Erno Laszlo Blue Firmarine Treatment Bar

It says a lot about my trust in Erno Laszlo skin care that I was willing to test their firming face soap. I'm not a huge fan of soap bars in general, and face soaps tend to be far too drying. But the concept of a treatment bar that promotes skin renewal, firming and moisture binding seemed quite good. Moreover, this is not an acne fighting product and is labeled as suitable for slightly dry to slightly oily skin. And it's blue.

Testing Blue Firmarine for weeks has gotten me addicted to the clean feeling it creates. The main result I see after about four weeks of use is a more even skin and less tendency to flake around the nose, as long as I don't use the bar on very cold days. Super dry days are not the right time for an overachiever cleanser, so I'll never use it in the winter, but after a day spent in a sunny NYC, this is the perfect treatment.

The instructions for use recommend we follow with Laszlo Blue Firmarine SPF 30, but I admit I use either my trusty Secret de Vie or the Erno Laszlo pHormula 3-9 cream.

Bottom line: This is going to be a summer essential. Not for mature or extra dry skin.
Bottom line 2: I still wish it came in a liquid formula. Leaving a bar of soap out in a house full of cats is asking for trouble.

Erno Laszlo Blue Firmarine Treatment Bar  ($39) is available from select department stores. I received it as a PR freebie.

Image: The Big Blue by Bob Clark