Rodin Olio Lusso is the stuff of legend. The now iconic 1 oz bottle of facial oil has graced every magazine, every major blog, and been used by all the industry insiders. Its acclaim is universal, with models, “it girls”, makeup artists singing its praises – as shown by it’s superstar status on ITG , is astonishing – with the exception of La Mer’s moisturizing cream, I haven’t seen this type of support for any singular product.
Rodin’s Facial Oil isn’t the first facial oil, but at $140, it is one of the first luxury oils meant for the high end consumer market. It is to facial oils, what Britney Spears was to female pop stars in the late 90’s – they existed, but Britney’s success helped to define and open the market for everyone else.
Rodin’s success has really moved the conversation of facial oils to a more mainstream audience who previously only focused on creams to hydrate their skin. As someone who has suffered from acne, it wasn’t until I read all the literature behind facial oils that Rodin produced that I decided to take the plunge.
The success of the Luxury Face Oil has spawned an entire line- body oil, hair oil, lip product, hand cream, etc. But the superstar remains the original face oil. Enough background – on with the review!
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Full ingredient:
Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Flower Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Benzyl benzoate, Linalool
Rodin’s Luxury Face Oil consists of 11 essential oils that make up a vibrant golden tone contained in a art deco bottle. Upon first opening, the Jasmine floral scent is undeniable. In fact, Jasmine is listed as the first ingredient which is highly unusual for more facial oils that tend to rely more on carrier oils over essential oils. Jasmine is a beautiful oil that smells delicate but I have to admit that the scent is a little overwhelming for me. I’m also not sure how pregnancy-safe this is as Jasmine does have minor contraceptive qualities. In normal oils that use this lightly, I don’t think the amount is substantial enough for concern but as this is the main ingredient in the Face Oil – I would personally advise caution for ladies who are expecting.
The oil is rather light which was a pleasant surprise for me because Sweet Almond Oil is usually too thick for my skin type and Jojoba (although good for acne skin) is also on the thick side. I think the reason this oil composition wasn’t as thick is due to the abundance of Jasmine.
I found that my skin felt hydrated with just 1-2 drops but to be honest I’m not sure if it did a better job than less expensive high-end oils on the market. I just don’t think it is worth all the hype, it seems to be a decent (though overwhelmingly Jasmine infused) oil but there aren’t any ingredients in there that make it better than lower cost facial oils.
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So where do we go from here? At first I thought I was strange for not also thinking this product hit it out of the park. So I really thought about why my experience would be different and I came upon two realizations. 1. A lot of the people who try this product probably have not even tried other brands of facial oils before, therefore, compared to their old products like La Mer creams, this truly is better. 2. The power of marketing. This product educated me on the strength of marketing a beauty product: get it into the hands of those who matter, get into the right press, and people will follow like sheep.
Looking at online reviews from influential bloggers, you’ll see the same words used to describe this product: decadent, luxurious, miraculous – all words pushed out initially by Rodin’s own marketing team. It’s am image of a decadent, luxurious product (translation: costly) used to (as the Victoria’s Secret makeup artist says) ‘treat’ oneself. Based on the adjectives, you almost can’t even really think about this product, you just have to give in to the marketing that this is THE product you need, and that if you don’t like this product, you don’t get that this is a ‘miraculous’ wonder. And to be honest, this is the one product that actually took my blinders off and realize the people at ITG probably do have contracts and behind the scenes plans with a few brands behind each post.
This isn’t to knock what Rodin’s Facial Oil does accomplish. It actually is a nice product, but there are just so many others out there that are more suited for different skin types.
Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Facial Oil (http://oliolusso.com/ , $140)