In September, I spoke to Dustin Lujan at Le Metier de Beaute‘s counter at Bergdorf Goodman, who did a makeover with Le Metier de Beaute Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Complexe Tinted Treatment ($125).  I had recently read about the product on The Non Blonde, a blog that I highly respect.

As I averred to previously, Le Metier seems particularly concerned about the ingredients that one puts in contact with one’s skin.  Indeed, when he saw my skin, Le Metier’s Dustin immediately recognized that I had been using a mineral makeup.  Without my telling him.  Just from looking at my pores. He recommended that I stop immediately, and that my skin would look better in seven days.  He was right.  An area of my cheeks which had become clogged looked clear within a week–a problem that I had been trying to deal with using retinol (Avene Diacneal), the Clarisonic toner and a toner for several months. He’s really good.

He also recommended that I try Peau Vierge to improve the quality and tone of my skin.  At the time of my makeover, my skin care concerns are complicated by two things–first, I live on the West Coast of the U.S.  It’s sunny here, and I’ve been living here for quite a while.  Also, I love to walk outdoors in the summer.  Yes, I wear sunscreen (sometimes up to 100 spf with a hat), but I’ve only recently switched to European sunscreens.  When I started getting skin color with a U.S. sunscreens rated at 100 spf, I began to suspect that the U.S. brands are not effective in blocking light.  I had some dark patches on my forehead, and some that seemed to recently appear on my cheeks.  Also, I had been wrestling with a summer chin breakout that threatened to leave discolorations.

Last September, I asked Dustin to ship Peau Vierge to me in connection with Bergdorf’s September beauty event (they have these events periodically), which would net me a $25 discount on this $125 product.

Peau Vierge is a sheer, lightweight tinted skin care product.  This is intended to accomplish several things–first, provide a beautiful finish with very sheer coverage.  Second, to deliver all-day benefits that include correcting discoloration and deliver anti-aging benefits.  For example, Le Metier represents that Peau Vierge has retinol delivered through unique delivery technology called “Syntoc Actif,” which encapsulates the Retinol and allows it to safely and effectively penetrate the skin. According to the line, “traditional over-the-counter products have very poor penetration—less than 2% of active ingredients are actually absorbed. In comparison, with Syntoc Actif, 20 times more Retinoic Acid is absorbed into the deeper skin layers, making it the most effective cosmetic Retinoid treatment on the market.”  Sign me up.

For these reasons, Peau Vierge be applied directly to the skin without using any base, primer, or diluting it with another foundation.  For that reason, I adopted Dustin’s advice to wear Peau Vierge as my first layer of foundation, then brushing a second sheer foundation over the top where needed (in my case, Burberry Beauty’s Sheer foundation).

I’ve been using Peau Vierge four or five days a week since early October.  Peau Vierge made my skin look noticeably better in the first week, and I’ve noticed continual improvement since then.  The dark areas on my forehead have faded to the point where I no longer need a concealer on them–foundation is fine.  My skin is completely clear-no acne or clogged pores.  The discoloration on my chin area from my summer breakout has faded considerably to the point where it can be covered with foundation only, no concealer necessary.  I’ve been using less and less Burberry foundation, sheerer and sheerer layers as time has gone by.  Peau Vierge makes my skin look younger, clearer, brighter and is gradually removing discolorations.  I will say this, Lisa Eldrige once said that nothing is more aging than discoloration. So true!  Very young skin is bright and even.

At this point, my skin has improved so I am considering using Peau Vierge foundation alone, and purchasing the Peau Vierge concealer (this has the same skin care benefits) to use for any remaining patches of concern.  Yes, I know $125 is a breathtaking price for a foundation.  This comes from someone who owns plenty of foundations in the $50-70 range, and I’d rather not pay that much.

Peau Vierge is worth it to me.  It is not only that it contains skin care–rather, it is because it contains skin care that works.  No over the counter skincare has ever been this effective for me.  I’ll certainly re-buy because I love, love, LOVE the results.

Ingredient list:  Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Propylene Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Disodium Lauriminodipropionae Tocopheryl Phosphate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Magnesium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Lysine, Penax Ginseng Root Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Anthemix Nobilis Leaf Extract, Camelia Olefera Leaf Extract, Phytantriol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocpheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Tetrahexyldecyl Acorbate, Aluminium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Boron Nitride, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Dextrin Palmitate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Dehydrocetate, Retinol, Polysobate 20, Methicone, Phenoxythenol, Methyparaben, Proplyparaben.  May contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides.  Active Ingedients:  Titanium Dioxide 5.0%, Zinc Oxide 5.0%.