It is bespoke concoctions combined with expert experience that sets skincare brands apart from one another. It is about small batches, potent ingredients and less product selection that make skincare brands such as Retrouvé one to invest in.
The brand is small but valuable. The product selection are few for a reason. The price tag is steep but the results justify it. We handpicked Retrouvé for its beauty, ethos, craftsmanship and know-how in the skincare sector and although there are many competing skincare brands out there, we don’t see Retrouvé going against the herd. Instead, they remain their own voice, sticking true to quality, delivering results-driven skincare by using highly concentrated ingredients known to benefit the skin, which means more time and effort into building the final product. But that is besides the point because we have tried it and were amazed at the results not just because we saw it on our faces, but that it only required a small amount each day to see the improvement and the dewy complexion on our faces. It tells us that the products are highly concentrated and that these hand-picked blends should be used with love, care and utmost respect.
The products were developed by husband and wife Jami Morse Heidegger and Klaus Heidegger, skincare and beauty experts who are known for the Kiehl’s skincare line. Following the company’s sale to L’Oreal, the couple decided to embark on their own journey together with their chemist to create something more personal, more high-end and more concentrated. Out of this, a unisex skincare line was born, Retrouvé . The goal was to combine concentrations of clinically-proven potent ingredients such as White Tea, Coenzyme Q10, Yeast Amino Acids to name a few, whilst implementing advanced skincare technologies so that the ingredients are able to penetrate the epidermis in order for these highly concentrated blends to pass through and nourish the skin. With their deep understanding of just how skin ages, the ingredients they have chosen are specifically there to work together with the individual to bring about nourishment, strength and restoration that ones face would otherwise normally not achieve on its own.
We love that it is a confident brand, meaning, that it is simple, that less is really more, and that it was born out of a personal use that needed to be shared with for those who want a product resembling quality over quantity. Here we introduce Retrouvé’s four main products and the experience it had on us during the past two weeks as we felt two weeks was enough to see the results:
Applied in the morning before any moisturizer or makeup but it can be applied in the evening too. Initially two pumps for the entire face, but after daily usage, one pump sufficed. It acted as a great face-prep, providing the skin with vitamins and essential anti-inflammatory and stem-cell activating ingredients. It is an all-rounder product as it is suitable for both normal to oily skin types due to its gelling agent compound which means the serum evaporates quickly yet without drying up the skin.
After light application, skin felt plump, nourished and prepped for the rest of the skincare routine. Within two weeks, using a combination of the serum and moisturizer, we noticed visible improvement. The highlight, in our opinion, are in its ability to really moisturize and provide a strong dose of vitamins to a sagging, tired-looking face. It is like giving your face a vitamin boost – just when you think your complexion looks decent on a day to day basis, your face can actually begin to look revitalized and dewy, as we have witnessed on ourselves. This must mean that the serum is reaching below the surface of our skin to eject the potent concentrations to start revitalizing and nourishing the the vitality of our skin.
Incorporating what is called, lamellar gel technology, the goal of this cream is to deliver hydration in a subtle way. By having a light consistency that is non-greasy, the cream imbued our skin with these potent nutrients. The result was: texture of the skin became soft, supple and moisturized. Since the blend also contains anti-inflammatory properties, it is also suitable for sensitive skin.
We used the Dynamic Nourishing Cream in the evenings without the serum and felt it worked wonderfully throughout the night. The cream, however, can be used to your liking as the goal of it is to sustain the hydration of your skin.
Intensive Replenishing Facial Moisturizer
A rather sticky consistency, the intensive moisturizer did take some time to get used to, but after a few days, we realized that one pump was enough for an application. A great results-driven moisturizer especially during the winter months as you can literally feel your face moisturized quite intensely yet without leaving any kind of residue. It is, what we would call, a super moisturizer. We feel that this blend is responsible for creating the skins improvement and elasticity.
The grease-like elixir is due to the oil-based ingredients. Containing essential vitamins and restorative ingredients, Retrouvé recommends using this in the evening, however, we opted to use this in the mornings to brave the cold weather. It felt like a shield over our skin, especially when encountering windy environments. Face feels protected and hydrated. It was amazing how quickly the oily consistency absorbed when applied, leaving a dewy, nourished appearance.
Like the serum and moisturizer, Retrouvé’s balmy eye concentrate delivers hydration to the skin surrounding the eye area. A super concentrated blend, only a little is required each evening for that ultra-hydrated overnight treatment.
After two weeks of use, we could feel that the area around our eyes was more refreshed than if we hadn’t applied any eye creams.
Skeptical at first due to the thick, greasy consistency, the concentrate actually applies very easily onto the skin surrounding the eyes. The formulation has been designed to mimic the skins natural way of hydration, therefore, giving it that added boost.
Overall, it will take worthwhile patience to get accustomed to Retrouvé’s density, but soon enough you will realize that each pump is worthwhile, that each pump is highly concentrated and that a little goes a long way. It is a high-end formulation that you are providing your skin with and it is reaping the benefits with time and dedication. We like to think of it as caviar for the skin. This is an investment for your skin.
