The Vichy Minéral 89 Fortifying & Hydrating Daily Skin Booster Is Hot Stuff!
Did you know dullness is one of the early signs of skin dehydration? When your skin begins to lose its glow, you may immediately assume that you need to double down on your exfoliation techniques, but removing those dead surface skin cells is only part of the roadmap to glowing skin. See, when skin reaches optimal moisture levels, it appears smooth and supple, enabling light to bounce off its surface with ease. Think of the difference between a plump, juicy, freshly picked grape and a shriveled raisin. Which one looks shinier? Yup, that juicy round grape, of course!
Now, before you go pile on a ton of heavy lotions, just remember this: the skin is an organ and it can only take so much hydration at once. If you apply one dense moisturizer after another, it will likely only result in the products sitting atop your face rather than penetrating the skin. Also, if your skin’s moisture barrier is compromised, you need to address that issue by working to strengthen its defense system. Remember: skin cells are held together by a matrix of fatty acids, ceramides, and cholesterol that together create a wall-like barrier, trapping moisture in the skin and keeping harmful pollutants, free radicals, bacteria, and toxins out. When the moisture barrier weakens, then, the skin is unable to hold in the moisture it so badly needs.
Minerals like magnesium, selenium, copper, and zinc all play vital roles in essential skin functions. Zinc, for instance, is found in abundant concentrations along the epidermis and it helps to stabilize cell membranes and to activate certain essential enzymes. Selenium, too, protects cell membranes while also defending them against free radicals — including UV rays. These minerals, then, strengthen the cells’ defense systems and also enhance the function of antioxidants like Vitamins C and E.
To hydrate the skin and improve its resilience, Vichy developed its Minéral 89 Fortifying And Hydrating Daily Skin Booster ($29.50 at VichyUSA.com and ULTA stores), which acts like a topical supplement for your skin, but one that provides both immediate satisfaction and long-term benefits. This power-packed and yet incredibly lightweight, non-greasy, and non-sticky moisturizer contains an 89% concentration of Vichy’s famed Mineralizing Thermal Water, a natural source of 15 minerals including iron, potassium, calcium, and manganese. In the spa town of Vichy, France, rainwater courses through through magmatic volcanic rock over 4,000 meters under the earth’s surface, thereby producing mineral-rich thermal water. This prized water is a key component in all of Vichy’s products but the Vichy Minéral 89 Fortifying And Hydrating Daily Skin Booster boasts the highest concentration of Mineralizing Thermal Water ever. To make this booster all the more effective, the formula was enhanced with hyaluronic acid, a glycosaminoglycan naturally found in the skin and in connective tissue. Hyaluronic acid is touted for its unique ability to bind and retain water molecules — in fact, sodium hyaluronate (the salt form of HA has been proven to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water). When it penetrates the skin, hyaluronic acid works to repair the moisture barrier, all the while hydrating the skin, smoothing fine lines and wrinkles, and giving the complexion a dewy finish.
What I love about this product (in addition to the fact that it leaves my skin looking radiant!) is that it’s not designed to substitute your skincare regimen but, rather, to enhance it. For instance, at night, after I cleanse my skin, I typically use a daily glycolic acid peel that will efxoliate dead surface skin cells. Once I’ve completed this step, I apply 2 drops of the Vichy Minéral 89 Fortifying and Hydrating Daily Skin Booster to my complexion and massage it onto my skin (which drinks it up readily within seconds). Once the product is fully absorbed, I apply an anti-aging serum and and anti-aging moisturizer. All done!
Now, my skin care routine is fastidious and involves a ton of steps, but you can also use this booster if you have a basic 2-step cleanse-and-hydrate routine. The wonder of the booster is that it delivers hydration without tipping the scales and giving skin too much moisture. In fact, part of the appeal of Vichy’s thermal mineralizing water is that it helps balance the skin’s pH level.
On a purely sensory level, I adore the texture of this clear, serum-like booster. It’s slightly more fluid than your typical serum but it’s not gelatinous or creamy at all. My skin is like a sponge with this product, just sopping up every last bit in the flash of an eye. Instantly, after I apply, I can notice my skin appears smoother and more supple, and it really does wonders in terms of luminosity.
As for my skin’s resilience, I’ve noticed that dramatic temperature and humidity level changes haven’t taken as much of a toll on my complexion as they normally would, and I suspect this product has been part of the reason why!
