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The Legend

SK-II is the leading prestige and high-end beauty brand under the Procter & Gamble umbrella, the largest consumer goods company in the world. SK-II celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2005 from its origins, Japan. SK-II is a cosmetics line featuring innovative products made from a miraculous ingredient known as pitera, which was incidentally discovered by a monk. While visiting a sake brewery in Kobe, the monk with an eye for beauty noticed that even though the workers’ faces were aged, their hands were extraordinarily smooth. Even an elderly man with pronounced wrinkles on his face possessed the silky smooth hands of a young boy. Determined to find the reason behind this anomaly, the monk conducted a series of experiments. He eventually discovered the youth serum to be a clear, nutrient-rich liquid that could be extracted during the yeast fermentation process. After sharing his findings with a group of skincare scientists, an exceptional team began the five year long research process aimed to extract the pitera from the sake. Today the ‘age-defying’ liquid the monk gifted to the world of cosmetics is distilled from a special type of rice grain, bottled up exclusively in Kobe, Japan and sold at SKII counters world wide.

SK-II Holiday Gift Set
Exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue

Recently I dropped by an SK-II counter at Saks Fifth Avenue to have a one-on-one consultation. The visit was aimed at determining my skin's exact needs with the Beauty Imaging System and patented moisture meters. First, I filled out a card with personal information and skin concerns, so that my information would be entered into the SK-II database for future reference. Then a pleasant and eloquent representative asked me a few questions about the issues I wanted to address and the skin regimen I practiced daily. Without much further ado, I was sticking my head into what looked like a well-lit eye-examination device. A few flashes later my less than stellar close-up was plastered up on a computer screen. What were my feelings at that point in time? Have you ever stared into one those unflattering magnifying mirrors perhaps in a hotel room and immediately wanted to opt for cosmetic surgery? Precisely. Seeing the various spots, blemishes, discolored areas, enlarged pores, fine lines and shine on my face identified and quantified by a computer drove home the message that whatever attention I was lavishing on my skin was not doing the trick. Despite the small fortune had grown accustomed to spending on my visage, the porcelain complexion of my dreams still evaded me.

Facial Treatment Essence

Determined to channel benefits of the “secret key” that has kept Japanese women’s skin glowing like ripe cherry blossoms for centuries, I invested in a bottle of SK-II Renewing Facial Treatment Essence. One of the greatest appeals of this brand is that one does not have to buy the entire line to get started. The products are tailored to fit already existing routines until one is ready to make a complete switch. That said the heart of the SK-II Ritual is the revolutionary Essence, so I was told this was good place to start. To experience the Pitera magic, all one has to do is simply sprinkle about a teaspoon of the liquid into the cupped palm of the hand. Rub hands together and press gently and evenly onto face and neck. The skin absorbs the Essence quickly and naturally leaving the dermis refreshed, and hydrated. I have been using the product for approximately a week and already I have plans to go back for the Cleansing Oil and Facial Masks.

In a month I am scheduled to go in for a follow up. The dreaded machine will take yet another set of photos to document my progress. Personally the thought of seeing palpable evidence of my skin renewing and rejuvenating is a great incentive to practice my “ritual” diligently and become a loyal customer. The pursuit of a flawless complexion is a life long one. But the break neck speed of modern life can be distracting. Thankfully if I happen to get too caught up in the day to day, I will always have the SK-II professionals tracking my file and giving me a ring when it is time to go back. Who said there wouldn’t be anyone to hold your hand through the process of aging?