Flowers have been used in skincare for centuries now, and for good reason. They have evolved over 125 million years, and scientists believe they’re more beneficial for our skin than lab-grown ingredients.
However, it isn’t only the common flowers like rose, lavender, and chamomile that are gracing the shelves of beauty stores and aisles these days. The rise in scientific research has led to the expansion of lesser-known flowers becoming ingredients too, such as the Sacred Lotus.
The skincare benefits of Sacred Lotus
The beauty arm of the French luxury fashion house founded by Japanese designer Kenzo Takada, KENZOKI has studied the actives of Sacred Lotus for 20 years, and discovered that this powerful flower is able to withstand the harshest of environments. Even after more than 1,300 years of dormancy, the Sacred Lotus seed can still germinate and flower – a sign of its extraordinary regenerative capacity.
But, what can the flower do for our complexion when it’s used in skincare formulas?
Well, Sacred Lotus is a potent antioxidant, which combats oxidative stress. This environmental stressor damages our skin cells and speeds up our skin’s ageing process, resulting in fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, sagging, and a rougher skin texture.
The powerful Sacred Lotus is able to arrest and reduce oxidative stress, providing an anti-ageing advantage. It even helps to strengthen the skin barrier, making it more resilient against environmental stressors.
Achieve younger-looking skin with KENZOKI Youth Flow range
Offering such amazing antiradical properties, it’s no wonder KENZOKI has tapped on the benefits of two natural origin Sacred Lotus Flower extracts: Water extract and Oily extract. The former protects our skin cells from oxidative stress, while the latter speeds up cell regeneration for smoother, more radiant skin.
The Sacred Lotus flowers are all cultivated along the Mekong River, each of them hand-picked at the right stage of flowering, which is how the brand preserves all of its skin-loving qualities. These precious extracts are then infused into KENZOKI’s Youth Flow range.
Apart from Sacred Lotus, every formula also contains High Mallow Extract to stimulate cell synthesis, much like a retinoid (a.k.a. compounds of vitamin A). It renews your complexion for stronger, firmer, younger-looking skin.
The entire KENZOKI Youth Flow range features products made with at least 92% of natural origin ingredients. Plus, the brand is founded on the qi philosophy. Curious to know more about the collection? Keep reading to get acquainted with the products, starting with the brand’s star product: KENZOKI Youth Flow Serum.
KENZOKI Youth Flow Serum
Upon application, the silky, milky serum enveloped my skin in a comforting blanket and absorbed quickly, leaving my skin feeling nourished, hydrated, and plump. The natural, floral Lotus fragrance soothed my senses instantly, putting me in a relaxed state – a lovely start and end to the day.
The concentrated formula contains 97% of natural origin ingredients that work to smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, firming the skin while boosting its radiance and strength.
A group of Asian volunteers aged between 30 to 60 years old tried the serum and shared their results:
- 59% increase in skin firmness and smoothness
- 43% reduction in the appearance of wrinkles
- 57% increase in skin luminosity
Simply apply two to three drops of serum on your face and neck daily after cleansing and toning, day and/or night.
KENZOKI Youth Flow Serum retails for S$179 (30ml) at Sephora.
KENZOKI Youth Flow Youth Preserved Toner
Also made with 97% of natural origin ingredients, the KENZOKI Youth Preserved Toner gently removes excess sebum and impurities after cleansing. This preps the skin for the rest of the KENZOKI Youth Flow routine as it smooths the skin, refines texture, and refreshes the complexion.
I love how water-light and fresh the toner felt on my skin. It sank into my skin fast while its delicate fragrance lingered on for hours, which kept me in high spirits throughout the day.
KENZOKI Youth Flow Youth Preserved Toner retails for S$85 (200ml) at Sephora.
KENZOKI Youth Flow Eye Firming Serum
This highly concentrated eye serum targets the signs of ageing around your eyes by firming, smoothing out fine lines, and depuffing the eye area for a more youthful look. With continued use, 97% of the reviewers observed a firmer, more fortified eye contour and noticed that their crow’s feet appeared smoother.
Formulated with 97% natural origin ingredients, the Eye Firming Serum has a fresh, fluid texture that absorbs quickly into my skin too, so I didn’t have to wait around for the next step in the Youth Flow regime.
KENZOKI Youth Flow Eye Firming Serum retails for S$124 (15ml) at Sephora.
KENZOKI Youth Flow Skin Renew Velvet Cream
After your serum step, reach for this velvety cream, which soothes, comforts, and moisturises the skin. Its rich texture provided lasting hydration and left me with visibly firmer, even-toned, more radiant skin.
All of the reviewers reported younger-looking skin after introducing the Skin Renew Velvet Cream to their routine, while 91% of reviewers remarked firmer skin, proving the formula’s cellular renewal effect.
KENZOKI Youth Flow Skin Renew Velvet Cream retails for S$179 (50ml) at Sephora.
KENZOKI Youth Flow Restful Dream Night Mask
To combat visible signs of fatigue, try the Restful Dream Night Mask. Designed to smooth and refine the skin’s texture, the sleeping mask promises fresher, younger-looking skin when you wake.
Made with 92% of natural origin ingredients, the refreshing formula strengthens the skin for a more resilient barrier. 97% of the reviewers noticed smoother, plumper skin the next morning, so it’s great for those who need a skin pick-me-up after several late nights.
KENZOKI Youth Flow Restful Dream Night Mask retails for S$159 (75ml) at Sephora.
Put a spring in your step with FLOWER BY KENZO POPPY BOUQUET
Of course, apart from skincare that offer amazing sensorial experiences, KENZO’s fragrances have always been front and centre.
20 years ago, KENZO’s master perfumer Alberto Morillas invented the fragrance of a scentless flower: the poppy. Since its launch, the powdery floral fragrance became an unforgettable one in the world of perfumes.
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Alberto Morillas teamed up with perfumer Dora Baghriche to reinvent the signature scent, creating the new Poppy Bouquet, which is a scent that’s more floral and less powdery than the original Eau de Parfum.
A nod to KENZOKI’s Japanese roots, the fragrance opens with a burst of juicy Nashi Pear, floral Bulgarian Rose, bright Jasmine, and sensual Gardenia. A creamy base of Almond Wood grounds the scent and gives it a modern twist.
The perfect gifts for loved ones
KENZOKI Youth Flow Holiday Gift Set
If you’d like to give the KENZOKI Youth Flow range a try without overhauling your current skincare routine, we’ve got the perfect set for you. The KENZOKI Youth Flow Holiday Gift Set makes a sweet present for those who are struggling to find the right products that target visible signs of ageing.
Within the set, you’ll find the KENZOKI Youth Flow Youth Preserved Toner (35ml), Youth Flow Serum (10ml), and Youth Flow Renew Velvet Cream (20ml). These tiny but mighty products are a great introduction to the brand’s Youth Flow range. Plus, they’re perfect for short trips and staycations.
KENZOKI Youth Flow Holiday Gift Set retails for S$79 at Sephora.
KENZOKI Hydration Flow Holiday Gift Set
Similar to the Youth Flow range, the brand’s Hydration Flow line harnesses the hydrating powers of Sacred Lotus flower’s Water extract. It promotes the circulation of water between epidermal cells and strengthens the skin barrier to prevent moisture loss.
Natural origin hyaluronic acid also retains up to 1,000 times its weight in water, providing lasting hydration. In fact, there are three different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid in the formula, which deeply hydrates the skin at different layers.
If you have dry, dehydrated skin and you’re always in an air-conditioned environment, pick up the KENZOKI Hydration Flow Holiday Gift Set. It contains the Hydration Flow Fresh Melt-In Lotion (35ml), Essential Flow Serum (10ml), Moisturizing Skin Guardian – Normal to Dry Skin (20ml), and Nourishing Flow Sensual Body Cream (50ml).
KENZOKI Hydration Flow Holiday Gift Set retails for S$79 at Sephora.
FLOWER BY KENZO POPPY BOUQUET Eau de Parfum + Mikado Back To School
This Christmas, you can indulge in the intoxicating scent of Poppy Bouquet and have some fun with Mikado, a nostalgic pick-up sticks game that’s commonly played during childhood. Each player takes a turn picking sticks off the pile without moving the other sticks. The different coloured stripes you see on the sticks represent a different point weightage.
Even better, this gift set for the young at heart is encased in a gorgeous box made of FSC bamboo wood, which is both plastic-free and reusable.
FLOWER BY KENZO POPPY BOUQUET Eau de Parfum (50ml) + Mikado Back To School retails for S$134 at Sephora.
Where to purchase KENZOKI and KENZO products
Ready to get Christmas shopping? You can find KENZOKI and KENZO products exclusively on Sephora.sg.
This article is brought to you by KENZO Parfums.
