Biotique Wheat Germ Cream - a review

Biotique's Wheat Germ Cream is a thick emollient cream meant for

1. Night use
2. Winter Use
3. Dry skin as per the instructions on the pack.

However I have noticed that this also translates very well into uses when
4. You spend the entire day in Air-conditioned environments (very drying for the skin)
5. You don't like lotions because they seem too flimsy and light and seem to keep drying off, necessitating re-application
6. You are using some creams that contains AHAs or Tretinoin - both dry/irritate the skin
7. You just wanna pamper your skin
8. As a Massage cream post a facial.

The ingredients are
5% Ankruit Gehun (Wheat Germ Oil): rich in Vitamins A, D, and E, B1, B2, B3, B6, F, Essential Fatty Acids, protein, and minerals. Promotes skin cell formation, and is great for nourishing and rejuvenating dry, mature, dehydrated skin, and reducing scars, stretch marks, sunburns, and damaged skin. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects.

Specifically, Wheat Germ Oil has been shown to be effective for the following conditions:

• Dry and cracked skin
• Eczema
• Psoriasis
• Prematurely aged skin
• Stretch marks
• Dull complexion
• Sunburn and burns
• Scars

1% Gajar Beej (Carrot seed oil): Carrot seed oil is one of the most rejuvenating and regenerating oils that can be used in skincare and helps to improve the complexion, as it helps to remove toxic build-up in the skin and eliminates excess water from the tissue.

It is rich in beta-carotene as well as vitamins B, C, D and E and is most useful as a skin rejuvenator and extremely effective for dry and aging skin. It further contains daucol, alpha-pinene, geraniol and geranyl acetate.

3% Kulanjan (Alpinia Galanga): One patented application of galanga pertains to its action against ultraviolet rays and function as a ‘booster' that augments the activity of conventional sunscreens. Ga

langa is a good natural source of a biologically active compounds that are anti-fungal and antimicrobial action suggesting its multifaceted benefits in acne fighting formulations.

2.5% Surajmukhi tail (Sunflower oil): Sunflower oil is obtained from the seeds of the sunflower plant and is very helpful is relieving skin irritations such as acne. The oil from the sunflower seed is extremely rich in vitamins A,C,D and E. Because it is so rich in vitamin E this natural oil in very soothing and gentle when applied to the skin.

1% Badam tail (Almond oil): It contains vitamins B1, A, B6 and B2. It can be used on skins that are dried, cracking, aged or sunburnt, and on young and supple skins to maintain that texture. Almond oil can be applied to any skin on the body, but it is especially good for the face, elbows, knees, arms and legs.

Q S Cream base

Pros:
1. Despite being thick and full of oils, it is absolutely non-oily. It absorbs easily and is easy to apply.
2. Very nourishing. You can feel the difference within just a week of application. Skin is softer, less irritated.
3. Smells nice
4. Protects skin from further dehydration. Very important if like me you spend like 20 out of 24 hours in A/C environment. Lotions just don't match up to give the desired protection then.
5. Is non-comodogenic. Despite being full of oils, it does not block pores or cause pimples.
6. Does not dry out easily. Effect lasts for 4-5 hours. Does not need frequent re-application.
7. Excellent for softening neck, elbows, knees, hands & feet.
8. Soothes irritated skin immediately.

Cons.
1. It is a little creamy. Don't expect it to disappear into the skin like a lotion. It takes a little while to absorb.
2. No information is given about the mysterious Cream Base
3. Cannot be used under a sunscreen. With a sunscreen on top, your skin might start to feel heavy & clogged.
4. Not good for use under make-up. Avoid using foundation over it. If you have to use it during day-time, i would suggest that you do eye & lip make-up first. And then apply this to your face carefully, skip the eye & the lips of course. If you apply this first all over the face & then do your make-up, it won't stick and will start smudging as it dissolves in the oils of the cream.

Personally I love this cream. It is very gentle and quietly does it work leaving the skin better than the state it was in when applied.

Price: Rs. 180/- for 55 gms (slightly cheaper in Alfa & New Beauty Centre - upto 10% less)

UPDATE on 31st August 09: The earlier pack that I had was a buttery light yellow, the new one that I bought recently is bleach white. It smells the same though, there is no change in ingredients too & it moisturizes just as well. Though I am a little baffled at the change in color, unable to understand the rational. Or was my earlier cream a little oxidized?