Asian beauty is invading France…

When it comes to searching for perfect skin texture, no one can challenge Asians, Japan and Korea ahead!
Let us start with Japan and the Bioré brand: indeed, that is the one that associated with Nivea about twenty years ago to launch the renowned anti-blackhead patches. The cleanser leader in Japan has re-enlisted for this spring season (still in supermarkets), with the firm intention of conquering the French market with two ranges of cleansers, one with vegetable charcoal (for normal to oily skins), the other with sodium bicarbonate (for most skin types), with a rather explicit claim: ‘Free your pores!’ According to the Japanese brand, embedded pores are responsible for many skin problems.
As an example, in the charcoal range, there are a Charcoal Pore Minimizer Exfoliating Gel (92ml, €6.90, as from May), the famous Purifying Patches for the nose, forehead, or chin (six patches for the nose, €6.40; Series of 14 Patches: seven for the nose, seven for the forehead and chin, €8.40), or the 1-minute Self-Heating Mask, which also contains zeolite, a volcanic crystalline rock which warms up naturally when it comes in contact with water (four 7g bags, €6.40, in March).
With this one, it is even useless to extract blackheads!

As for Korea, after Erborian, two Korean brands will soon be featured in Sephora stores with products for pretty skin texture (as from March): Too Cool For School (Warming Exfoliating Balm, 30g, €14.90; Foam Cleanser with Moroccan rhassoul extracts, 150ml, €24; Egg Pore Tightening Cooling Patch For Pore, 30g, €14.90), and Caolion.

Pore Collection…

Caolion has launched a row of products dedicated to pores: Premium Hot & Cool Pore Pack Duo (50g, €26.90), Hot & Cool Pore Foam Cleansing Duo (50g, €22.90).
The first foam warms up when it comes in contact with the skin to remove impurities and dead cells, the second one refreshes, soothes, and tightens pores. Pore Glowing Day & Night Duo (50g, €35) also involves two steps: moisturizing and absorbing the excess of sebum during the day, tightening pores overnight.
Pore Blackhead 02 Sparkling Soap (100g, €13.90) is a soap based on charcoal, cocoa, and sparkling water which exfoliates the skin without drying it and makes pores less visible.
Premium Blackhead O2 Bubble Pack (50g, €25) contains oxygen microbubbles which gently cleanse pores and remove dead cells. This formula suits all skin types, even the most sensitive.
Lastly, the Pore Tightening Memory Sleeping Pack (50g, €29.90) is a shape memory, fresh night mask which tightens skin texture overnight. Well, that is quite enough!

From cleansers to masks, ‘beautiful skin’ actives are triumphing

Charcoal was set up as a ‘beautiful skin ingredient’ a while ago. Thanks to its porous composition with many cavities, it attracts the impurities settled in pores like a magnet to remove them.
It can be found in a whole series of cleansers and scrubs at Sephora’s. After the Exfoliating Cream (50ml, €5.95), even wipes (Charcoal Cleansing & Exfoliating Wipes, 25 wipes, €5.95) and micellar waters have adopted charcoal (Sephora Face & Eye Charcoal Cleansing Micellar Water, 100ml, €4.95)! It is a bit weird to remove makeup with ink-black water, but then brands would do anything to surprise us!

La Roche-Posay has also developed a new, purifying micellar water based on zinc, glycerine, and a high quantity of thermal water (Effaclar Micellar Water Ultra, 400ml, €12).

Sisley’s Gentle Cleansing Gel with Tropical Resins has just been redesigned (120ml, €63). It cleanses pores and purifies and hydrates the skin without damaging it (marsh mallow extract). In the heart of these formulas, there are benzoin, myrrh, and incense extracts to fight against skin imperfections.
Then, on March 15, the brand will make a pore-minimizing mask available (Creamy Mask with Tropical Resins, Deeply Purifying, 60ml, €88), as well as a lotion to remove pores (Lotion with Tropical Resins, 125ml, €64).

Even cleansing oils have adopted a light diet! Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil was just released as a tested non-comedogenic, non-acnegenic oil (175ml, €32). With its squalene and lavender essential oil, it deeply cleanses the skin without any oily effect. With a massive quantity of algae soaked with zinc and witch hazel, Thalgo’s Absolute Purifying Mask (75ml, €29) removes embedded blackheads, tightens pores, and refines skin texture.

The Masque des Reines, Gelée perfectrice Lumière instantanée by Sanoflore (75ml, €19.50), based on organic fruit acids and royal jelly, is a fresh gel which smooths skin texture.

The Pore Purifying Clay Cleanser Mask with volcanic stone by Garnier Skin Active (one single dose bag, €1.55) requires no explanation.

In desperate need of perfect skin texture…

Adult skins with imperfections are on a roll.
According to the Esthederm Institute, this form of acne is much more inflammatory than adolescent acne. In February, the brand will launch a whole range based on propolis (a natural active from the hive) as part of the Intensive Collection: Intensive Propolis Lotion (125ml, €29), Intensive Propolis Serum (30ml, €49), Intensive Propolis Cream (50ml, €39). With a record concentration in antioxidants (propolis contains more than 60 flavonoids) and a repairing action (soothing and decongestant), propolis boosts the cell metabolism and activates the synthesis of collagen).

The latest pore-minimizing skincare products are also designed for adult skins, and they are powerful moisturizers:
• Garancia’s La Perle du Marabout, Gelée évanescente rééquilibrante (Rebalancing Evanescent Gel, 30ml, €31.50),
• Kiehl’s Dermatologist Solutions Blemish Treatment Facial Lotion (60ml, €49),
• Elixir Refiner, Mattifying Serum, Pore Minimizer by Payot (30ml, €46).

Sanoflore’s Crème des Reines Légère (40ml, 30) refines skin texture, while fighting against the first signs of aging.
Blemish + Age Defense by SkinCeuticals (30ml, €92 or 15ml, €46), which contains – among others – 1.5% of salicylic acid, is also intended for adult skins with imperfections.

As for primers, the Pore & Shine Control Primer by Nars (30ml, €34, in Sephora stores), with its powders endowed with a ‘blurry’ effect, mattifies and reduces dilated pores all day long.

Ultimately, in the same progressive peeling category, Emergence Even Skin Tone Refining Serum by Phytomer (30ml, €52.40) redefines a perfect skin and softens any imperfections (pores, blackheads, but also red blotches) with its marine and synthetic AHAs.
The same goes for Lancôme’s Visionnaire Crescendo Peeling Nuit Double Intensité (30ml, €85, as from February 27), a two-step protocol which transforms skin texture in 28 days.

Ariane Le Febvre