skincare

The Essential: La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP

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I do apologize for bombarding you with posts featuring the La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP Anti-Irritation Anti-Scratching Lipid-Replenishing Body Balm ($29.99/39.99) with this raving review after featuring it in my recent empties post but it’s due time that I share my intense love for this product in due detail. This is likely going to sound oxymoronic, however, the amazing thing about this body moisturizer is that while it doesn’t perform instant miracles, the ingredients are backed and the product as a whole does what it says; there’s no sort of ridiculous marketing gimmick. As the lengthy descriptive title would suggest, it’s supposed to provide anti-scratching relief to dry skin for 24 hours by replenishing lipids while having a fast-absorbing and rich creamy texture. I don’t agree that the intense relief after merely applying it once, but otherwise I do agree with the claims, as it presumably helps to stop the cycle of itchy skin through rebuilding the moisture barrier and it does certainly replenish and soothe severely, dry itchy skin. My only warning with the soothing thing is that it can really sting when applied over skin that you have already scratched and irritated because of the nature of applying cream on such skin but on the positive side, it’s a powerful way of trying to reduce the amount I scratch my eczema – knowing that I’m going to apply this cream later works as motivation. It should be noted that the soothing and anti-itching situation comes around over time and does not instantly remove all urges to itch ever – the itchiness becomes reduced over time.

Although this is a drugstore product, it’s not exactly the cheapest product but I think it’s certainly worth the extra few dollars because of the impressive ingredient list. It might seems no-frills at first glance, filled with basic emollients and nothing interesting like irritating alcohol or fragrance, but this is something that I look for. The nice concentration of Glycerin and Shea Butter is nice but the quantity of the antioxidant known as Niacinamide that has been proven to help tremendously in restoring the barrier that leads to irritation like eczema and serves as an anti-irritant. For my eczema at least, I’ve become dependent on this cream for nourishing the skin in typical moisturizer fashion as well as helping to treat the condition.

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Have you tried anything from La Roche-Posay?
Maggie, x.

The Review: Caudalie Vinosource Riche Intense Moisture Rescue Cream

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I didn’t think that last year’s discovery, the Caudalie Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet could be beat, with its intense hydration packed within a lightweight base, gentleness and soothing ability. However, I couldn’t be more pleased to be wrong, finding its big sister product, the Caudalie Vinosource Riche Intense Moisture Rescue Cream ($40) superior after trialing it for a few months. It does everything that the Sorbet does and without being heavy on the skin at all, it offers even more hydration, soothing power and actually helps to repair the skin, keeping it from that cycle of irritated dry sore skin – as it promises. Let’s get on into the details.

“This rich hydrating cream provides must-have moisture protection to repair and cure dry, dehydrated skin. Grape oil and Shea butter deeply nourish and soothe to restore the hydrolipidic layer and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier, resulting in soft, comfortable skin.”

INGREDIENTS : AQUA (WATER), GLYCERIN*, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE*, SQUALANE*, CETEARYL ALCOHOL*, VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE) SEED OIL*, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER EXTRACT*, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, HYDROLYZED POTATO PROTEIN*, BORAGO OFFICINALIS SEED OIL*, HYDROGENATED OLIVE OIL STEARYL ESTERS*, POTASSIUM CETYL PHOSPHATE, PANTHENOL, CETEARYL WHEAT STRAW GLYCOSIDES*, TREHALOSE, POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE, CETEARYL GLUCOSIDE*, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE*, DIMETHICONE, CARBOMER, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), PALMITOYL GRAPE SEED EXTRACT*, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, POTASSIUM SORBATE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, TRICAPRYLIN, TOCOPHEROL*, LINOLEIC ACID*, CASTANEA SATIVA (CHESTNUT) BARK / LEAF EXTRACT*, PISUM SATIVUM (PEA) EXTRACT*, CYCLODEXTRIN*, LINOLENIC ACID*, SODIUM CARBOXYMETHYL BETA-GLUCAN, BHT, ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, SODIUM HYALURONATE, HEXYL CINNAMAL, LINALOOL, LIMONENE, BENZYL BENZOATE, CITRONELLOL, GERANIOL, COUMARIN. (032/119) *Origine végétale – Plant origin

Despite how the ingredient list sounds, it’s actually a rather impressive one despite the somewhat unfamiliar names. Plus, aside from that there’s also the fact that this not only is an amazing moisturizer but also has aspects of a treatment or serum in it too at once. The lightweight but rich cream has a soothing and gentle base, made up of glycerin, squalane and the moisturizing cetearyl alcohol. It does have a little bit of pleasant fragrance which isn’t great for the skin but it doesn’t seem to bother my sensitive skin in the slightest, thankfully. The formula’s intense soothing ability would seem to be chalked down to the heavy concentration of antioxidants coming from grape oil, (as one might expect from the brand) along with squalane. It also must be mentioned that although the moisturizer only comes in a 40 mL tube, it actually is ridiculously concentrated and should last a good while in comparison to others.

Can you tell that I recommend this moisturizer? I think its suited to anyone with normal to drier skin and anyone on the combination to slightly oilier side might enjoy the lighter sorbet. It might just be holy grail material.
What’s your favourite moisturizer?
Maggie, x.

The Beauty Bargain | No 7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser

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DSC_0389I’ve said multiple different times that the Boots no 7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser is one of the best bargains of the beauty variety because even ingredients-wise, this indulgent creamy cleanser performs with the most luxurious of them and for a little over a ten dollar bill (and less most of the time because Shoppers seems to consistently have the line on sale), you can get 200 mLs of product and a nice muslin cloth. I believe that Americans can purchase the line from Ulta, and obviously those from the UK can purchase the line from Boots.

The packaging is rather nice and convenient but admittedly not the most compact for traveling purposes; my only issue with it can be chalked down to user error. I have this tendency to either forget to put the top on after use or somehow end up losing it altogether and this tends to make the first part of the cleanser come out with a hardened patch that I have to discard.

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The cleanser is designed to be a more affordable alternative to the famous Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish but I can’t comment because I haven’t and don’t plan on trying it because it contains essential oils unlike this version. It has a rich and nourishing cream texture but it doesn’t feel heavy in the slightest while it works to soothe the skin and cleanse/ remove makeup without stripping the skin. The cleanser has an emollient base and is also rich in glycerin and cocoa butter. It’s not great for the skin, but at least the fragrance is somewhat low on the ingredient list and the fragrance makes the product seem more indulgent than the price-point would suggest, emulating that spa-like feel. The scent doesn’t smell artificial or particularly strongly and it is actually rather pleasant, if you ask me.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Tribehenin, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Methylparaben, Parfum (Fragrance), Dipropylene Glycol, Ethylparaben, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide.

As I have been for numerous months, I use this cleanser as my initial nighttime one to remove makeup. Now I don’t use it to remove my eye makeup as directed but I’m sure most could get away with that — my eyes are far too sensitive to tolerate a cream-based product without burning or any other form of reaction. This detergent-free non-drying cleanser is very effective at removing makeup when paired with some sort of washcloth (or muslin cloth if you prefer) and never seems to irritate my skin, even when it’s in its most fragile state. I’ve also found that this is a nice cleanser in the morning when you want a bit of a treat because it soothes and hydrates the skin after being rinsed away and leaves things looking a bit brighter; it takes a little more effort but it is rather nice when I’m rather sleep deprived and looking dull, or my skin is just not at its best. As regular readers would be aware, my skin is definitely on the drier and more sensitive side of things and this is an appropriate cleanser for that but I also think that it would be suitable for more combination skin types as it is not heavy. It also does not contain mineral oil, if you have an issue with that ingredient.

Have you tried this cleanser or another ‘hot cloth’ cleanser?
Maggie, x.

The Review: Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream

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I was enough to have somebody in my family bring me Skin 79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream from Sasa in Hong Kong – they were having a sale so I was fortunate enough to receive the larger (40g) size of this product for about $18 CDN. This is one of the first bb creams that I’ve ever tried; I had always been one to believe that bb creams were essentially glorified tinted moisturizers and I wanted to try an authentic Asian one to find out for myself. You’re not here for unnecessary details and ramblings about my life, so I’ll get to it. Actually scrap that, Skin79 now has an American website where you can order the product in two different sizes for $20 and $39 US respectively.

As with most authentic Asian BB creams, this product only comes in one shade, which is suitable for fairer skin-tones. It initially applies as a grey-tinged  beige with a pink lean to it  in it but quickly ( in10 minutes or so I’d say) it oxidizes to a neutral-fair beige tone. Surprisingly, I’d say that it would work on a good range of fair (but not porcelain) skintones that are fairly neutral in colouring or slightly warm — it’s not going to match a medium skin but I can get away with it when I’ve gone up a few shades in colour. For some reason in the hand swatches below, the camera doesn’t seem to capture the way in which the BB Cream oxidizes tremendously from first application to a half hour later but I assure you that it’s obvious on the face in real life. The photo on the left is from first application and the one to the right is the later one and I’ve compared it to Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in Ivory on the left.

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This was and still is the first BB Cream that I have ever owned an it’s an authentic Korean one that doesn’t disappoint; however, it was not completely life-altering in its magical ability to do a million things flawlessly at once. In questionable English, their website posits that there are four significant characteristics of the product that serve as selling points and I’ll include their description below as well as the ingredient list:

  1. Triple Functions Enriched Nutrition BB Cream – High UV Interception (SPF 45 PA+++) to make dull and dark skin to be pure and bright, plus Brightening and Wrinkle Improvement for clean and elastic skin
  2. Brightening Skin With Long-Lasting Effect – Soft and moisturized texture adheres to skin for keeping clean and bright skin
  3. 45% Snail Secretion Filtrate For Keeping Glossy Skin – Domestic Snail Secretion Filtrate keeps skin moisturized and calms stressed skin protecting from external environment
  4. Null-Additive System For Health Skin Care – Free from Paraben, Mineral Oil, Animal Oil, but containing Eco-cert certified ingredient for keeping lively and healthy skin from external stress
Ingredients: Snail Secretion Filtrate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Water, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Centella Asiatica Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Beta-Glucan, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Water, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Linaria Japonica Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sprout Extract, Magnolia Kobus Bark Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Veronica Officinalis Extract, Adenosine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Polyacrylate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, PVM/MA Copolymer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance.

While I don’t believe that there would be much in terms of wrinkle-reducing results from the use of the BB Cream itself and the brightening effects that it brings are not extremely dramatic, the BB Cream is particularly impressive on the ingredient-front as a skincare product; the mineral sunscreen is extremely effective and doesn’t irritate my extremely sensitive skin, the first ingredient is snail secretion filtrate which is shown to have a myriad of skincare benefits and the second is the skincare superhero niacinamide (a cell-communicating ingredient that is incredibly soothing whilst helping to brighten the skin) and there are large quantities of other beneficial ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid that serve to hydrate the skin and more. To be clear, the product is protecting, soothing, hydrating and somewhat brightening whilst serving as a complexion-covering product. Purely as a cosmetic product, this does not rank as my absolute favourite product — but it is really good —  however it is spectacular when the ingredients and skincare benefits are taken into account.

With its intensive sun protection, it should be no surprise that it flashes back like nothing else in this world but it is also worthy of note that it also serves to make the product more difficult to work seamlessly into the skin and therefore in order for it to look gorgeous and skinlike, some working in is definitely required. It doesn’t feel particularly heavy on the skin but it isn’t the lightest thing ever on account of its moisturizing texture and mineral-sunscreen content and lack of irritating alcohol. With medium but somewhat buildable coverage, the hydrating base provides a satin-y to glowy finish that doesn’t need to be powdered on my dehydrated skin. However, due to its moisturizing texture I would say its more ideal for combination and drier skin types. It doesn’t look amazing until it has been left to set and oxidize slightly, also. While it’s soothing and moisturizing, it doesn’t glide over severe dry patches seamlessly or anything – but it doesn’t truly enhance them either, like many seem to. Obviously it doesn’t offer oil control so it can slip and slide slightly in the heat on problem areas but does last ten hours plus on me with the slightest of fading maybe on the chin and on any active blemishes. When worked into the skin optimally and not caked on, it actually does look like radiant skin and on my drier complexion, this can serve as my moisturizer.

I’m rather impressed with this BB Cream, especially as a skincare product and I’ll leave you at that with one final picture of my skin before the product (bare) and after three or so minutes. I’m hoping that it will be of use to you!

Recently Updated24What are your thoughts on BB Creams? What’s your favourite?
Maggie, x.

 

La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense

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I’ve been using the La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense Localized Redness Serum on a daily basis since May and while I haven’t been trialling the product long enough to speak on the long term effects of the serum — but I’m doubtful that there are any, given the ingredients. If you know me at all, I’m sure you already are aware that this won’t be brief, but to anyone new – you have been forewarned. In essence the product is a 30 mL serum (in hermetically-sealed packaging) that retails for $39.99 CDN but also can be found for 25% off at both Shopper’s and Lawton’s Drugstores and is marketed/targeted to those who are prone to rosacea (which I’m not) as well as others (like me) suffering from sensitive redness-prone skin. And before we really get into the details here, I must say that the packaging of the product is fabulous — it’s hygienic, avoiding contamination and keeps things from degrading while having a nice pump dispenser.

According to La Roche-Posay the

Rosaliac AR Intense is an anti-redness innovation formulated with three key ingredients: Ambophenol + Neurosensine + La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water. Helps to reduce visible redness, irritation and discomfort – suitable for sensitive rosacea-prone skin. Daily treatment with instant optical neutralization of redness. Cooling and soothing effect on tingling and sensation of heat. 24 hour hydration, leaves skin feeling calm and refreshed. Anti-relapse, long-lasting efficacy.

Ingredients: water, Glycerin, Isostearyl Neopantanoate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Tambourissa Tricophulla Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Ammonium Polyacryldimethyl Tauramide, Disodium EDTA, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester

I have lukewarm feelings towards this product and its achievements; I commend them for putting out a serum in appropriate packaging, formulated without irritants such as alcohol and fragrance but I don’t believe that its results are nearly as dramatic as their claims – not a surprise given the ingredients list. The serum has a light but hydrating gel texture that does contain some silicone but doesn’t take on that slippery feel and because of its lightweight feel on the skin I believe that this would perform on oilier skintypes equally as well as on those with more parched complexions as myself. The gel texture is soothing, calming and cooling but doesn’t dramatically take down redness instantly but rather seems to combat irritation over time. My issue with this product is that I don’t believe that it’s changes are anywhere near as drastic as implied but it does help with what it promises on a smaller scale.

I wouldn’t describe it as intensely hydrating for 24 hours as it seems to promise but it does provide a good dose of hydration in with the skin-soothing action. The three key ingredients of the product do not seem to do anything miraculous and examining the ingredients would explain why; The magical thermal water is only supposedly chalked full of antioxidants, the Ambophenol extract from the Tambourissa Tricophylla tree that is said to calm redness is present in large quantities but lacks substantial evidence and the Neurosensine peptide that is known to reduce skin reactivity and hypersensitivity is so low on the ingredient list that the results would not be drastic. Regardless of this, this serum gently works to soothe the skin, reducing irritation and leaves it moisturized in a lightweight manner. There’s nothing miraculous about the formula, however and I would expect nothing drastic either when used by those with rosacea?

Have you tried this serum? Do you have a favourite serum to recommend?
Maggie, x.

Weekly Medley #18

(1) we've fallen back in love (2) kept putting on skincare series with the Morning Routine (3) the weekly objects plus my glasses just for kicks (4) the obligatory weekly shot of my face featuring questionable red lips and the palette above (5) I binge-watched Well Taylered's videos with no regrets (6) evidence of rekindled hair interest and - don't I look cute?
(1) we’ve fallen back in love and into a committed relationship (2) kept putting on skincare series with the Morning Routine (3) the weekly objects plus my glasses just for kicks (4) the obligatory weekly shot of my face featuring questionable red lips and the palette above (5) I binge-watched Well Taylered’s videos with no regrets (6) evidence of rekindled hair interest and – don’t I look cute?

I promise I’m not always in strange moods as I write posts  — I tend to write blogposts when I’m in strange moods if I’m reflecting or all that to be honest — but I feel I must give warn you about the strange mood I’m in as I’m writing this. For some reason, going over the weekly blog activity as if it were a trashy reality television show strikes me as hilarious at the moment so I’m going to go with it… This week on beautylit: 1. Weekly Medley #17 2. Additions to the Skincare Routine 3. Morning Skincare Routine 4. An Apology to Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 08 5. Spring Essentials

While it has not been the ideal or perfect week in blogging in anyone’s book (certainly not my own), it was a beyond adequate one, sticking with my pre-made plan that I wrote out in my little book of blogging and it did produce five posts that I was satisfied with. As much as I would like to pretend that I’m free from any sort of responsibility, I have been actually working in quantifiable amounts on that whole getting a job thing and despite my unathletic status as an individual and general incompetency at strength or endurance based tasks, I’ve been continuing along with the whole exercising goal that I’ve had going on, mostly opting for the affordable and practical power yoga practice through watching the Power Yoga for Happiness 2 DVD and aching, burning and stretching my heart out. Don’t let the “yoga” in the title fool you, it’s an intense kind of thing that’s fast paced, blending cardio in with the vigorous strength training while somehow calming your mind and leaving you focused in a way that is different from other sorts of exercise. And it’s not too bullshitty either in terms of preaching the whole ‘just breathe and say ohm’ typical kind of shebang. Exercising is not something particularly enjoyable to me in the slightest but this routine strikes me as worthwhile for it rids extraneous chaotic thoughts in your mind as well as focuses your mind in the strangest way. It’s rather strange but I’m not going to complain about the result. 

Considering that I’m studying English in university, it should be no real surprise that I read constantly and don’t tend to stick to the lightest of reading. A few months back, my mother gifted me a copy of George Eliot’s Middlemarch and I’ve started reading it this week and I’ve been enjoying it thus far. It’s a rather long book but fortunately I kind of have the ability to devour books and it’s an enjoyable read that isn’t so laborious.

It should be no secret that I am the kind of girl who adores the original Urban Decay Naked Palette but after a while I was growing tired of it (after using it constantly) and put it away, instead going for other daily shadow options but in the last week or so I’ve brought it out again and I suddenly have remembered why I love it so much in the first place — it’s unbelievably practical and the warm-bronzy hues suit me to a t. However, I haven’t been using it in the same way as I always seem to instead opting for using the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad To The Bronze on the lid and using shades from the palette such as Darkhorse, Hustle and Creep to add some more smokiness and depth and you can see this in the above weekly collage.

I’m still working on my whole skincare series thing and I can promise that a full-on evening routine post will come your way in the next little while and perhaps another addition to the series. Let me know your thoughts on these skincare-themed posts – please? 

What were the highlights from your week?

Maggie, x.

 

Morning Skincare Routine

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I’ve been hesitant about doing this but at the same time I’ve wanted to share the precise routine that I’ve stuck to that has improved my skin and in real life, non beauty-obsessive individuals have asked me about my routine so I figured it was time to get over the challenge of articulating a routine that differs slightly depending on the day of the week and the condition of my skin at the moment. I went on about my skin and skincare thoughts in the first post of this series last week here if you happen to be curious but I have dry sensitive skin with texture and brightness concerns and a side order of mild acne in short and here is my two minute morning routine…

Before I found easy gentle cleansers like the affordable Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Hydrating Cleanser ($11-12 CDN) that gently cleanse the skin with minimal effort, washing away with a splash of water without leaving the skin stripped or irritated in some way, I wasn’t a believer in washing my face in the morning but now that I have, I can’t bring myself to turn back as my skin is far clearer.

Once-or-perhaps-twice per week, when I’m tempted I go for the extremely gentle salicylic-acid-based chemical exfoliant, namely the underrated — and way superior to the dreadful offerings in the three step formulation — Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion ($16 CDN). With only 0.5% strength salicylic acid, this “toner” provides the gentlest chemical exfoliation and I tend to go for this when my skin is a little congested in areas — not too rare of an occasion, if I’m honest.

Being interested in the wonders of a serum as of late, I’ve recently added the La Roche-Posay Rosaliac AR Intense Localized Redness Serum ($35 CDN)into the morning skincare dash and so far I’m pleased with the soothing and hydrating power of this lightweight gel-like textured serum. I don’t have rosacea, so I can’t report on that front but this does help calm the skin, redness included.

Although there’s no SPF or anything of the sort that would confine this moisturizer to use in the morning, I tend to go for the lovely REN Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream ($54 CDN) that offers that essential soothing action with lightweight fast-absorbing hydration. But I still wouldn’t rank it above the Caudalie that I do not own at the moment but went on and on about last year for good reason, if you know what I mean.

Because I live in a cooler climate and have extraordinary issues with the whole sunscreen shebang – I’m allergic to most chemical sunscreens – I do that naughty thing and only wear SPF if I’m going to be spending the day outdoors in the sun and true to its name, the Avene High Protection Mineral Cream SPF 50 ($30 CDN)delivers. Like all mineral sunscreens, this one does bring a bit of a white cast and because of this the cream is tinted and pulls slightly pink-y on me (but not too terribly) but this remains the gentlest and most-effective sunscreen I’ve tried to date, never burning the eyes to boot. It has a hydrating texture that isn’t the most lightweight so on occasion I’ll skip on either the serum or moisturizer, as there’s no need for excess product.

It’s not life changing or anything of the sort but it hydrates my lips and works nicely under lipsticks so the EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm in Summer Fruit ($4 CDN) has my seal of approval. The texture isn’t overly slippy so it fares well under lip products and the scent doesn’t bother me like most fruit scents – if you ask me, it smells like authentic peaches.

What are your go-to products in your morning skincare routine?

Maggie, x.

 

My Skincare Saviors

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Tuesday’s post covered a description of my skin and what in my experience is essential for caring for the skin so I’ll spare you the long ramble; I already shared my general advice for skincare so I thought it was about time to discuss my specific hero skincare products. I’ve already said this last post but thanks to these products in particular, my skin is the clearest it has ever been in terms of texture and brightness and is the least red as well.

Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion ($16)
I’m a wee bit passionate about the chemical exfoliants and this is why it is completely rational – for me – to include multiple products in this category here and to be honest, I was tempted to include one more but I tried my best to narrow it down… This offering remains one of my favourites and in constant although I haven’t mentioned it as much in light of my discovery of more intensive chemical exfoliants. This offering might look just like another clarifying lotion within the Clinique 3 Step System but unlike those belonging to the system, this one does not include any irritating alcohol or anything of the sort and is not the strongest BHA, as its only 0.5 % – because of this it is a gentle acidic toner for everyday use. It did not have crazy results overnight but after consistent use, it really has helped with the overall texture and clarity of my skin. It never irritates my extremely sensitive skin and if anything actually reduces irritation and inflammation.

Indeed Laboratories Pepta-Bright Intense Brightening Treatment ($40)
This is the other chemical exfoliant that I attribute to the improvement of my skin but this one contains AHA’s and is more concentrated, focusing intensively on brightness along with texture. Unlike the acidic toner, this one is more of a concentrated treatment so I tend to use it less often, say four times a week at night — while there aren’t instant results with this, this cream-serum over the span of a few months of continuous use radically improved the brightness, evenness and texture of my skin. The cream texture actually is impressively hydrating on its own — I tend to follow with something but I don’t have to, which is impressive and it doesn’t have irritating ingredients or fragrance within it. I adore this serum and I wrote much more on it here when I reviewed it.

Organic Rosehip Oil                                                                                                                                                                                                 While my product is produced by the brand By Nature, I don’t think that the brand is significant in any shape or form as it’s just a pure oil. This oil does what its hyped to do, nourishing and deeply hydrating the skin with its non-greasy dry oil texture, soothes and calms the skin while helping to fade hyperpigmentation and promoting overall clarity. Also, I find when I have a blemish coming up underneath the skin, if I apply this on the area, it not only goes away much sooner but it also doesn’t leave any angry marks or other sources of irritation — this sounds kind of strange but it is true. However, I should mention that the oil has sort of a brassy tinge so if you’re wearing it during the day you probably should be wearing something on top.

Kiehl’s Skin Rescuer Daily Hydrator ($45 CDN)                                                                                                                               While I’m not quite ready to classify this moisturizer as holy grail or anything of that declarative sort, I must admit that this rich moisturizing treatment that remains lightweight and at the same time contains skin-soothing ingredients such as squalane and chamomile is impressive. While doing the above things in a practical pump container with a sufficient amount of product, it protects the skin against the elements and can quickly get my skin out of that cycle of irritation, itchiness and flaking. And it’s fragrance-free which is a nice change of pace.

Neutrogena Ultra-Gentle Daily Cleanser ($10-12 CDN)                                                                                                                    To be honest, it was rather difficult to chose whether to include this cleanser or the extremely similar Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser but ended up going for this offering because while it wasn’t quite as creamy and as hydrating, this gentle fragrance-free cleanser also has the ability to remove makeup completely. This cleanser never leaves my skin feeling stripped and is a lightweight creamy-gel kind of texture – similar to Cetaphil but notably superior in my opinion – and is the perfect cleanser to go in for the second cleanse at nighttime – or first for that matter – but it’s a great one for the mornings as it applies and rinses without the aid of a washcloth with ease.

Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm ($11 CDN)                                                                                                                                 This appears to be another one of those products that I actually have evidence of my adoration of here in review form. To be honest, I’ve actually just finished this product – after using it daily for a good ten months – and have moved onto the very similar Hot Cloth Cleanser from the same line but regardless, this nourishing and creamy cleanser removes makeup like a dream and leaves the skin soothed but cleansed like no other. I wouldn’t actually describe it as a balm cleanser but rather as a rich cream; I’m not complaining though, here. I occasionally use it in the mornings as well but this is my go-to cleanser for the first cleanse at nighttime to remove the bulk of my makeup gently.

The Body Shop Aloe Protective Restoring Mask ($22 CDN)                                                                                                               When I discovered this product a few months back, it was a riskier purchase as I tend to be skeptical of stores like The Body Shop as they tend to overload their products with fragrance and call them skincare but as I stated in an earlier post here, I was pleasantly surprised. Not only is this moisturizing mask packed with the soothing and healing aloe, it doesn’t contain any sort of fragrance or irritating ingredients either. This might not be the most groundbreaking moisture mask in existence, simply loaded with calming aloe that truly nourishes the skin but it does what it sets out to, calming down the skin overnight, adding intensive hydration without feeling overly heavy on the skin. And the next day, you wake up with brighter more radiant skin. I’ll warn you, though, this is the first moisture mask that I’ve tried so I haven’t really got anything concrete to compare it to.

What are your top skincare saviors?

Maggie, x.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skincare Thoughts & Tidbits

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At a certain point I’ve had to accept that I am becoming yet another beauty blogging cliche rather than struggling to write the most unique post ever, taking ages and ages to do so but somehow ending up with the most incomprehensible post that you have possibly ever viewed yourself, you realize that taking your individualism to that extreme while blogging is ever-so-slightly insane. I would compare this to essay writing – I’m an arts student so nothing practical here – when you begin university where you’re so convinced of your underlying deep understanding that you have not been taught that you’re missing the entire point of the task at hand. Abstract: it’s important to keep your writing unique and tailored to you but write what you want to write not based on what novel blogging ideas you can chalk up that have never been done before with possible good reason. ‘Where is this going?’, you might be thinking — I often find myself asking the same question… — but I assure you that my tangent had some sort of underlying purpose; I have to do that horribly cliched beauty blogger thing where I complain about my skin being extremely problematic when it does not necessarily look all that bad. In my defense, the skin I have now is easily the best skin I’ve had since I turned thirteen and developed visible pimple-producing oil glands but this is a result of learning how to look after my skin with its unique preferences and dislikes and more currently, my high-fat and low sugar/carb/wheat diet that I’ve switched onto to deal with my troublesome fructose sensitivity.

With skincare it is definitely true that everyone’s skin reacts differently to ingredients and that even those suffering from similar skincare concerns may have completely different reactions to the same products, there are general rules to stick by in terms of ingredients and the like so I figured I would show mine. I have extremely sensitive and fragile skin — not sensitive in the way that it breaks out from everything, as the only thing I’ve had a serious reaction breakout to is the Cetaphil eczema-care line strangely enough – that is easily irritated and can tolerate very few ingredients but still has concerns that need to be addressed. I’ve always had a mild case of acne (on my face) that conveniently (joking…) is of hormonal origin and cannot be shaken with antibiotics and that gets red and irritated easily with most products on the market that can aim to help my skincare concerns. My body skin is more of my concern as I’ve suffered from severe acne on my back that is completely resistant to any medication whilst erupting in those itchy eczema patches that plague my skin all over. My skin is dull, dehydrated and constantly dehydrated with a few pimples on my face constantly and tiny bumps underneath my skin that will eventually turned to clogged pores, on the drier side of things, is prone to redness and reacts horrifically to most chemical sunscreens, any sort of sulfate in a cleanser and any sort of drying alcohols. Oh, and any sort of abrasion is a no-no even though the uneven texture of my skin is problematic so if I can use a scrub it has to be as gentle as nappy cream for a baby’s bottom — don’t know where that came from. I figured I would show this snapshot of my bare-face on the less-pleasing of average days (due to hormonal issues) about five or six hours after washing and the like without makeup. Yes, the only place my face seems to produce shine is on my forehead which I would classify as normal… just in case you were skeptical about the shine situation.

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I promise this lengthy rant/description of my skin is worthwhile to get through to hear about my staples. As a recap — or rather, a thesis or overarching narrative of sorts — I have skin that is in need of treatment but has very low tolerance for any sort of harsh or irritating ingredients. And because I feel the need to rant about this yet again, natural ingredients are not any less harsh on the skin than artificial ones so the solution is not to go for more ‘natural brands’ such as Lush etc. that feel the need to boast about how great their natural ingredients are when in fact they are filled with natural occurring alcohol and natural occurring but still irritating fragrance. I may have strong feelings on the whole natural products debate but there are great natural products in my opinion but it is not necessarily the best product ever simply because its ‘natural’. So the introduction for this post is probably lengthier than this post needs to be but I felt that it was a necessary precursor to articulating the supremacy of these elements. And in the future I’ll probably refer to this post or link to this one when describing my skin so you won’t all be subjected to this long rant again. Here goes…

1. Go for gentle yet effective cleansing: Whenever I have makeup on I do a double cleanse with a washcloth but more than this, I make sure to use the gentlest cleansers that I can find, avoiding any sort of foaming action, drying alcohols obviously or any sort of harsh detergents such as sulfates. While I’m intolerant to these sulfates, they are problematic for everyone I assume as they further irritate the skin and leave it in a fragile state that makes it particularly prone for the barrier to be compensated and privy to blemishes of a variety of kinds. And more than that, this can do wonders to reduce redness. Lately I’ve heard a variety claim that after not washing their face in the morning, the quality of their skin has vastly improved and I used to agree with this but since finding the gentlest of cleansers to use in the morning, my skin is clearer than ever with any redness.

2. Avoid additional irritants: While I definitely can agree with the statement that everyone’s skin can react differently to ingredients and frequently do so some commonly-known irritants may or may not have a negative impact on your skin but there are some that are universally good to avoid or at the very least limit- drying alcohols as I’ve said before, fragrance regardless of its origin, etc. Although I’m not 100% in agreement with her verdict on the ingredients and efficacy of all products, Paula Begon of Paula’s Choice provides an especially helpful analysis of ingredients and efficacy of a variety of skincare products, serving as particularly helpful to indicate irritants as well as beneficial ingredients (i.e. antioxidants)

3. Look f0r soothing nourishment: Regardless of your skin type/condition or what kind of product you’re getting the nourishment from, – whether it be an oil, serum, mask, moisturizer etc. – universally we all benefit from this kind of nourishment. This is crucial for easily irritated and blemish-susceptible skin like mine but is an important concern all around. It improves the general quality of the skin and compensates from makeup removal, the use of treatments on the skin and the impact of weather on the skin. This leads very easily onto the next point…

4. Make use of gentle but effective treatments: Now what treatments you might search after should be guided by your specific skincare concerns, the use of products to aid in these concerns effectively without aggravating the skin is essential. Some of these treatments might include retinol for anti-aging purposes and the like, salicylic acid/benzyl peroxide, sulfur etc. for treating blemish concerns, skin lighteners or chemical exfoliants for brightness concerns, etc.

5. Adequate exfoliation: While this step does tend to overlap quite a bit with treatments in my book as I have the kind of skin that is quite intolerant to physical exfoliants (i.e. scrubs) but requires frequent gentle chemical exfoliation to help with brightness, texture and clarity, regardless of your concerns exfoliating your skin frequently enough but not too frequently is crucial. For some a physical exfoliator is fine but others like myself prefer chemical ones, so it does depend on preference but I gather that for many a combination of the two is most successful. Chemical exfoliants are generally classified into Alpha-Hydroxy-Acids and Beta-Hydroxy-Acids – the former exfoliates the surface of the skin and the latter can exfoliate beneath the surface and into the pore – and work to eliminate excess skin cells and unblock the pores, triggering cell renewal in a way, rather than just smoothing out the surface of the skin through abrasion.

I have to say that diet does play a degree but is not the sole factor in the quality of the skin, in my view, as nutrients inside the body impact the skin additionally but other than eating a balanced diet, food concerns and intolerances can be different for everyone – however, I hear milk, sugar and gluten are common ones. For instance, after drastically lowering the fructose (sugar) and carbohydrates (particularly wheat) in my diet which are both known to be inflammatory, I have noted a reduction in the inflammation of my skin, but skincare has made more of a difference in my humble opinion. I’m not an expert on skincare by any means but I do read up on it frequently due to my interest in it so I hope these tidbits of mine are helpful. I’d love to know if these basic steps work for others like they do for me or if there are other crucial considerations that I seem to be missing! Oh, and just as a heads up this is merely the first post in a series of posts on skincare that I’m planning to produce at the moment?

Maggie, x.

 

 

Garnier Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil

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I’m fairly – no scratch that – undoubtably certain that I began my last skincare review post here with the admission that I’m hesitant to write reviews on skincare products especially before months and months of use as it can be difficult to ascertain the effects over such a short period of time and skincare can be such a subjective thing but I’m compelled to do so again. Regardless, here I am giving a more detailed account of my thoughts on Garnier’s newly-released cleansing oil offering:

Ingredients: Mineral Oil, Zea,Mays/Corn Germ Oil, Polysorbate 85, Carthamus Tinctorius,Oil/Safflower Seed Oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate,,Sorbitan Trioleate, Simmondsia Chinensis Oil/Jojoba Seed,Oil, Glycerin, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Squalane,,Parfum/Fragrance, Water, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Linalool, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl,Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Isopropyl, Myristate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Alpha-Isomethyl, Ionone, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

The product is actually formally/technically called the Garnier Clean + Nourishing Cleansing Oil and in my experience at least, it seems to retail for $10-12 in Canada and for a few less dollars in the US and contains 125 mLs of product. It is marketed to instantly dissolve impurities and long-wear makeup and impurities whilst replenishing the skin’s moisture balance with the macadamia and jojoba oils and all insignificant marketing details aside, I agree that it achieves on the claims. Although the formula does contain some fragrance, it removes every little last bit of makeup on my face without irritating my skin in the slightest and instead soothing it. When this is massaged into my dry skin with my fingertips, later emulsified with water and removed gently with a damp washcloth, my skin does not require a second cleanse and is left already calmed and hydrated once removed – I wouldn’t say that this is a residue of sorts as it doesn’t feel heavy on the skin or anything of that sort and it does not clog in the slightest but I supposed the moisture and nourishment left behind could be a bother to someone with an oilier skin type and then i would be prudent to follow up with an additional cleanser to remove the residue. However, the main ingredient in this cleansing oil is mineral oil, so don’t assume otherwise because the other oils are discussed in their claims; mineral oil is said to make some break out but it is generally classified as non-comedogenic and removes makeup gently and effectively, avoiding irritation. Since using this nightly to remove makeup, I can say that my skin is less irritated and that it has not caused any sort of adverse reaction in my easily-irritated skin. Also, it is gentle enough to remove eye makeup without stinging my sensitive eyes but it does blur my vision so I opt for Bioderma and just use this on my face.

There is definite room for improvement with the whole packaging situation at hand. The packaging leaks like nothing else which is extremely inconvenient even when it remains in the bathroom, as oil can kind of gather around the container in notable quantities over time. Presumably in part due to mineral oil in the formula, the product has a really runny consistency that can easily slip out of your hands and into the drain if you’re not careful. All in all, this is an excellent cleanser for those of us on the drier end of the spectrum and while it’s not ‘holy grail‘ for me, it has turned into a nice staple especially at its price-point. The bottom line: This cleansing oil is nourishing, removes makeup like a dream whilst soothing the skin effectively.

What cleansing oils have you tried and what are your thoughts on them?

Maggie, x.