The good thing about travelling – other than enjoying the getaway of your life – is the chance to shop in airport’s duty free shops where you can get the best beauty deals not available in town! I got this Estee Lauder travel-exclusive set for my mother from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport but couldn’t help stealing some from her to try it on my own haha XD
Includes 2 full-size of their best sellers – the new Micro Essence and the all-time award-winning Advanced Night Repair serum. After all, it is never too early to start anti-aging skincare 🙂
Brand: Estee Lauder
Product: Travel Exclusive Set
150ml Micro Essence + 50ml Advanced Night Repair
Price: JPY 17,000 for 1 set (~USD 145 at time of post)
If bought separately, it will be
USD95 for Micro Essence
USD92 for Advanced Night Repair Serum
(Savings of USD42!)
Type: Toner / Lotion / Essence / Serum
Origin: Made in USA
Website: Micro Essence + Advanced Night Repair
THE PACKAGING
You won’t see this in usual department stores~ so keep a lookout when you travel next time 🙂
Ingredient list~
After you open the box, you’ll see 2 full size of the products – each in their own box again. Just like how you would get if you buy them in usual department stores.
Side view of the boxes. Their best sellers certainly have a long name.
First, it is Micro Essence – Skin Activating Treatment Lotion.
Then, it is Advanced Night Repair – Synchronized Recovery Complex II.
What a mouthful LOL. But I’m convinced they are just as powerful as their name.
THE PRODUCT
First, let’s talk about the Micro Essence.
“Benefits = Reveals skin’s youthful, angelic glow. For all skin types.
Ideal for:
- Lack of energy, vitality
- Smooth, supple skin
- Age resisting
- Dryness, Dehydration
Formula Facts:
- Dermatologist tested
- Ophthalmologist tested
- Non-acnegenic, won’t clog pores
- Fragrance-free”
Many brands are launching their own power treatment lotion – stouting benefits similar to global bestseller SK-II’s Facial Treatment Essence. I feel that Estee Lauder’s Micro Essence is no different and this looks to be a SK-II dupe. I have used SK-II before and did not find it to be that impressive so I was keen to try Estee Lauder’s version given the loooooooong company history and excellent track record of Estee Lauder’s products 🙂
A beautiful classy triangular glass bottle with a tiny opening at the top. Just 3~4 shakes will get you enough product for the whole face and neck. No fuss and clean-cut.
The texture is really light and watery. It was really hard to capture the left pic without it flowing off my hand lol. I love the light texture as I have oily skin – can’t take rich creamy textures.
Glides like a breeze, and a few pats is all you need for product to be fully absorbed.
Could be hard to tell on pic, but the part which had the product felt soft, moisturized and supple. So far so good! It really feels like the product can penetrate deep into the skin layers and keep it hydrated.
It is fragrance-free so it had some kind of natural ‘bio-ferment’ scent as one of the key ingredients. I won’t say it is bad, nothing unbearable 🙂
Next, let’s move on to the Advanced Night Repair – Synchronized Recovery Complex II.
Dropper style system = +10 points for me. I just find it the most clean-cut and hygienic way of getting product out of a bottle 🙂
A bit more on the product itself:
“Benefits – fights all key signs of aging. The #1 repair serum for all skin types.
Ideal for:
- Multiple signs of aging
- Visible age prevention
- Dryness, dehydration
- Lines and wrinkles
- Dullness, loss of radiance
Formula facts:
- Oil-free
- Dermatologist-tested
- Ophthalmologist-tested
- Non-acnegenic, won’t clog pores
- Fragrance-free”
As far as I know, this serum has existed for the longest time, and it certainly takes some real results for it to continue selling so well till now!
“It maximizes the power of skin’s natural nighttime renewal with the exclusive ChronoluxCB™ technology (with more than 25 patents and patents pending worldwide). It is great for every ethnicity and reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles, leaving skin feeling smoother, hydrated, and stronger, and looking younger, radiant, and more even toned.”
A deep yellowish liquid. Serum-like texture, pretty light and runny.
Of course slightly thicker than Micro Essence (which is very watery), but still very easy to apply on face and fully absorbed in less than 30 secs.
This feels slightly richer, as if packed with super ingredients waiting to work on its skin-recovery powers. I believe that.
One thing I got to mention – the scent. Hmm pretty strong and I don’t like it. It is fragrance-free so whatever scent there is, it is natural from the power ingredients. I can’t really describe, it’s not similar to any smell I know, but just not to my liking.. hmm.
MY VERDICT
Micro Essence
Pros
- Very light-weight and watery texture (extra love from oily skin like mine)
- Very penetrative and easily absorbed into skin
- Skin does feel soft, smooth and supple after application (ready for serum / other skincare)
Cons
- One-size 150ml slightly heavy and bulky for travel
- Sold at pricey USD95 if not for this travel exclusive set
- Gives my skin some redness after application (I have ultra sensitive skin) but so far no breakouts 🙂
Advanced Night Repair
Pros
- Super long track record and trusted product from cosmetics giant Estee Lauder
- Rather light texture, also easily absorbed into skin
- Skin feels very hydrated and protected after application, and you’ll wake up to soft skin with more even skin tone 🙂
Cons
- Strong scent (not to my liking)
- I would prefer something more watery for my oily skin in hot weather
- Another pricey product on its own USD92
Overall
No doubt, this travel exclusive set is a worthwhile investment. I would think twice about buying individual products at its original price, but if coupled together at this travel set price, I’d say yes resoundingly! Moreover, these 2 products work together well – Micro Essence first, then Advanced Night Repair serum. I feel I don’t even apply anything else after this unless I feel my skin needs extra hydration.
However, because I don’t like the scent of Advanced Night Repair, I kind of stopped reaching out for it but I’m continuing to like the Micro Essence 🙂 Looking forward to clearer better skin hopefully~~~
I go crazy in Singapore’s Changi Airport duty-free beauty counters… I’m gonna travel in March, and can’t wait to hit those counters soon! *madness*
beautychoccafe 