Valmont & La Rentrée: Your Fall Skincare Routine

I always love the feeling of a fresh start. As we say goodbye to summer, it is time to embrace this new time of the year that in France we call La Rentrée.

As we return to work, take on new projects, bring our children back to school, and catch up with friends, we bask in a melange of excitement. It’s a new beginning, with a sensation of renewal much similar to that of the new year In January.

New York has a particular buzz at this time of the year. Summer is not totally gone, but September is beginning to drop hints of the fall season. The city offers a variety of cultural events, restaurant openings, and parties. After a thorough summer recharge, I can’t wait to jump right back into the hustle and bustle of city life and keep up with the changes.

In addition to resuming your work schedule, a major component of this seasonal transition is changing your skincare like the weather. Since I was a teenager, my mother has always taught me how to take extra care of my skin after the summer months and adapt to the change of season. She was the beauty editor at French Vogue, so perhaps she knew more than just a thing or two about this.

This year, I’m preparing for my rentrée with a new beauty routine. When I use Valmont’s products, I can immediately sense that I am treating my skin to top-of-the-line active ingredients. Valmont delivers the absolute best solutions to my skin concerns, from hydration to anti-aging regeneration. Valmont has truly earned its reputation.

When I use Valmont’s products, I can immediately sense that I am treating my skin to top-of-the-line active ingredients.

Sourcing all of their lush ingredients from the exquisitely frosted mountains of Switzerland, Valmont knows the value in appreciating the beauty and bounty of the physical world while sustainably extracting valuable resources from the natural landscape. Since 1985, their anti-aging philosophies have been deeply rooted in cellular biology and the environment, tracing back to the very first seeds of existence: DNA and RNA. I have been using Valmont for almost ten years and tried many of their products over the years. Recently, I tried out their Intensive Care Collection — and the products certainly rose to the occasion and beyond.

From their Regenerating Mask Treatment to their ultimate Time Master Intensive Program and Eye Regenerating Mask Treatment, the Intensive Care Collection has become my best kept beauty secret to maintain my summer glow. Even more, these dynamic products actively work to help firm, lift, and plump my skin throughout the new season.

Start the rentrée with your best face forward and don’t hesitate to splurge with these true beauty gems that deliver anti-aging efficacy and exceptional results. Every time I experience a new product from Valmont, I can feel the passion that the brand has for beauty. The dedication behind each product teams up with efficacious, high quality ingredients to deliver a sensory experience and results you can see. Not only can I feel the brand’s passion — but my skin can feel it, too!

1 – A 28 DAY LUXURY RETREAT FOR YOUR SKIN

While the summer humidity can help skin look dewier than normal depending on the climate you live in, this hot and sunny season can also pose plenty of new skin problems. The heat, as well as increased sun exposure and constant air conditioning, can wreak havoc on even the healthiest of skins. In fact, this is why you might actually find your skin feeling dehydrated by the time September rolls around.

Luckily, the Time Master Intensive Program has four active ingredients that intensely hydrate skin, stimulate cell renewal, and improve elasticity. It’s like youth therapy in a box! According to Valmont’s founder, “Time Master brings together Valmont’s finest anti-aging ingredients that defy the laws of cosmetics!” — and that is exactly what we need after the summer months. This 4-week treatment comes in 14 tiny vials filled with a light emulsion that will gradually revitalize and regenerate the skin. Instantaneously, you feel that your skin is hydrated and more firm! Day after day, you can see that your wrinkles are smoothed and your skin radiance is back.

HOW AND WHEN, a Beauty Editor’s Pro Tips:

On a clean face and neck, I apply a few drops from the vial in the morning and evening. I try to spread the emulsion onto my neck and decolleté as well. We often neglect these parts of the skin during our routines, and they are more susceptible to signs of aging like sagging and deep wrinkles. Always distribute your product as much as possible and make the most of a potent, concentrated formula.

In the morning, I find that this product also delivers the ideal texture for applying my makeup. Just like a serum, the formula melts into skin in a thin layer that helps makeup last throughout the entire day. If your skin needs more hydration, then you can also add your regular moisturizer.

In the evening, to make the most of the product, I include a few facial massage movements. This technique elevates the product and enables the perfect penetration of these high quality, pure ingredients. The face massage has long been considered a French woman’s best kept beauty secret! You can use the gua sha from Valmont to help penetrate all of these active ingredients deeper into the skin, improve circulation, and help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles.

Alternatively, if you do not have a gua sha handy, you can use your hands. I like to massage the frown lines between my eyes by using both index fingers to create a knitting-like motion (or zigzag) between my brows. Then, I massage the eye area by applying light pressure along the bone of my eye socket. Finally, I do a light ‘drainage’ of my face. It consists of a light pinch of the skin beneath my chin where the neck meets the jaw. I do an upward movement towards the ears for a lifting effect.

Each vial contains enough for 4 applications, which is 2 days. This makes it a great introduction to Valmont if you have never experienced the brand, and I’m sure it will leave you wanting more.

It’s like youth therapy in a box!

2. MASKING MAGIC

When sheet masks first began gaining popularity, I thought it would just be another temporary trend. However, sheet masks have proven to be an absolute beauty staple. I remember my first time trying a sheet mask like it was yesterday. It was with my best friend and we couldn’t contain our giggles at how terrible it made us look. I remember seeing them at beauty counters thinking it was just the latest trending product. I could have never anticipated that it would still be so successful 15 years later.

While serums and moisturizers work to keep our skin hydrated and healthy on a daily basis, we need an extra boost sometimes. Face masks provide what I like to call a quick fix, particularly if we have spent a little too much time in the sun. Masks serve up an extra-large helping of beneficial ingredients, and provide the added perk of instant gratification. Plus, it provides a moment of pause in a holistic self-care ritual that recenters body and mind.

When I discovered Valmont’s Regenerating Mask Treatment, I felt they had taken masking to a whole new level. With its composition of 92% pure and native collagen, I immediately felt the intense hydration and lifting effect. The way it works is that the collagen mask serves quite uniquely as both an active skincare treatment and a vehicle for active ingredients. After 30 minutes post-application, they observed a 59% increase of skin’s hydration levels and a 38% improvement of skin smoothness. As for me, I noticed that it visibly smoothed my wrinkles and fine lines, and it also plumped my skin. The result? A quick fix, face-lift effect perfect for a special day or event.

Recently, I was traveling back from France and the 6 hours of jet lag hit me harder than usual. I decided to give myself a spa-like treatment when I returned home. I started with a nice warm shower and applied a hair mask, then I finished with a deeply relaxing moment of pause while the sheet mask was on my face. I was really impressed with the results! It was almost as good as if I had had a full beauty treatment with a facialist! My favorite part, in addition to theinstant and very gratifying result, is that I can also count on the benefits of all the super ingredients to work their magic for long term effects as well. To me, it is an absolute must-have for this new season!

HOW AND WHEN, a Beauty Editor’s Pro Tips:

Like all good things, the application of your Regenerating Mask Treatment should not be done in a hurry. It is rare that we slow down and take moments to ourselves amidst the constant bustle of modern life. Consider this time like a beauty treat for yourself — except that you do not need to leave the comfort of your home.

Make sure that your face is completely clean before applying the mask. I would almost recommend for you to have a bath or shower and change into comfortable lounging clothes. Once your skin is perfectly clean, tie up your hair in a bun or wear a headband to avoid having hair on your face. Start with their Swiss Glacial Spring Water that can be sprayed on your face. Then peel the collagen mask off its plastic backing, hold the mask at eye level and gently stretch it to cover the sides of the face. With your fingers delicately eliminate any air bubbles that may have remained. Valmont’s face mask also covers the mouth, so if you are not comfortable with that you can always create an opening with a pair of scissors. Leave on for 30 minutes and pat any excess of product on your neck and décolleté. Now relax and let Valmont’s magic begin!

After 30 minutes, you can remove the sheet mask, pat dry your skin and see the amazing results. Your skin will be so plumped and glowing that you will be amazed! If you are going out, you probably do not need to add an additional layer of moisturizer, because your foundation should glide easily and perfectly onto your skin. Add a little mascara and you are ready to go! You will see how many compliments you will receive on how good your skin looks.

The result? A quick fix, face-lift effect perfect for a special day or event.

3- FOR YOUR EYES ONLY

Valmont’s Eye Regenerating Mask:

The eye area is where I often notice the first signs of aging. This is because the thin skin around the eye area is particularly susceptible to fine lines and puffiness, and I find that these things are particularly amplified when I have had a bad night. Even with a healthy lifestyle, the skin around the eye area is much more delicate and sensitive to pulling. As a result, a nourishing eye contour treatment has quickly become indispensable in my routine. Not only does a super hydrating eye contour product help prevent signs of aging, but it also helps my concealer apply much more smooth and even.

For special occasions or as a 5 weeks boost treatment, I now love the Valmont Regenerating Mask Treatment. I apply the product for 20 to 30 minutes depending on how much time I have. As the product melts into the eye contour, I can immediately feel that the infusion of reparative collagen is not only calming but also smoothing the eye area. The product comes with a collagen post treatment vial that can be applied after as an additional booster to reduce puffiness and soothe the skin. As I was applying it just yesterday evening, I was truly impressed with the results. The area was intensely hydrated and decongested, and the product also helped reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. My eyes were left looking sparkling and well-rested. This morning, I woke up and I still had that well-rested look.

The Eye Regenerating Mask Treatment is my go-to product when I need to feel at my best! To me, this is the best alternative to invasive treatments. I think we all could use a deeply nourishing under-eye pick-me-up.

HOW AND WHEN, a Beauty Editor’s Pro Tips:

Valmont really nailed this formulation! The eye regenerating mask treatment has been so well developed and it is very different from other products I have tried in the past from the same category. Both eye patches come in a sachet, and the emulsion is in a separate little vial that you can empty on top of each patch. It is very easy to do and to apply along the eye contour. What I have found to make this product truly special is that the packaging enables the separate vial to keep the ingredients super potent until the moment you use it. Another great addition is the ideal shape of the patch which enables it to be applied easily for full results. Do not forget to finish your treatment by applying the collagen post treatment vial. Empty the vial in the palm of one hand and with the other use your fingers to gently apply the product along the eye area that will infuse your skin with hydration and collagen.

As for when to use this product, well… if I could, I would use them most days of the year! The result is so spectacular that it will keep you coming back whenever you need a boost. If you have an important day at work, an event in the evening, a party or a trip abroad, well, this is a must-have beauty product! 

This morning, I woke up and I still had that well-rested look.

Here is to a new beauty routine and a beautiful rentrée!

Et Voilà! Valmont has done it again.