One (Very) Precious Facial Oil to Rule Them All

If you aren’t too familiar with Fresh’s luxurious Crème Ancienne collection, you would probably be pretty shocked at the price tag of the products in the range. Nestled neatly among the rest of the mid-range skincare lies these luxurious, oil-based treasures that are hand-blended in a monastery to preserve the integrity of the precious oils and the legacy of ancient oil therapy preparation tradition.

The original Crème Ancienne ($328) is a semi-solid cream that hydrates better than any product I’ve ever used, but I’m much more in love with the newer Crème Ancienne Soft Cream ($336), a bouncy, weightless version that has the same hydrating properties but feels much more like a traditional cream.

Trust me, I don’t like the prices either, particularly because even with an entire beauty closet filled with luxurious skincare, I love these products so much I will keep re-purchasing them.

I’ve raved enough about Crème Ancienne—now it’s time to talk about the star of this story: Elixir Ancien ($305). This oil and extract blend features the same precious ingredients, also hand-blended by monks, but this liquid oil is much more like a traditional face oil. I’m convinced that for the price, it also includes fairy dust and unicorn glitter, but besides all of the potential gimmicks surrounding the entire line, it’s the best darn facial oil I’ve ever used. It sinks into the skin so quickly, giving it a radiating glow from within that looks like you drink five litres of water a day and get ten hours of sleep every night. THAT kind of glow.

Besides the immediate hydrating benefits, the nourishing face oil also helps to smooth the appearance of fine lines, plump up the skin and improve elasticity (thank goodness theres more benefits than just hydration). I apply 2-3 drops after my serum but before my moisturizer and I swear my skin looks like it has a built-in J.Lo glow (no shine, glow—big difference). If you’re into face oils, this one is the cream of the crop. Hands down.

If you can stomach the price tag, you won’t regret it. The entire Crème Ancienne range is impeccable and a worthwhile indulgence when you wake up with better looking skin day after day. It may be a bittersweet love (I love what you do to my skin, but not my wallet!), but it’s true love.