Very dark face care… and even eye contour care

Black has invaded many face care products this post-summer season. You will really be intrigued when you open these jars and precious elixirs, hardly daring touch any of these mysterious, jet-black textures. Even the eye contour could not escape this black tide!
Filorga, the king of ‘cosmetics darkness’ (after Givenchy), has developed anti-fatigue black patches based on a smoothing, moisturizing carrageenan gel (Eyes Patch, 8x2 patches, €39.90), as well as an eye contour clad in black, a first (Eyes-Absolute, Ultimate Anti-Aging Eye Cream, 15ml, €79)! The famous medi-cosmetics range already comprised a hand cream in an all-black cannula tube and a wholly black night cream (Skin Absolute Night, 50ml, €119).
Trendsetter Givenchy has just released two new facial care creams in their very innovative ‘Le Soin Noir’ Collection launched in 2008: Le Soin Noir & Blanc Essential Oils, two day and night essences (2x15ml, €380), and Le Soin Noir Lotion (150ml, €120), both being based on a new, regenerating microalga.
With Collistar, it is the black orchid or hydrolysed black pearl which, in unison, confer their illuminating action to the Sublime Black Precious Cream (50ml, €59) and the Sublime Black Precious Serum (30ml, €57).

Charcoal has the final word…

Charcoal detox constitutes a perfect post-summer programme to refine your skin texture, which got thicker with the sun, especially for combination or oily skins, and dilated pores. It cleanses the skin thoroughly and boosts microcirculation. Every brand has their own charcoal!
Bamboo charcoal from the Himalayas inspired from Ayurvedic traditions (The Body Shop Purifying Glow Mask, 75ml, €20), black charcoal and montmorillonite for the L’Oréal Paris Masque Detox Argile Pure (50ml, €8.90), and Binchō-tan charcoal based on holm oak to ‘magnetize’ toxins for Erborian.
The French-Korean brand has made it available in a whole range (Black Scrub, Exfoliating Purifying Mask with Charcoal, 50ml, €29; Black Soap, Purifying Face Soap with Charcoal, 75g, €15; Pinceau Cleansing Brush with Charcoal Powder, €18).
Garnier Skin Active has combined their active charcoal with salicylic acid to fight against blackheads and imperfections: Pure Active 3-in-1 – Wash/Scrub/Mask (150ml, €6.90) and Anti-Acne Perfector (40ml, €6.90).
As for Clinique, they have used their natural bamboo charcoal in three new products of the City Block Purifying range: Purifying Charcoal Clay Mask + Scrub (100ml, €39), Purifying Charcoal Cleansing Gel (150ml, €26), and a new Clinique Sonic System Brush Head, whose hairs are impregnated with the charcoal (Purifying Cleansing Brush, €22.50).
Peter Thomas Roth has played the Irish countryside card with their Irish Moor Mud Purifying Black Mask (150ml, €59.90), which contains activated charcoal, volcanic ash, Irish moor mud, and Japanese black algae.
Even DIY has jumped on the bandwagon! For example, the brand Rosée de la Reine (a springwater) has worked in collaboration with Mélinda Noël, their beauty ambassador, to create a beauty workshop and teach you to make your own natural charcoal detox mask! The black tide is far from over, since the perfumes to be released for the end of the year are also concerned (See our Focus on New Launches on this topic )…

Ariane Le Febvre