1. When it comes to skincare, it is worthwhile to get the best you can afford. This is not to blind you to cheaper possibilities, only that efficacy takes precedence over whether the product is $10 or $42.


2. And, I have difficulties with exfoliants. Scrubs abrade, or bore me, while chemical exfoliants burn, and I am allergic to almond-meal pastes. This is the only product I've had any luck with but...


3. What about Malin + Goetz Detox Face Mask? It has no stupid scrubby bits that get stuck in my hairline, but I'm not sure it is quite as good a cleanser, since that is not really its purpose. Perhaps I should give it a round, first.


4. You can sense the quality of the Primavera from the first. Very natural brands, though they smell incredible, are unfortunately lacking in "cosmetic elegance", the texture of a product can be rough and heavy. The Primavera product is incredibly silky and yet rinses clean: a combination of sugar surfactants and jojoba oil, which is mildly disinfectant yet is soothing and balancing. Another sign of quality is in the longterm effects (people bemoan the mania for instant gratification in contemporary perfumery, but it is much worse in the skincare industry): from the first, my skin is indeed soft and smooth, but over time there has been a marked improvement in the clarity of my skin.


5. Even the mildest of exfoliants are probably not best for twice-daily use, though I prefer using just one product. Perhaps a conservative plan would be to get one of the Refining Exfoliating Cleanser and one of the Gentle Cleansing Fluid, and see whether I like one or the other better. Both come highly recommended by the owner of Saffronrouge.com, who calls Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel her holy grail, especially nice in summer on its own or in winter under a moisturizer—exactly my sentiments!

Labels: beauty notes, primavera, santa maria novella, skin