We have moved to a new site. Do come and visit us! www.thewomensroomblog.com
So, how are we all doing? All presents bought and wrapped? Turkey/nut roast ready to go? Relatives quietly enjoying a sherry in the front room? No? Join the club.
While you wonder what on Earth possessed you to invite the whole family for Christmas day or say 'yes please!' to the fourth glass of wine/champagne at Christmas drinks yesterday evening, take heart, there is life after Christmas.
You might need a pick-me-up after the festive madness has thoroughly worn you down, and with impeccable timing we bring you our Readers Reviews of the Jeanne Piaubert Radical Firmness Serum....Do you remember we asked for volunteers to try out this (quite expensive) face serum and comment on if it was any good? Well the comments are in! These are the unedited reviews from our three brave testers Sandy, Steffi and Linda......
From Sandy
"At 46 I now have to brace myself before I look in a mirror. So I felt like I’d been delivered the elixir of life on a chilly morning last month. Although when I opened my box of Jeanne Piaubert’s, Radical Firmness and having been born a natural cynic/master of sarcasm, I confess I was ready to scoff.
Kick off was not great. I immediately predicted the top heavy, skittle shaped bottle would be trouble, and I was right. I’m now forever knocking it over and just waiting for it to take out one of my cats on its next launch.
The instruction leaflet was almost impossible to read, the text being so minute. I even hiked up my prescription by a couple of notches by borrowing my husband’s reading glasses, but it was still irritatingly difficult to decipher. Relatively unfocused too, particularly when it came to any suggestions of when to actually apply the serum. (Nightly? Twice daily? Under makeup? Moisturiser on top?)So I went with TWR advice from a previous post and applied nightly, sealed with moisturizer.
The only thing I did pick up was the ‘top tip’ of saying ‘U’ and ‘X’ as a daily face gym. I now get side glances from my two sons, clearly fretting that I’m two signatures away from being sectioned.
HOWEVER, once I got to the actual product, things started to dramatically improve. First off, it smells lovely. Very important in my house. My family never hold back from remarking ‘what’s that smelly muck you’ve got on your face?’ Secondly, it’s thick and creamy, so not a drop is wasted on unintentional flicks, marvellous texture actually. Once applied, an encouraging ‘tightening’, or ‘firming’ feeling was immediately noticeable and still apparent the next morning.
Three weeks on, my skin appears plump, and dare I say it, youthful. Enormously happy about that. Other people have noticed too, namely husband and father. That in itself is quite remarkable. And what’s more remarkable, night by night my skin has just got better and better. I feel rather like I’ve been upgraded from budget economy to upper-class. Like wearing matching silk lingerie with hand sewn Italian lace, rather than pants from a value six pack and an old washed out bra that you wear because it’s comfy.
I shall feel wretched when the bottle runs dry, as I know my financial health will not allow me to replenish. But if I did have the cash, (a scary amount, let’s face it) would I splash out? – Oh yes- yes, yes indeed."
From Steffi
"I chose the twice-a-day option ie. mornings and evenings. I wanted it to show me all it could do, no half measures. Without a doubt the serum brings an instant "tightness" to my skin when it is applied and after having used it for just over 2 weeks (if I´m not mistaken), there also seems to be a plumpness or rather a firmness to the touch.
Whilst my skin is definitely heading into maturity, I would probably not use it too much at the moment (at 42) but rely on it more and more over the coming years and definitely in my 50´s.
My skin is notoriously difficult but in good condition and therefore I could probably get a away with using it every now and then rather than twice daily at the moment.
I would definitely recommend the serum. Definitely! As a botox and cosmetic surgery hater, I´m a total product junky and love it that there are potions like these that also give us good results without resorting to extreme, unnatural measures."
From Jill
"Clutching the slim French bottle of Radical Firmess Serum from the postman I immediately locked myself in the bathroom for a private long hard look in the mirror!
Figuring that the 53 year old face looking back could only look better after a month of trialing this luxury product, I cleansed with my regular hot cloth cleanser, and applied a generous dollop onto my face..... The instructions did not say how much to apply, but the pump dispenser does give measured doses. The serum felt lovely- smooth, silky and sank into my skin instantly. It says you can use with a moisturiser or on it's own, however, my sink felt 'tight' after using it, which must be the lifting effect. I therefore always used a moisturiser on top and my skin felt soft and smooth. The effect felt like the old egg white trick, used by myself as an experimental teenager! (And us! Ed)
Did it dramatically or should I say Radically lift my face? Well, it certainly did not make me look younger or give me a drastic non surgical lift (which for nearly £100 some folk might expect) but it did make me feel smooth and cared for which is the effect expensive cosmetics seem to have on some people.
I paid attention around the jaw/jowl area, but I feel losing weight may shift a double chin, not a serum.
Have I had compliments about my radiant skin? Have the 11 year old children I work with passed comments on my wrinkle free new look? uhhhh no, but then perhaps I hang around with the wrong crowd, where personal compliments are a bit thin on the ground!
I have been enjoying using this lovely serum, it certainly has improved the texture of my skin, but I don't see any real 'lifting' results sadly. It has made me be more disciplined in my twice daily cleansing and applying serum and mosituriser routine, which is not bad thing. I will continue to use a serum under moisturiser in future, but finances in my household won't run to this particular one, so I shall use it down to the last scrapings and then look out for a quality lower priced one. Suggestions ladies on a postcard please..............."
So there you have it, proper, no nonsense comments from TWR readers who have actually tried it! Sounds good doesn't it? It is expensive, no doubt at all, but there's joy there in those comments.....
This is clearly the Rolls Royce of serums price wise, so does anyone have a cheaper alternative serum they've been using that they've been happy with? We've been using the Estee Lauder one Sonia Juttla recommended and it's great, but we'd love your comments on what else is out there!
Jeanne Piaubert Radical Firmness Serum £95, is available from the Urban Retreat at Harrods (0207 893 8333) and from www.beautique.com in the new year. Is it too late to add it to the Christmas list?