The MR PORTER team test out the Natura Bissé skincare range.

Few skincare brands have received such enthusiastic – and strange – endorsement from a celebrity as Barcelona’s Natura Bissé. In August 2016, this boutique, family-owned business (which was founded in 1979 as a specialist spa brand) became the subject of many headlines thanks to a slightly deranged series of Snapchat stories from the unpredictable singer-songwriter Mr John Mayer, who detailed his nightly skincare regime using roughly $1,500 of the brand’s products. Attention-grabbing though this may have been, it perhaps didn’t quite explain the precise appeal of the brand’s range – which as of today, is available on MR PORTER. In fact, Natura Bissé is highly unusual in that it not only produces all its products in-house (many skincare brands outsource this process to external labs), but continually researches and develops new ingredients and formulations, meaning its products have effects that are both unique and dramatic. Given this, we at MR PORTER thought it only fair that we put the range properly through its paces, through the most scientific method we know – asking our own team members to try individual products themselves. We hope it’s not a total spoiler to say that this facial rejuvenation project has mightily improved the view from our desks. Scroll down to discover how we got on.

The concern:

Thankfully I’m past the days (all of the 1990s, basically) when I was permanently in the breakout zone, but because I have combination skin (and, well, such an incredibly glamorous, party-fuelled life, I should at least pretend) I still get the occasional flare-up (is it unbecoming to use the word “zit” here? Almost certainly). The other (related) bane of my skincare existence is ingrown hairs, one of the most evil afflictions that can strike a man’s face.

The treatment:

I was tactfully advised to try out Natura Bissé’s Glyco Extreme Peel, an exfoliating treatment composed from fruit acids at 50 per cent concentration. Because this clears the skin of dead keratin cells, it can help with a variety of concerns, from wrinkles, to pigmentation to dark spots. But, yes, it’s also very helpful with spots, which are caused by accumulations of oil around blocked sebaceous glands. Lovely. I tried this peel after cleansing with NB’s Oxygen Mousse (a light, foaming product that’s exceptionally gentle) and applying the brand’s “The Cure” Hydro-Gel Toner. And this is how I did it: four pumps of product on the T-zone, four across the cheeks, and six on the neck. Then I let it sit for 10 minutes. This is a chemical exfoliant, so you don’t need to rub it in, like a scrub, you can just apply with fingertips. As it’s fairly potent, it also comes with some caveats: it shouldn’t be used straight after shaving (give it at least 24 hours), and if your skin is at all sensitive, it’s best kept to a once-a-week application. (Those with normal skin should apply twice a week.)

The results:

Something, definitely. This is one of those products that you can actually feel working, via a not-unpleasant tingling sensation on the skin. After removing it, my skin felt noticeably more taught, as well as more springy and soft. I would recommend following immediately with moisturiser and SPF though, as it does take a layer off the skin, and you definitely feel that!

The concern:

Age stalks me like a duke after a stag. Endlessly and quietly, it is creeping up on me. And with it lines! Face creasing fine lines!

The treatment:

Once a week, I used the Natura Bissé Inhibit High Definition Treatment, which consists of a packet of small patches filled with conotoxins, which are absorbed into the skin (non-invasively) while I snoozed at night.

The results:

They were immediately visible. By way of the conotoxins, the skin around the lines were relaxed – not paralysed, as it would be with botox – and plumped. It was like having a filler (or so I imagine; I’ve never had them, honest) the skin had filled out. I looked younger. Hurray for Natura Bissé.

The concern:

I am cursed with what they call “combination skin”, and in winter this goes into overdrive – my cheeks become parched while my T-zone looks like an oil slick as if to compensate. In other words, I needed a bit of balancing out.

The treatment:

I tried the Diamond Extreme Oil, which works as a moisturiser (totally non-greasy though) and the Diamond Extreme Mask, which has retinol in it to resurface and rejuvenate skin. The products can be used alone, but will work better as a team (five drops of oil first and a thin layer of the mask to follow). This is an overnight treatment, so I slathered it on before bed, let it sink in for 10 minutes, and went to sleep as normal.

The results:

When I woke up my cheeks felt pillowy soft and even glowed a bit – my skin was definitely more hydrated than what I get from simply moisturising, and generally looked better throughout the day. Balance restored.

The concern:

Two years of 3.00am wake-up calls courtesy of my infant son (and a penchant for salty snacks, it turns out) have left my eyes with circles darker than the Batcave in a power cut and bags that exceed my carry-on allowance.

The treatment:

Twice daily (most importantly before bed), deploy Natura Bissé Diamond Extreme Eye Cream, which boasts artemia salina and lipoamino acids to target puffiness and those pesky dark circles. Tiny particles of these active ingredients manage to penetrate the notoriously difficult-to-treat skin around the eyes, with caffeine to stimulate microcirculation for an anti-ageing effect.

The results:

First a tingling sensation, then a wide-eye gaze (or at least, the appearance of one, thanks to the de-puffing, de-bagging effect of the product) that makes me feel more awake (and left my partner questioning what I was staring at). I might not be getting any more sleep, or eating fewer pretzels, but at least I look like I am.

The concern:

I recently returned from Bali and once my tan faded, it exposed blotchy and dried-out skin – this is what happens when you indulge in two weeks of alcohol-fueled hedonism in the sun.

The treatment:

Twice daily, I washed my face with the Natura Bissé C+C Vitamin Scrub to get rid of any dirt and dry skin.  After this, I used a pea-sized amount (a little goes a long way) of the C+C Vitamin Cream and applied all over.

The results:

My skin instantly looked hydrated and healthy. It’s a nourishing shea butter that’s packed with a high-concentration of vitamin C (which is a powerful antioxidant) and rosa mosqueta oil which helps to restore moisture and leaves skin looking supple. It absorbs into the skin quickly and isn’t greasy either – great!

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