Get over the insane price tag and you'll see that this is so worth it. Promise! Image: Instagram
THE CLAIMS: These three big words will change your complexion forever: Methyl Aminomethylcyclohexane Carboxamide. Know it, love it.
Let’s back up a little. Setting aside the $2,878 (!) price tag, what makes Synactif so special? There are a ton of expensive elixirs targeting pores, pimples and such, but precious few, if any, zero in on your lymphatic channels. (Quick explainer: Lymphatic channels are tiny tubes funnelling toxins away from your skin into reservoirs called lymph nodes throughout your body.)
The big breakthrough? Clé de Peau Beauté says they’ve discovered that the sagging and bagging of age can be attributed to the sluggish sputter of your lymphatic system, much like how the backing up of sewer pipes in a decrepit apartment can cause all manner of problems.
Previously, no real remedy existed save manual massage to stimulate lymphatic drainage, which brings us back to Methyl Aminomethylcyclohexane Carboxamide (MACC-PD for short). A cornerstone of the Synactif system, this amino acid is said to rev up the lymphatic system for expert elimination of wrinkle-causing waste.
What else is there? A potent peptide complex promises to promote “the breakdown of enlarged fat cells”, and a precision-engineered mix of moisture magnets and brighteners get down to business to quench parched skin and fend off freckles. Throw in a ravishing rose scent and you’ve got one heck of an anti-aging range.
WHY I LOVE IT: Full disclosure: Friends and regular readers alike will know there are a couple of brands in my beauty stable that I hold to exceptionally high standards. Clé de Peau Beauté is most certainly one of ‘em.
And guess what? I’m pleased as punch to report that this recently reformulated Synactif skincare suite is quite possibly the best all-round anti-aging line for my money. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
There’s the striking simplicity, for starters. In an age where layering a dozen or more products is par for the course, Synactif consists of just five items and five items only: A superb soap redolent of roses and rosemary; a silky softening lotion; day and night hydrators, with the former souped up with SPF; and the incredibly indulgent Cream, notorious for being a regular fixture on Most Expensive listicles.
And because this is Clé de Peau Beauté we’re talking about, expect packaging that’s perfectly on point. Reassuringly solid glass receptacles stained a posh plum and rimmed with rose gold accents, these extraordinarily exquisite objects demand pride of place on your powder table – as well they should, really, given their prodigious price.
The results? Let it be said that I won’t endorse products that do nothing for me, and the Cream does everything for me. I pat just the tiniest pinch into my face and neck as a last step at night, and awaken to a visage that’s visibly lifted, plump but puff-free – must be the “miraculous” MACC-PD in it.
My advice for frugal folks who might balk at forking out over two grand for skincare? Work your way up. Gun for the Daytime Moisturizer – “only” $300 per pop! – then decide if you’re willing to splash out on the biggie. Your lymph nodes will thank you!
GET IT AT: Clé de Peau Beauté Synactif Soap, $148, Synactif Lotion, $280, Synactif Daytime Moisturizer, $300, Synactif Nighttime Moisturizer, $350, Synactif Cream, $1,800, are available at Clé de Peau Beauté counters at Takashimaya Shopping Centre and TANGS Orchard. For more information, visit www.cledepeau-beaute.com and follow Clé de Peau Beauté on Facebook.