This is good: La Mer The Brilliance White Mask Soothing Primer + Gel Cream
Masking has become a habit - okay, an obsession - of mine in the last couple of years. It's the most effective way to jolt my skin back to life, after I've abused it with stress, poor diet, and unwise skincare choices! This is why I have so many different masks (mud, sheet, leave-on, you name it) stocked up in my shelf. I've got masks for acne, dry skin, tired skin, or just generally unhappy-with-the-world skin because one never knows when disaster will strike.
My favorite mask at the moment is the La Mer The Brilliance White Mask (P14,400 for the duo), which the La Mer PH team sent to me a couple of months back. I was afraid of liking this too much because of the price tag, but it's hands down the best brightening and pigment-reducing mask I've tried so far! This is sold as a set, with the Soothing Primer, Gel Cream, and mask brush packaged together. That's why it's pricier than the average La Mer product.
The packaging, as always, is luxury beauty at its finest. Both the bottle and jar are hefty, with an engraved metal cap.
If you've seen my close up photos and live videos on Facebook recently, you'll notice that my skin texture is super smooth, almost poreless, and have lighter blemishes than in the past. It's all because of the Brilliance White Mask - I use it two to three times a week overnight! I apply the Soothing Primer first, wait for it to dry, and then add a generous layer of the Gel Cream with my clean fingers. The brush is pretty but unnecessary.
It's not just the foundation
I actually saw results the day after my first use; my blemishes already started to fade and small bumps which used to reside on my chin are gone. The Gel Cream stung my skin the first time I applied it, which is why I think it probably* contains AHAs and/or BHAs (acids) to help the fast track the skin turnover process. The Soothing Primer is for minimizing existing irritation and managing the effect of the acids.
My skin is more yellow here due to the flourescent lighting at night, versus the photo above which was taken in daylight
After two months, I'm ecstatic about the results of La Mer's The Brilliance White Mask duo. It just works! The price tag isn't for everyone, but if you're a lover of luxury skincare, this is one product that can truly transform dull, hyper pigmented skin in record time. I'll be using this until I run out, and consider purchasing it unless I find something better by then.
Let me know what you think!
Photography by Samantha Gonzales
*I don't have the ingredients list yet, as I can't find it online. I will drop by a La Mer counter soon to take a photo of the box so we can see the exact ingredients, so watch this space for updates on that!
