Good serums, I find, come at prices that will make you unconsciously swallow. A lot of research and technology goes into making them so that they actually work! But do you need them? If you already have great skin then you could skip using serums. However, if you feel that you need that extra healing power, nourishment, or a boost in solving a particular skin concern, then yes serums help a great deal.

One of the serums that I loved to use was the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair. This serum has been around for 31 years now and is reputed to sell one bottle every 8.5 seconds! I wouldn't be surprised, considering how well it works. I actually did a weekly report the first month I used it. I've seen a visible improvement in just one month with my blemishes fading quicker and my skin getting a nice glow.

That was last year. I'm constantly reviewing new skincare so I haven't been exactly faithful to ANR, but it's still on my top five list of serums. Perhaps it's time to try it out again? Estee Lauder just created a new version of it. It's called the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II (P5,300).

This new formula is said to be lighter yet more moisturizing with hyaluronic acid added into the mix. I have yet to try it out since I have just committed to a new skincare line, unfortunately, but it looks really promising. I don't know if I mentioned this already in my past reviews but I wished that ANR is more moisturizing; I'd prefer to skip moisturizer on top of it to immediately see the full effect.

Anyway! I'm rambling. Here are more details about the new serum, for your reference. :)

I only started using Kiehl's last year, but since then it's been a staple in my skincare regimen. I'm a huge huge fan of the Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser, the Ultra Light Daily UV Defense, Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution, and the Midnight Recovery Concentrate! I find Kiehl's to be gentle on my skin while still being extremely effective at the same time. The products also never cause me to break out.

A couple of months back, the brand sent me some new products to try. I've been using two of them regularly until I switched to a new regimen - purely for review purposes mind you, not because the Kiehl's stuff didn't work out. Anyway, here's a review of the new Skin Rescuer and Line-Reducing Concentrate! I'll save the Beautifying BB Cream for next time as I have only used it once.

The Kiehl's Skin Rescuer Stress-Minimizing Daily Hydrator (P1,700) is a basic moisturizer that is formulated to lessen the effect of stress on our skin. Its key ingredients are the Rose Gallica Extract (limits the release of stress signals), Mannose (a sugar from the wood pulp of birch and maple tress, said to increase the moisture barrier), Chamomile Extract (to sooth skin), and Squalane (from olives, to prevent dehyhdration). 

If it's a hair product that says "fine hair" and "shine" then you can count on me to try it. My main hair concern is how flat and thin it is, and on top of that it looks dull. So when I received the Kérastase Cristalliste Bain Crystal Shampoo and Lumiere Liquide Serum I knew they would be well worth the risk of breaking out (I get pimples from hair products).

Indeed they were!

Let's start with the shampoo. The Kérastase Cristalliste Bain Cristal Shampoo (P1,200) is for fine, long locks and promises free-flowing and lightweight hair (btw there is a variant for thick hair). True enough it doesn't weigh down hair - it feels quite like baby shampoo, as a matter of fact. A more fragrant and expensive version at that.

What the Cristalliste Shampoo does that baby shampoo doesn't is it removes product build up like a dream. Do you ever feel like sometimes your hair is so greasy and heavy even though you wash it every day (or every other day)?

Fair warning, I will be trying out a new anti-blemish serum after I publish this review, so don't be surprised if you see me talking about another serum just after I swear by this one! If I weren't a beauty blogger I wouldn't be going out to try new serums every time I empty a bottle. I would have stopped long ago at the Estee Lauder ANR, the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery, then Shu Uemura Tsuya, and now, the Kiehl's Clearly Corrective serum, which are all awesome products by the way. But I am a beauty blogger so I always have something new and interesting to try. 

Anyway! I'm here to talk about the Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Serum (P3,000), which I have been using since late November. It's an awesome product that helped me clear out the last vestiges of my old blemishes and prevents my new ones from darkening overmuch. Yes, this stuff works! For me at least. You'll see a photo.

What I love about the product

• Lightens blemishes with its main active ingredient which is Vitamin C. Now you don't need to put pure lemon juice on your face. :P Kidding aside this serum does lighten blemishes but it won't happen overnight - it's very gradual. I noticed lightening of my marks in about three to four weeks.
• Brightens and somehow tightens the face. I noticed that my skin has a smoother, super-fine texture. It's more like a subtly lacquered surface if that makes sense! 
• Helps heal pimples slightly faster because of its salicylic acid content.

Yesterday I went to the mall with only serum, an illuminating SPF base, a spot of concealer, and pressed powder. I felt I didn't need foundation! I used to have a TON of blemishes on my face, but they are clearing out faster because of a product I've been using these past two months: the Shu Uemura TSUYA Skin Serum (P3,250).

The TSUYA Skin Serum is perhaps Shu Uemura's star product of the year. It promises bright, translucent skin in seven days as it re-activates the cells that make our skin look younger. Yes, we've heard that before in other serums released this year. I'm still not sure if it's possible for skincare to do that, but claims aside the TSUYA is damn good and here's why!

What I LOVE about the product

• I did indeed get brighter, less tired skin in seven days or less. That may be due to the fact that the serum is infused with a purplish pearly shimmer that instantly gives skin a subtle glow. It's also an illuminator aside from skincare, but I didn't spot shimmer once it's on.

Estee Lauder's best serum has got to be the Advanced Night Repair. It's ideal for women in their early 20s to 30s who want something to keep their skin refreshed and supple. If you're looking for something to combat sagging skin and wrinkles though, you should check out the Estee Lauder Perfectionist [CP+R].

I didn't try it myself but I gave it to a friend who loved it! She has extremely reactive / sensitive skin but she didn't get any pimples using it. She likes the brightening effect, but beyond that she needs more time to see the wrinkle lifting benefits.

Interested? Here's more information for your reference!

Estée Lauder introduces NEW Perfectionist [CP+R] Wrinkle Lifting/Firming Serum, featuring breakthrough CPR-75 Technology, a dual-action, advanced amino acid and protein complex that supercharges and re-strengthens skin’s natural collagen-building power.

Fast, effective and dramatic, CPR-75 Technology helps skin supercharge its ionic “pump” to help boost its critical, natural energy potential, promoting optimal repair.

I received an interesting question on my Kiehl's post last week. Says Dewi:

Hi liz! I'm really clueless about skincare... I'm in my mid 20s and my only regimen is cleanse, tone, sunblock (AM) and eye cream. Do i really need a serum especially kasi acne prone ako? I'm afraid na serums might cause me to break out or be more oily! Help! 

Oh, you! You're not clueless about skincare at all. You have the basics down pat, although I would recommend that you invest in a good night moisturizer to keep your skin supple. I don't think that a sunblock is enough to maintain your skin's moisture barrier (and by extension, its elasticity) since you're probably using something that's very light.

I do think that everyone should moisturize their skin at night, especially if they have a fan or an aircon unit in their room. These appliances can dry up our skin much more than we think. Besides, night time is the best time to heal our skin from the day's stresses (like pollution, sun exposure, etc). Most moisturizers - especially those designed for evening use - have the basic properties to recharge your skin for the day ahead.

The fact that we are living in the future is something we take for granted. Imagine, 15 years ago the Internet was just something rich people and offices had; information can only be found in print. We now have personal computers with touch screens that can fit in our pocket. We have hologram Tupac, dead for 16 years, performing in a concert! But we all take it in stride and shrug it off as the natural order of things. There is no wonder, there is no marvel anymore.

Aside from gadgets, this living-in-the-future bit also applies to beauty products. The skincare industry, for instance, is moving fast with new innovations at affordable price points. Products that used to be only available from high-end brands now have doppelgangers in drugstore brands. It's not exactly the same but efficacy is just as good for what you pay for them.

Now, L'Oreal has been diligent in amping up their skincare lines with two new products: the White Perfect Micro-vibration 3-in-1 Eye Brightener and the Youth Code Pre-Essence.

The White Perfect Micro-vibration 3-in-1 Eye Brightener (P695) is an eye cream with a vibrating applicator. The white cream is moisturizing and offers a bit of brightening because it has some shimmer, but the applicator is the real star here. :D It's metal-tipped so it feels very cool and soothing once you place it on your eyebags. The vibration is gentle yet stimulating, a little bit like getting a massage.

Adding skincare elements into makeup is not a new concept, but you'll be hard-pressed to find such products at affordable price points. Maybe the ingredients that go into it are pricey or maybe by virtue of the added skincare, the makeup is already branded as a premium product. But that's not the case with Max Factor's newest foundation: the Max Factor Ageless Elixir Foundation + Serum (P895).

The foundation feels like a thick, heavily tinted serum. It's very moisturizing and has a velvety, mousse-like texture that's easy to spread and work with. Another distinctive feature is the floral scent - some people might be turned off by it, but since this is specifically marketed towards more mature women, the scent seems to be a preference for them.

The coverage is pretty good - medium to heavy - and goes on very smoothly without emphasizing fine lines and creases.

It's been a month since I started using the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrate. And how was it? Amazing, really. It helped my skin get that nice glow and smoothness, feats that few other products can do consistently. Unfortunately, I had breakouts in between from trying out new products, so I feel that the ANR hasn't given me its best shot yet. 

Here are my pics and weekly reviews! Check them out to compare.

This stuff is the bomb. The real deal. After three weeks of using the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrate, I can honestly say that this is one of the best skincare products I've ever tried - up there with my Clinique Moisture Surge, Clinique Liquid Facial Wash, and Burt's Bees Toner. 

Observe:

Okay so, I've been using the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrate for a week now. And these are my observations!

• My skin is incredibly smooth right now. The roughness from dry patches, blackheads, and random bumps are very much reduced. 
• Skin is more even and has a glow, so I tend to use less makeup.