I'm more of a big picture person than a detail-oriented one. Which is why if you brought me into a cosmetics lab and asked me to design my dream product (a magical, fountain-of-youth cream that gives me the texture of a toddler and the bone structure of Natasha Poly), I'd spend all of 20 seconds on the packaging aspect. "Just put it in a heavy jar with a clean font," I'd say, before directing my energy toward the actual formula.
So, it's a good thing that I'm not in charge of product design anywhere, because as it turns out, I didn't know what I wanted until it was right in front of me. And it isn't a pretty, Instagram-able pot that contains a single moisturizer; it's this: a clinical-looking, dual-chamber bottle that holds both a day cream and a night cream, and locks.
I think we can all agree that whether you have a cross-country consulting job or an S.O. who lives 45 minutes away in Brooklyn, this portable, two-in-one bottle is a very good thing. The fact that it fits the standard TSA size requirement is an added bonus. But the real game-changer for me? The lock. You just slide it to the right, push down the lever, and slide it back. It keeps your creams from leaking or exploding on a subway or plane, plus it limits oxygen exposure to keep the actives (including plant extracts and a cargo-truck full of antioxidants) potent. And it makes me happy in a way that I can't quit explain.
As for what's inside, the SPF-30 day cream is as pleasant, silky, and light as you'd hope for (and, no, it doesn't feel anything like typical sunscreens). And the night cream is rich, soothing, and indulgent. But all those details wouldn't matter, of course, if the results weren't there, and the results cost money, which brings us to the price: $350. So yeah, it's expensive. But La Prairie has always been on forefront of anti-aging, and if you want to protect against and repair sun damage, even out your tone, and soften fine lines, this'll do it.
Since, full disclosure, I get Botox in my forehead and filler in my smile lines, I use my untreated crow's feet to gauge progress and after two weeks (which is when the brand claims you'll see results), they are noticeably less pronounced, while my skin texture is softer and more hydrated all over. It's not as extreme as I'd like my fountain-of-youth dream product to be, but it's as close as I can hope for.
La Prairie Line Interception Power Duo, $350, available January 23 at La Prairie.
La Prairie Line Interception Power Duo, $350, available January 23 at La Prairie.