NARSskin Potent EFA Cream – Lipid Support Line
NARS Potent EFA Cream ($70.00 for 1.7 fl. oz.) is the third NARSskin product in my daily routine. While I told you about my two favorite PM products, the Hydrating Moisture Cream and the Aqua-Gel Hydrator, let me tell you about a third. It is a thicker cream than I typically use, but it sinks into skin incredibly well and doesn’t take all day to do it. The goal of this cream is to give you smooth skin with moisturization using their “lipid-enchanting” ingredients.
So, is it as good as the first two PM products?
What I like about the product is its goal: strengthen and repair your skin. NARS says that this is best used at night, and for ultra moisturization, let it sink in for thirty seconds, then follow with your favorite moisturizer. Now, what I love about this product is its packaging. It comes in an airless jar that allows you to press the top and it will pump out a pea-sized dollop. The amount it dispenses is perfect for covering the entire face; I usually need two pumps for both the face and neck. The airless technology means that the active ingredients won’t be compromised by oxygen or sunlight–plus no contamination by your fingers dipping into the jar.
Here’s what NARS says about their active ingredient in EFA:
The NARSskin exclusive Omega-3 Lipid Support System™, an essential fatty acid complex that contains Omega-3’s, Ceramides and Super Sterol in a 3:1:1 ratio plus Açai and Hyaluronic Acid, nourishes and repairs the skin cells deep within. The skin’s absorption ratio is optimized as the complex simulates the skin’s lipid content, ultimately allowing the skin to increase its intake of hydration.
I’m a youngin’, so it’s always hard for me to give you guys a good report on how well an anti-aging product worked.I find that this product gives me good hydration without having to follow-up with a moisturizer, which means that for most, you don’t need two products. I do think this is a thicker cream, which makes it ideal for drier skin types than oily skin (if you’re oily, think Aqua-Gel Hydrator, STAT!). Sometimes I cheat and use this product in the AM, because I feel like it gives me a bit of a natural glow. Not shimmery or highlight-given glow, but just the I’ve-got-super-healthy-skin look.
Have you used this product? Did you see any difference in your aging lines?
Get yours at www.narscosmetics.com!
hey, i have the aqua gel hydrator. LOVE IT
i read what you do before but now i cant find it, can you just give me a break down of the am. pm one more time? thankss!
Right now, I use Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple cleanser in the PM, along with NARS’ EFA or AquaGel, depending on how I feel. Maybe both. In the AM, I use Dermalogica’s cleanser or MAC’s Volcanic Ash, followed by Kate Somerville’s Oil-Free Moisturizer.
Now this one I totally approve of, it has great packaging that doesn´t ruin the formula after a few days after opening, as the normal jar packaging does (this is why I can´t get exited over the other two nars moisturizers, they are well formulated, but that is nixed because of the packaging, which makes me furious, why do the cosmetics companies, do that? They full well know it, and still they think consumers can not handle tubes or pump bottles?!?) Sorry about the rant! 🙂
Hi Nell,
Actually, most companies test their products to ensure ingredient and product stability. I know that the EL brands test products for 3 years of shelf life, and then you can check the back of the product for its life after you open it (often a jar with a number like “24M”, which means 24 months).
Companies choose tubes, jars, pumps, etc. based on what they want the product to look like. So jars aren’t bad, and I never use dirty fingers in a cream, since I cleanse right before. Also, most products have preservatives (even more natural ones do) that severely limit bacteria growth.
It’s mostly a myth about product break down, ruined formula, bacteria growth, etc.
Hi Christine,
bacteria growth is not my problem. You are absolutely right with what you said about shelf life etc., and every cream is certainly perfectly alright to use until it´s expiration date, BUT what I´m referring to is the potency of sensitive active ingredients like antioxidants, whose effectiveness is out the window (or rather the jar, hehe) as soon as they are exposed to air. That is a chemical fact cosmetic companies are well aware of, strangely though, they still prefer marketing necessities like beautiful packaging over ingredient stability. The cream is not compromised in the sense of spoilage or anything, but it is not possible to keep antioxidants stable in a jar, the container needs to be airtight, the “onslaught” of oxygen from the air just quickly uses up the antioxidant ability of those ingredients.
I think it is important to know that to be able to make an informed decision.
🙂
Hi Nell,
Where did you get this information? I spoke with several cosmetic brands, and they said ingredient stability — which should include all ingredients, thereby antioxidants — is tested.
My sister in law is a cosmetic chemist and pharmacologist, she works for La Roche-Posay, a brand owned by L´Oreal.
And I´ve had quite a lot of chemistry courses myself in med school.
Paula Begoun is a very reliable online source concerning this subject (you can also follow the links she provides to medical, dermatological and phamaceutical publications).
I don´t want to be a know-it-all, but I hate companies who treat consumers like imbeciles sometimes 🙁
Hi Nell,
I spent at least an hour trying to find information about ingredient breakdown yesterday, and I spoke with three different brands about it. I couldn’t find anything about antioxidants breaking down. I’d really love to read something scientific or an article about it, if you have any idea as to where I can look, that would be great. Thanks!
I should add: I’d really just like something more comprehensive so I can understand why and how they breakdown, as well as how *fast* they break down. It is not because I don’t believe you! 🙂
I´ll see what I can find for you! There ought to be some papers out there 🙂
Hi Christine, here are a few paper I found:
It is truly common knowledge in the industry and the research is extensive. For example, the Guidelines on Stability of Cosmetic Products, March 2004, by the CTFA and COLIPA (respectively the American and European cosmetic governing associations most cosmetic companies in Europe and the US belong to) which states “Packaging can directly affect finished product stability because of interactions which can occur between the product, the package, and the external environment. Such interactions may include… Barrier properties of the container its effectiveness in protecting the contents from the adverse effects of atmospheric oxygen…” But there are many other sources including: FreeRadical Biology and Medicine, September 2007, pages 818-829; Ageing Research Reviews, December 2007, pages 271-288; Dermatologic Therapy,September-October 2007, pages 314-321; International Journal of Pharmaceutics, June 12, 2005, pages 197-203; Pharmaceutical Development and Technology, January 2002, pages 1-32;
International Society for Horticultural Science
http://www.actahort.org/members/showpdf?booknrarnr=778_5;
Beautypackaging.com, http://www.beautypackaging.com/articles/2007/03/airless-packaging.php).
So if this information is well known, why does the industry keep selling products in jar packaging? Simply because consumers like jar packaging(we often like what isn’t good for us). Until consumers start demanding better packaging for products or until companies using jars switch to the new airless jar packaging, packaging that disrupts a product’s integrity (and the very ingredients you’re paying top dollar for) will continue.
Thanks, Nell!
^ Agreed; It infuriates me when companies don’t package products properly bc the active ingredients end up obsolete. Are they really that stupid? Or do they think their consumers are?
Reposting what I said to Nell…
Actually, most companies test their products to ensure ingredient and product stability. I know that the EL brands test products for 3 years of shelf life, and then you can check the back of the product for its life after you open it (often a jar with a number like “24M”, which means 24 months).
Companies choose tubes, jars, pumps, etc. based on what they want the product to look like. So jars aren’t bad, and I never use dirty fingers in a cream, since I cleanse right before. Also, most products have preservatives (even more natural ones do) that severely limit bacteria growth.
It’s mostly a myth about product break down, ruined formula, bacteria growth, etc.