Hello ladies! Welcome to the first post of the new feature – Sample Corner. Today I will present to you the sample for Alqvimia Eternal Youth Maximum Recovery Face Cream. As you know, I came across this brand (check out detailed post on it HERE) in the beauty exhibition I visited (check the detailed coverage HERE) and the lady present there gave me this sample to try out from their line. The quantity is quite less ie it is only 3ml and it lasted me for 5 applications on my face only. Lets break down some basics first.

     “An extraordinary synergy of highly effective active ingredients that come 100% from plants offers you the perfect solution for an immediate anti-ageing effect. Designed for treatment beginning at the age of 30, it allows to reduce wrinkles and expression lines, creating greater density and firmness. It moisturizes, enlightens and protects the skin with an antioxidant effect, preventing premature ageing that is reinforced by acting as a filter from harmful solar radiation. The result is velvety skin with all the brightness of youth.

Effectiveness:

•  Complete disappearance of micro-wrinkles

•  Reduction of  the total surface area of wrinkles by 48.33%

•  Reduction of the total number of wrinkles by 38.14%

•  Reduction of wrinkle length by 44.16%

     This is a true, 100% natural treasure for skin care, thanks to the incredible powers of nature. This product offers the perfect solution for an immediate anti-aging effect: the natural alternative to surgical lifting.”

Ingredients:

Water (aqua), Glycerin, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, Glyceryl stearate, Cetearyl alcohol, Limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, Pongamia glabra seed oil, Potassium palmitoyl hydrolized wheat protein, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Crambe abbyssinica seed oil, Persea gratissima (avocado) oil, Triticum vulgare (wheat) germ oil, Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter) extract, Citrus medica limonum ( lemon) peel oil, Cymbopogon martini oil, Citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil, Aniba rosaeodora (rosewood) wood oil,  Pelargonium graveolens flower oil, Pogostemon cablin oil, Styrax tonkinensis resin extract, Beta-glucan, Palmytoil hydrolyzed weat protein, Rubus idaeus (raspberry) seed oil, Oxycoccus palustris seed oil, Robinia pseudacacia flower extract, Viola odorata flower oil, Boswellia carterii oil, Commiphora myrrha oil, Citrus aurantium amara ( bitter orange) flower extract, Xanthan gum, Titanium dioxide, Zinc oxide, Pongamol, Levulinic acid, Sodium levulinate, P-anisic acid, Diacetin, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Ascorbyl palmitate, Glyceryl oleate, Citric acid, Limonene*, Geraniol*, Citronellol*, Linalool*, Citral*, Benzyl benzoate*.

     Quite impressive type of claims from them. Btw this gem retails for about $230 (approx Rs. 12650/-) for 50 ml of product. Very expensive deal. But the whole concept of the brand is that they are not about products but rather a lifestyle. 

     It is very hard for me to describe the smell to a T. A complex blend that gives you spicy notes at one sniff and rich floral the next to lemony in the third  An exotic energizing fragrance which was quite appealing to me. The texture is like a thick lotion but the nature if it is very rich. I could feel the layer of it on my skin. Given the fact that I have an oily combination skin and that I’m allergic to heat (why I mention this you will come to know…be patient) I decided to apply this every night before going to bed. They advise to apply it every morning which would have been a complete no-no for me especially in summers.

    Now given my skin condition this cream was too rich for me. It broke me out not only pimples but I got a light rash on my skin. Remember I mentioned that I was allergic to heat…the cream is not reactive or anything and does not become warm but due to its thick layer covering my face my skin would feel slightly warm thereby causing me to breakout the way I did. It did not happen on the first application but gradually in the process of the trial. So not meant for our summers. I would not have such a situation if it would have been winters. 

     Given that my skin became such a state it is very hard to list out any of its benefits…but yes upon close scrutiny now I will say that my expression lines have reduced (not that they were very prominent). It is a very moisturizing cream so people with extremely dry skin will benefit from it and the other skin types should leave this for winters. I personally would not buy this version per say coz a) the price tag and b) I feel the serum will be more suitable for me. 

     I cut the tube to take pics of the product and discovered that I had atleast 3-4 uses left in it. So 3ml of product goes a long way ie approx 10 uses so 50 ml would mean about 167 applications roughly which would cost about Rs. 75 per use….lol maths lesson!!! Anyways those were just some rough figures. I will finish out the tube by giving a gap of some days between each application. Hopefully I will be able to report in some significant results to you in an update. 

     That’s it for this feature at present. Hope you found it useful. Please remember this is just a small window into the properties of the product and by no means justifies the whole deal. So please dont go and judge this on this basic trial run but keep an open mind about it. I will be back with another sample review soon. Till then – take care!