Lady Marmalade

This jam-inspired mask has fruit-based alpha-hydroxy acids, along with a cocktail of vitamins and minerals, to revitalise the look of dull skin. CHARMAINE LEE reports from Paris

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

This jam-inspired mask has fruit-based alpha-hydroxy acids, along with a cocktail of vitamins and minerals, to revitalise the look of dull skin. CHARMAINE LEE reports from Paris

Fresh Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy-boosting Face mask, $105.
Fresh Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy-boosting Face mask, $105.

“You’re not only going to see it; you’re going to taste it. I want you to taste it,” says Lev Glazman, co-founder of Fresh and president of its Research and Development department, excitedly.

Along with the other journalists on the press trip, I’m at the Fresh Research Lab – housed in LVMH’s Helios Research Center in Saint-Jean-de-Braye, a French city an hour’s drive from Paris – with a spoon in hand. At Lev’s insistence, we dig into the two pastes – one orange and clementine, the other, lemon – in the two glass beakers in front of us. In case you’re wondering, they taste exactly like fresh marmalade: tangy and bittersweet, with chewy bits of rind.

It turns out that the components of the pastes make up half the formula of the new Fresh Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy-boosting Face Mask ($105).

THE BLUE-SKY IDEA

Lev shares that the goal behind the mask was to create a product with the texture of jam, and loaded with natural ingredients and vitamins that can improve skin health. How did this idea come about? He laughs, reminiscing: “Four years ago, I brought jam to a meeting. I love putting it on my face, hands, wherever – everyone thought I was crazy!” Especially inspired by orange marmalade, he pushed the team to create a product with its texture.

“The simplest part was picking the main ingredients: oranges, clementines and lemons,” he says. (Incidentally, these are found in Lev’s favourite marmalade.) “These citruses are naturally loaded with exfoliating alpha-hydroxy acids, skin-brightening vitamin C and moisturising vitamin B5, which acts as a humectant.”

In fact, take a look at the mask’s ingredients list (ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance), and you’ll find that fruit extracts rank high, with that of lemon, citrus clementina and sweet orange taking the third, fourth and fifth spots respectively. Other ingredients include pyrus cydonia seed and sugar cane extracts, and a gelling agent to enhance the mask’s effectiveness and texture.

WHAT’S IN A “JAM”?

Why a mask and not a serum or moisturiser? Lev explains: “A mask is fun to start a new range with. It’s something you apply at home, so it doesn’t matter how you look when using it. You can pack it with effective ingredients and have an incredible experience while masking.”

Indeed, a whiff of this zesty-smelling product perks you right up. Apart from the vitamin-rich citrus fruit extracts, it has a mineral complex (zinc, copper and magnesium) designed to brighten and protect dull, tired skin, and refine its texture – sounds perfect for busy women who want results with minimal effort!

I noticed a radiant complexion after just one use. After four weeks of consistent use, my skin has a healthylooking glow, and I no longer look pale and ashy even though I’m running on less sleep than I’d like. I’m definitely not missing out on my biweekly mask fix.

A cobblestone walkway and a cute Freshthemed bicycle with a beautiful bouquet of fragrant roses in its basket – how charming!
A cobblestone walkway and a cute Freshthemed bicycle with a beautiful bouquet of fragrant roses in its basket – how charming!
The ingredients in their purest form: a mash of lemon, orange and clementine paste.
The ingredients in their purest form: a mash of lemon, orange and clementine paste.
Michelin chef Cyril Lignac putting the finishing touches (glitter-flecked droplets) on the millefeuille, a type of French pastry, during a class arranged for us by Fresh.
Michelin chef Cyril Lignac putting the finishing touches (glitter-flecked droplets) on the millefeuille, a type of French pastry, during a class arranged for us by Fresh.
Paying close attention during the product demonstration held at the heart of the Fresh Research Lab.
Paying close attention during the product demonstration held at the heart of the Fresh Research Lab.
The prettiest sight greets me when I finally check into the Grand Hotel du Palais Royal after a 13-hour flight: mouth-watering Pierre Herme macarons, fresh flowers and a guidebook to Paris.
The prettiest sight greets me when I finally check into the Grand Hotel du Palais Royal after a 13-hour flight: mouth-watering Pierre Herme macarons, fresh flowers and a guidebook to Paris.
The lemons, oranges and clementines used in the mask are harvested in the Mediterranean once a year.
The lemons, oranges and clementines used in the mask are harvested in the Mediterranean once a year.
CHARMAINE’S TIPS:

1. Exfoliate with Fresh Sugar Face Polish before using the mask. This will remove surface dead skin cells and enhance the absorption of the mask. 
2. Apply the mask before showering, since it’s slightly sticky and you may need to wash out bits of peel that get stuck in stray strands of hair.
3. Don’t leave the mask on for longer than 10 minutes or it’ll start to dry, making it harder to remove.