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I’ve been writing about skincare for years now, so my skincare and products on rotation have evolved over time. Unfortunately, in my early years as a writer and editor who was also making the rounds of the events circuit, I convinced myself I had very little time for skincare. I thought if I just cleansed my face well and wore sunscreen before stepping out, I was fine. I would usually add on to my routine when I was reviewing a new moisturizer, toner, serum, or eye cream, but once the article was done and life got way too busy again, these products eventually fell out of my routine before I even finished the bottle or pot. Very few had the distinction of being thrown out empty.

When I hit my 30s, my skin paid dearly for the early years of neglect—especially around my eyes. As someone whose smile always reached her eyes (haha!), the skin around my peepers always crinkled in a way that always makes me cringe when I look at my photos after (making matters worse). Late nights out and dehydration from alcohol also left their marks as dark under-eye circles that only disappear slightly with the right amount of concealer. Ah, aging—our skin is no longer as invincible as we once thought it was.

Better late than never: I started using all the eye cream I ever got from various beauty brands. Often placed in very small pots or tubes, they’re always the first to run out. I was down to my last tube of eye cream (and very close to panicking about which brand I must grab before I flew back to Iloilo) when I was invited to the launch of Neal’s Yard Remedies’ Frankincense Intense Lift Eye Cream (P3,250), which harnesses the many healing benefits of Frankincense that I hadn’t known since then.

I’d chance upon Neal’s Yard Remedies, an award-winning wellness brand that’s been dubbed the champion of natural organic beauty, in beauty articles I read online, especially its popular age well collection where the eye cream belongs. I was really excited to finally try this brand from London that’s now available in the Philippines through Rustan’s.

I learned at the launch that they sustainably source Frankincense from Oman, which is the finest place on earth in which to harvest the resin of the Boswellia sacra trees. Harvesting the resin meant “hurting” the tree so the resin would come out, and it’s this resin that actually heals the tree. The precious resin is expertly harvested using traditional tools before being hand-sorted and distilled to extract the pure essential oil, leaving behind a byproduct. A zero-waste brand, Neal’s Yard Remedies decided to look into its properties and joined forces with a university research centre to transform the byproduct into an exclusive active ingredient, Frankincense Active Phyto Complex, which has been proven to have protective properties and antioxidant effect.

The Frankincense they now use has a soft citrusy scent that both calms and energizes. The added perk of using Neal’s Yard Remedies’ eye cream is knowing I’m supporting a sustainable beauty product and brand.

I first only heard about Frankincense at Church as one of the gifts that the Wise Men offered to Baby Jesus and as the sweet-smelling smoke used at Consecration during mass. Eventually I’d encounter this at some yoga studios where I practiced, during meditation session at retreats, and recently when I got into the essential oils trend—Frankincense is one of the most popular healing oils and scents.

The healing properties of Frankincense make this eye cream a must-have for anyone trying to undo the skin damage and aging evident in one’s under-eye. Specially formulated with the label’s award-winning Frankincense Active Phyto Complex, this targeted skincare solution is proven to strengthen, soften, and restore skin around the eyes—hallelujah! It harnesses the power of the potent, age-old beauty ingredient Frankincense to combat loss of firmness, smoothen deep lines, and protect skin from environmental factors that speed up aging—exactly what my under-eye skin needs.

It also has hydrating hyaluronic acid that helps to plump deep lines and wrinkles around the eyes for smoother, well rested looking skin. Plus, it boasts of Neal’s Yard Remedies’ blend of reviving green tea caffeine, brightening turmeric extract clinically proven to improve skin radiance, and revitalizing organic green coffee seed oil that’s rich in antioxidants and nourishing essential fatty acids, helping revive the youthful condition of the eye area.

I’ve only been using it for a week to treat the effects of late nights out in Manila, and it does seem to make the skin under my eyes appear more taut and appear slightly brighter. Try it and notice how taking care of your under-eye skin already makes you look younger and less stressed! I’m hoping that once I finish the pot, my under-eye area will look better than ever. If so, I can totally stick to this eye cream, even if it’s quite the investment.

If you want to get the full benefits of Frankincense on your entire face and neck, also try the Frankincense Intense Lift Serum, which is clinically proven to create a protective barrier on skin, lift and recontour, and stimulate relaxation; and finish off with the Frankincense Intense Lift Cream, a multi-action nourishing cream that visibly lifts and recontours also with Frankincense Active Phyto Complex that has proven collagen protecting properties.

Neal’s Yard Remedies is available in Rustan’s Ayala Center Makati, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, and Adora. For more information, visit www.rustans-thebeautysource.com.

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