Fresh • Anise Day Serum • Treatments

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*TOP REVIEWER* ECMac25 on 1/13/2009 8:45:00 PM more reviews by ECMac25

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

Used this serum once a day and finished it up within 2 months. In that time I haven't seen any significant changes to my fine lines, pore size, or surface texture. All I felt this serum did was add a bit more hydration, and it was soothing - I never got any flare ups with it. I never enjoyed the artifical lemony scent of this either..it brings to mind those AirWick fresheners that we would stick on the walls inside of our closets. VERDICT: ~Good to try just to kill my curiosity, but found it's not an effective product for the price, INGREDIENTS: water * butylene glycol * glycerin * jojoba seed oil * caprylic/capric succinic triglyceride * sodium polyacrylate * anise fruit extract * hippophae rhamnoides oil * blackcurrant seed oil * grapeseed oil * commiphora myrrha extract * helichrysum angustifolium wax * camellia sinensis leaf extract * iris florentina root extract * evening primrose root extract * rosemary leaf extract * sunflower seed oil * cyathea medullaris leaf extract * retinyl palmitate * magnesium ascorbyl phosphate * tocopheryl acetate * silica * fragrance (parfum) * caprylic/capric triglyceride * tetrasodium EDTA * chlorophenesin * propylene glycol * polyacrylamide * C13-14 isoparaffin * laureth-7 * carbomer * polysorbate 20 * phenoxyethanol * xanthan gum * ceratonia siliqua * propyl gallate * hydroxyethylcellulose * sodium metabisulfite * amyl cinnamal * benzyl benzoate * butylphenyl methylpropional * citral * citronellol * geraniol * limonene * linalool * methylparaben * propylparaben * ethylparaben * butylparaben * BHT * titanium dioxide * iron oxides

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*TOP REVIEWER* nverno on 11/21/2008 12:47:00 AM more reviews by nverno

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

OMG I LOOOOOVE THIS LIKE NOTHING ELSE!


I don't know why it's taken me so long to review this product when it is (for real!) one of my FAVORITE serums I have ever used. As far as seeing somewhat instant results and cumulative results, and being gentle, this product definitely delivers that to me. Leaves skin really feeling and looking refreshed, soft, healthy and awesome!


I have combination skin. I'm oily in my T-zone, and normal to really dry and dehydrated on my cheeks and around nose and eyes. So my skin is all over the place. At 27 with the start of expression lines, and acne scarring similar to small chicken poc-mark scars, nothing has worked to resurface and help with these texture and discoloration issues except tanning and using self tanners and makeup to cover them. Every time I tried using a retinol type product or peels, even gentle ones, I always broke out badly and never stopped until weeks after I discontinued using them.


I have been using the Anise Day Serum now for like, 8 months under my moisturizers ( and for about 4-5 months been using the serum under my cover fx primer which i love also). It has never ever made me feel sensitive and it has never caused me to break out like so many other products.


Short term use:
I cleanse using the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and tone with Dr. Perricone's Acne toner (alcohol-free) and immediately after applying the serum, my skin seems to look and feel really soothed, refreshed, plumped, and honestly just glowingly healthy and radiant. My skin looks pinky-glowy but in a good way like I just took a run. It is so gentle that I can even apply it all around my eye area without any irritation issues at all. It smells unusually wonderful too, like a biscotti cookie due to the anise that's in it.


So now here's the long-term results. I see an improvement in my skin's hydration levels, skintone evenness, pores, and my acne/poc scars seem less visible and not as deep and less discolored. I feel a lot better about how my skin looks and I have tried many products and treatments.


I work in a spa as an esthetician, and have access to many peels and equipment, but my skin is just too sensitive. I have found that for me anyways, milder products such as sulfate-free cleansers, alcohol-free toners, and gentle, but effective treatment serums are what work best for me short and long-term.


My only gripe about this product like so many others is the price. A bottle is $85.... a little rich for my blood, but since it really works I always find myself willing to break the bank and buy it again every time I run out. I recommend it to anyone who can afford it. Being that they have a great return policy, you can always buy it from sephora.com and return it if you don't like it, but if I had good luck with this, anyone else should too- nothing has ever worked like this does.

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*TOP REVIEWER* boogiedisease on 8/15/2008 12:28:00 AM more reviews by boogiedisease

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Green    

$85 for a product that does nothing (at least for me)?
NO WAY.
I used this stuff religiously for three weeks (in conjunction with the Mamaku Night Serum)... and honestly, I feel that there were no benefits from using either of these products.
I did like the light, silky feel to this serum, but that's where my liking of this ended. I use it under my normal moisturiser (Korres Wild Rose 24/hr) and once that's placed on, dunno... might as well not even bothered.
While I have no wrinkles or anything remotely close to them, I do like to use products that "firm" the skin.
I felt none of this. I've had better results from MAKEUP PRIMERS!
I've used drugstore serums that work better than this... I'm glad it was merely samples I was using and that I didn't purchase the full-sized product. I'd be really angry with myself had I done that.
This stuff is 'blah', and it's blatantly overpriced.
No thanks...

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brockinbeats on 5/21/2008 12:15:00 AM more reviews by brockinbeats

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

Cons: pricey, plus I have no idea what's actually in it (what does Anise have to do with wrinkles) or why it would work. Pros: nice light texture, nice scent and most importantly, it actually does work. I don't know how, I don't know why, but my skin is so silky and glowy since I used this with the Ancien Elixir - the surface looks much smoother and 'fresher' like those airbrushed Japanese girls in the Japanese fashion mags (not exactly, but a little closer to that, LOL!)

In the winter, I use the serum & Elixir on damp skin morning and night. In the summer, I only do this for night time, I only use the serum in the morning. I love it, and I hope it'll never stop working.

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*TOP REVIEWER* izzybella on 5/10/2008 5:12:00 PM more reviews by izzybella

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I like this, but not $85 like this. I will admit I'm not a huge fan of anise in my food, so I was a bit reluctant to try this. However, I think one of Fresh's greatest strengths is that it somehow makes all their skincare products smell so refreshing and natural, I enjoy applying or using them. This serum functions great as a makeup base for mineral makeup after cleansing, but I honestly did not see any of the miracle effects of diminishing fine lines and crows feet, etc., but I did notice that my skin seemed plumper and firmer after applying it for two consecutive days. I am currently using a sample and while it was enjoyable, I would not purchase it. I do, however, like Fresh's Mamaku night serum better than this Anise serum, so if this let you down, give the Mamaku a try.

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kappatit on 1/14/2008 2:24:00 AM more reviews by kappatit

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

on my 2nd one of these. love it. feels protective, like an extremely light moisturizing balm. im oily so i generally wear it alone, but it is light enough to go under another moisturizer. it makes my face look happy, bright and plump in the mornings. it also doesnt break me out. =) im happy.

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sheabreaux on 8/29/2007 9:03:00 PM more reviews by sheabreaux

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

This works very well for me. I am extremely happy to have found it. The pump is kind of stupid, but oh well. It 'sets' my face for the day!
I use it over my Korres Yogurt Cream.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Girlfit on 6/27/2007 11:50:00 AM more reviews by Girlfit

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

my biggest complaint is the pump. The pump I received was defective and I had real issues getting product to come out. There was no easy way to get inside the pump and I basically had to demolition my way into it to get to the baggie inside to squeeze the product out.

I didn't find this serum did anything for me any different than any other serum so I likely wouldn't purchase. I received my bottle for free from a Fresh rep so I can't complain too much about the price. But because of the pump being so crappy I for sure would be peeved if I spend this kind of money on it and then had problems getting product to come out

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asiteseer on 5/2/2007 12:51:00 AM more reviews by asiteseer

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I have been using this on a daily basis, under my moisturizer and spf. It feels like a bit of a mask, in a good way, as if it is protecting my skin from the elements. I have been told that I can use it minimally, only around the areas which are prone to lines or wrinkling. Such as around the eyes. Although, it is okay to use it over the entire face. I can feel a difference in my skin, it feels a lot softer, but firmer, too. Even though it is expensive for what seems a small amount, you don't need that much for each application. A little can go a long way, even only one or two pumps is an amount sufficient to cover the face. I guess it's good that way, otherwise, if I had to pour it out of a bottle or squeeze it out of a tube, I might dispense more than I needed. It has a nice scent, too. To me, it smells a bit like citrus fruits.

It is $85 for 1 oz. and comes in a pump-type bottle, with a cap.

NOTE: There is now a nighttime version of this, called Mamaku Night Serum. I have only tried this for a short time, so I don't know how much I like it, yet. It smells like peaches, though, which is very pleasant.

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silkybee on 4/26/2007 11:17:00 PM more reviews by silkybee

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This product smells like heaven - light lemon chiffon. I love the texture as it lightly moisturizes but sinks in completely immediately. I had a sample that unfortunately only lasted a week, even though same size samples of other serums have lasted a month for me. Therefore I think that the price for this serum is quite expensive since I needed so much to cover my face. I wish I could take off just 1/2 a lippie for this fact, and give this serum a 4.5. I cannot comment on long-term anti-aging results, but this serum did keep up the good work that my previous high end serum had done, so I suspect it does as much as most other h/e products out there for the skin. Even though I looooove the texture, scent, and feel of this serum, I will not repurchase due to the price.

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*TOP REVIEWER* tracita on 2/20/2007 9:41:00 AM more reviews by tracita

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I have been using this for almost a month, but strictly on my obnoxious laugh lines...I swear they have lessened! I apply both morning and night as the first step...I see a big improvement...not only do my lines look "plumper" and "filled" but the skin feels softer, is less red and no more flakies. I've tried many products on these lines and although some have done a fair job at reducing redness OR taking away flakies, no product has delivered like this serum. I hate to shell out $85 for it but I can justify the cost because it will last a long time considering how little I use each day. I dig the scent too...I just adore Fresh products! I agree with the negative on the pump container--I like to get every last bit from my products...I still give it a 5 though because the product delivers, at least in my case. I'm going to try to stick with this instead of trying new products every two months :) 4/16/07 UPDATE: I am still loving this product...I don't want to be without it EVER! It has made a visible difference and I've only been using 2-3 months...

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catrherine on 1/12/2007 12:38:00 AM more reviews by catrherine

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I love Fresh, and I like the idea of this product, but after using it daily for several months, I haven't noticed any difference in my skin. In my opinion, this is a waste of money. Though I continue to apply it daily in the vain hopes that it will deliver on its promises, I won't repurchase when I run out.

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musechau on 1/11/2007 9:38:00 AM more reviews by musechau

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

If feels good when applied on face, but does not really hydrate my skin. Also can't see any difference after using it.

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sonya80 on 10/15/2006 9:29:00 PM more reviews by sonya80

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

This is one of my secondary HG serum. (The other DDF Wrinkle Relax, and my HG EL Idealist!). Usually I love serums that feels like silicone+silk (EArden's Good morning serum feels same, but it was little drying), and Anise Day Serum is also resilient enough to use at night under Cellex-C oil free sea silk cream.
My skin is thoroghly hydrated with Anise Day Serum, never feels dry, never cakes up my MU. EL Idealist will always be my HG serum, but when I get too tired of it, I purchase this and DDF wrinkle relax.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Jaimee on 7/2/2006 10:00:00 AM more reviews by Jaimee

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I love this product and am on my second bottle of it. Only caveat is the pump dispenser, although sanitary, there is some product at the bottom that you can't get out.

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*TOP REVIEWER* ruby_tea_roses on 4/11/2006 9:36:00 AM more reviews by ruby_tea_roses

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is a very sheer, lightweight serum that absorbs very quickly into the skin. It smells somewhat like lemons and cream. It is a tiny bit moisturizing (although it dries completely matte). Since I have oily skin, I do NOT apply a moisturizer over this, because I find the tiny bit of lightweight moisture to be just enough for my skin. Women with normal, combo or dry skin will most likely want to apply a moisturizer over this though. But for us oily skin girls, this Day Serum is the perfect amount of sheer, light hydration. This Anise Serum is supposed to help firm, brighten and plump the skin, as well as decrease the length and depth of fine lines and crow's feet ..... well, I have only been using it for 1 week (and the package states that results will show after 3 weeks), so I haven't seen any of those benefits yet. But I will update in 2 more weeks and let you know if this serum is delivering on it's promises. Overall though, I like it a lot so far ... it goes on easily, does not clog my pores, smells pleasantly lemon-y, and makes my skin feel very soft, smooth and silky. I only gave it 4 stars because I am waiting to see if it delivers on it's anti-aging promises before I can give it 5 stars. If it delivers .... then I'll up it to 5 stars when I update this review! :)

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