I must confess that when the nice people at Your Best Face told me with great excitement that they had mailed me a sample of their new facial oil, I did not jump for joy. I'm not big on oils for the skin - they seem too dry (paradoxically) or too oily (obviously) or a bit hippie dippie (somehow). Well, I suppose a good way to start the New Year is to admit that my prejudices were undeserved: YBF’s Private Reserve ($75 for 1.7oz in the shop) is a deceptively simply, versatile and very welcome addition to my bathroom.

With only four ingredients, two of them being hard-hitting antioxidants, Private Reserve is a refreshing change from all those complex formulations out there. It is oily, but not sticky or greasy.  It makes a fantastic lip salve and I love knowing that I am not licking any nasty preservatives or other toxins.

The two antioxidant ingredients are spin trap and Lipochroman-6 and they are signature Your Best Face. Spin trap is a busy little molecule that stops free radicals in their tracks before they spin out of control and do no damage. Lipochroman-6 is a radical scavenger that is supposed to be much better than resveratrol. Together, they make Private Reserve perfect for use with LED light. LED although antioxidant over the long term has a short term pro-oxidant effect. Researchers have shown that this can be counteracted with a topical antioxidant. I smear on Private Reserve just prior to using my LED light.

YBF has also launched a limited edition version with rose oil that will be on sale ($75 for 1.7oz in the TIA shop) until Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients in Original: meadowfoam seed oil, spin trap (phenyl butyl nitrone), Lipochroman-6 (dimethylmethoxy chromanol), sandalwood oil

Ingredients in Limited Edition Rose: limited edition rose: meadowfoam seed oil, spin trap (phenyl butyl nitrone), Lipochroman-6 (dimethylmethoxy chromanol), rose oil