More than skin-deep

Millennials demand skincare that works harder – it has to be simple to use, and have natural ingredients, an advanced formula and exceptional texture. The packaging should be thoughtful and appealing. That's not wishful thinking, as these two new ranges prove.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

Millennials demand skincare that works harder – it has to be simple to use, and have natural ingredients, an advanced formula and exceptional texture. The packaging should be thoughtful and appealing. That's not wishful thinking, as these two new ranges prove. 

My Reading Room

Three words sum up why you’ll love the reformulated and repackaged Dior Hydra Life skincare range: colourful, luxurious, eco- friendly. First, the minimalist jars in cheerful colours appeal to people of all ages. Next, the gentle, paraben- free products are luxurious in texture and boast scents that elevate the sensorial experience of your beauty routine. Finally, you’ll like how these items are environmentally responsible: the packaging doesn’t include any leaflets, corrugated cardboard or cellophane, and the print uses inks of predominantly natural origin. 

It’s a hydrating range of four cleansers, one serum, one moisturiser and three face masks. And what stands out are the three masks (pictured from top right): Pink Clay Mask ($92), a mousse-like clay that doesn’t dry out skin but instead leaves it smooth and matte; Smooth Balm Mask ($92), a highly emollient gel that plumps skin with intense moisture (remove it with a cotton pad, not water); and Fresh Jelly Mask ($92), a jelly- like gel with alpha-hydroxy acids and crushed apricot kernel micro-grains to remove dead cells on the surface and encourage skin renewal. These masks are to be used once a week, and are efficient enough to show results in just three minutes. Shiseido’s Waso line is made to provide balance to young-adult skin. In your 20s, your skin tends to be unstable, so the range aims to strengthen the skin barrier against stressors with its Photoresist System, which comprises botanical extracts. 

Free of alcohol, soap, mineral oil and parabens, these products ($30-$55) offer basic yet targeted skincare with innovative textures – you’ll find a cleanser that foams without water, a softener that changes from a gel to lotion, an exfoliator that feels like soft tofu, two oil-free face moisturisers (one of them is tinted) for oily skin, another tinted moisturiser, and a gel-cream for normal to dry skin. 

The bottles containing the moisturisers also have a convenient handle that’s designed for the millennial with a fast-paced life, so she can grab and open the products easily and quickly.