AnneMarie Borlind Intensive Care Capsules (Intensiv-Pflegekapseln)

Packaging/Pricing:

 

This product is a set of 60 individual ampules. The idea is that you have one time use capsules, and the whole product is not exposed to the air each time, so manufacturer doesn't have to add any preservatives to the mixture. Great idea (not a new one, of course)! I was lucky enough to purchase it on IHERB.com (a year ago) only for 35$, but now it retails for 54$ (IHERB). Not a very budget friendly choice. This product is hard to find in US as well. I believe it is easier to access it in Europe. I've checked brand's German website to find that it retails for 34,5€  (which is roughly 45$). Capsules come in a clear plastic jar, which I would keep away from the sunlight, to preserve antioxidants. As cute as it looks when you see orange grains through the jar, it is not the best packaging. You get 21,6ml (0,73fl.oz) of product, which is less than your typical serum size (30ml). Each capsule is 0,36ml. Sounds like it wouldn't be much, but you get about 7 drops from one capsule, and it is enough to liberaly apply on the whole face.

Ingredients:

 

Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Phytol, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Farnesol, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vit A), Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate (Vit C), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vit C), Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Tocopherol (Vit E), Ceramide 3, Lecithin, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Extract.

Excellent (only beneficial ingredients, proven research)

Good (mostly beneficial, not extensive research or just not quite outstanding properties)

OK (mostly thickeners, emulsifiers, mild preservatives, pH adjusters, all that is necessary, but not a skincare per se) 

Bad (irritants and anything bad that shouldn't be in skincare, usually fragrance)

[NOTE: This is the ingredient list on the box of the product that I have. Official website has a bit different list. They may have reformulated the product since I've bought it.]

New ingredients:

Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Borago Offincinalis Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil (Apricot), Farenesol, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vit A), Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate (Vit C), Glycin Soja Oil (Soybean), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vit C), Lecithin, Tocopherol (Vit E), Lycopene (Tomato), Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil (Sunflower), Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract (Rosemary).

Ingredients Discussion:

1. Old version. I have to say that most of oil blends usually do not include vitamins and cell-communicating ingredients. So this product does stand out on the market. It is not obvious from the name that it is an oil blend. You may assume it is something like a serum. But it is a blend of jojoba, borage, macadamia and apricot oils, with some nice additions. This product features ingredients from 3 most important classes: antioxidants (vitamins C, E, A); skin identical / skin barrier repairing ingredients / anti-irritants (plant oils, ceramide 3, lecithin); cell-communicating ingredients (vitamin A). Vitamins E and C are present in two forms each! Phytol and tomato extract have questinable benefits, and may have some irritating properties (though not very strong). Farnesol is a fragrant component (it does have plant origin, but it doesn't matter, since an irritant is an irritant). Also this formula doesn't have any preservatives, since you do not need them in this kind of packaging. Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate serves as stabilizer in this product. It is not really a preservative, it just allows manufacturer to blend oils, ceramide and vitamins together. Overall this oil blend should cater to all your skin's needs.
2. New version. Three groups: antioxidants (vitamins C, E and A, also in multiple forms, lycopene, rosemary leaf extract); skin identical / skin barrier repairing ingredients / anti-irritants (macadamia, borage, apricot kernel, soybean and sunflower oils, lecithin, ceramide); cell-communicating (vitamin A, soybean oil). Rosemary leaf extract has weak antioxidant properties, but may have slight risk of being irritating (so it is an OK ingredient; good it is at the very end of the list). Farnesol is a fragrant component, though luckily it is not the strongest irritant. No preservatives.
3. Old vs New. Both lists are quite good. Company played a bit with basic plant oils: they removed jojoba oil and added soybean and sunflower oils in the newer version. Soybean oil has linolenic fatty acid that has anti-irritating and cell-communicating properties, which makes it a welcome addition. They also substituted tomato extract (irritant), for lycopene (also from tomato, but with strong antioxidant properties). Rosemary extract is a so so addition. It looks like company increased concentration of lecithin as well. But all this is a minor tweaking, the main idea stayed the same.

Consumer thoughts:

 

Since it is an oil blend, the texture of this product is oily. I can definitely see results when I use these capsules. My skin tone is more even and skin in general looks very healthy. I use it all over the face including eye area. It doesn't make any existing pimples worse or cause any breakouts. The product has almost no scent. Also capsule form makes this product amazing for traveling.

Verdict:

 

I absolutely love this product. I am on my second jar and would repurchase. It is a good way to include oils in your routine, without missing on other essential ingredients. Really recommend this product, if it is within your budget. I would say it is a bit overpriced though. Both versions are really good (new one is slightly better). The only complaint really is inclusion of farnesol fragrant oil (though it is not the worst one).

4,5 out of 5.