Aveda Tulasāra Firm Concentrate Review

As I mentioned in my last post, in September I was the lucky recipient of a few full-size Aveda items. One of the products I received, and that I've been using faithfully for over a month now, is the company's Tulasāra Firm Concentrate.

This product is essentially a serum that you're to apply twice a day, under your moisturizer. According to Aveda, it "visibly lift(s) and firm(s) your skin, and smooth(s) the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles..." With such ingredients as "a potent, bio-fermented peptide," "safflower oleosomes" and "almond seed extract," the serum "helps promote skin's natural production of collagen and repair" while "tight(ing) skin" and "retain(ing) moisture and strengthen(ing) skin's natural defense against environmental stress."

While my skin is still pretty firm and lifted, it does have a few fine lines and does sometimes suffer from dryness. The latter problem pretty much disappeared while I using the serum though I don't know if I can give this product all the credit. I suspect that the Aveda Botanical Kinetics cleanser and toner I've been using are also significantly contributing to me having hydrated skin.

But neither the cleanser or the toner are supposed to fight fine lines so any improvement in that area would be completely due to the Tulasāra Firm Concentrate. Unfortunately, my fine lines look the same now as they did back in September. I also found that this serum had no immediate impact on my lines; they were just as visible when this serum was freshly applied as when I wasn't wearing it.

However, maybe these lacklustre results are because I just haven't been using the product for long enough. Aveda states that "91% (of users) showed significantly lifted, firmer looking skin with visibly reduced lines and wrinkles" after using the serum for eight weeks. I've only been using it for not quite six weeks. I do plan on continuing to use it and I'll check in at the end of October and let you know if there's been a noticeable improvement in my skin.

While I'm so far not impressed by the serum's results, I do like its texture. It's lightweight, absorbs quickly and leaves my skin feeling nourished. I also quite like the product's aroma, which is due to "certified organic patchouli, vetiver, ylang ylang and other pure flower and plant essences." Like most (all?) Aveda products, that aroma invokes a spa-like feeling. And while the scent is noticeable, it's not over-whelming.

This serum retails for $70 for one 30ml bottle. Yeah, it's pricey. But at least that price does get you an elegant glass pump bottle.

Would I buy this product: No; for the price I need to see more impressive results.

Should you buy this product: Right now, I can't recommend it. But if it does diminish my fine lines, I'll certainly change that opinion.