I am always being asked for a recommendation for a rich face cream and beyond April Rain and SenZen’s Infinity (which, frustratingly, isn’t available again until later in the summer), I don’t have much of an answer. The problem is that I just haven’t come across many good rich moisturizers. That is, until La Vie Celeste’s founder, Teri Dourmashkin, sent me a prototype of her new Extra Rich Face Cream. And now I have a rich moisturizer that I can recommend wholeheartedly.

La Vie Celeste Extra Rich Face Cream with R-Lipoic Acid, Chronoline and Apple Stem Cell ($75 in the TIA shop) is not only gorgeous to use (luxurious without being overly unctuous), but it functions well by moisturizing and hydrating without feeling heavy or pore congesting. Personally, I think that this cream will please a broad spectrum of folks - those like me who are a bit cautious of anything too rich and those like a friend of mine who probably wouldn’t even balk at putting something the texture of cream cheese on her face.

I used it as an above-serum moisturizer, on its own on my neck and hands and as a night cream. Because my skin is slightly oily, I might not use this every day in the warmer months. But in dry climates or for a parched skin, Extra Rich could become indispensable.

Like other La Vie Celeste products, the ingredients are natural and organic. The star of the show is caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, the commercial name is Chronoline. This new favorite of La Vie Celeste has also been added to the eye cream ($60 in the TIA shop). Caprooyl tetrapeptide-3 is derived from a growth factor, namely TGF-ß and stimulates production of laminin 5 (as well as collagen VII). Tetrapeptide-3 is also supposed to be pretty good at beefing up fibronectin (by 60% apparently). Fibronectin funtions in ways that are similar to laminins, which are important anti-saggers. However, it also plays a crucial in wound healing and decreased levels are associated with various cancers.  It was established in the early 80s that it is critical to healthy skin.

I love that baobab seed oil is here. The baobab is one of my favorite trees. It looks as if it is growing upside down, with its roots in the air and in its native Africa is the subject of many myths. It is a powerful antioxidant.

There is something about Extra Rich Face Cream that almost makes me feel nostalgic. I think I know what’s behind this and it is another link to Africa. One of the botanical extracts is plumeria acutifolia. The common name is frangipani and I first encountered it on a trip to Kenya (in a different century) and was so completely captivated by the fragrance that whenever I came across a bush (it has a pretty flower too), I would plunge my face into it, inhale deeply and promptly (to the amusement of my friends) start to sneeze.

Anyhow, back to business. La Vie Celeste has given this cream some anti-aging umph with apple stem cells. And as with the eye cream and La Vie Celeste’s much lighter day/night cream, there is spirulina, a powerfully antioxidant algae with omegas, amino acids and a boatload of vitamin B. In addition, there’s an abundance of botanical antioxidants such as marigold and pomegranate. Finally, no La Vie Celeste product would be without r-lipioc acid, an antioxidant that helps overcome vitamin C and E deficiencies.

Ingredients

Water (Aqua), Rosa Damascena (Rose) Flower Water, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Seed Oil, Plumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract, Cetearyl Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Sorbian Olivate, Sodium Lactate, Malus domestica fruit cell culture, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Heliantus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, r-Lipoic Acid, Calendula Officinalis (Marigold) Extract, Spirulina Platenis Geitler Extract, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Niacinamide, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sclerotium Gum, Dextran, Phospholipids, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Paradise (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Phenoxyethanol