This new Estée Lauder serum is sleep in a bottle!
The most potent skincare potions usually get the revered label, “Sleep in a Bottle”. As someone who doesn’t get a lot of sleep on the regular, the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intense Reset Concentrate (P4,800 for 20ml) promise of waking up to better skin certainly appealed to me. I especially I wondered how it could possibly improve on a routine that already included the iconic Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II (P4,200 for 30ml) which made my skin smooth and glowy despite being sick.
Prior to my 2-week trial, my skin condition resembled a hellish nightmare. I was recovering from using a cleanser that wasn’t compatible with my very dry skin. The result was a compromised skin barrier that made my mug take on a papery texture and very prone to breakouts. Add to that the hormonal acne on my chin and jaw that was caused by my impending period and PCOS. Believe me, I wasn’t expecting any miracles to happen.
After cleansing, toning, and applying the ANR Synchronized Recovery Complex II, I proceeded with some Intense Reset Concentrate. Compared to its more watery serum counterpart, the Concentrate has a thicker gel cream consistency. The Complex is formulated with ChronoluxCB™ technology that promotes nighttime renewal, whereas the Concentrate has Chronolux™ S.O.S. technology that works fast. The original Complex serum has a mild citrusy, lime soda-like scent, while the Concentrate has a mild floral scent that also makes application feel more enjoyable. Both products don’t specifically indicate fragrance as part of the ingredients list, but the latter does list lavender oil and linalool.
Applying the Concentrate to my skin made it feel well-coated with product, as though it was really “sealing in” the serum. My skin looked dewy afterwards with a just hint of tackiness, but it doesn’t feel downright greasy or sticky. I was still able to put on my usual night moisturizer over everything else without my skin feeling heavy or uncomfortable.
The thing that stuck in my mind throughout the testing period was a comparison of the Reset Concentrate to sleeping masks. And after looking up the ingredients and claims on the EL website, my gutfeel seems validated. High active ingredient content? Check. The site indicates “24-hour moisture with 15X concentrated Hyaluronic Acid in a multi-molecular weight complex”. Gel-cream consistency? You know it! Noticeably plump/bouncy skin the next morning? Yup. Another possible clue are the instructions on the site that say, “Apply at night after your repair serum, whenever you feel your skin is acting up or needs an extra boost.” There are no specific instructions on how often the Concentrate should be used. And while my super dry skin still prefers that I slather on moisturizer before hitting the sack, there were a couple of nights when I forgot to apply some and still woke up with sufficiently hydrated skin. Hmm…
The morning after using the Concentrate for the first time, I immediately noticed an improvement in my skin’s texture. That papery dry feel that was particularly obvious on my cheeks gave way to soft, bouncy skin. Could it really have worked wonders so fast? I continued to pay close attention to any skin changes before passing judgment.
Before using the ANR Concentrate
After 2 weeks of using the ANR Concentrate
After two weeks of usage, my overall skin hydration has improved. My complexion looks noticeably brighter and I haven’t experienced any more breakouts. The hyperpigmentation on my chin from past pimples have also faded somewhat. As with my experience with the ANR Recovery Complex, there are visible results, but the most evident to me is what I can feel with my own fingers. No more papery dry textures and rough patches. My skin feels amazingly smooth and well-moisturized.
So is the Intense Reset Concentrate worthy of being called “Sleep in a Bottle”? I’m very much inclined to think so! The plumper, healthier skin I’m currently enjoying does me look well-rested, even on puyat days. More importantly, it saved my skin from a bad state in a fairly short amount of time. It’s pricey but worth it.
ANR Intense Reset Concentrate Ingredients: Water\Aqua\Eau , Dimethicone , Glycerin , Methyl Trimethicone , Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane , Butylene Glycol , Isopropyl Isostearate , Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether , Peg-10 Dimethicone , Yeast Extract\Faex\Extrait De Levure , Tripeptide-32 , Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer , Sodium Hyaluronate , Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate , Hydrolyzed Algin , Lactobacillus Ferment , Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract , Soy Amino Acids , Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate , Resveratrol , Algae Extract , Salicylic Acid , Ergothioneine , Tocopheryl Acetate , Whey Protein\Lactis Protein\Proteine Du Petit-Lait , Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract , Citrullus Vulgaris (Watermelon) Fruit Extract , Laminaria Digitata Extract , Lens Esculenta (Lentil) Fruit Extract , Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract , Caffeine , Sodium Pca , Propylene Glycol Caprylate , Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract , Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil , Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract\Extrait D'Orge , Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract , Isohexadecane , Polysilicone-11 , Methyldihydrojasmonate , Sodium Lactate , Disteardimonium Hectorite , Isododecane , Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 , Squalane , Polyethylene , Propylene Carbonate , Pentylene Glycol , Disodium Edta , Bht , Potassium Sorbate , Sodium Benzoate , Phenoxyethanol , Linalool , Red 4 (Ci 14700) , Yellow 5 (Ci 19140)
