Micellar water à la Caudalie

Micellar waters were all the rave last year, and I even did a Face Off between products from four different brands that I had tried, but since then the hype has died down a little bit. The concept of micellar waters is excellent and it's a quick and easy way to get rid of make up, although for me they have never actually replaced a more heavy duty cleanser, and I tend to only use micellar solutions in the morning for a quick and gentle cleanse or as a full face cleanser when I'm traveling. Although every self respecting brand now has their version of micellar water, I just don't get as excited about them anymore as I did in the beginning - at least that was until I tried the Caudalie Make-up Remover Cleansing Water (£14.25 for 200 ml). It comes in a practical plastic bottle with a handy dispenser to make sure you only get the amount you need and it has wonderful, clean, fresh and "green" scent that is really refreshing. As with all Caudalie products the cleansing water uses ingredients from grapes and vines which are well known for being rich in anti-ageing properties, but it also contains camomile - another ingredient that you often see used in skin care because of its cleansing, moisturising, soothing and healing properties.

So it's a sweet smelling product with wonderful skin care ingredients, but does it actually do anything? YES!!!! Despite being such a gentle cleanser, it's very effective and removing both eye makeup and face makeup. If you soak a cotton pad with the solution, leave it on your eyelids for a few seconds, it dissolves every trace of makeup and even the smokiest of looks will be wiped away gently without any need for tugging or rubbing of the eyelids. Don't worry if you should get a bit of cleansing water in your eyes, it doesn't sting or irritate in any way and since it's so gentle this product is great even for very sensitive skin. When you've wiped away all the makeup your skin will feel very clean, soothed and refreshed without any dry sensation. It's a lovely cleansing water and it feels so relaxing that sometimes I even leave two cotton pads soaked with it on my eyes while I'm enjoying a nice pampering bath to treat the delicate eye area. If like me you're a bit blasé over micellar solutions, try the Caudalie Make-up Remover Cleansing Water and be prepared to get wowed and excited over micellar waters all over again. 

5 Skin care travel essentials

For someone who hates flying I seem to spend an awful lot of time on airplanes and now it's time to hit the road, or shall I say airwaves again as I'm off to visit my family for a few days. When it comes to traveling, I like to keep it simple so that I have as few things as possible to log around and of course I also like to keep some free space in the suitcase for any things I might possibly - read very probably, pick up while I'm away. When I visit my family I quite cheekily use whatever hair care and body care products are around since it's only for a few days, but one thing I won't compromise on is my skincare and by now I've got my travel skin care routine down to a t. The magic word behind the routine is multi purpose, one product with several uses which means that I, the self confessed beauty junky only need a measly 5 skin care items when I'm away on a short trip.    

When I'm away for a few days I won't take an exfoliator with me, so it's even more important for me to have a great cleanser with me, and my preferred choice is the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution (£4.50). Normally I would only use a micellar solution as part of my morning routine, but when I travel it's so practical to get an eye makeup remover, cleanser and toner in one - what a space and time saver! It's a very mild but effective alcohol free cleanser that removes every single trace of makeup from your eyes and face, even stubborn water proof makeup. To get rid of all my makeup I'll use perhaps 2 cotton pads, and that's enough to make the skin feeling clinically clean and soft without any dehydration at all. Although this original micellar solution is no longer the hottest thing in Blogiverse, I still think it's the best one and I always make sure that I have one in this handy travel size.

I may not bring an exfoliator with me, but I always make sure that I have a generous amount of Origins Drink Up Intensive (£22) Overnight Mask with me. It contains seaweed which is well known for nourishing the skin and to help it retain moisture and it makes the skin feel brand new - overnight it makes your skin hydrated, soft and smooth. This is a life saver when you're traveling since you can use it not only as a mask or an intense night cream, but you can use it to target specific areas that have caught a bit too much sun, and even as a fabulously rich and creamy pre-moisturising treatment. It's an incredible product, worth every penny and I can't get enough of the gorgeous scent of whipped cream and orange.

Another fabulous travel product is the Clarins Face Treatment Oil Santal (£32) for dry/extra dry skin. Like all the Clarins treatment oils it's a very luxurious and rich oil based on 100% pure plant extracts and this is perfect to hydrate, calm and decongest the skin and you'll quickly see a noticeable difference with your skin appearing plump, smooth and soft as a peach. I like to use this before applying moisturiser since it doesn't cause any shininess, or as a rich nightcream. I also keep a tiny bottle of this in my hand luggage and when I feel uncomfortable with turbulence etc, which I inevitably do - the curse of being a nervous flyer, I warm up a tiny drop of the oil between the palms of my hands and breathe it in. It may sound a little bit crazy, but the gorgeous warm spicy and slightly sweet cardamom scent that reminds me of newly baked buns, helps me relax - whatever works right?

Flying, too much sun, insufficient sleep, air conditioning - it can all dehydrate the skin so my favorite travel moisturiser is the Estée Lauder Hydrationist Maximum Moisture Creme (£35). The formula is like a wonderful velvety soft gel that boosts the skin with intense moisture and then helps to retain that level of hydration throughout the day. It's lovely and light and absorbs straight away into the skin making your skin feel invigorated and refreshed. What I like most about Hydrationist is that my skin still feels lovely and smooth in the evening after using it, and it's just that kind of moisture that you need when you're stuck on an airplane for a good few hrs.

The last out of my 5 skin care travel essentials is the lovely and refreshing Dermalogica Total Eye Care (£37) which is great for hydrating, strengthening and smoothing the under eye area. The consistency is light and fluffy without any oiliness at all and it feels lovely and light weight on the skin. I never manage to get any sleep when I fly, so I usually land tired and with big dark circles under my eyes, and this is when this eye cream comes so handy. Total Eye Care has a subtle nude color and it contains light reflecting particles so when you apply it, it'll reduce the appearance of dark circles and make the eye area look so bright and fresh with a subtle radiance, to the extent that you won't even need an under eye concealer.

There you have it - 5 multi purpose skin saviors for traveling, and I'm even so conscious of space that I put the bigger products in travel sized bottles and pots... I must be getting old... What are your must have products for traveling?

March empties

Can you believe it's time for empties again? What ever happens to the days I wonder, and I'm convinced that the bad economy and inflation these past few years even has impacted time - an hour is somehow shorter than it used to be. Again I have tried my hardest this month to finish up as many products as possible and in the end I'm quite pleased with the results - 8 products that can go in the bin, which equals the right to buy 8 new products, that's the rule isn't it?

Let's start with some skin care products. Ever since I finished my beloved Gatineau Floracil (£29.50), a strong contender for the world champion title of eye makeup removers, I've been using the L'Oréal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution (£4.99), the well known dupe for the original micellar solution - Bioderma. It's a great, effective and gentle all-in-one product, removing both face and eye makeup without stinging your eyes, and it also acts as a toner. The only thing I seriously dislike about it is the packaging, or more specifically the fact that there is no effective dispenser at the top of the bottle - just a big hole. This means that if you drop the bottle, or you're not careful with closing the top, the solution goes everywhere. That should be easy enough to fix and hopefully L'Oréal will do something about it eventually. Even though I prefer to use micellar solutions from other brands as part of my morning routine, I still like to use the L'Oréal 3 in 1 solution as an eye makeup remover, and at such an affordable price it's super value for money.

On to the St. Grape Aqua Bliss Natural Face and Body Scrub (£12) which is an amazing luxurious bath scrub containing natural mineral sea salt, essential oils and vitamin e. The formula is light, fluffy and creamy and the salt grains are so fine that they start to melt immediately when you scoop it out of the jar. The scrub is so delicate and gentle on the skin, leaving it smooth and supple with a gorgeous and quite strong scent of delicate jasmine. You can use this both on your body and face, but since I'm cautious of using strongly perfumed products on my face I stick to using it as a body scrub. It's a fantastic indulgent product, perfect for a pampering evening and I will get another one as soon as I've finished some of my other body scrubs.

We've come to the section of hair products for this month starting with the Avon Naturals Apricot and Shea Leave-in Treatment (£2.50). It's a lovely light cream, almost of the same consistency as a conditioner, that you apply to towel dried hair and it makes your hair very silky and so much easier to detangle. But the best thing about it is the incredible scent of sun-kissed juicy apricots and luxurious shea butter that stays on your hair and if you apply it in the evening, you'll still smell it in the morning when you wake up. This is one of the few Avon hair products that really works on my hair, and the smell of  a creamy fresh apricot smoothie is just irresistible.

Of course we have a dry shampoo as well - the TRESemme Instant Refresh Radiance Dry Shampoo Translucent Formula (£5.25). It's a slightly revamped version of the original TRESemme dry shampoo that doesn't leave that white powdery residue on your hair that some dry shampoos can do which is great, and it has that lovely recognizable fresh TRESemme scent that lingers on your hair. It's a decent dry shampoo however personally I don't find it quite as effective at oil control as some of the others I've used from Batiste or Dove, and I can't say that I've noticed that it adds any radiance as it promises either. Since it is a bit more expensive than other brands, but it doesn't have the same effect on my hair I won't be repurchasing this.

If you've followed my posts on Operation Rapunzel, you'll know that I have been using the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment (£7.99) faithfully since October last year to help my hair to grow. The treatment is a protein enriched masque that you use after shampoo but before conditioner, and it helps to nourish the scalp and follicles for healthy hair. It's a gorgeous creamy formula with a delicious nutty scent that reminds me of the Macadamia range, and it makes the hair feel extremely soft and nourished. After more than 3 months of use, my hair had grown almost 6 cms, and although it might not be down only to this lovely treatment, it's certainly helped to keep my hair sleek and glossy. I can't recommend this wonderful masque enough, and in fact I would say - buy two at the same time to make sure you don't run out.

When I first got the L'Oréal False Lash Flutter Mascara (£10.99) I had some mixed feelings about it, that you may remember from a separate review I did in November (see here). Although the formula starts off quite thin, it does add a wonderful length, and as the formula thickens it also adds quite a lot of volume to the lashes. Another plus point is the fabulous fanned butterfly wing effect on the lashes that the very scary looking brush creates and the mascara also wears great throughout the day. What I found most difficult to get used to is the brush - it's big, sturdy, heavy in the hand and the shape makes it difficult to reach the inner lashes and to get a nice even coverage of the lower lashes, at least until you get used to is and you find a way to use it that works for you. Despite my initial struggles with the brush I absolutely love the dramatic lash effect this mascara creates, and truth be told I have already bought another one, and can't wait to start using it again.

This month I've finished another fragrance, Flora by Gucci - Glamorous Magnolia EdT (£48.50) one of the amazing scents from Gucci's Floral Garden range. I'm a massive fan of the original Flora scent, but the Floral Garden range is far from your garden variety of perfumes and Glamorous Magnolia is a fabulous, fresh, soft and sensual modern scent. It blends delicate white flowers with lots of character like magnolia and freesia with warm peony, invigorating citrus fruits and warm, earthy musk and wood. It's such a cool, crisp and glamorous scent and it's perfect for warm, sweltering summer days. Glamorous Magnolia - you will be sorely missed... at least until I get bottle of you, and this time I'm going large!

Last but not least is a candle that I bought just before Christmas, and I know what you're thinking - what, that's months ago? But the reason for not showing it sooner is that it burns up to 170 hrs, so it's lasted me aaaages. I had never tried this brand before but the Village Candle in Mulled Cider (£17.25) smelt so delicious of warm, sweet fruity and slightly spicy cider that I just had to have it. It came with two wicks and burnt really well from side to side, deep into the glass jar, with next to nothing left of it. The Village Candles look and smell so similar to the Yankee Candles that you can easily mistake them for each other, although the Village Candles might be slightly lower priced. With 170 hrs burn time, these candles are excellent value for money and I would definitely try this brand again. If you have tried both Yankee and Village Candles I'd love to hear if you think there's a difference between them and which you prefer?

Winter skincare

As much as I like to experiment and try new products, by now I think I have figured out what my skin needs and when it needs it, so I have a fairly clear view of what types of products I need to have in my skin care kit even though I might change brands. Except for the occasional hormonal break out, I have normal to combination skin and my biggest challenge all year around is battling dehydration. As if it's not enough with the horrible weather we've had lately; storms, rain and the cold, I sit in front of a computer all day long, enjoying the benefits of central heating which sounds cushy and cosy, but it all takes a toll on the skin. So in the winter time this means I have to bring out the big skin care guns and use products that are gentle on the skin and that cleanse and exfoliate without stripping it back, but that also give deep hydration and nourishment to keep my skin supple and smooth. This winter these are the hero products that have helped to maintain my skin.

Like most of us I don't have much time to get ready in the morning, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I prioritise a couple of minutes of more sleep over a time consuming morning routine, so using a micellar water works perfectly for me. The Gatineau Gentle Cleansing Micellar Water (£19) is a very gentle solution that cleanses, moisturises and soothes at the same time. It's suitable even for very sensitive skin, so I know that it won't cause any irritation or make my skin feel tight. Just like Bioderma this product makes your skin feel as clean as if you had done a proper deep cleanse, and all that after a quick sweep with a cotton pad - perfect!

This micellar water also works to remove eye- and face makeup (including waterproof) so I've been using it in the evenings as to take off my eye makeup before using my Caudalie Instant Foaming Cleanser (£15). Micellar waters are great when you need a quick fix but for me there's no replacing a great cleansing product in the evenings to make sure the skin is nice and clean before applying all the night products. You may remember that I've mentioned this cleanser before - it has the most wonderful light and fluffy, cloud like consistency and it kind of "pops" on your skin. It contains grape extracts, sage and camomile that soothes and purifies the skin, and it's so gentle that you can definitely use it twice a day if you so choose, and the refreshing cucumber scent is a lovely pick me up after a long day.

Call me old school, but I like to use a toner after I've used a cleanser to make sure that there's no product at all left on my skin and Clarins Toning Lotion with Camomile (£18) works beautifully together with the Caudalie cleanser, and it helps to rebalance and stimulate the skin's moisture level. It's has a zesty sligthly peppery invigorating scent and a little tip if you don't want to buy an expensive facial spray is to pour some of this in a spray bottle and you can use this throughout the day instead and you'll get almost the same effect.

As you can tell, all these products are about gentle every day cleansing, but at the same time it's essential to get rid of dead skin cells to make room for new ones to push up from underneath, so a few times a week I exfoliate using Origins Modern Friction (£33) - "Natures Gentle Dermabrasion" (in the photo I show a limited edition packaging but it's the same formula as the original). What I like the most about this is the consistency, which is very fine and granular since it uses rice starch as the exfoliating ingredient and although it's gentle, you can feel that it definitely gets the job done. I prefer to use this on damp skin to get a lovely creamy foaming consistency but you can use it on dry skin as well. I find that it gives amazing radiance without any redness or irritation, and since it also has a great aromatic spa scent, this ticks all the boxes for me.

The perfect partner to Modern Friction is the well known, super hyped Origins Drink Up Intensive (£22) Overnight Mask. It contains seaweed that helps not only to repair the skin but also to retain moisture. Is it worth the hype? Absolutely 100% yes. For me this is THE Holy Grail product, that makes your skin look plump, supple, nourished and hydrated. I'll use this at least 3-4 times a week either after my exfoliator, or as a double intense night cream - applying one coat immediately after I've removed my makeup for the evening, and then another coat a few hrs later just before I go to bed, and I have even used this as a pre-moisturising treatment. It is FANTASTIC and the beautiful creamy orange peel candy scent just makes it even more lovely to use and the price for 100ml is more than reasonable. If you haven't tried Drink Up Intensive yet, it should definitely go on your list of products to try this year - you won't regret it!

 

I like to use serums and oils as part of my skin routine and during the winter there's nothing like Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil (£30) for a mega boost of moisture. It's a fairly heavy oil, intended for dry or extra dry skin based on 100% pure plant extracts that soothe, tone, hydrate and decongest the skin. You only need a tiny drop to massage all over your skin or just a specific area that needs some TLC before applying moisturiser, and fortunately it comes with a pipette so it's easy to get exactly the right amount. It is a rich oil, but as long as you only use a tiny amount there's no need to worry about shininess during the day, and it immediately makes the skin look smooth, plump and it feels soft as velvet. Last but not least I have to mention the scent because I absolutely adore it. It's a warm, aromatic and slightly sweet cardamom scent, almost like something from a bakery it's so comforting and relaxing - and if this was a perfume I'd wear it every single day.

For the delicate eye area I've used Kiehl's Avocado Eye Treatment (£33) which is rich in ingredients to protect and nourish the skin and that builds up moisture. If feels heavy on the skin when you first apply it but it absorbs very quickly, almost turning liquidy and it doesn't leave any shininess at all. The eye area feels protected, bright and soft and you can also use this as a masque both around the eye area and the lip contour,applying a thicker layer and then just letting it absorb naturally for 15-20 mins.

After the eye cream I apply the Gatineau Melatogenine Aox Probiotic Advanced Rejuvenating Cream (£76.25) - now that's a mouthful... It's a very luxurious, rich anti-ageing cream which is more for mature skin, and although I fortunately don't have any real issues with that yet, there's nothing wrong with starting well in advance to try and prevent wrinkles and sagging, or at least delay the inevitable as long as possible. It adds an intense boost of moisture and in the evening when I remove the day's makeup my skin still feels hydrated and nourished which is exactly what I want from a moisturiser. Another reason why I love this cream so much is because of the instant radiance that it gives, and my slightly blue tinted skin tone in winter all of a sudden looks glowy, rested and fresh without having to use any fake tan.

For night time I've turned to an old friend, the Decléor Aromessence Iris Night Balm (£34.50) which I've used during the last few winters and it's amazing for restoring skin that has been battered by the cold and wind. In the jar the balm has a very firm texture but as soon as you rub it between your fingertips, the essential oils heat up and as soon you apply, it just melts into the skin, making it feel very nourished and protected. The skins does feel a little bit sticky from the oils, although that is gradually absorbed into the skin and when you wake up in the morning the skin looks stimulated, rested and refreshed - a great intensive treatment.

The last two products I've used regularly, at least a few times a day starting with the wonderful Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment (£20) which a great moisturiser and softener for both hands and nails and it's almost like it forms a protective soft glove over your hands and it definitely helps to nourish and maintain the cuticles too. The finishing touch of my skin routine, morning and evening as always has been the Caudalie Beauty Elixir (£9.20 - currently on amazing sale from Escentual). This is the limited edition design by L'Wren Scott, but it's exactly the same formula and scent as the original Caudalie. I love this facial mist and find that not only does it help to boost moisture levels and add radiance but the lovely aromatic scent is so energising and perfect to carry with you in your hand bag for a little spritz every now and then to freshen up your skin and makeup.

My skin has actually been behaving quite well this winter (touch wood) and I'm convinced it's not just because the products are suitable for my skin type, but I think it's also down to finding a regular routine and then sticking with for a reasonable amount of time to give the products an actual chance to do their magic. What products have you used this winter and is there something you recommend that I try?

Face Off - The cleansing waters

Cleansing waters and micellar solutions are the hottest thing since hair straighteners, and have gone from being a beauty bloggers cult item, to something we can easily find in Superdrug or Boots. They come in all prices and are available for all skin types.

Products from this new generation of cleansers all have in common that they are soap free and gentle on the skin, so would suit the most sensitive among us. You use them just like a toner - soak a cotton pad in the solution and you're ready to get rid of make up or to cleanse your face in the morning, just with a simple sweep. I've matched a couple of products against each other and here are my thoughts on them.

In the first corner we have an old friend of mine - Clarins Water Comfort One-Step Cleanser with Peach Essential Water. While I'm very familiar with one, the others were new to me and I was really looking forward to trying them. This goes in particular for the product in the second corner - beauty bloggers no 1 favourite Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution. In the third corner we have L'Oréal's dupe for Bioderma, L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution and the last contender is Decleor Aroma Cleanse Soothing Micellar Water, another brand that I know well - although not this particular product.

So lets get ready to cleanse!

I have been using Clarins Water Comfort One-Step Cleanser with Peach Essential Water for about 4 months now, and I mainly use it as part of my morning routine, although I have also used it on evenings when I was too tired to do a proper cleanse, and it does a good job. It is very gentle on the skin, and the yummy peach smell helps to make your skin feel refreshed. However because it is so gentle I'm not sure how effective it would be on days when you wear full makeup with heavier foundation, blush, bronzer, highlighter - hmmm, I'm sceptical. When I first got the cleanser I didn't read the instructions properly so I thought I could use it both for eye and face makeup, but it really stung my eyes and since then I always use a separate eye make up remover before using this product, so while it may be fresh, gentle and lovely smelling, an all-in-one cleanser it is not.

I was so excited to try the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution since I've heard so much about it. Expectations were sky high and I was prepared to be underwhelmed. This is an alcohol-free, super mild cleanser that removes both face and eye makeup in one sweep and you don't need a lot either. It smells of absolutely nothing, actually less than nothing - it's the strangest sensation, it's as if it's in a fragrance vacuum. The complete lack of smell adds to the clinically clean feeling you're left with after you've used it. Now I can be funny about products that have been super hyped, and thought to myself that I wouldn't be seduced that easily, but I completely get it. Bioderma is absolutely amazing!

Let's move on to L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution which is often called a dupe for Bioderma. Considering I was so impressed with Bioderma, this product had a lot to live up to and since I'd never used any of L'Oréal's cleansing products previously, I wasn't sure what to expect. Similar to Bioderma this is an all-in-one product, so it removes both face and eye makeup without stinging your eyes, and it also tones and soothes the skin. It's very effective and makes your skin feel thoroughly cleansed. I can see why fans of Bioderma may find this a good substitute, and it's excellent value for money - all in all a very positive surprise!

The last contender is Decleor Acoma Cleanse Soothing Micellar Water. I always seem to have one or two Décleor products as part of my routine mainly because I love the concept of Aromessence. This micellar water also contains essentials oil - camomile, neroli, lavendar and majoram and essential waters from rose, sweet clover and mallow. The only scent that you really pick up on though is the very subtle one of roses. This is supposed to remove both face and eye make up but I would not recommend that. I don't have either sensitive eyes or skin, but when I used it on my eyes it really stung and my eyes kept on watering, for the next 10 mins or so. That unfortunately was the deciding factor for me - I really wanted to like this but I won't be repurchasing, when there are so many other fantastic options to choose from. 

So - after 4 intense but clean rounds we have a winner. It's not a knock out, but it's a win on points. And for me the winner is.....

 

It has everything you could want - it removes both face and eye makeup equally effectively but gently, and leaves your skin feeling amazingly clean without any dry patches or irritation. I also like the fact that it comes in so many different sizes so you can have a small one in the gym bag or carry on luggage, big one in the bathroom etc. But what nudged it ahead of the runner up - L'Oréal, was that I really disliked the L'Oréal 3 in 1 packaging. When you flick open the cap and if the bottle isn't upright or it's new and very full, the solution goes everywhere since there's no nozzle or anything to prevent that from happening.

I will definitely re-purchase Bioderma and for me it's the champion of light weight cleansing!

I want to finish by recommending that you check out Female Blogger RT, which is a network to help female bloggers to grow their audience and if you're a new blogger like myself, networks like these are amazing!