Aging like fine wine

ONE of the best compliments one can receive is that one “ages like fine wine,” A beauty brand from Japan struck on that idea and now, wine (sort of) can help one get better skin.

On May 21, beauty brand Laviejo by Towako Medical Cosmetics was launched in the Philippines. The brand has six products: a cleansing gel, a facial wash, a lotion, an essence, a cream, and UV milk (to be used in that order). All of them carry an important ingredient: Red Wine Yeast Extract. This comes from residue from the winemaking process.

“Red wine yeast extract is rich in amino acids, fatty acids, polyphenols, glutathione, and vitamins essential for our skin,” said Dr. Pia Mendiola, head of Laviejo Philippines in a speech at the launch.

While the cleansing gel and the facial wash may work in cleaning the skin, it gets serious with the lotion, which promises elasticity, firmness, and brightness. The essence protects and repairs the skin damage caused by UV rays, while the cream hydrates and seals in moisture. The UV milk, meanwhile, functions as a moisturizer and a very light sunscreen.

Don’t take our word for it: take Ms. Mendiola’s as she has been using the line for five years. “I noticed something quietly changing. The dryness softened, my skin looked better, and the glow came back.

“For the five years, I was doing the research. I went and visited the laboratory in Japan,” she said in an interview. “It took a while, because we did our own research here, and we also had to go through FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval.”

She saw results in herself within two to four weeks. Asked which age group would benefit from the line the most, she said, “I would say 35 and above. You don’t want to begin your skincare at an older age. You want to prevent [damage from happening].

“Skincare is no longer about chasing youth. It’s about prevention, it’s about restoration.”

Visit www.laviejo.ph. for more information. Laviejo is available for purchase on Shopify. — JL Garcia