La Prairie De-Sensitizing Products Reviewed :

Nurturing Cream	Barrier Shield	Serum
Mask	Toner

La Prairie is one of the highest-tier skin care companies out there. Based in Switzerland, they manufacture a full line of products for all skin-care needs. And very expensive ones at that. Most products average around $125. That's right. Now, a few years ago that represented the highest prices in the business. But no more! Now there are lots of lines and products that sell for much, much more. Which makes La Prairie look like something of a bargain. As with any high-priced line, before you buy try some samples. Don't be shy. La Prairie reps will be glad to give you lots. Then you can judge whether it's worth the splurge.

Speaking of which, for Christmas I decided to dive in and buy myself almost their whole sensitive skin line (all but the cleanser). My cheeks are very sensitive, and in the winter I tend to look like a lobster. Since all my previous experiences with La Prairie products were very positive, I decided the risk was worth it. As you will see below, I was not disappointed. To orient you towards the treatment of sensitive skin, there are two basic approaches. In the first approach, you offer products designed not to further irritate your skin in anyway. Products in this group just try not to include any ingredients that might make the situation worse - like fragrances, colorants, harsh oils (e.g., eucalyptus, camphor), etc. Aveda's All Sensitive line is a good example of this approach. The second approach is more comprehensive - it attempts to cure the sensitivity itself rather than just aggravate it further. This is La Prairie's approach. Often sensitive skin is the result of fragile capillaries and an over-active immune system that can be triggered by even small irritants and infections. The ingredients in the De-Sensitizing Systeme are meant to reinforce the capillaries, clear the skin of any micro-infections that might be causing redness, and soothe as much as possible.

If my experience is a reliable guide, this approach works very well. After using the products for about eight days, I noticed my skin simply did not react any more to environmental factors. My complexion remained radiant and even-toned even after a few glasses of red wine and some porn. Moreover, and best of all, unlike most other products for sensitive skin, they DID NOT dry out my skin at all. And they actually were completely effective at removing blotchiness and redness. Nevertheless, it wasn't a cheap purchase. What you might want to try is reading the reviews below and choosing one product of the line first, and see if that works for you.

La Prairie is available at most high-end department stores, like Saks, Neimans, Barneys, Bloomingdales and Nordstroms. You can also purchase their products on-line at Visage Beauty (http://www.visagebeauty.com). This is a great shopping site with excellent service that I am happy to vouch for.

Guide To Ra(n)tings:

Nurturing Cream
author: Niall | date: 12/01

Size	1.7 oz	Price	$125	Where	dept. stores, online
Ingredients:
Water, cetearyl alcohol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetearyl octanoate, glycerin, cyclomethicone, decyl oleate, hydrogenated vegetable oil, PEG-100 stearate, dimethicone, glycine, algae, mugwort extract, lactitol, xylitol, perilla ocymoides extract, arnica montana extract, calendula extract, balm mint extract, elderberry extract, green tea extract, hydrolyzed ulva lactuca extract, apple extract, sodium hyaluronate, betaglucan, vitamin E, glycoproteins, ginseng, horsetail, polyacrylamide, xanthan gum, glyceryl stearate, steareth-2, C13-14 isoparaffin, laureth-7, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin, sorbic acid, alcohol, propylene glycol, lavender oil, chamomile oil.

This is a rich cream for use at night. It contains many high-quality ingredients for reducing inflammation and reinforcing the strength of the skin's capillary system. Also, unlike many La Prairie products, the pleasure of use is high due to its aromatherapeutic scent. Many sensitive skin products forego all scent, but don't worry. The cream never irritated my face or caused redness. It provides just enough moisture without making your skin feel greasy. After about a week of using this (with the other products), my skin was glowing, calm and even-toned. I can highly recommend this cream, except perhaps to people with very oily skin. For them, I would recommend using a very small amount, since a little goes a long way.

Ra(n)tings

Effectiveness	Pleasure of Use	Value	Overall
4.0	4.0	3.0	4.0

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Barrier Shield SPF 15
author: Niall | date: 12/01

Size	1 fl. oz	Price	$100	Where	dept. stores, online
Ingredients:
Active ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide. Other ingredients: Water, octyl isononanoate, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, cyclomethicone, octyldodecyl neopentanoate, titanium doixide, dimethicone, cetyl dimethicone, copolyol, shea butter, zonc oxide, glycerin, aloe extract, chamomile extract, calendula extract, glycine, apple extract, sodium hyaluronate, algae, mugword extract, lactitol, xylitol, perilla ocymoides extract, hydrolyzed ulva lactuca extract, betaglucan, glycoproteins, ginesng extract, horsetail extract, echinacea extract, balm mint extract, elderflower extract, vitamin E, green tea extract, lavender oil, chamomile oil, geranium oil, polyglyceryl-4 isostearate, hexyl laurate, aluminum hodroxide, stearic acid, phenoxyethanol, trifluoromethyl C1-4 alkyl dimethicons, chlorphenesis, propylene glycol, sorbic acid, alcohol, sodium chloride..

This is the day cream of the line. It is emollient without being greasy, and contains a great sunscreen. The only concern you might have about this is that the titanium dioxide will make your face look a bit white right after you apply it. But this effect moderates as the cream sinks in. As with the nurturing cream, there is a lovely scent of lavender. I can wear this all day and have my face feel greasy or stressed at the end. Highly effective and pleasant to use.

Ra(n)tings

Effectiveness	Pleasure of Use	Value	Overall
4.0	4.0	3.0	4.0

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De-Sensitizing Serum
author: Niall | date: 12/01

Size	1 fl. oz	Price	$150	Where	dept. stores, online
Ingredients:
Water, glycerin, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, cyclomethicone, oat kernel extract, bisabolol, betaglucan, algae, mugwort extract, lactitol, xylitol, perilla ocymoides leaf extract, green tea leaf extract, chamomile extract, vitamin E, aminopropyl ascorbyl phosphate, trehalose, arginine, lysine, licorice extract, glycoproteins, panax ginseng root extract, horsetail extract, vitamin A, co-enzyme Q10, beta-carotene, macadamia seed oil, mannitol, glutamine, acetyl cysteine, ascorbic acid, propyl gallate, dimethyl sulfone, pyroxidine HCI, niacinamide, cyanocobalamin, spirulina platensis extract, elderflower extract, balm mint leaf extract, calendula flower extract, dog rose fruit extract, echinacea extract, scuttellaria galericulata fruit extract, mulberry root extract, grape seed extract, xanthan gum, butylene glycol, chamomile flower oil, disodium EDTA, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crossppolymer, palmitic acid, caprylic/capric triglyceride, thioctic acid, triethanolamine, alcohol, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin, methylparaben, benzoic acid.

The serum is a super-concentrated version of the effective de-sensitizing ingredients in the system. You could use it when wanted quick action against an unexpected outbreak of sensitivity, or you can use it underneath either the Barrier Shield or Nurturing Creams. In my experiement, I used it during the day underneath the day cream. This is the only product in the line that can be quite drying on your skin, so if you have dry skin be sure to follow it up with one of the creams. However, if you have oily skin, this would be perfect to use alone. I achieved excellent results with the serum.

Ra(n)tings

Effectiveness	Pleasure of Use	Value	Overall
4.0	4.0	3.0	4.0

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Enzyme Mask
author: Niall | date: 12/01

Size	1.7 oz	Price	$100	Where	dept. stores, online
Ingredients:
Water, glycerin, propylene glycol, hydroxyethylcellulose, butylene glycol, perfluorodecalin, apple extract, isohexadecane, sodium hyaluronate, algae, mugwort extract, lactitol, xylitol, perilla ocymoides extract, aloe gel, french rose extract, echinacea extract, elderflower extract, chamomile extract, papaya extract, pineapple extract, green tea extract, borage seed oil, kukui nut oil, evening primrose oil, sunflower seed oil, vitamine E, vitamin C, glycoproteins, ginsent extract, horsetail extract, polyacrylamide, glycosphingolipids, licorice extract, allantoin, methylparaben, disodium EDTA, C13-14 isoparaffin, laureth-7, chlorphenesin, lavender oil, chamomile oil, geranium oil, triethanolamine, xanthan gum, citric acid, alcohol, phenoxyethanol, titanium dioxide..

The purpose of this product is to provide a way for people with sensitive skin to exfoliate. Since most forms of exfoliation involve friction-producing ingredients like ground up nut or fruit shells, which can be quite irritating to sensitive skin, people like us need a gentler alternative. This mask uses concentrated papaya and pineapple enzymes to achieve an exfoliating effect without physical abrasion. Also, the maks contains the same soothing, anti-inflammatory ingredients as the rest of the line, ingredients like elderflower and echinacea extracts. I was a little skeptical about using this maks, afraid the enzymes would be like pouring acid on my face (yes, I'm a drama queen), but I was pleasantly surprised by the result. My skin turned out mirror smooth, and calm as a qualuude. Just be careful not to leave the mask on longer than the recommended interval (three minutes), or you'll wind up looking like Jocelyn Wildenstein.

Ra(n)tings

Effectiveness	Pleasure of Use	Value	Overall
4.0	4.0	3.0	4.0

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Soothing Mist
author: Niall | date: 12/01

Size	4.2 fl. oz	Price	$65	Where	dept. stores, online
Ingredients:
Water, butylene glycol, dimethicone, copolyol, methyl gluceth-20, algae, mugword extract, lactitol, xylitol, perilla ocymoides extract, echinacea extract, chamomile extract, balm mint extract, aloe extract, elderflower extract, french rose extrace, green tea extract, glycine, glycoproteins, ginsent extract, horsetail extract, sodium citrate, vitamin E, glycerin, tocophersolan, triethanolamine, trisodium EDTA, polysorbate 20, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin, propylene glycol, sorbic acid, alcohol, chamomile oil...

This is the toner of the line. I tend to be leary of sensitive skin toners, since they usually leave my skin feeling like sandpaper. Happily, this toner is not at all drying, and leaves my skin feeling nicely toned, soothed and refreshed.

Ra(n)tings

Effectiveness	Pleasure of Use	Value	Overall
4.0	4.0	3.0	4.0

take me home, bud!