Monday, May 27, 2013

Chanel Resynchronizing Skin Care

A couple of weeks ago, I received a little box in the mail with three deluxe samples of Chanel's new Resynchronizing Skin Care. I suspect it was sent to either Chanel's Web site or boutique customers. I was excited to try it, even though I have never been a huge Chanel skin care devotee. I'll skip to the bottom line right away and tell you I like it - particularly one of the three products, which is a miracle treatment.

In an ideal world, your skin’s functions would perform in perfect balance. However, daily life, lack of sleep, travel, and hectic schedules disrupt the skin’s natural rhythms, causing signs of dullness, fatigue, and stress to appear. The complexion can appear tired, with an uneven texture [or worse]. To restore the complexion to its optimal state, Chanel created three skin-care products, customized to your weekly needs. Together, the products help to resynchronize your skin’s natural rhythms throughout the day, the night, and the weekend for a perfectly balanced complexion - even-textured, smooth, supple, and beautiful.

Le Jour de Chanel Morning Reactivating Face Care ($85) is designed to energize the skin so that it can adapt to its environment throughout the day. Jasmine extract from Grasse invigorates the skin, while salicylic acid gently and gradually exfoliates to visibly minimize pores. Your complexion will appear smooth and radiant - and ready to face the day.

I applied it before I read that it contains salicylic acid (SA) - then I nearly died, anticipating a burn. I am extremely reactive to SA, which is too bad because it's an effective ingredient. When I applied the serum, I found it very firming on my face. I'm not sure whether that's normal or just my skin's reaction to the SA. As soon as it dried, I followed it with a peptide-rich moisturizer. Whether the moisturizer protected me or the SA is formulated to be gentle, as advertised, I had no reaction beyond a minimal flush. By the way, all of these products are fragranced, and this one smells divine with the jasmine in it.

I read the directions after I used it. Le Jour de Chanel is supposed to offer gentle micro-exfoliation, with a very low dose of SA. Chanel says it will tighten your pores (check) and visibly even your skin tone. You are supposed to wear it under your day moisturizer, so I instinctively did the right thing.

La Nuit de Chanel Evening Recharging Face Care ($85) is a very nice night cream. It is designed to soothe and moisturize the skin to encourage nightly recovery. Frankincense extract calms the skin to prepare for the process of overnight repair, while hyaluronic acid, nature's sponge, helps restore the skin’s plumpness and hydration. Your complexion should appear supple upon awakening, with no signs of dullness. This is the most highly fragranced of the three products, although I didn't notice the fragrance five minutes after application. It did its job nicely overnight. I'd like to know what else is in it, but complete lists of ingredients did not come with the samples I received.

Le Weekend de Chanel Weekly Renewing Face Care ($115) is the one that blew me away. If you can only invest in one, this is it! The directions are slightly confusing, but between the written directions and its name, I figured out how to use it. "Every week morning and evening, Le Weekend de Chanel enhances skin renewal while providing intense hydration." What does that tell you? To use it every day? No, the name says weekend, so I believe it means you can use it on either one or both weekend days, morning and evening. That's what I did.

Le Weekend de Chanel combines relaxing rose water (which smells fabulous) and a proprietary complex of high-tolerance glycolic acid for a gradual exfoliation and lasting hydration, with instant effects. Overnight, my skin was smoother, softer, and more even in appearance. I couldn't believe it when I awakened after the first use. A repeat confirmed my initial impression. This treatment works.

The milky "cream" was gentle on my skin, but my skin likes glycolic acid. Chanel warns that those with sensitive skin might feel gentle tingling on application, but that the tingling should quickly disappear. I felt none. There are two more warnings: 1) don't use it close to your eyes (normal), 2) don't use it on irritated skin, and 3) glycolic acid will make your skin less sun tolerant, so make sure to use adequate sunscreen for a week after using the product. I am sold on Le Weekend de Chanel and plan to pick up some the next time I can.

Have you seen or tried Chanel's new trio? What do you think? I'll be interested in hearing your reactions.

I do not know if the Resynchronizing Skin Care has arrived at counters, but it is available at Chanel's Web site. My package insert provided a May 15 date for ordering it.

Photo courtesy of Chanel

16 comments:

michelle said...

I also received a nice sized sample of these three new Chanel Exfoliates, and was interested in trying them as well. Unfortunately, anything with fragrance is bad for skin, especially sensitive or reactionary; that was my first concern. Secondly, SA needs to be at a certain PH in order to do it's job in any way, so the "gentle" aspect tells me immediately, that the SA concentration is most likely on the low side, meaning that the exfoliation would be very minimal in terms of cell renewal, and pore minimization.Having researched many brands for many years, I stay away from products that aren't going to do much for my skin other than smell nice, and Chanel's skin care line is very much in that area. The packaging is nice and the products smell nice, but smell most of the time means irritation for one's skin, and anything with alcohol is particularly harmful, especially for reactionary/sensitive skin. Stinging usually means a product is irritating your skin, not helping it. I wish I could buy and use one of these products, but for the money, it just wasn't worth it to me. Fragrance free, the proper PH to properly exfoliate and skin benefiting ingredients are the way to go. I splurge on my foundations, lipsticks and glosses, of which, your reviews are amazing!!!

Sabrina said...

I also received a sample kit from Chanel.com and some instructions from my local Nordstrom counter. According to Nordstrom they have the instore exclusive for now in addition to Chanel.com (I haven't verified though). I've been testing the Le Weekend and have also been blown away. I've only used it one weekend but have been really impressed with the results. My skin is most of the time normal but Le Weekend has made it feel smoother and clearer looking. I will definitely be buying the full sized version very soon.

Still haven't tested the day or night creams though they seem to be very well priced for Chanel skincare.

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Michelle,

I fully respect your concerns. However, I must respectfully disagree with just a few points.

I think the broad rule that anything with fragrance is bad for your skin is incorrect. You must consider whether the fragrance is natural or synthetic. Rose water is not bad for your skin - for many of us, it's beneficial. It's also important to know how the particular fragrance ingredient has been tested and what the results were. Some are irritating; some aren't. To label all fragrance bad doesn't track with clinical tests.

I, like you, don't prefer synthetically fragranced skin care, so I do totally understand your aversion to it.

Like you, I'm not overly fond of traditional Chanel skin care, however I think Chanel has been improving markedly in its development during the last few years. I will buy one of these three products. It worked, but then, my skin loves glycolic acid. I have used it for years, on my face usually in masks. I love Chanel's weekend recharger because you apply it and forget it.

I applaud you for your research on skin care. If there were more customers like you, the whole beauty industry would be less likely to think we were as easily "marketable" as we are. :)

Charlestongirl said...

Hey there, Sabrina,

That explains why you can order it on Nordstrom's Web site! Cool, thanks.

You won't find the day and night creams as stunningly remarkable as the weekend treatment. They are nice, but for those like us who probably have 10 waiting to be tested, they can wait.

If you like and can deal with SA, you will find the day product to be very firming. SA, as you know, is a fabulous ingredient for women who suffer from blemishes - even once/month - or want to make pores look less noticeable, so I think it will find a happy market. I don't plan to tempt the fates by buying the day serum, given my history with SA. At least it didn't burn me.

Agreed that they are very well priced from Chanel! I was surprised that I could buy the wonder-product for $115. :) Good move on Chanel's part. Send me a sample and make a sale.

Nemo said...

Your comments mirror my own opinions exactly. I plan to purchase only the Le Weekend serum. But here's something interesting: In the last few months I have been using 2 Aveda skin care products, both exfoliants with salicylic acid. The first is a toner, the second a spray mist moisturizer. $20 bucks each. I love them. My skin has never looked so good. And Aveda is pure, no parabens.

bisbee said...

I got these samples as well. I also love the weekend product and plan to purchase the full size. As far as the others - I've been using Clarins Double Serum for about a month now, and I'm very happy with it! I'll stick with that, adding the Chanel Weekend product in.

Charlestongirl said...

That's great, Nemo!

Charlestongirl said...

:) Bisbee, sounds like there will be a run on the Weekend treat.

Rosemary said...

I'd didn't get a sample and am excessively jealous of all of you who did! Anyway, it sounds good. I like Chanel's skincare line, and after your review, CG, I'd especially like to try the weekend product.

Rosemary

Claire said...

I also received this and my reaction to "Le Jour" is the same as yours, CG: I'm expecting burns! So far, I've never tried this during the day (I used it at night instead) for fear of burns and also since I use retinoid products.

I haven't tried the other two, but I'm excited, esp the Le Weekend.

I normally don't use Chanel skincare anyway, but I do appreciate the gesture and the samples.

Lipsticklove said...

Hey there, do you recommend the "Le Jour de Chanel" for very dry skin?

A. said...

Thank the heavens for you and this review! :)
I was searching high and low for a review on this trio and all I could find were blogs just repeating what the Chanel website says and telling me the release date and such so thank you again! I can't wait to try the weekend one, it sounds marvelous :)

shoppahorlicks said...

Hi do you use Le Weekend as u would a serum? Under your moisturiser or over as a protector like le nuit? Thank you!

Augustina Elizabeth said...

Le jour can be a bit drying but that is counteracted by the use of a good moisturizer over it. I use Le Fluid in the Chanel Sublimage line, but someone with dryer skin may want to use the texture supreme in Sublimage or hydramax creme by Chanel. I also love Keils midnight recovery oil in addition to the le jour and/or Clarins beauty balm

Unknown said...

I love reading all these reviews! I work for Chanel at Nordstrom as a counter manager and was able to experience it first hand when it launched. I am very oily and saw a decrease in my skins oil production for the fact that my skin was so imbalanced from years of sun exposure and improper care.

They are all serums meant to be used underneath other serums and moisturizers. The only one that is to be used by itself is the Le Weekend, you can use it with a moisturizer if you are more dry, although it's not technically needed.

I am so excited to see how many people are loving this product!!!

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed reading your review. I recieved the samples for this line as well. I was excited to go home and try them. I double checked the website to make sure I was following the steps correctly.

On the first night my skin felt tight, or at least that's what I thought I was feeling.

On the second day I felt a mild burn, but it wasn't visible.

By day three, I didn't apply any products. My face wasn't feeling better when I woke up and when I looked in the mirror, I had burn spots and swollen under eyes. My face feels rough and ready to peel off. I really wanted to love these products, but they didn't work out for me. I will stick to my glycolic acid and enzyme washes.