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Product Review: Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil

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It’s sad but true:  in the world of skin care, it’s usually the big companies coming out with the big hits, while the little guys are left crying.  Fortunately for the little guy, there is certainly room in the market, at least if the tremendous success of Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil ($135.00, Oliolusso.com) is any indication.  Reported by Harper’s Bazaar to be used on the spring 2010 runways at Ralph Lauren,  Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil creates a hydrating dewy finish – and apparently an addictive spell – on its users.  But how does the formulation measure up scientifically?

11 Essential Oils, with 3 Well-Substantiated by Research

According to the December 2009 issue of Allure, creator Linda Rodin, a fashion stylist, first created the elixir in her Chelsea apartment in 2006.  Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil contains 11 essential oils Rodin had learned about from around the world:  jasmine; sweet almond; apricot; jojoba; evening of primrose; rose hip seed; arnica; calendula; neroli; sunflower; and argan oils.  Of these ingredients, those with the greatest scientific backing to date for the skin are sweet almond, arnica, and argan oils.

  • Sweet almond oil naturally has excellent hydrating properties.  In fact, sweet almond is the massage oil most commonly used by the professional masseuse, as it absorbs into the skin at a pleasant speed and hydrates without becoming too greasy.
  • Obtained from the flower heads of a mountain daisy, Arnica montana is renowned in the natural-healing world for its anti-bruising and skin-brightening properties.  Although a 1998 systematic review in Archives of Surgery established that arnica is not effacacious beyond a placebo effect for bruising, arnica continues to be popular in products like Dr. Hauschka Ouch Arnica Compresses, and acclaimed by many experts for its reported anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Dubbed ‘the gold of Morocco,’ argan oil contains essential fatty acids (linoleic and oleic acids) and antioxidant polyphenols.  Argan oil has three times the amount of antioxidant vitamin E found in olive oil, and tests by Aveda have demonstrated that use of argan oil decreases inflammation in the skin as well.

As such, these ingredients in Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil appear to be solid, research-wise.  However, there are additional considerations to keep in mind…

A Note about Using Essential Oils

One problem physicians often encounter when patients use “natural” remedies is that they tend to self-diagnose more than with traditional remedies.  However, natural skin care is often just as likely to cause allergic/irritant reactions as traditional skin care, and Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil is no exception.

For instance, because of the almonds used in the manufacturing process, sweet almond oil is not to be used on or by individuals with nut allergies.  Furthermore, arnica is not for long-term use, as stated in Dr. Leslie Baumann’s textbook, Cosmetic Dermatology: “Prolonged treatment of damaged skin [with arnica] often causes edematous dermatitis with the formation of pustules; long-term use can also give rise to eczema.”  However, it is unknown if the concentration of arnica in Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil is high enough to have this effect with continued use.

User Testamonials

Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil certainly has a following, as Dr. David Colbert, M.D., a NYC dermatologist tells Stephanie T. Jacob in Allure, “It sells faster than Linda can make it.  We are now back-ordered…I have one patient who started ordering bottles by the dozen because it calms her rosacea, and several celebrities buy up to six at a time.”  In the same article, makeup artist Brigitte Reiss-Andersen notes that she uses it “to take makeup off, to moisturize, as a massage oil.  I’ll even add a couple drops to my clients’ foundation if I want a dewy finish.  It’s amazing how fast it sinks in.”  In other words,

The Bottom Line

The bottom line here is that Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil has some very high-quality, well-documented ingredients, and should impart antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hydrating properties to your skin.  However, just because the product is all-natural does not mean that it is irritant-free.  As with any product (especially one with 11 active ingredients), it is wise to speak to your dermatologist before using the product, just in case.

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Image source (flickr):  P1000303 Originally uploaded by  chelliswilson

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