Violet femmes
If an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, then I wish I had taken better care of my skin in my 20s. In those days I was lucky if sunscreen touched my face before I went outdoors, and I don’t recall encountering the terms “skincare” and “anti-aging” until I was in my 30s.
Today, of course, I am ruing the consequences. My arms are a shade best described as nut-brown, and there’s a spot at the corner of my left eye that won’t disappear, no matter how much I peel or how many spot treatments I apply.
Today’s younger generation have it both better and worse. Worse because of the gaping hole in our ozone and the myriad pollutants in our environment, and better because we now have the technology to defend ourselves against their harmful effects.
Enter Awake, a Japanese brand that has made a splash even among jaded Americans thanks to its high-tech makeup and skincare. In both categories Awake is master of the liquid-to-powder formula, with futuristic-sounding products like Nano Essence and Exfolizer that, according to their many fans, really deliver visible results.
Awake’s latest innovation is Polyphection, a two-step regimen that I wish I had had in my carefree youth. The company found that women in their late 20s and above are already complaining about the same skincare issues I am: dehydration, rough skin, large pores, and so on.
Happily, Polyphection acts not only as an armor against all the bad environmental mojo out there, it also resolves these signs of early aging.
Polyphection’s scientific name comes from polyphenol, one of the current buzzwords in the skincare industry today. Many celebrity dermatologists like to toss the term around when discussing their latest cosmeceuticals, but what are polyphenols, anyway? Reduced to the simplest terms, polyphenols are powerful antioxidants that offer a lot of health benefits. We eat polyphenols every day in fruits like apples, vegetables like broccoli, and beverages like red wine and green tea. By scavenging free radicals and peroxides that damage all components of our cells (even our DNA, yikes!), polyphenols combat neurodegenerative and some cardiovascular diseases.
Applied to our skin, polyphenols protect us from the aging effects of sunlight and pollution. Polyphection offers the antioxidant benefits of lavender polyphenol, in particular. Extracted from English lavender grown in
Awake’s regimen is quite simple, really. First, you apply the toner, Polyphection Serum Lotion. Saturate a cotton pad with it and massage lightly in a circular motion twice a day. This is one of the best toners out there because it refines skin without drying it out. I like how it gets every last bit of dirt and makeup and sweeps it away, just leaving clean, smooth skin behind. Polyphection Serum Lotion actually has time-release capsules containing oleic acid to moisturize and make your pores look smaller with continued use. To top it off, the subtle lavender scent is refreshing, especially on a hot day.
Once you’ve primed your skin, the second and final step is Polyphection Fluid. As with the toner, you apply two to three pumps on a cotton pad and massage it in with a circular motion twice a day. In addition to lavender polyphenol, this also has antioxidant cucumber and bifidus SOD to protect new and growing skin cells. Spring-shaped polymers loosen and lift off dead skin, while 11 essential herbs contribute to lavender’s aromatherapeutic effect, to further relax and soothe.
I like the light lotion texture of this emulsion, which is suitable to our humid weather and glides on easily without leaving a sticky film. It’s a pleasure to use, and should be a hit with the young people Awake is targeting. Again, if we had had this kind of Japanese precision, haute technology and simplicity back in the day, our faces would tell a very different story.
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Awake Polyphection Serum Lotion(P1,750 for 200 ml) and Polyphection Fluid (P1,950 for 125 ml) are exclusively available at Awake counters in Rustan’s Essenses Makati and
