In April, L’Occitane revamped its Pivoine Flora range and extended the Pivoine lineup with the new Pivoine Sublime skincare range. As far as I know, this is the second renewal of the original Paeonia range, which was released in 2010. (Read my review of Paeonia Eau de Toilette here.) Today I will be reviewing three items from the Pivoine Sublime range (Skin Perfector, Perfecting Cream and CC Skin Tone Perfecting Cream) and the relaunched Pivoine Flora Hand Cream.
Pivoine Sublime Skin Perfector (30ml, £38) is claimed to improve skin texture and increase evenness and radiance of the skin tone. It is marketed as a serum that is applied before a moisturizer, but it has a slightly thick gel-cream consistency that is unlike the typical consistency of a serum. It is not very spreadable on the skin.
The velvety texture of the product is similar to that of a pore-smoothing primer, and this is mainly due to the fact that the product contains several film-forming agents (methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, sodium polyacrylate, glyceryl polymethacrylate) that are high on the ingredient list. (They are third, fourth and fifth on the ingredient list, after water and glycerin.) Their main function is to create a smooth finish, although they do also have water-binding properties.
The product includes antioxidants such as escin, tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E) and aspartic acid (amino acid, also a moisturizing ingredient). It also includes sodium hyaluronate, which prevents moisture loss and is a cell-communicating ingredient.
It features paeonia lactiflora (a type of peony) extract, which is claimed by L’Occitane as the key ingredient of the Pivoine Sublime range. However, its skincare properties do not appear to be independently well-established.
It contains fumaric acid, which can cause irritation. However, it is relatively low on the ingredient list and it is mainly used (in a small amount) to adjust the pH of the product.
It does not contain mineral oil or parabens. It contains chlorphenesin, which is a type of alcohol that is mainly used as a preservative. It is fairly low on the ingredient list.
It contains fragrance (parfum) and other scenting agents. Even though the scent (the same scent as that of the Pivoine Flora fragrance) is pleasant, it is quite strong and it lingers for a long time.
Overall this is a fairly decent product. However, it can be very problematic for those sensitive to fragrance in skincare products.
Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Cream (50ml, £32) is claimed to provide optimal hydration for the skin, boost the radiance of the skin and improve skin texture. It has a very similar gel-cream consistency and a velvety texture to those of the Skin Perfector reviewed above. It is also not particularly spreadable on the skin.
Some of the moisturizing ingredients in this product are glycerin, octyldodecanol, cetearyl alcohol, jojoba esters, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed wax, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, and lauroyl lysine (amino acid). The product includes escin and tocopherol (vitamin E) as antioxidants.
The product does not contain mineral oil or parabens.
My descriptions of paeonia lactiflora extract, chlorphenesin and the fragrance regarding the Skin Perfector also apply to this product.
As a moisturizer, this product is not well-formulated. Right after the application, the skin feels supple and velvety, but soon afterwards it starts to feel tight and dry. I have to use a large amount of the product per application (almost as if I were using a facial mask) just so that my skin feels minimally hydrated. (The dryness issue remains when the product is used with the Skin Perfector.)
Pivoine Sublime CC Skin Tone Perfecting Cream SPF 20 in Light (30ml, £25, also available in Medium) is designed to create an even, translucent and luminous complexion. It has a creamy consistency, and it takes a bit of time to spread and blend the product.
The cream has a white color when it comes out of the tube, but you can see that there are little bits in the cream with a skin-tonal color. As the cream is being applied and blended on the face, the pigmented parts dissolve and the cream turns from white to beige.
I haven’t tried many CC creams, but, based on what I know, they are more about correcting and fine-tuning the skin tone than about creating coverage. If that is what CC creams are supposed to do, then I feel that the Pivoine Sublime CC Cream offers considerably more coverage than the level of coverage generally expected of a CC cream. The coverage it creates is similar to that of a foundation with a light-to-medium coverage.
Correctly described as “rosy” on the box of the product, the Light option is a pale pink-toned beige. It is too light for my light-to-medium complexion. (With the amount of coverage it creates, it can look a little mask-like.) Also, it is too pink-toned for my skin tone, and I suspect that it can be too pink-toned for quite a few people. This shade is only suitable for those with a light skin tone with a pink undertone.
The product contains titanium dioxide, which provides protection against both UVA and UVB rays.
My descriptions of paeonia lactiflora extract and the fragrance regarding the two products above also apply to this product.
Pivoine Flora Hand Cream (30ml, £8; 75ml, £14) is part of the revamped Pivoine Flora fragrance and bodycare range. Some of the moisturizing ingredients in this product are glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, octyldodecyl myristate, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil and helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil.
The product does not contain mineral oil or parabens.
My descriptions of paeonia lactiflora extract and chlorphenesin regarding the Skin Perfector and the Perfecting Cream also apply to this product. The fragrance in this product is also pronounced and long-lasting, but at least this is more expected in a hand cream.
There are not a lot of differences between the current version and the previous version in terms of consistency or moisturizing efficacy. The current version has a marginally thicker consistency, but, just like the previous version, it is a lightweight hand cream that is mainly suitable for warmer months. It is not a heavy-duty hand cream for drier weather.
The renewed Pivoine Flora fragrance and bodycare range also includes:
– Eau de Toilette (75ml, £39)
– Petal Soap (75g, £4.50)
– Shower Gel (250ml, £14)
– Bi-Phase Bath Oil (250ml, £16)
– Beauty Milk (250ml, £20)
The new Pivoine Sublime skincare range also includes:
– Perfecting Mist (100ml, £14)
– Tinted Lip Balm (4 shades (in Transparent, Rose Nude, Rose Plum & Rose Amber), 4g, £12)
(Some ingredient information is from Paula Begoun’s Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary.)
(The products featured in this article are provided by L’Occitane.)
Related posts:
L’Occitane Shea Cleansing Oil & Light Comforting Cream
L’Occitane Iris Bleu & Iris Blanc Eau de Toilette and La Collection de Grasse Hand Creams
All about B. B. Creams
(with my review of Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-in-One B. B. Cream in Light)
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hola
La Pivoine Flora Hand Cream, me ha resultado buena, su fragancia es suave la esperada para una crema de manos, el envase es practico como para llevarlo en la cartera, sobre todo en estos meses de calor, soy de Lima-PERU
Saludos ☺
Hi Christy,
I am sorry for my very late reply, and I am also sorry that I am not able to reply to you in Spanish!
I am pleased that you like the hand cream. It is indeed easy to carry around, and I like its fragrance as well. However, in colder months, I would prefer a more emollient hand cream.
Thank you very much for posting your comment! :)
Best wishes,
PJ