Shopping Duty Free fills me with as much excitement as going on my actual trip does. As both a beauty lover and an impulsive buyer I love to have the opportunity to shop so many of my favourite brands, while also discovering new brands all at a lower cost. With a constant list of growing brands World Duty Free will leave you spoiled for choice. One of their more recent brand additions is Fresh. They are a skincare and beauty brand which was founded over 25 years ago. Founders Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg opened an apothecary store in Boston, curating upscale, natural beauty products from around the world. Lev and Alina continue to instill their unyielding devotion to authenticity and craftsmanship into Fresh today.
Fresh all started out with a humble bar of soap, since then the brand has evolved into a full line of products that include skincare, body care, haircare and fragrances. Natural ingredients are at the core of all Fresh products not to mention being credited with a number of firsts for the industry having pioneered the use of natural ingredients such as soy, sake and notably sugar. I love a company that has a back story as rich as Fresh. It almost makes me want to buy into their products even more.
Travelling can really take its toll on our skin, it’s easy to fall out of our usual routines and become guilty of neglecting to take care of it as well. That combined with plane journeys, prolonged sun exposure or the hustle and bustle of a busy city break filled with pollutants can often leave our complexions in need of some TLC. With this in mind I like to arrive at my destination armed with some products to help restore some life into my skin.
With that said, my two products of choice to keep my complexion happy and coming with me on my upcoming trip, which can be bought in the airport at a discounted cost [bonus!] are:
Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask*
“Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask works in sync with the skin’s natural nighttime recovery process to achieve a lifted, firmer look by the morning. The intensely moisturising treatment has a corset-like effect on the skin, giving the appearance of a visibly more defined, contoured complexion.”
Sounds good right? With glowing reviews to match an equally glowing product description it’s not difficult to see why this product was on my wishlist. Fresh suggest you use this as the final step in your evening skincare routine, and that is exactly what I did. I applied a generous layer to my face and neck before settling down to catch some zzz’s. Or should I say beauty sleep as that is exactly what I would hope to be getting from the product description.
I found the mask to have a thick consistency however it applied nicely and it didn’t feel tacky as I have found some night masks to be. There’s nothing worse than rolling over from being on your side and realising you have the pillow case attached to your cheek! So yay to that! Fast-forward to the morning, and despite having the odd bedding crease indent left on the side of my face I was greeted by a surprisingly fresh-faced complexion staring back at me. Not the usual reflection upon first opening my eyes I must say. My skin looked healthier, more plumped and incredibly hydrated! It definitely had a more toned look to it which I hadn’t expected to notice so soon.
Key ingredients:
- A proprietary complex of black tea ferment, black tea extract, blackberry leaf extract, and lychee seed extract is proven to inhibit damaging free radicals** and helps to improve skin elasticity.
- Belle de Nuit extract, known as nature’s nocturnal flower, helps to soothe and rebalance the skin.
- Peptides help firm the skin and visibly defy the signs of gravity.
- Hyaluronic acid helps attract and maintain moisture to enhance suppleness.
Having been using this overnight mask regularly for around a month and half now I can honestly say my skin has never looked better. The results I’ve experience are that my skin is notably more radiant, firmer, even-toned, and generally more youthful. I had expected to like this product in truth, but I didn’t expect to love it quite as much as I do. It is a little pricey but when I see these kind of results I honestly wouldn’t mind spending extra for something that really works. If you don’t feel comfortable committing to the full-size, higher priced jar, you could always opt for the smaller jar to see how it works for you.
Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask*
Now, I don’t know about you but when I read the word Instant in the name I took it with a pinch of salt, I mean what product can work instantly? I was more than aware of the rave reviews this product had received and I was keen to put it to the test. Filled with all of the hope you get with trying a new and well reviewed product for the first time, I scooped some product out and began to lather it on my face. The instructions advise to leave it on the skin for 5-10 minutes and rinse. This might just be me here, but I always to tend to go over on the times a little, I’m not sure why but I guess I like to fully maximise the benefit. I left it on for no more than 15 minutes and rinsed well as per the instructions, I then followed with my regular skincare routine.
At first when I was staring into the mirror and studying my face for any change I sometimes feel unsure as to whether you see an actual change, or because you trick yourself into seeing it? I hope that makes sense ha! The best way to describe the change the most obvious change I could see was to imagine someone standing behind and slightly tugging on the skin and pulling it back toward them. It definitely looked more taught, and uplifted, it appeared more plumped with an added bounce if you will. I don’t have very many fine lines as of yet which I am so pleased about, but the few I do notice around my eyes appeared reduced.
I use this 2 to 3 times per week and with each use my skin looks healthier, radiant and somehow more youthful. I feel more like my fresh-faced self from my early 20s again! Something I thought would forever be a distant memory to me now.
I have listed some of the key ingredients within this little jar of face lifting magic:
- Black tea ferment is an advanced antioxidant that helps to defend against wrinkle-causing free radicals** while softening, smoothing, and enhancing lustre.
- Lychee seed extract helps maintain the skin’s elasticity.**
- Polysaccharides help to smooth the skin.
- Jicama root juice is notable for its hydrating and nourishing properties.
**in vitro
I appreciate that this product is more on the pricey side, and I would definitely consider it a luxury purchase and product to use. The results I have seen have been incredible and I love that so many natural ingredients go into these products. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone who would consider ageing as a skin concern. I personally don’t mind paying more for a product if it really does work. Sometimes you get what you pay for and I think that is most definitely true of this mask. Whats good is that Fresh offer smaller and lower priced jars alongside their full-size jars which is a great opportunity to try it for yourself without the higher cost outlay.
The Story of Black Tea
“Tea is the world’s most ancient remedy. It was discovered thousands of years ago in China, whose people cultivated its use as a medicine, as a ritual, as an art form. Tea has a rich history and an even deeper meaning for us because of our Russian heritage, as it is an enormous part of our own culture.” —Lev & Alina, Fresh Founders
Passing though duty-free? Pre-order your mask here.
What are your duty-free vices?
*PR Samples / Gifted items, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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What is a corset cream?
A peptide-powered moisturizer proven to immediately firm the skin on the face and neck for a tighter, lifted look with more defined contours.nullBlack Tea Corset Cream Firming Moisturizer, 50Ml | Skincare - Freshwww.fresh.com › Skincare › Moisturizersnull
Is BT Matrix retinol?
-BT Matrix™: Is a retinol-like blend shown to support skin structure. -Ceramide NP: Is a skin-mimicking lipid that supports a strong skin barrier.nullfresh Black Tea Anti-Aging Moisturizer with Retinol-Alternative BT Matrixwww.sephora.com › product › fresh-black-tea-anti-aging-ceramide-moistur...null
Does fresh have retinol?
“This moisturizer marks an exciting chapter for Fresh, because for the first time ever, we have introduced a naturally-derived ingredient blend with a scientifically-proven retinol.”3 thg 1, 2023nullFresh's New Black Tea Moisturizer Is Like a Gentler, Nicer Retinolwww.harpersbazaar.com › Beauty › Skincarenull