Gok Wan, Moisturiser Guru! (Siana Moisturising Anti Wrinkle Day Cream)

Member Name: cyberem78

Product:	Siana Moisturising Anti Wrinkle Day Cream
Date:	01/04/09 (900 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Soft and silky texture. Lovely aroma. Improves appearance of skin.

Disadvantages: Can be a little damp on skin for a while after applying.

My sister gave me a jar of this anti-wrinkle cream after seeing it endorsed on fashion guru Gok Wan's 'How To Look Good Naked' television show. According to a panel of women testing the cream for the show, the night cream version of this Siana moisturiser out did many more expensive brands in terms of performance and comfort factor etc and was joint best with a similar cream by designer brand Lancome. Whilst the Lancome product will cost you around £50 the Siana products, available at Aldi supermarket stores, cost around £1.90.

The day cream comes in a sturdy glass jar with a twisting plastic top. The inner lid needs to be removed before use but acts as a seal of freshness prior to use. Outer packaging is a small cadboard box and the product is labelled as Siana Skin Kind Moisturising Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream (with Bioflavone and Co-enzyme Q10) - for all skin types. Inside the box there is an information leaflet which fully explains what this moisturiser can do and what the formula consists of. The packaging looks classy and you get the sense that this is an expensive product.

The box is labelled with much information about the moisturiser including full ingredients and instructions for use. Some general information about the merits and benefits of the cream are also printed. The brand describe the cream as "light" and claim it has been developed by those at the cutting edge of scientific research into this area of cosmetics. They also explain those complicated terms in the title: Bioflavone is derived from Elderberry Blossom and helps protect skin from harmful chemicals in the environment. Co enzyme Q10 is a natural "body-own" substance that does the same job, protecting skin from environmental factors that cause skin to age prematurely.

As well as these substances, the moisturiser also contains vitamins C, E and B5. Aloe Vera is another special ingredient which softens the skin. The moisturiser has a UVA filter which is sun protection factor 4. This is not particularly a very strong sun block cream though. I have used moisturisers that have SPF 12 and still been burned. The 'octocrylene' filter is designed to protect skin from sun damage though, which is another reason why skin can age, sag or wrinkle. The brand say this cream has been dermatologically tested and describe their trial methods as "intense".

The first thing I noticed about the cream was it's aroma and it's colour. The cream is perfumed and has the smell of freshly cut summer grass. Rubbing the cream into the warm skin brings out more sharper, fruity tones - perhaps essence of papaya or a similar exotic fruit. In any case, the fragrance is gorgeous. The colour of the moisturiser is very mild creamy-yellow - like vanilla custard - and it looks very silken and smooth in texture.

To touch, the cream is very soft and almost a little too slippy. When you put your finger into the formula it seems to melt away and you can end compensating for this and taking too much. You actually need very little of the cream as it goes a long way. Applying to skin, this cream takes very little rubbing and it dissapears into the skin in an instant. It feels wonderful to apply, so soft and so easily absorbed. It reminds me of the texture of suede or silk when I pull my fingers over my skin.

Once I have applied the cream I find my skin feels soft, springy but also a little bit damp. Although my skin doesn't feel bogged down or the cream too heavy, it feels a little sticky and as if I've just washed my face. If I try to apply make-up immediately I find that it gives a blotchy effect. The cream really needs to be allowed to 'air' for a while (maybe 60 seconds) before attempting to apply any cosmetic base. In actual fact, the moisturiser has a non-shiny appearance and therefore improves the look of the face and neck without the need for any make-up. I am happy to use this moisturiser on days when I don't want to wear any make-up.

The appearance of fine lines or wrinkles on my face are made to look less dramatic by applying this cream. I think the skin looks hydrated but I think it's like a case of applying wax to dry leather - the creases will always be there but now they just look a little softer and less severe! The moisturiser also helps to improve the appearance of dry red acne patches which I sometimes get on my face.

I have used the moisturiser for a while and am impressed by the way it makes my skin look and feel. I am certain that the results of the moisturiser tests on Gok Wan's show were genuine. I would recommend this cream to anyone. It is very cheap for a face cream but it looks like and works like an expensive brand.

Summary: A great budget brand day cream.