The skin products I’ve finally finished covers some skincare superstars and some skincare super-mehs. So follow me inside and let’s start with a lip mask.
Apa Lip Loofah is, in a beauty world suddenly filled with lip scrubs and masks of every type, a ‘clinical’, cosmetic dentist developed product that was a dream for me to use on my dry lips. I included it in a post featuring [products under 30$] for a number of reasons including the fact that it didn’t rip my lips apart, it delivered much-needed hydration and smoothed over the (unwanted) lip cracks.
Atzen Balance Cleansing Milk is a creamy, pH balancing cleanser that I slowly came to adore. I appreciated the pump top and the fact that I could see exactly how much product was inside. This is a gentle yet effective formula that I reached for as a morning cleanser especially and also as an end of day first cleanser. With jojoba, calendula and green tea, Atzen’s cleanser was a gentle giant of a skin product that I’d suggest for all skin types but especially for dry, sensitive/allergic or maturing skin.
This is my third tube of Differin gel this year. After realising it’s available over the counter even though it’s a retinoid, I’ve become a devotee because it’s the ideal ‘maintenance’ product, especially if you you want to try a retinoid but don’t want or can’t access prescription strength. After using it for the very first time, I experienced some flakiness and dry patches but now that my skin is experienced with it, dry patches or flakiness no longer occurs. Consistent sunscreen use is non-negotiable while using Differin or any retinoids. So if you decide to try this, sunscreen is your automatic second step for daytime because retinoids make your skin more photo (sun)-sensitive.
Chanel No5 The Body Cream is the ultimate luxury skin product in this list for so many reasons. It smells as charming and feels as [luxurious] as you’d expect and lasts forever. If you ever wanted to try N°5 fragrance without the commitment, this may be the best way to experience it. The scent lingers all day and whenever I wore this, especially when layered under a Chanel fragrance, it never failed to perk me up, as any good scent should.
The second cleanser I’ve finished lately is the Votary Cleansing Oil Rose Geranium and Apricot. Of all the skin products on this list, this is the one I went from enjoying to realising I wanted to move away from. Oils, whether it’s the cleansing or hydrating type for the face is a must-have for many more people now than it was in years passed. But, while Votary’s cleansing Oil did its job to break down and emulsify makeup, making it easier to remove, I’m much happier with a cleansing cream or cleansing milk.
Which leads me to Biologique Recherche’s Lait VIP 02, a skin product I regard as the best cleansing milk I’ve used thus far. It’s a sentiment I echoed in the post [3 Current Cleansers and The One I’ll Always Repurchase] Highlights of Lait VIP 02 is that it’s an anti-pollution cleanser with lactic acid, mimosa bark extract, salicylic acid and cucumber extract. It’s creamy, has a mild yoghurt scent, leaves skin looking brighter and overtime improves skin’s texture. It comes in three sizes so the 1.7oz size makes the perfect travel companion.
In the rarefied air of cult skin products, Biologique Recherche Lotion P50V may just be the one sitting prettiest. This isn’t a typical toner, nor is it just another acid loaded product that you’re ‘supposed’ to have.
Here’s what’s in it: lactic acid, malic acid, citric acid, phytic acid, yeast extract, horseradish root extract, capsicum, walnut seed extract, salicylic acid and vinegar.
What Is Lotion P50V: It’s an enzymatic exfoliator and pre-treatment for the skin. This means it exfoliates without relying on grains or granules and it also hydrates and balances the skin. The active ingredients do the exfoliating work and yes, it stings a bit especially when you first begin to use it.
Experience has taught me that my skin responds better to Lotion P50V when I use it every other day or even every third day. Also, I now use it with gauze instead of cotton. To me, cotton wastes the product, so if you fold a gauze square into ‘fours’ or ‘quarters’, it feels a bit cushiony. That way, you can use one or two sides of the gauze for either side of your face.
Lotion P50 comes in six formulas, with each one targeted at different skin types. There’s a phenol version that’s available in the US but not in Europe although Biologique Recherche is a French brand. It also helps with skin bumps, acne and hyperpigmentation scars. Before purchasing this product, ensure to read about which formula suits your skin type. And the last thing to know about Lotion P50V or any of the other formulas is that it should never be used around your eye contour. Also, buying options for all Biologique Recherche products is done through specific stockists online. I recommend Rescue Spa as they ship quickly. As with any skincare product, true results will take time, so I’d conservatively say to allow six to eight weeks of consistent use before seeing true changes. But prior to that, your skin may go through an adjustment period because of how active it is. So is it a game-changer? It’s a powerful product that many, many people swear by so the only way to know is to give it a try, but it gets my vote without hesitation.
I finally finished using Chanel Le Lift Crème Yeux (eye cream) and I do miss it. It was easy to use, felt good on the skin and after a couple of months, I started seeing some improvement in my eye contour’s overall appearance. It was also good at tackling puffiness, smoothing the area and it also worked well under makeup and eye-sunscreen.
The only real downside is that it finished faster than I anticipated. Le Lift usually makes the ‘best of’ lists and I now know why but it’s an ‘investment’. Using up products feels a bit like Christmas because it’s an excuse to try new things and in this role, it helps me to help you, so I hope this helps.
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