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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Clinica Ivo Pitanguy- Body Care Hands Beauty Formula


Some twentysomethings might have a hard time relating to the anti-aging obsession. I remember 15 years ago not being very religious about my SPF usage and not really caring about antioxidants and vitamin C in my skin care products. But between beauty blogging and pushing 40, things have changed significantly.

I spend a scary chunk of my waking hours with my hands right in front of me typing or touchpading, so I get to look at them quite a bit. I've been doing a good job using sun blocks, premium hand creams, shielding lotions and any rejected face cream and serum I have. And it pays off. I can't recommend strongly enough upgrading your hand cream to something with active anti aging and brightening ingredients and heavy duty moisturizing effect.

But how "up" should this upgrade be? Is there any justification for the $105 hand cream from Clinica Ivo Pitanguy? Even when you realize that this price is for a 3.4 oz tube, while the wonderful Chanel Body Excellence Creme Jeunesse et Confort is $48 for 2.5 oz, it's still about $30 per 1oz while Chanel is $19.6 pr 1oz.

The Ivo Pitanguy tube I have was a PR freebie. I love this cream and have been very happy with the way my hands look and feel. But is it better than Chanel or Erno Laszlo? I can't say. While I'm pretty sure the two scars I have on my right hand have somewhat faded (an old one from an accident 21 years ago, and one that involved my cat Thomas using my hand as a springboard with the claws on his hind leg), I can't say how much of that is the Ivo Pitanguy and how much is everything else, including several Lancome Absolute GWP products.

I can't find a full ingredient list for the CIP Hands Beauty Formula. They're talking about amino acids and Brazilian maracuja oil, which apparently is passion fruit (passiflora edulis) and has calming, soothing and analgesic properties. But Ivo Pitanguy products are not the only ones on the market using that. On the other hand there's Dr. Pitanguy's himself, one of the greatest plastic surgeons of all times, whose creams and ointments had a legendary reputation (have a look at this article). But since this is a commercial product I have a hard time there's something rare and unique in the formula.

However, if you compare Clinica Ivo Pitanguy to the other top tier brands like Sisley, Natura Bisse or Kanebo Sensai, prices are about the same. I'm just not convinced they are that much better than the equivalent body products from La Mer ($70 for the same size tube of hand cream), Lancome, Lauder or Guerlain.

Bottom line: Awesome hand cream, jaw-dropping price. I'd go with La Mer first.

Clinica Ivo Pitanguy products are available from Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus.

Photos of the Ivo Pitanguy clinic in Brazil: pitanguy.com

4 comments:

  1. Tried to love this line. It was good, really good. But not price of a new Kia good.

    At a certain price point I want to be getting stuff prescribed...

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  2. I roared with laughter and sympathy. My cat uses me as a springboard, usually when he's freaked by something silly, and I have scars all over me. He always draws blood with those hind legs.

    I currently have two puncture wounds in my thigh because something fell off a shelf and "jungle boy" took off. I guess it's a survival skill.

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  3. Tom, I know what you mean. There's that price point you start thinking that if you spend that much on a cream, maybe it's time to consider a mini face lift.

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  4. Adrienne, that's so funny! I have so many similar scars and marks... I have nine cats, all extremely friendly and gentle, but when they are startled by something, things can become bloody.

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