Dior Prestige · La Micro-Huile de Rose

I’m one of those; the type that actually loves skincare rituals, finding something soothing and therapeutic in all the layering & slathering — both morning and night. Let’s face it; the better you take care of your skin, the more it will reward you i.e.: your complexion stays healthy and makeup usually applies better as well, but I have another reason for indulging: as I’ve gotten older and pesky lines & wrinkles have made their [unwelcome] appearance, it’s become more about trying as many non-invasive methods to maintain my skin as I can. That’s where La Micro-Huile de Rose from Dior Prestige comes in. A luxury product from a luxury brand, but is it worth the luxury price? Let’s see …

Follow @ommorphia YouTube ♦ Instagram ♦ Facebook ♦ Twitter ♦ Pinterest ♦ Bloglovin’

La Micro-Huile de Rose (CAN $325.00) | Housed in a display-worthy elegant glass bottle with a neo-classical styled cap, this was inspired by the way nutritional supplements work. Working over 5 years and 150 attempts later, Dior labs have created La Micro-Huile de Rose, a pre-serum that is meant to nourish & protect your skin as well as enhance all other products layered on top. Apart from the gorgeous visual aesthetic, this serum is also imbued with the most exquisite yet light rose fragrance — and I’m guessing even those with sensitivities would find no fault here.

Located in the heart of the Loire Valley, the wild rose that blooms on the cliffs of Granville is exposed to an incredibly harsh & saline climate, and yet against all odds, this flower manages to somehow thrive. That’s where the Dior science team stepped in and thanks to a state-of-the-art phytochemical analysis, they were able to identify the ‘treasure at the heart of this flower’. Using a dual extraction process that is unique in the world, they were able to create a product that offers the penetrating power of a serum but with the comfort of an oil (and no greasy feel), with every application acting like a booster shot for the skin. Each bottle contains 10,000 Rose micro-pearls that release the nutritive properties of the Rose de Granville, along with:

Vitamins E, B3, B5 and C – for antioxidant properties
Omegas 3, 6 and 9 – fatty acids that contribute to epidermal tissue strength
Minerals and trace elements – to protect and repair skin systems
Phytonutrients – to further strengthen and protect the skin matrix
Amino Acid – for cell vitality

The extraction process is actually quite fascinating; devising a new & cutting-edge method that is extremely gentle on the flowers, this dual extraction concentrates all the micro-nutritional wealth of the Rose de Granville as it is obtained through slow, repeated cold fractionations, followed by microwaves and ultrasound before being filtered. What this arduous process means, is that the purity, effectiveness, and integrity of these incredible ingredients are maintained as intact as possible so the the precious molecules are never damaged in any way. To sum it up in layman’s terms, this process means that every pump of Micro-Huile de Rose that you apply to your skin, is as though you are applying the extracted properties directly from the fresh flower itself. How cool is that?

And now for the big question: does it work? Well, bearing in mind that I’m neither a scientist nor a chemist, all I have to go on is what I’ve experienced. My skin is relatively good, but that’s basically due to genetics + maintenance. I’m fortunate that I lean normal to combination with an oilier T-zone, and while I lamented the oily part when I was younger, I’m grateful now as it adds a layer of moisture that those with dry skin just don’t have (which helps my skin look ‘younger’. My ego is showing). Over the past few weeks, I’ve incorporated the Micro-Huile de Rose as part of my routine both day & night and I can’t say for sure that it’s this one product that’s made a difference, but DAMN. The texture is absolutely lovely and literally sinks into skin leaving zero residue behind, yet manages to leave behind a suppleness unlike other serums I’ve tried. The result I’ve seen thus far, is that my complexion not only visibly appears more even-toned, but feels so much softer as well.

One of my personal mottos has always been “you get what you pay for” and while there have been some misses along the way, in general I’ve found this to hold true. Make no mistake about it: La Micro-Huile de Rose is a commitment, both in terms of cost and use, and yet how many of us hesitate to drop major money on skincare, but think nothing of racking up $500.00 at Sephora? So if there’s one cultural change I feel we need to embrace more, it’s the fact that while makeup collections come & go, the skin on your face is there for life, so: take care of it. Very, very, good care of it because as that famous ad goes “you’re worth it”. By the way, Christmas is upon us and every year at this time I like to drop some not-so-subtle hints … you may want to consider adding this lovely to the list.

Available at select Dior counters