Skincare worth splurging on right now
This may be hard to believe, but I took a week-long skincare break after having surgery—because I simply didn’t have the energy or desire. I also had a minor reaction to the antibiotics I was taking in the form of red, bumpy skin on my face so that gave me another reason to keep things simple. (This happened after my mastectomy as well but I totally forgot to tell my surgeon before he prescribed this round of post-surgical meds.) On one hand, I appreciated the ease of using just a cleansing wipe and moisturizer, but then I looked in the mirror and it was obvious I needed to get my shit together.
A few weeks before surgery, I took a deep (Zoom) dive into the world of Retrouvé, the uber-luxurious skincare line created by Jami Morse Heidegger of Kiehl’s founding-family fame. The takeaway: With sleek black packaging, elegant textures, cutting-edge science and proven, super-high-quality ingredients, this line is the ultimate way to indulge (and improve) your skin.
These products are also as “clean” as can be without sacrificing, well, anything. The triple-airless packaging protects every product from the time it’s filled in the factory until you put it on your face, allowing for minimal use of preservatives while maintaining potency and maximizing shelf life. You won’t find any artificial colors, fragrance, parabens, sulfates or silicone either. In a stark departure from many mainstream skincare companies, you don’t get any claims or promises either—but you’re sure to see the results with your own two eyes. The tightly-edited line is ideal for all skin types, yet you can customize the routine for your skin with (or without) the various moisturizer formulas. Here’s what I’ve been using…
Luminous Cleansing Elixir: You know I love a good cleansing balm, and this one comes in an innovative pump so you don’t have to scoop it out (or contaminate it) with your fingers. Applied to dry skin before adding water to emulsify it, it’s packed with avocado oil sourced from Retrouvé’s own sustainable, organic farm in Malibu. Rich in essential fatty acids and nutrients, it serves up major skin-softening and brightening benefits (and it won’t clog pores so it’s suitable for all skin types).
Conditioning Tonic: A cross between a toner and an essence (two products in one!), this post-cleansing step offers anti-inflammatory chamomile and lactic acid for gentle exfoliation. If you’re not a “morning cleanser,” this alone will prep the skin for your AM regimen.
Revitalizing Eye Concentrate Skin Hydrator: With a waterless, oil-based formula and gel-like texture, a little of this eye treatment goes a long way (and you need less than a pea-sized amount for both eyes). It contains squalane which mimics the skin’s natural oils, vitamins A and E, and padina pavonica marine extract to hydrate the delicate eye area as it fights fine lines and dark circles. It also glides across the skin like a dream to minimize tugging or pulling and creates the perfect canvas for concealer.
Nutrient Face Serum: One of the few Retrouvé products that contains water (which makes it a wonderful hydrator for oilier skin), this featherweight gel provides antioxidant protection and skin-brightening with a high concentration of vitamin C along with skin-soothing niacinamide.
Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer: I would have never dreamed of using an oil-based moisturizer in the morning, but this one changed my tune. With Swiss apple stem cell extract, an antioxidant blend of white tea and pomegranate, and anti-inflammatory resveratrol (which is also a potent antioxidant), the elixir-like consistency absorbs in a flash and instantly plumps and revitalizes my skin.
After a few weeks of looking tired and beat up (with red, bumpy skin to boot), I finally feel ready to re-enter the world. Hopefully the healthy, radiant glow I’m seeing after using Retrouvé is the first thing that people will notice instead of my still-swollen, overabundant busom!
