the evolu Recovery Day Cream and Decrease Eye + Lip Line Serum, another botanical option for your skin needs.

I'm extremely lucky that in my search for a good balance of skincare ingredients, I am introduced to evolu, a brand which has recently made its way into Malaysia but probably not talked about much. When I was contacted, I told them my skin probably should start on an anti-aging regimen but due to my combination oily-pore clogging-prone skin condition, I may not be able to tolerate rich formulations. However, I did mention that I love cream cleansers because it doesn't make my skin tight while it helps control redness from sensitivity.

Despite me telling I may not tolerate rich formulations, they sent me a day cream for dry and sensitive skin, which I initially thought may be rich for daily use (since I don't have dry skin) and an anti-aging eye + lip line serum. Of course, I believe they would know their products better... perhaps they thought the day cream would be suitable for me. Nevertheless I couldn't wait to give them a go the minute I received them.

The evolu Recovery Day Cream is suitable for people with sensitive skin. I have been told by several beauty therapists that I do have some element of sensitivity since my skin reddens easily. And I quite like sensitive formulations because I perceive them to be safe for use, with minimal side effects. However, my skin is not super sensitive ie. I don't have eczema. So, I can't say for sure if this is hydrating enough for those with chronic dryness and sensitivities. And initially, I wasn't sure if my oily combination sensitive skin can tolerate a dry-sensitive formulation.

Retailing at RM232, it comes in a nice 75ml tube, which is quite large compared to the average 30-50ml tubes of most moisturisers in the market. And of course, like most "natural/botanical" skincare, you can feel their environment safe material used in their packaging. They feel "green".

The cream claims to be lightweight but enriching enough to deliver daily relief for sensitive skin. Targeted botanical actives balance rehydration with anti-inflammatory skin-calming benefits which soothe irritation, reducing redness and replenishing skin's natural reserves of moisture.

When I got it, I used it at night despite its label for day because I wanted to see if it is too rich to be used for day time in our hot and super humid climate. As it doesn't contain SPF, I thought using it at night won't be that bad. There are 3 things I noticed first when using the Day Cream:

1. Texture - it feels creamy but absorbed almost instantaneously and lightweight as promised.
2. Scent - it has a faint aromatherapeutic scent which I liken it to Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream. I think they are similar in many points - good for sensitive skin, hydrating claims, faint scent and lightweight. The only thing different is probably that Dermalogica contains silicone while evolu doesn't. Plus point for me!
3. Nice feeling - the creamy and faint scent makes my skin feels so comfortable. I woke up with a fresh looking face on the first application and I was hooked on using it to see if it was just a coincidence. As it felt lightweight on application, I used it for day time and I could see that the skin looks somewhat clean and fresh come late afternoon even without makeup on. I quite like it.

The product boasts some of the more popular botanical ingredients. I don't think it is a miracle product and perhaps when it comes to natural products, they are supposed to perform their basic duty - to help maintain healthy skin, keep it hydrated and for that, they are perceived to be safe for long term use. 

I like their non-over promising brand statement where evolu (purposely spelt in small caps) is founded on one woman's personal vision: that the key to lasting beauty is natural balance. According to Kati Kasza, the founder of evolu, simplicity balanced with potency, purity with performance should be desirable, affordable and a pleasure to use. 

I agree with many of their statements and I feel that this particular brand speaks to me on my beliefs of why I'd explore the idea of using botanical/natural products. I also like that they maintain simplicity in the formulations, keeping active ingredients as low as possible. Hence, they are able to use each of the ingredients in greater concentrations to maximise its benefits. To them, simpler is better (remember how I mentioned in my recent post, Beauty Tips for beautiful skin could just mean keeping it simple??).

One thing I noticed about natural products is the details on their packaging. As you can see in the above photos of the box, you can find the how to use instructions, the content, benefits and information of the brand. What I especially like about evolu's products though, is that they had also incorporate those details onto each product. Hence, if you had thrown the box away, you can still refer to the tube for the how to use instructions, the benefits and I particularly appreciate the full ingredients list printed clearly too.

I also received the Decrease eye + lip line serum which is under its anti-aging range. I must say that although I've only used this for about 2 weeks, I can definitely see results! I mean, I've neglected my eye area for awhile and because I wanted to scrimp a bit on my skincare habits, I may have been using an eye product which isn't sufficient for my dry under-eye area. I haven't been good too as I would rub my eyes when they get dry from working in front of the computer into the late nights and tugging on the skin around the eye area has shown some non-favourable results - I've noticed a long fine line underneath my right eye and though I've been using an expensive eye cream for a month, I didn't really see any significant improvement other than the area being more hydrated and supple.

But just 2 weeks of its usage, I noticed that the fine line seem to look much finer, almost unnoticeable in photos and the under eye area won't crack under foundation when skin feels dry. I love this and I can see myself using this in the long run. Of course the only setback might be the RM278 price tag. It's so expensive but I truly like what its doing to my eye area. As it is also meant to be used on the lips, I'd apply the balance of the serum left on the fingertips after applying it on the eye area and the lips feel so supple and soft. 

The only thing about the eye + lip line serum is its plasticky pump nozzle. It doesn't disturb me that much after several use, once I've learnt to control the pump. As the eye + lip serum is a little liquidy, it can bounce off from your fingertip if you pump it fully... the serum would be dispensed too fast and a lot will come out. Also, the leftover at the tip of the pump will dry up and accumulate, which after 2 weeks, can block the nozzle. So if you don't control the pump, it will dispense a little too much serum as it tries to unblock the dried up leftover.

So, the best thing to do is to control the pump by holding the lower part of the nozzle with your fingertip while the other hand pumps out the serum slowly.

The entire section of the bottle has all the details printed on it.

According to evolu, their products contain New Zealand pure spring water and finest quality plant oils to create the unique evolu essence. Into this base, they've added potent amounts of pure botanicals, rich in vitamins, essential fatty acids, anti-oxidants and water-binding agents to maintain supple skin that's nourished and protected.

My thoughts:
For me, I've noticed that since using the Day Cream, I've shied away from using foundation. I like the healthy "shine" that it gives to my entire complexion and I've reserved the foundation only for special occasions.

This non-filtered photo was taken around 1am while ordering supper with Mr Oosband just last weekend. I used the Day Cream around 6pm, topped with Clinique Cheek Pop in Berry Pop on my bare cheeks, a light lipstick and eye brow pencil. We went out for furniture shopping, handled our cheerful kids that's quite a handful and after midnight, my skin still glowed despite feeling extremely tired.

I can't say for sure if hydration level of my skin has improved as I don't have the machine to measure hydration levels. But from photos, I can see improvement in terms of skin texture. During the day, since the product doesn't contain SPF, the skin may feel a little heavier when using another SPF product on top but as long as you use an oil-free lightweight SPF, it should be ok.

I wish the product has brightening properties because I sure would like to get rid of brown spots which have been appearing here and there on my face but for now, I would like to indulge in this positive experience. Perhaps I might want to pick up their Recovery Night Cream too or try their shampoo. If you'd like to know what other products they have under their belt, you can visit theSkintopic website  at www.theskintopic.com.my and follow them on their fb page, www.facebook.com/theSkintopic.. evolu range of products is priced from RM68 for a 50ml Facial Toner to RM278 for the 15ml eye + lip serum.

evolu can be purchased  at theSkintopic outlets, located at:

·          Pavilion KL - Level  5, P5.12.00, Tel: 03-2142 9988

·          Avenue K - C-16A, 156 Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur , Tel: 03-2166 9988

·          Subang Parade - Lower Ground Floor, Lot LGC01, Tel: 03-5638 2988

·          Hartamas Shopping Centre - PF3 First Floor, Tel: 03-6205 8828

·          The Curve - K-G8-W, Ground Floor, Mutiara Damansara, Tel: 03-7722 2213

Have you heard of evolu before this?