orchidee imperiale

10 Reviews

1. 

   eagerTortoise0

   Reply

   I finally caved in and got my hands on this $460 moisturizer. Not the full size (I wish!) but a sample size, enough to last me for 2 weeks. I’ve seen that gorgeous blue jar with a gold lid in Neiman Marcus a hundred times in the past, each time telling myself “one day, one day”. So finally that day has come. My first impressions were “there’s a lot of fragrance in this”. It’s also something quite emollient that I could only use during stints in colder regions, and so I took this with me on a recent trip to Nebraska. I used it twice daily until finished and noticed no difference whatsoever, also luckily no breakouts or sensitivity to the perfume in here. Of course I wasn’t expecting any reduction of fine lines etc within 2 weeks but a person starts to get a sense of some difference in their skin, but nope, none here whatsoever.
   In all fairness when a product is marketed with the following description: “Experts at the Guerlain Institute have developed an exclusive technique which, for the first time, combines professional massage with breathing exercises to maximise the benefits of the Cream” I don’t know how I even managed to take it seriously to begin with! But I’m a sucker for silly claims and fancy ingredients and so I had to try it just to see for myself and get it out of my system. Speaking of ingredients (I wish I’d paid more attention to these first) I can only find Ceramide, Sodium hyaluronate and wheat protein that stand out to me as holding some potential. There are moisturizers out there that are a fraction of this price with these 3 plus many other beneficial ingredients in them. On the other hand there are parabens in here which is disappointing.

   Like every expensive face cream there is only so much this can do, despite the far-fetched claims. After using up my sample I relayed my personal experience of using this to a Guerlain CS rep, who told me amongst other things that this product can get rid of nasolabial folds and expression lines. Really?! Well I wish I’d spoken up at that point but decided not to out of politeness, so I’ll state it here… Only fillers can tackle nasolabial folds (lasts up to a year depending on type of filler) and only botox can temporarily freeze expression lines (3 months or so) on the forehead, vertical or horizontal, or expression lines (crows feet) around the eyes. No cream, regardless of what rare metal is in it, or ‘extract of a flower that blooms once a century’ bs, is going to make a difference. Expect a degree of plumping, expect some hydration, or antioxidant protection, these are realistic claims. Believe me when I say none of us would be having botox (a very costly toxin) injected into us repeatedly if there was an alternative that comes out of a jar. There isn’t. If there was, the botox industry would be out of business by now.

   An average moisturizer at best that looks the part but brings nothing new to the table in terms of ingredients or innovation. I’ve tried better moisturizers by Olay! And highly overpriced! Not a re-purchase for me.

   Selena x

   ~ My HG list ~

   (As I’ve sampled 100s of skin, hair and m/u products over the last decade and a half, I thought it might be useful to share my top 10 must-have products, subject to change if and when I come across something more effective. I love constantly trying out new stuff – usually sample sizes via e-bay, also plenty courtesy of a friend who works at Sephora)

   1. Hair Loss Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ – Hair Oil
   2. Lip Balm: ‘Nuxe’ – Reve De Miel Lip Balm
   3. Pigmentation + Anti-Ageing Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ – Facial Treatment Serum
   4. Cleanser: ‘Paula’s Choice’ – Skin Balancing Cleanser
   5. Concealer: ‘Mac’ – Studio Finish Concealer
   6. Lash Growth Serum: ‘Divine Herbal’ – Divinelash
   7. Foundation/SPF: ‘Juice Beauty’ – Stem Cellular Repair (warm glow)
   8. Face Scrub: ‘Sisley’ – Botanical Gentle Buffing Cream
   9. Moisturizer: ‘Lush’ – Enzymion
   10. Hand Cream: ‘Origins’ – Make A Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment

2. 

   mellowCordial3

   Reply

   i was given a few samples of this cream and left them in the draw for a while as i was disappointed with Guerlain Face Oil well for my face use anyway. but i started to use their honey toner and my perspective altered so i opened these Orchidee cream. It smells divine and i do not usually go for heavy fragrance but it did not upset my sinuses It absobs well and it does really hydrate and protect my skin which is what i ask for No cream unless it contains retinol/retin a will not get rid of wrinkles but hydrated skin will stay supple and wrinkle less and Gurlain Orchidee Cream definatly meets this need. i am very picky about face products and many lower price drugstore creams just leave my skin just as dehydrated and vunerable to issues whereas the higher priced luxury brands may be expensive but they do a marvelous job I will definatly purchase a jar of this cream to add to my routine as i was impressed by the handfull of samples i used. I find it no more expensive than La Prairie or Sisley that are my staple skin care brands. Do not pass this cream over just because of price. The longer i use luxury skin care the better my skin looks. Many people ask me what i use for skin care and i am happy to add this to the list as good value.

3. 

   boredGranola1

   Reply

   Years ago when I bought this, it was 350 usd. I did not do my research. Saw wrinkles, panicked and this caught my eye. At the time, the only thing I had bought previously from Guerlain was the cute colored powders in the shape of little balls (as I was more into Chanel and Caron perfume than Guerlain back then). Total, epic waste of money. My skin reacts to certain things in a quixotic fashion, and sometimes it can handle highly scented things. Not this. I ended up giving it away. It was unctuous, slick, and very rich. I suspect it may have been one of the triggers for my subsequent issues with milia. Since then I have been extremely wary of rich moisturizing products. Which is a problem since I have dry combination skin.

   (I currently use Paula’s choice moisture boost; cerave cream and cerave SA cream; and some Vaseline intensive care advanced repair unscented lotion).

4. 

   lyingDinosaur9

   Reply

   I received a few sample tubes of this and I quite like it. It smells good, hydrates my dry/combo skin, sinks in nicely and is not too thick or sticky. Face feels smooth and fresh, no greasy residue. However, I’ve encountered a few drugstore moisturizers that perform just as nicely…like my Cetaphil lotion for instance. The price of this product is just insane! It’s one of those luxuries you’d splurge on to feel pampered (if you can afford it), but it is definitely not a necessity, nor is it anything special. I mean, it’s a good moisturizer, that’s it, there are no actual ‘magic’ ingredients in it. It’s not worth even a quarter of the amount they charge for it. Plus, although I like the fragrance, I prefer my moisturizers to be fragrance-free. Will I buy? Not in a million years.

   UPDATE: after the 2nd use two zits immediately popped up and the skin on my cheeks feel abit bumpy and irritated. Yuck! Not for sensitive or acne-prone skin (and my skin usually tolerates fragrance, maybe this moisturizer is pore clogging).

5. 

   sheepishCake7

   Reply

   I wanted to love this, it smells divine! But the fragrance was irritating to my skin and the cream was too heavy under makeup.

6. 

   tautUnicorn4

   Reply

   I have used the Aqua lotions and serums from Guerlain a few years ago and forgot about the brand completely. Recently I discovered the Orchidee range and this cream will leave you with the most hydrating skin that feels silky smooth, soft and hydrating. However, I do not like the jar packaging, since the vitamins and anti-oxidants will easily escape and it is not hygienic to use your fingers every time you use the cream. The price is hefty, around 450 Australian dollars, however, you don’t need much of this product and a little lasts a long way!

7. 

   resolvedBittern4

   Reply

   Well, the packaging is heavy, luxurious and beautiful for any vanity. However, I do not feel that it lives up to its claim. I have very dry skin but I don’t feel it absorbs well. It doesn’t hydrate a lot either. The scent is strong but smells lovely. Don’t think I’ll repurchase.

8. 

   emptyPiglet5

   Reply

   Not to sound like a miserable git in all my reviews, I want to write an all-positive review, so for this purpose I chose the product I like. Actually, the product I LOVE.
   Firstly, let me say that I do not expect a cream to wipe off the lines off my face (either fine or deep); or to un-sag my cheeks (sadly they begin to sag).
   If a cream could do all that, plastic surgery would not be required.
   But we all know Hollywood beauties go to plastic surgeons regularly (and they surely can afford all the best creams in the world!), I assume no cosmetic product can really reverse time.
   So what I expect from a face cream, is GOOD moisturising effect, that would last all day long.
   If you think, a cream like that is easy to find, I would disagree.
   Anyway, this Guerlain Orchidee Imperiale totally meets my expectation and does not disappoint.
   The downside (the HUGE downside) is the price, I was almost crying when I was paying for it. But… so far one of the best face creams out there for me.
   Would I buy again? I wish there was a button “not sure” as the price really, really hurts. But the cream itself is wonderful.
   As I said, it does not reverse time, but it provides good moisturising, it smells really nice and the texture is very pleasant.

9. 

   murkyGarlic6

   Reply

   Has the whole world gone mad? This is too expensive but anyway. Guerlain claims it has a rare orchid extract that helps the skin. Fine but where is the research that says that for that price? Second this is so highly fragranced that it is ridiculous and irritating. Very nice, luxurious french cream. Leaves the skin soft. But so does Olay and Nivea. .I can not emphasize this enough…take the 500 bucks and buy a Coach purse. This cream is not worth it.

10. 

    peacefulEagle3

    Reply

    So…this cream. I love Guerlain and I love a lovely, rich, thick cream, so I was inclined to like this from the start. It is very expensive, $430 for 1.7 oz., so unless you have the money to spare, I wouldn’t recommend getting this over seeing a dermatologist or using something like retinol that has a mountain of research behind it. It’s not going to make miracles happen, but it will moisturize. The cream itself is nice and thick, just what you expect an expensive French cream to feel like. It’s also fragranced and noticeably so, I can smell it for a few minutes on my face, so steer clear if you have any sensitivities to fragrance. I used this night and day after my cleansing routine and just smeared it all over my face and neck. It feels plush going on and leaves a wee bit of grease behind, but I didn’t mind. At night, no one is going to care if your face is a tad greasy and in the morning, I always put foundation on over and found that I liked the extra slip from the cream. As for results, I can say that it did not irritate my eczema, which I occasionally get on my face, and it definitely calmed down any redness I had. My face felt moisturized and I did not break out, even with the heaviness of the cream on my sometimes oily face. I used it while I was 26, so I can’t say that it got rid of any wrinkles, but it might have helped me prevent some. The thing that I liked the most about this cream is that it felt very pampering and soothing. I would sometimes put on more than I usually would after a clay mask and it was just beautiful. I always woke up with calm, clear skin. Overall, it’s a lovely splurge, but I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily worth it if you’re looking for some major results. If I happen to ever have $400+ lying around ever again, I’d probably pick plane tickets over this cream.