When I was in my mid-20s, whitening had never been a part of my skincare routine. I thought having tanned skin was cool and took every opportunity to be under the sun whenever possible. I didn’t bother to use any sunscreen or carry an umbrella when outdoors. When I noticed dark spots started appearing on both of my cheeks as I approached 30 and they seemed to get worse as I aged further, I truly regretted not looking after my skin in my younger days. Now I really dread those dark spots because they make me look much older than my actual age!
I’ve tried various whitening products in the market, both expensive and pocket-friendly ones. While some did work initially, the stubborn spots were the ones that were hardest to tackle. And since I started on my new exercise regimen couple of months back, it is inevitable that I need to be in the sun every now and then but I really don’t like the idea of applying thick sunscreens on my face when exercising. This has made getting rid of those spots an even more challenging task.
When I heard about Neutrogena’s newest range of whitening products, I was really looking forward to try them as I’ve been a Neutrogena user (facial cleanser & makeup remover wipes) for years. I have sensitive skin as well as eczema so I dare not over-experiment with unfamiliar brands out there and I would rather stick to those that truly work for me. Neutrogena is just one of such brands that doesn’t cause irritation to my skin or give me unwanted breakouts.
Introducing Neutrogena’s New Clinical Fine Fairness Skincare Line…
From left to right: Neutrogena Clinical Fine Fairness Radiance Cream ($34.90), Neutrogena Clinical Fine Fairness Radiance Essence ($45.90) and Neutrogena Clinical Fine Fairness Multi-Protect UV Fluid SPF 50+ PA+++ ($34.90)
This Neutrogena Clinical Fine Fairness skincare range has been formulated to tackle stubborn dark spots and to achieve healthy and radiant skin. This new line of clinical solutions features a unique combination of VITAL-IONS and Lily Nectar that work together to lighten existing dark spots and correct uneven skin tone.
The VITAL-IONS technology contains zinc and copper minerals that help boost energy supply to the skin cells as a catalyst to revitalise the skin’s cellular renewal process to quickly disperse melanin.
Lily Nectar, which is made up of White Lily extracts and stabilised Vitamin C, inhibits melanin formation.
To know more about this range of whitening products, check out the below:
• Her World July issue
• Singapore Women’s Weekly July issue
• Neutrogena Singapore Facebook
• TV commercial currently running on Channel 8
My first step in the whitening regimen is to apply this radiance essence after cleansing my face, twice a day.
The product consists of a double chamber pump that dispenses the dual essence effectively at the same time whether the bottle is held up or sitting flat on a surface. I detect no sign of excess leakage through the dispensing hole after each pump so dispensing stays clean and smooth every time. I also like the product design of the bottle cap that can be easily removed with just a gentle flick upwards.
The essence consists of two lotions with one being slightly translucent and the other, with a pearl-like shimmer. The essence has a very mild and subtle fragrance, not at all artificial smelling. Its texture is quite light, can be easily spread onto the skin with gentle swiping motions and it’s also easily absorbed within a minute.
And the results after 2 weeks of application?
Some of my dark spots have faded quite visibly and my overall skin tone seems to be more even too. I’m definitely surprised as I’ve been walking in the sun without an umbrella yet I don’t have new spots appearing on my face! With continued usage, it is highly possible the rest of the spots can be eliminated (I will probably blog about the outcome in another 3 months’ time) but most importantly, melanin production needs to be suppressed to slow down the skin’s aging process.
The second step after the essence is to apply the radiance cream which also acts as a moisturiser, again twice a day – morning and night.
It’s effortless to lift up the internal lid, not like some other products I’ve used before that come with flat lids that are obviously not clever designs.
This radiance cream is much thicker and richer in texture as compared to the essence but it’s also non-greasy. Though it feels a little heavy on skin upon application, a few taps will do the trick of skimming it down and makes the skin feel silky smooth and supple.
And lastly, before I leave the house in the morning, I’d put on the Multi-Protect UV Fluid (after the radiance cream) with SPF 50+ / PA+++ which makes it a pretty high SPF sunscreen. Perfect for the sunny weather in Singapore.
A sunscreen in a lovely hue of lilac! But it doesn’t leave any white or purple streaks on the face after application which is what I dread the most from many sunscreen products. And like the earlier two products, this UV fluid is non-greasy and can be easily and quickly spread over the face.
The unique part about this product is that it gives an instant ‘temporary’ fairness and skin tone correction to the skin.
I applied the UV fluid to my cheek area only. See the difference in shade between the cheek colour and the skin colour around my chin and eyes?
Not obvious? Well, I tested on my forearm too –
So my suggestion when applying this is to evenly spread it over the face as well as the neck because it will look odd if your face looks much fairer than your neck area. That’s exactly what happened to me when I took a selfie when out for a hike last week, lol.
Neutrogena Clinical Fine Fairness whitening products are dermatologist tested, oil-free and non-comedogenic (don’t clog pores) and are available at all leading personal care stores, pharmacies and supermarkets.
To keep up to date with Neutrogena products, like their Facebook page here.
The Whitening Tab on Neutrogena Singapore Facebook