Duchess Marden Skin Care
September 29, 2010 A friend in the beauty industry had pointed me to Duchess Marden, a local skin care company in Marin. Named after founder Marla Steuer's grandmother, this natural skin care line focuses on the healing properties of the rose. Each product is made with plant-based ingredients and contains no parabens, chemical preservatives or petrochemicals.
Naturally almost every product smells lovely. The moisturizing Damascena Creme Facial Cleanser can do double duty as a gentle makeup remover. I'm also hooked on their Damascena Rose Water. This 100% pure rose water is steam-distilled from fresh pink damask rose petals. The alcohol-free formula is also enhanced with rose oil and Japanese Honeysuckle. You can use this to treat puffy eyes, dermatitis, or as a daily facial toner.
The Damascena Anti-Wrinkle Serum is actually a rich facial oil (squalene, hazelnut, flax, shea, borage) and it's great for super dry or mature skin. You can use this for skin injuries too. I prefer the non-oily Damascena Face Creme, which provides a high amount of moisture - my skin feels so darn soft afterward. Rich in organic shea butter, it also contains matsutake mushroom extract to address dark spots.
For an extra boost of moisture, the Hydrating Masque is pretty amazing. It's great for sensitive skin as it calms and soothes the face within 10-20 minutes. Cassia Angustifolia replenishes lost moisture and Palmaria Palmate acts to brighten up the skin. My face looked so radiant and refreshed after using it for 15 minutes.
Available at Amazon and duchessmarden.com.
For editorial consideration, product samples were provided for this review.
Beauty, San Francisco, Skincare
Reader Comments (3)
Love this line! They make great stuff!
I have this rose face spritzer from another cosmetics line that I love. It refreshes your skin and calms down any redness you might have. I used to think of roses just as beautiful Valentine's Day gifts. But now I've realized how incredible they are for everyday use in beauty products.
Carolyn - This line definitely calms your skin. Rose is so healing. I used the Hydrating Masque in the shower and I usually look really flushed and irritated afterward from the hot steam...but my face looked cool and calm after using this!