After having endured a long difficult uphill struggle with dry skin, I suddenly found myself struggling with oily skin. If you have ever suffered from oily skin, you will know that any old soap will wash the oil away, but it soon returns. In my case, many of the products I was using simply irritated my skin, so I decided to switch to all-natural skin care. This is one of the reasons why I frequently write about natural skin care, and why I am also writing this review.
Just for the record, I have never tried using Kanapa Luminous Day & Night Cream specifically for treating dry skin or oily skin. I have used this cream however, and I have done a ton of research concerning the manufacturer as well as the ingredients which are present in this product. With this in mind, I do believe that I am in a good position to write a review regarding this particular product.
About the Manufacturer
Kanapa Luminous Day and Night Cream is manufactured by Xtend-Life in New Zealand. The company was founded in 2000, with the original goal being to produce and supply high quality all-natural dietary supplements. The company later diversified, and started to manufacture holistic skin care products as well.
All Xtend-life dietary supplements and skin care products are manufactured in-house in their own FAD (Food and Drug Administration) approved facility.
The Kanapa™ Blend of Natural Skincare Ingredients
Although “Kanapa” has become the signature brand name for the company’s range of beauty products, the term “Kanapa” actually only refers to a specific blend of natural ingredients that is now added to the products. In other words, their skin care products contain a variety of other ingredients, along with their Kanapa blend.
Whenever I read claims stating that a particular product will achieve this or achieve that, I am always skeptical, and especially when it comes to anti-aging products and anti-wrinkle creams or serums. This company has never claimed that any of their products can get rid of lines and wrinkles.
What they have said, is that their Kanapa™ blend of ingredients can reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles, and an independent study has shown that it can in fact reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles by up to 34%. The same study found that products containing this blend of ingredients can even out skin tone, smooth out texture, and reduce the appearance of sun spots and dark patches of skin.
Does this in itself mean that you should put all your faith into these natural skin care ingredients and products? Definitely not, but it was enough to convince me to at least try some of them. I also liked the fact that the company is opposed to testing any of their products on animals. Anyway, enough about the manufacturer and their Kanapa™ blend. Let us take a look at their Luminous Day & Night Cream in particular.
Chemical-Free Skin Care
Like all of the products in the Kanapa™ range, the Kanapa™ Luminous Day & Night Cream is made entirely from natural ingredients. It does not contain any harmful or questionable chemicals that are routinely used in many, if not most, popular brand name skin care products. It is 100% free of parabens, mineral oils, and Bisphenol compounds. It also does not contain any Hydroquinone.
This is not an attempt at scaremongering, but I wonder how many people are aware of the fact that a vast amount of cosmetic products contain Bisphenol compounds. Their primary use is in the manufacturing of hard plastics and epoxy resins. I could provide links to many articles which have been written about these nasty compounds, but I would rather not. Trust me; you don’t want to be rubbing these into your skin.
Kanapa™ Luminous Day & Night Cream Ingredients
As is to be expected, the Kanapa™ blend of ingredients makes up the bulk of this product. However, it also contains other ingredients that are worth mentioning:
Brightenyl®
This is a patented ingredient produced by Induchem, a Swiss company. It is described as “new generation” skin tone and skin color modulator. Many people know that human skin is basically made up of the epidermis and the dermis. However, there is another layer which is called the stratum microbium. Basically, this is the very outermost layer of our bodies.
What makes Brightenyl® unique is the fact that it is an active ingredient that becomes activated once it comes into contact with the stratum microbium. According to Induchem, results during clinical trials were observed between 28 to 84 days. These included:
- Reduced skin darkness by up to 150%
- Reduced skin redness by up to 600%
- An 18-fold reduction of sun spots
- A 16-fold improvement in overall skin brightness
Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin is sometimes referred to as being nature’s most powerful antioxidant. It is essentially in a sub-group of carotenoids. While many people have not heard of astaxanthin, many have heard of the more famous carotenoids such a beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lycopene which are in the other sub-group of carotenes. These are the ones which generally spring to mind when we think about foods such as carrots, tomatoes, etc.
Astaxanthin is found in a variety of plants and animals. In fact, it is responsible for the pink color of salmon and lobsters, and even the pink coloring in the feathers of flamingos. It is essentially made by a type of algae which is actually the primary source of the astaxanthin found in dietary supplements.
It is considered to be a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants can slow down and reduce oxidation within the body. Oxidation is a natural process which none of us are immune to. Scientists believe that oxidation plays a significant role in things such as aging, heart disease, cancers, certain eye problems, and even Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
What Does the Manufacturer Say about Their Luminous Day & Night Cream?
According to the manufacturer’s website, their Kanapa™ Luminous Day & Night Cream is a natural skin care product which can improve skin tone, skin brightness, and leave your skin feeling smooth and soft. To be more specific, the company’s website highlights the following qualities:
- It contains Axolight and Brightenyl® to reduce discoloration and even out skin tone
- It promotes and supports a brighter and more radiant-looking skin complexion
- It helps to minimize and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
- It soothes and protects irritated skin
- Supports youthful levels of collagen and elastin
Let us take a brief look at the five claims listed above. In my opinion, I would have to agree with the first two claims, considering the research I have done about Axolight and Brightenyl®. From what I have managed to find out, these two ingredients can actually lighten skin and improve complexion.
I am also inclined to agree with the third claim about being able to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Earlier in this post, I provided a link to an independent study regarding the company’s Kanapa™ blend of ingredients. If the results of that study are anything to go by, then there isn’t really any reason to doubt the third point in the list above.
I should also add that I have used, and still do use another natural skin care product in the Kanapa range. To be more precise, I have been using the Kanapa™ eye contour cream and I am very pleased with the results I have experienced so far. It has either reduced the appearance of some of my lines, or else my vision has been influenced by my optimism.
I also agree with the last two points in the list above, although I feel that I should point out the fact that the manufacturer has said that the cream “supports” youthful collagen levels, rather than restore youthful collagen levels.
I like and appreciate that the manufacturer has been honest. These days, it is not uncommon to read claims that particular cream or lotion will increase the amount of collagen in your skin. Sadly, such claims are also made about many natural skin care products, and many people fall for it.
Some products may be able to stimulate collagen production, and some may be able to slow down collagen destruction. However, even if you were to massage pure collagen into your skin, it would not directly increase the amount of collagen present in your skin.
We all want healthy and radiant skin. We may even try to research how to get baby skin, in other words, skin which is as flawless as baby skin, but there comes a time in our lives when we simply need to acknowledge the fact that we are all getting older. With a healthy lifestyle, and with good personal care, you can certainly slow down the aging process, but you cannot stop it altogether.
Good quality skin care products can make a huge difference, but they cannot perform miracles, and that includes even the very best natural skin creams, lotions and/or serums. My advice to anyone and everyone would be: find a good range of products that agree with your skin, and then stick with that range rather than continuously bouncing from one brand to the next.
Anyway, I like to end all my reviews with a list of the pros and cons relating to the product that is featured in my review. So, here are the main pros and cons relating to Kanapa Luminous Day & Night Cream, but please keep in mind that these are based mostly on my own opinion:
PROS:
- Luminous Day and Night Cream is made by a company that has fully committed to only manufacturing natural skin care products.
- The cream is manufactured in a tightly controlled and regulated FDA-Approved facility in New Zealand.
- All the products offered by this manufacturer, including this cream, come with a robust money-back guarantee.
- The cream contains various ingredients which are well known within the cosmetics and skin care industry.
- I have found that the cream is wonderfully hydrating and also has a very definite soothing effect.
- It comes in a handy and convenient 50ml tube. You also do not need to use a lot of it at once, so a single tube can last a surprisingly long time.
- If I purchase more than one tube, or if I purchase a second product at the same time, which I often do, then I generally qualify for the company’s free shipping offer.
CONS:
- I very rarely include prices in my list of pros because I always wish prices were lower. Now, I would not say this cream is expensive, but at just over $40, I think some people may find it a bit pricey, even for a good quality natural skin care product.
- I am also not sure if it can lighten sunspots as quickly as has been claimed. Of course, different people have different skin, so some people may see results quite quickly, but in my case it has not happened as quickly as I was hoping for.
- As with all Kanapa™ products, the Luminous Day & Night Cream does not offer any notable sun protection.
Well, that brings me to the end of this review, so I hope you have enjoyed reading it, and I hope it has been of some use to you. Before I end this article, I just want to mention one other thing: Even though customers can return any of the company’s natural skin lotions and serums for a refund, the company will only issue a refund for one opened product per order. This of course is perfectly understandable and reasonable, but I just wanted to point it out.
