Overview
Illustre Essenza is a line of ten skin care products produced by Luminoso Studios. The line focuses on toners, creams and serums that address aging skin. The Illustre Essenza line uses many ingredients in their formulations but one of their claims is that they do not use parabens. Parabens are cosmetic preservatives that are also known allergens. Parabens are frequently excluded in higher-end formulations, and their absence is a good start when reviewing a product’s ingredient list.
Some of the Illustre Essenza products contain ingredients that we look for in effective anti-wrinkle products, such as Matrixyl 3000, Argiriline, and collagen. We will take a closer look at the ingredients in the section below. Another feature that is important to look for when deciding where to invest your skin care dollars is evidence of clinical studies supporting the effectiveness of the products. Unfortunately, it does not appear that Illustre Essenza provides such evidence. Although some of the ingredients in the formulations have been the subject of independent scientific study, the Illustre Essenza products themselves do not appear to be clinically-proven.
Product Details
The various Illustre Essenza products contain different active ingredients. Some use peptides like Matrixyl 3000 and Argiriline. Some use vitamins and botanicals. An example is the Hydrating & Oxygenating Moisturizer With Crushed Pearls. The ingredient list is: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Pearl Powder, Maris Sal, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Monostearate,Vitamin B Complex, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Polawax, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Malachite Extract, Lecithin, Benzyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Olea Europaea (Organic Olive) Fruit Oil, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Cod Liver Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Seed Oil, Anthemis Nobilis(Chamomile) Flower Oil, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Cetyl Alcohol, D-alpha-tocopherol, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil, Oat Beta Glucan, Rose (Rosa spp.L) Absolute, L-sodium Hyaluronate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Allantoin, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Leaf Extract, Glucosamine HCL, Alpha Lipoic Acid.
The sheer number of ingredients might lead consumers to believe the product is effective, but we find that the skin care products that produce the best results generally have fewer ingredients. Although the addition of crushed pearls is unique, the company provides no support for the ingredient’s usefulness at softening or rejuvenating the skin, which is a shame.
The Good
- Some products in the line contain Matrixyl 3000 and Argiriline.
- Informative website.
The Bad
- Expensive when compared to competitive products.
- Not labeled as non-allergenic.
- Some ingredients may not be effective.
The Bottom Line
The Illustre Essenza line is definitely one to take a second look at. Some of its products contain ingredients that we look for in effective anti-aging products. We also like that the company has a money-back guarantee and claims to be paraben free. However, there are many competitive products on the market with the same effective ingredients but with a lower price. You may wish to explore some of these before settling on this product.
