brain to your face) that tells your muscles to contract. But some of them sneak through anyway. That's when Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-18 comes in and shrinks the opening of the channel, allowing for even less neurotransmitters to get through. With the process slowed down-and even jammed-by the peptides, your muscles eventually relax, leading to less pronounced lines and wrinkles.
The day cream also boasts an SPF 30, but it doesn't feel sunscreen-y at all. That's because La Prairie chose four chemical UV filters that lend a weightless feel, so you'll actually want to apply it everyday. We do wish the SPF value was a little higher, but SPF 30 is strong enough to protect your skin from the cumulative damage of UV radiation. And like any luxe day cream, it also contains plumping hyaluronic acid and skin-brightening extracts. Applied under makeup, the cream instantly softens and brightens skin but doesn't leave an oily finish.
The night cream is noticeably richer than it's tube-mate-but then again, so are most night creams. It contains peptides that can stimulate collagen and elastin production while you sleep, and it too boasts plumping hyaluronic acid. The experience of applying it is just as decadent and fragrant as anything housed in a fancy jar. Basically, it's exactly the right amount of skin-coddling hydration your skin would need after a day of traveling. (If you have a sensitive nose, just know that it does carry the same perfume-y scent as other La Prairie products.)
Because the formulas are both preventative and proactive, they work on all skin types, from lineless 20-somethings to women well into their anti-aging routines. La Prairie claims that in clinical trials, there was a visible reduction of lines and wrinkles in just two weeks' use. We certainly noticed plumper, fresher-looking skin in the same time-frame (especially around our temples and forehead), but don't expect dramatic results. Dermatologists agree that neurotoxins like Botox are still the gold standard for erasing wrinkles, but this cream shows that we're getting much closer to a topical solution. If anything, the Line Interception Power Duo can be used to extend the life of your Botox injections, so you'll be paying fewer visits to your dermatologist's office (and saving a few bucks along the way).
La Praire Line Interception Power Duo, $350, bloomingdales.com.
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