Murad’s invisibility cloak (almost) for facial lines
It’s only February but Murad has already introduced two of the best beauty products of 2015, IMHO.
The dermatologist-driven skincare brand, which operates on the philosophy of Inclusive Health, has formulated the first invisible sunscreen, as well as a lip plumper that’s guaranteed to work.
Murad’s West Hollywood-based international marketing director Thomas Smith was in Manila recently to talk about these groundbreaking products, the most exciting of which is Invisiblur Perfecting Shield.
“This has been a real sleeper hit for us,” Smith says. “Every single retailer — Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta — have all been going crazy for this. It’s called Invisiblur because it’s the first invisible sunscreen that’s out on the market, and we’ve paired it with a blur technology. It has a broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30), which has no chalky effect you get with most of them. It has a super-silky texture. And we say that it blurs, but really what it does is create an almost glass-type finish as a primer, so you can apply your makeup on top of it.”
Invisiblur does everything he says and more. I love it because it’s a true multi-tasker: not only do you get sun protection and a makeup primer, it’s also an anti-aging treatment and instant mattifier! Even men — usually not fans of multistep rituals —are using it. Smith says that when he goes out on dates, he applies it around his eyes “because it completely smoothens out and fills in.
“It has a mushroom peptide in it, which plumps for a collagen effect,” he continues. “We say it’s ‘one step to perfection,’ and it’s the most popular product we’ve launched this year.”
Murad, whose VP of product development is Dr. Jeff Murad, founder Howard Murad’s son, has been focusing more on innovative, all-in-one products like Invisiblur: “We’re definitely into this ‘bigger, better, fewer’ mentality these days and also leveraging some of our landmark technologies into more and more products,” says Smith, who tells us that a trolley filled with Murad products in their early stages is driven around the office. Employees test them and are asked to give their ratings and reviews.
One of the new products he tried was Rapid Collagen Infusion for Lips, which plumps your pout without the need for collagen injections. “Most collagen molecules are not actually strong enough to penetrate the skin,” he notes, “but we have a micronized collagen technology.”
In the morning you’re supposed to apply the treatment underneath your lip color, gloss or balm. Though it has the weightless texture of a serum, I find that it does a good job of moisturizing as well. “If a customer has smoker’s lines, it’s awesome for that, because the collagen fills in all around, both for lips and the surrounding area,” Smith says.
Because its effects are cumulative, Rapid Collagen Infusion is meant to be a treatment product, not a balm that you keep reapplying, Smith cautions. “If you use it every day you won’t get Lisa Rinna lips, but it’s pretty great.”
Though Invisiblur Perfecting Shield and Rapid Collagen Infusion for Lips have yet to be launched here in June, while we wait there are other Murad products to discover and love, like my personal favorites, Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture for face and eyes, Water Resistant Sunscreen, Rejuvenating AHA Hand Cream and Rapid Collagen Infusion for the face.
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Murad is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source and the Murad Medi-Spa on the fifth floor of Rustan’s Makati.
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