Active eye and lip contour serum Rose-Raspberry + Xymenynic Acid

The active elixir Rose-Raspberry + Xymenynic Acid is a completely new product category at Ministerstwo - a concentrated serum for the skin around the eyes and lips. It brings together everything you loved most in our Rose-Raspberry line (which it joins as the fourth instalment!): an abundance of oils, a whole constellation of carefully chosen active ingredients and that beloved, relaxing scent of a doughnut filled with rose jam. It may sound like the very definition of richness, yet we serve it to you in an exceptionally light, non-greasy formula. The serum is vegan and suitable for every skin type. For those who prevent and those who repair after the fact ;). It moisturises, smooths and nourishes. In tests carried out by an independent laboratory, 100% of participants declared they would recommend our eye serum to someone close to them - so allow us to recommend it to you now!

A light, anti-wrinkle serum for the eye and lip area

For years we denied the need for any eye product different from what we use on the whole face. The motto was simple - hydrosol, oil, off you go ;). Later a serum and a cream gradually made their way into our own routines too (it hardly becomes us to make such wonders and not use them ourselves), yet we still did not treat the skin under the eyes as a separate area with separate needs. And then... our thirties caught up with us. Brrr.

So we began work on the product you had been asking about for so long, well before we ourselves felt we could not do without it. Our compass at the start was a fact known to the entire cosmetics industry (though nobody is keen to admit it): eye products are nothing more than "slimmed-down" face care products. The so-called soft version - because the skin there is exceptionally thin and delicate, and the eyes, dangerously close by, are very sensitive to whatever might migrate inside. So it must not be too rich, too heavy, too active. Oops... We love rummaging through cosmetic raw material catalogues far too much for that ;).

If you have known us for a while, there is no hiding it: we do skincare in two ways - sometimes less is more, sometimes we go all out. A year of work on the Rose-Raspberry elixir formula showed that a slimmed-down eye serum with a simple ingredient list is not our thing. Which does not mean it cannot be light - oh, it can! And as a bonus, it works wonders around the lips too, an area equally prone to expression lines.

An exceptional biophotonic glass bottle

The first cosmetic in Ministerstwo history designed strictly for the delicate and demanding skin around the eyes deserved an exceptional package. We are handing the Rose-Raspberry elixir over to you in a little bottle made of special biophotonic glass, which protects the serum inside from the harmful effects of visible light. In such packaging a cosmetic product keeps its properties longer: even the most sensitive raw materials retain their effectiveness and nutritional value throughout the whole period of use, which matters especially given how far the Active eye and lip contour serum Rose-Raspberry + Xymenynic Acid goes and how large its 15 ml volume is compared with other products of this kind on the market.

For comfort, ease and sheer pleasure of use, we paired the biophotonic glass with a stainless steel rollerball, which makes applying the elixir easier and adds a cooling effect that helps reduce puffiness under the eyes. We know that for this very reason many people like to keep their eye care products in the fridge - low temperatures, however, do not agree with oil-based formulas, in which sediment may then precipitate. So enjoying the benefits of the little steel ball is good not only for your skin, but also for the elixir itself, which is best kept in a shaded spot at room temperature :).

And since we have mentioned storage, allow us to raise two points about the safety and hygiene of using our eye elixir:

1. Although its formula is water-free (and therefore far less prone to so-called microbiological contamination than, for example, water-based cream formulas), the metal applicator is in regular contact both with your skin and with the rest of the contents of the bottle. For this reason the eye serum should always be applied to previously cleansed skin :).

1. The stainless steel applicator used may contain nickel - although we did not encounter this during product testing, the risk of an allergic reaction after using the elixir cannot be ruled out in people who are particularly sensitive to this element. If you have had unpleasant experiences with nickel, please take extra care! In that case you can first apply the serum onto a clean, dry fingertip and use it to spread the product on the skin around the eyes.

Let us return to far more pleasant matters, though - it is time to take a closer look inside our little bottle :). What is hiding in those 15 ml of the Active eye and lip contour elixir Rose-Raspberry + Xymenynic Acid?

The precious contents of the Rose-Raspberry + xymenynic acid eye serum

The active eye and lip contour elixir does not depart even slightly from the other products in the rose-raspberry line, which took your hearts by storm and quickly earned the status of favourites. It has no shortage of classics: the flagship oils - raspberry seed, rosehip and sugar cane squalane - nor of the widely recognised active ingredients that have earned their place in the cosmetic world, such as vitamins A, C and E or coenzyme Q10. This time, however, we also boldly reached for novelties: a plant analogue of ceramides, the exotic-sounding extracts of Acmella and the Arjuna tree, and the titular xymenynic acid, chosen with particular attention to how the needs of the skin around the eyes differ from those of the rest of the face. Our sights were set above all on expression lines, puffiness and dark circles and shadows - problems that do not affect only people with mature skin, which is exactly what made a universal formula necessary.

The result of this puzzle is a light yet hyperactive vegan serum containing as much as 98.6% ingredients of natural origin. Are you ready for us to introduce them one by one? :).

Natural ingredients in the Active eye elixir Rose-Raspberry + xymenynic acid

Squalane

Sugar cane squalane

Sugar cane squalane, an ultra-stable plant counterpart of squalene, which is a natural component of human sebum. Exceptionally light, non-greasy and beautifully absorbed. Penetrating deep into the skin, it facilitates the transport of active ingredients, effectively restores firmness and elasticity, smooths and reduces the visibility of fine lines. It significantly reduces water loss through the epidermis, producing a noticeable increase in skin hydration and softness.

Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil

Raspberry seed oil

Our beloved raspberry seed oil, the foundation of Ministerstwo's rose-raspberry products. Known as a dry or matte oil, it absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy film. It evens out skin tone, improves firmness and elasticity and reduces transepidermal water loss, effectively raising hydration levels. It works well at soothing irritation, calming the skin and helping to rebuild a damaged epidermis. Thanks to its vitamin A and E content it has antioxidant properties.

Rosa Canina Fruit Oil

Rosehip oil

Rosehip oil, one of our absolute favourites and the second flagship ingredient of the Rose-Raspberry line. It supports skin regeneration, increases elasticity, smooths and softens. Rich in vitamins A and C, thanks to which it effectively brightens the skin and evens out its tone, and also helps delay ageing processes by protecting against free radicals and supporting collagen synthesis.

Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil

Blackcurrant seed oil

Blackcurrant seed oil is a light oil with a high content of unsaturated fatty acids. It shows broad repairing properties: it strengthens the lipid barrier of the epidermis, stimulates healing and skin regeneration, soothes irritation and redness. In doing so it helps slow down skin ageing.

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil

Safflower seed oil

Safflower seed oil, commonly known as saffron oil. It strengthens the skin's protective barrier, soothes irritation, improves the elasticity of the epidermis and prevents moisture loss. It is a valuable source of vitamins A and E, acts as an antioxidant and helps delay skin ageing. It stimulates regeneration and effectively revitalises skin that shows signs of fatigue.

Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil

Prickly pear seed oil

Prickly pear seed oil, excellent for the care of dry and mature skin. It effectively regenerates and raises hydration levels by reducing transepidermal water loss. It improves firmness and elasticity while reducing the depth of wrinkles. It also works well at soothing irritation, helps rebuild a damaged epidermis and protects the skin against the harmful effects of environmental factors. A precious multitasker!

Perilla Ocymoides Seed Oil

Perilla seed oil

Perilla seed oil, which softens, smooths and makes the skin more supple. It supports the regeneration of irritated and itchy skin, acts as an antioxidant and has a positive effect on collagen synthesis in the skin, helping to protect it from the effects of ageing.

Punica Granatum Seed Oil

Pomegranate seed oil

Pomegranate seed oil, rich in antioxidants (including the rare punicic acid characteristic of pomegranate fruit), effectively fights free radicals, soothes irritation and speeds up skin regeneration, preventing premature ageing. It nourishes, smooths and softens the skin.

Oxidized Corn Oil

Oxidised corn oil

Oxidised corn oil, one of our latest infatuations! It has a strong soothing effect, calms irritation quickly, relieves itching and reduces skin redness.

Coenzyme Q10 and vitamins A, C and E

Ubiquinone

Ubiquinone

Ubiquinone, more widely known as coenzyme Q10. A vitamin-like substance, essential for the proper functioning of the human body because of the role it plays in the fundamental process of cellular respiration (that is, energy production). As a cosmetic ingredient, coenzyme Q10 gives the skin a whole range of beneficial properties and slows down ageing processes along several paths at once. By preventing the degradation of collagen fibres and stimulating hyaluronic acid production, it helps reduce the depth of wrinkles and significantly improves firmness, elasticity and hydration. It acts as an antioxidant, soothes irritation, speeds up repair and regeneration processes and inhibits the formation of discolourations. One could easily write pages of praise about coenzyme Q10 - which, incidentally, we did here not so long ago ;). (COENZYME Q10 - PROPERTIES AND EFFECTS - FIND OUT EVERYTHING!)

Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate

Ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate

ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, an ultra-stable, oil-soluble form of vitamin C. Thanks to its high affinity for the skin's lipid layer it easily penetrates into deeper layers - it has the best bioavailability of all vitamin C derivatives used in cosmetics. It stimulates the proliferation and activity of fibroblasts and takes part in collagen synthesis. It prevents discolourations from forming and brightens existing ones. A strong antioxidant, it supports the soothing of irritation and protects the skin's supporting fibres against damage caused by free radicals.

Hydrogenated Retinol

Hydrogenated retinol

Hydrogenated retinol, a highly stable, active and oil-soluble form of vitamin A. It stimulates cell renewal processes, with a positive effect on the synthesis of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid and on evening out skin tone. It strengthens, adds suppleness and regenerates. As an antioxidant it effectively neutralises free radicals.

Tocopherol

Natural vitamin E

Vitamin E - adds suppleness and strengthens the epidermal barrier. It protects the skin against free radicals, supports the healing of irritation and the regeneration of damaged skin.

Unique active substances - plant extracts and esters

Xymenynic Acid

Xymenynic acid

Xymenynic acid, also called ximenynic acid, is an extract from the seeds of the sandalwood tree Santalum album. It is characterised by high bioavailability, that is the ability to cross the epidermal barrier and penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, where it shows versatile anti-ageing properties. It acts as an antioxidant and prevents the degradation of collagen and hyaluronic acid, thereby helping to increase skin firmness and elasticity. It also stimulates microcirculation, contributing to better oxygenation, nourishment and detoxification of cells. We devoted a whole separate post to the origin and properties of xymenynic acid - if you would like to get to know it better, do give it a read! :). XYMENYNIC ACID - PROPERTIES AND EFFECTS - FIND OUT EVERYTHING!

Terminalia Arjuna Extract

Extract from the bark of the Terminalia arjuna tree

extract from the bark of the Terminalia arjuna tree, considered medicinal in Ayurveda, that is traditional Indian medicine, where it is credited with cardioprotective effects and with preventing circulatory system diseases linked, among other things, to excessive blood lipid levels. In cosmetics its microcirculation-stimulating properties are used to reduce puffiness, redness and dark circles under the eyes, which arise from blood and lymph stagnating in the capillaries. At the right concentration, Terminalia arjuna extract is able to inhibit the degradation of elastin, contributing to improved firmness, reduced fine lines and smoother skin around the eyes, and thanks to its high polyphenol content it acts as an antioxidant.

Spilanthes Acmella Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Extract from the flowers, leaves and stems of the paracress plant

Extract from the flowers, leaves and stems of the plant known as paracress. As a cosmetic ingredient, Acmella extract soothes and acts as an antioxidant. It also stimulates the work of fibroblasts, prompting them to produce collagen and elastin, and relaxes the muscles, thereby helping to smooth out expression lines - which is why it is sometimes called the plant equivalent of botox, "herbal botulinum".

A curiosity: Acmella is also known as the toothache plant, thanks to its pain-relieving and numbing effect when applied locally, used in traditional folk medicine to soothe the symptoms of teething, among other things.

Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract

Astragalus root extract

Astragalus root extract - an adaptogen particularly valued in traditional Chinese medicine. In cosmetic formulas its strong antioxidant and soothing properties are put to use, along with its ability to slow down skin ageing. It prevents the degradation of collagen fibres under the influence of UV radiation (photoageing) and supports the proliferation of fibroblasts - the cells responsible for producing collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid in the skin.

Pistacia Lentiscus Gum

Extract from the resin of the mastic tree

Extract from the resin of the mastic tree, which grows on the Greek island of Chios. By stimulating the synthesis of the so-called youth proteins FOXO and KLOTHO, it indirectly increases the activity of skin cells (including fibroblasts, responsible for collagen production), their detoxification processes and DNA damage repair. In this way it helps increase skin density, elasticity and firmness and improve facial contours, making the skin look younger.

Meadowfoam Estolide

A bioactive derivative of fatty acids obtained from meadowfoam seed oil

A bioactive derivative of fatty acids obtained from meadowfoam seed oil. In cosmetics it has a moisturising and protective function: thanks to a similar molecular structure it acts as a plant analogue of ceramide 3B, which is essential in the process of storing water in the epidermis. It binds moisture extremely well, which helps effectively reduce transepidermal water loss, increasing hydration levels and their distribution in the skin and, indirectly, its softness and elasticity. As part of a cosmetic formula it also gives the product a pleasant texture and an elegant finish. (PS You can find out more about the role of ceramides and their natural analogues in our previous post: CERAMIDES - PROPERTIES AND EFFECTS - FIND OUT EVERYTHING!)

Liquid gold ;)

Phew! As you can see for yourselves, the Rose-Raspberry + xymenynic acid eye serum is a rich line-up of ingredients - both base and active. Thanks to such a composition of carefully selected cosmetic raw materials, the first eye care product in Ministerstwo's range works in many ways to help this exceptionally demanding area of skin stay young and healthy-looking. The active eye and lip contour elixir Rose-Raspberry + xymenynic acid regenerates and smooths, giving a distinct feeling of comfort, hydration and nourishment without weighing the skin down. After applying the elixir the skin looks healthy - it becomes soft and velvety to the touch, visibly brighter and full of glow. With regular use you can expect increased suppleness and firmness as well as brighter, less visible dark circles under the eyes. Among the measurable effects we observe above all a reduction in wrinkle depth of up to 9.2%. In addition, after 4 weeks of regular use of the elixir:

• the skin under the eyes becomes 9.6% smoother,
• its elasticity and firmness increase by 8.6%,
• skin hydration rises by as much as 13.1%.

And if you double that period, to 8 weeks, the increase in smoothness reaches 12.3% and in elasticity and firmness 10%!

Finally, let us move from theory to practice and answer the most important questions about using the product - after all, the key to the results you want is choosing a cosmetic that matches your skin's needs and applying it as the manufacturer recommends ;).

Who is the Active eye and lip contour elixir Rose-Raspberry + xymenynic acid for?

Our elixir is a universal product, created with every skin type in mind, including dry skin in need of nourishment. We recommend it particularly to young adults who would like to brighten dark circles or take care of wrinkle prevention, as well as to mature people wishing to smooth out the signs of ageing that have already appeared on the thin, delicate skin around the eyes and lips. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, we encourage you to consult your doctor or paediatrician, who will assess any individual contraindications to using the serum.

How to use the eye serum, and can it be applied both during the day and at night?

The Rose-Raspberry elixir is absolutely suitable for use in the morning and in the evening, twice a day as well. It is worth adapting how you use it to your skin's individual needs and your personal preferences. We recommend applying it to previously cleansed, slightly damp skin around the cheekbone, under the brow bone and at the outer corners of the eyes, then gently patting it in with your fingertips. It is also worth using the elixir on the so-called frown line or the nasolabial folds - anywhere you tend to develop expression lines, depending on how often you smile, get angry or worry ;). We only ask that you take care not to apply the product directly onto the eyelids or too close to the lash line, so that it does not get into your eyes.

What to combine the Rose-Raspberry + xymenynic acid elixir with in your daily eye care routine?

In most cases the elixir provides adequate care for the skin around the eyes when used on its own. It does not require combining with a cream, though such a pairing is of course perfectly fine if your skin is particularly demanding and needs even stronger hydration or nourishment. In that case the elixir makes an excellent duo with, for example, our super-nourishing Rose-Raspberry Jam cream :). What we recommend to all of you, though, is applying the elixir to skin dampened with a hydrosol, which will help spread it and speed up absorption. That is a valuable tip especially for those interested in using the Active eye and lip contour elixir in a morning routine under make-up.