Racinne Ultimate Hydra Perfection Optimal Fortifying Emulsion and Ultimate Defense Illuminating Cream Review

Have you heard of Racinne before? They are an International beauty brand with products sold in South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, UK, and Canada, and now they finally came to the US market. I first became acquainted with one of their products after receiving a sample of Youth Power Eye Serum in my September 2013 Birchbox. I really liked the way it made the area around my eyes feel – tightened but nourished; and I was secretly hoping that one day I would be lucky enough to try some of their other best-sellers.

BRAND OVERVIEW

“Based on groundbreaking developments in biotechnology, the natural regenerative powers of plant callus, and by collaborating with world-leading laboratories in Korea, Racinne delivers innovative and exceptional beauty products that aim to reveal and enhance people’s natural beauty. With the conviction that science and beauty are deeply intertwined, Racinne’s scientists have undertaken a rigorous process of scientific discovery, selecting and combining the most powerful plant callus extracts, functional peptides and clinically-proven active ingredients to create exceptional skincare products that give exceptional results.”

Two months ago I was given the opportunity to share my thoughts on Racinne’s Ultimate Hydra Perfection line, which is suitable for all skin types. This line is designed to target first signs of aging, protect the skin from free radicals, promote healthy cell growth, and increase collagen production. It features eight products [several of which are either/or depending on your skin type] for a complete skincare regimen.

Elegant packaging with beautiful iridescent purple glow

For this review I received Optimal Fortifying Emulsion and Ultimate Defense Illuminating Cream. The packaging for both products is very elegant and classic, but also has a twist – those white parts have a subtle violet shimmer/glow to them. Being a huge fan of stylish packaging, I have both of them on display on my vanity table along with some of my other favorites. Both products have the same fragrance, which is a tad bit strong, but not unpleasant – they smells sort of fresh and fruity, I can even pick out grapes and peaches in the bouquet.

Optimal Fortifying Emulsion

Despite what you might be thinking, Optimal Fortifying Emulsion is not a serum – it’s actually a lightweight moisturizer, that works especially well for oily and combination skin types. It’s formulated with antioxidant-rich grape stem cells to help protect skin from harmful free radicals, phytosterols and seaweed extract to increase firmness and reduce wrinkles, Hyaluronic Acid to deliver moisture deep into the skin, and natural fruit extracts to nourish and soften.

Let’s start off by raving about the packaging – it’s a pump, ladies and gents! That alone makes me very happy, and I couldn’t wait to begin testing this product. I used Optimal Fortifying Emulsion in the AM after cleansing and toning; two pumps was just enough product to cover my face and neck area. I patted it in for a minute to make sure it absorbs well, and then set it with my SPF50+ mineral sunscreen powder. That’s right, unfortunately this moisturizer doesn’t provide sun protection, which could be a dealbreaker for some, but not for me [as long as I have that magical powder].

The product itself looks like a murky off-white gel that melts into the skin easily without leaving a sticky layer, like some gels do on my skin. I used it for a few weeks [kinda forgot when I started, actually], and so far it seems to work well to keep my skin in good condition and didn’t cause any breakouts. I can’t vouch for its anti-aging and wrinkle-erasing properties, because I recently smoothed out one forming line on my forehead that’s been giving me trouble before I started using Optimal Fortifying Emulsion, however, after several weeks it didn’t reappear, and that’s good enough for me.

Ultimate Defense Illuminating Cream

Ultimate Defense Illuminating Cream is a moisturizer, too, and comes in jar packaging. The jar itself is pretty big, it’s a lot larger than many other moisturizers on the market and also contains more product [the size is about the same as my palm sans fingers]. However, you probably know what I’m going to say already, it’s a jar so there will be some tricks involved in making sure we get to use it up before it gets contaminated and oxidized, check out this post if you want to learn how I deal with products in this type of packaging.

Ultimate Defense Illuminating Cream – jar packaging

This moisturizer was formulated with dry skin in mind, although on the box it says that it’s suitable for all skin types. I can totally see how that would be the case, because as strange as it sounds, this product is “buildable”. That’s actually great for me, because my skin can be all kinds of crazy. To begin with it’s combination, so my T-zone is always oilier than the rest of the face, but other areas can be either normal or dry depending on the weather, so it’s nice to have a product like this that I can use for both of those conditions. Like Optimal Fortifying Emulsion, this moisturizer doesn’t offer any SPF, which, like I said earlier, is not a big deal for me right now, but might really matter to someone else, so it was worth mentioning.

I’ve been using Ultimate Defense Illuminating Cream for several weeks in the PM, after cleansing, toning, and applying a serum to my skin. To fully cover my face and neck I used a pea-sized amount of product. The formula feels rich and emollient, it spreads and absorbs well, leaving the skin looking dewy and radiant. It’s too rich for me to use during warm weather, but ladies with dry skin might really like it. Ultimate Defense Illuminating Cream did a great job replenishing moisture, and I always woke up with soft and plump skin in the morning.

Product texture (L to R): Ultimate Defense Illuminating Cream, Optimal Fortifying Emulsion

THE VERDICT
Optimal Fortifying Emulsion with its lightweight formula is a good choice for people with oily or combination skin, and it worked well to keep my skin moisturized without greasiness. I like that it comes in a pump bottle. Ultimate Defense Illuminating Cream is rich and emollient, and would work best for people with dry skin. It did a great job replenishing and retaining moisture, and made the skin look plump and soft. It comes in a jar, so I would recommend depotting it and using in small batches, while keeping the full-sized jar in the fridge.

PRICE & AVAILABILITY
Ultimate Defense Illuminating Cream – $44 USD for 1.77 oz. Available at Racinne.
Optimal Fortifying Emulsion – $39.00 USD for 1.79 oz. Available at Racinne.

Ingredients:
Optimal Fortifying Emulsion – Aqua, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Callus Culture Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Betaine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chlorphenesin, Alcohol, Arginine, Carbomer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyacrylate-13, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract, Polyisobutene, Prunuspersica (peach) Fruit Extract, Cellulose Gum, Propylene Glycol, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Fragrance, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Octyldodecanol, Polyglutamic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 20, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Ligustrum Japonicum Fruit Extract, Phytosterols, Glyceryl Caprylate.
Ultimate Defense Illuminating Cream – Water, Aqua, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Glycereth-26, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-40 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated VegetableOil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Cyclohexasiloxane, Trehalose, Glycol Stearate SE, Dimethicone, Palmitic Acid, Sorbitan Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Callus Culture Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyethylene, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Octyldodecanol, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Ligustrum Japonicum Fruit Extract , Phytosterols, Glyceryl Caprylate.