Vichy Purete Thermale Purifying Foaming Cream Cleanser

Do you always use the same facial cleansers? Or do you change brands once you are through with your current one?

I was very much into one from Estee Lauder called the Perfectly Clean Foaming Facial Cleanser which filled my needs but sort of lacked the umph that I was looking for. I went through a few different ones, mostly drugstore brands with different price points. None did it for me and the current one Total Effects Revitalizing Foaming Cleanser by Olay supposedly claims to deliver 7 anti-aging properties in one! I am sorry to report that it did not deliver even on its basic claim which is "thorough cleansing while enhancing skins natural radiance" - quite disappointing.

My cleansing routine with makeup on is to first use a cleansing cloth to remove all makeup especially waterproof stuff off my face. I then follow up with a cleanser to thoroughly cleanse whatever is left. This ensures that there are no traces of makeup and takes care of my skin. There is nothing like the feel of a freshly cleansed face after a long day of wearing makeup, I tell you. The problem with Olay was that each time I washed my face, it still did not feel clean. When I look in the mirror, I certainly saw a clean face with no trace of makeup but when I used a toner which I sometimes do just to have a once over around the hairline and on my neck which are notorious places that hold traces of foundation and soap, I noticed that there was a whole lot of residue on the cotton pad! And this was consistent everyday. I wash my face three times a day - once in the morning, again in the evening as soon as I get back from work and then once more before I retire for the night. I only use a toner in the evening (sometimes) and morning to prep my face for my makeup. So all in all, this cleanser does nothing to achieve a thoroughly cleansed face.

I recently became interested in the Vichy range of products which are available at our pharmacies and my first purchase was this cream cleanser. The clincher? The fact that it is parabens free and does not dry the skin. I was sold from the first use. I loved the scent which is fresh yet mild and the creamy consistency of it as well as the fact that you do not need to use a whole lot to clean your face.

The claims are that it will cleanse from deep within without leaving your skin feeling dry and indeed I can say that this is true. My skin feels fresh and soft as well as cleansed well after I use this and I love that. Its plain, simple, no frills and no silly claims about a million other things it can do for me while cleansing.....I like that.

Here are the ingredients which I could not take a picture of as there was a sticker in the way. I took this list from the Vichy website:-

WATER • GLYCERIN • POTASSIUM MYRISTATE • PALMITIC ACID • MYRISTIC ACID • POTASSIUM LAURATE • POTASSIUM PALMITATE • POTASSIUM STEARATE • SODIUM COCOYL GLYCINATE • LAURIC ACID • PEG-32 STEARATE • PEG-6 STEARATE • BUTYLENE GLYCOL • PENTYLENE GLYCOL • STEARIC ACID • PHENOXYETHANOL • TOCOPHEROL • DISODIUM EDTA • CAPRYLYL GLYCOL • BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII SEEDCAKE EXTRACT / SHEA BUTTER SEEDCAKE EXTRACT • FRAGRANCE

What facial cleansers are currently on your list of favourites? Vichy Purete Thermale Purifying Foaming Cream Cleanser is certainly on mine!

Loreal De-Maq Expert - Ultra Make Up Remover

My make up routine has changed so much in the last year, especially so with the addition of primers and I find that I now am more thorough with my cleansing at the end of the day to ensure that I get all the product off my face. I can bet that you too, dear readers, now use primers as part of your make up routine? 

For me primers really help keep my make-up looking fresh for a longer time - and we all work long hours right and want to make sure that our make-up does not melt off by midday especially so in the heat of Malaysia. For me, having combination skin makes keeping my make-up on and looking fresh a challenge but with primers on my eyelids and as a base now has revolutionized the staying power of my make-up.   

On a recent trip with the family up north a few hours to Ipoh, I came across this curiously named item at the mall. It's called the "De-Maq Expert" which is an ultra concentrated make-up remover - I can picture someone sitting by a window with their brow furrowed, trying to come up with something fancier than, say, "Make Up Remover"!

I already own and religiously use several different brands of make-up removers so I was keen to try out something different.

This product comes in a 100ml tube with a pop cap which makes for convenient dispensing of this gel like, ever so lightly yellow tinted substance. It has a light, sort of grassy smell which I found to be quite pleasant. Because the slightly oily, gel like substance is not runny, it's easy to dispense a small blob of this and work into the face. No need to first wet the face, just put a small amount on your fingers and work it into your skin. You will be surprised to see how well the products on your face sort of melt off!

Be sure to keep this away from your eyes until you are ready to wash this off because if the product gets into your eyes, there will be a few minutes of cloudiness experienced. I did not feel a sting, rather a slight irritation caused by the clouding in my eyes.

I start on my cheeks and work my way around the nose area, on my lips, along the hairline and my forehead before closing my eyes and massaging around the eyes concentrating on the inner corner of the eyes and the lashes. Be sure to keep your eyes tightly closed at this point. After you are done, take a little water and work it into the face to emulsify the gel which then turns into a milky substance. Rinse off well with water. I follow up with a cleanser to remove the product completely.

To be honest, there is one item that I stay away from because of the difficulty involved in removing them well, and that is waterproof mascara. I love them and have a few brands that make my lashes look very lush but hate the amount of work that goes into removing them properly. But since I have purchased this, I have been bringing out all my waterproof mascara's and having a blast with them as they come off easily with this product!  

I must say that I am very happy with this product! Other oil based removers I use, are effective but oily and I have to make sure I follow up with a good cleanser afterward. With this, I do use a cleanser, but at least I am not fumbling with opening it because of my oily hands and then getting the sink all oily.....too much work!

A decent amount of this gel is all that is needed to effectively remove all my make-up. If you see these pictures, you can see how the product has turned brown as my foundation is removed.

All my eye make-up off, concealer under the eye, has virtually melted after a gentle rub of the gel....no vigorous rubbing necessary.

Below is a list of the ingredients:- I don't see any parabens in the ingredients list which is a good thing. The product claims to be suitable for sensitive skin too. I did not break out in spots after using this. As with every product I use, I am very cautious in the beginning and I use new products every other day in the first week. If I do not break out in spots, then I know this product is suitable....I have used this for close to a month now with no breakouts. Each skin reacts differently to different products so please be careful when you try something new.

For a price of RM27.90, I think this is well worth it - there is no need to use much as the product is concentrated enough to make a small amount go a very long way.  I have also tried just using this product and then rinsing it off without following up with a cleanser, but my skin did not feel truly comfortable. Also, instead of washing off the product, I have used a facial wipe - this worked for me but again, I am the sort who likes a 'clean feel' face at the end of the day so its an individual thing.

Tip! Which Lotion Comes First?

As consumers we are bombarded with lots of lotions and potions that each claim to perform some miracle on our faces and with agressive advertising we always get the impression that every product that comes out is "THE " product to have! I suspect that most of us don't have the three basic products - cleanser, toner moisturizer but rather a whole host of products in each category and if you are cofused as to which order to use them then do I have a tip for you.

Read on!

Always, always CLEANSE and EXFOLIATE first. The only way to start is with a clean face. If your face is not clean, then you are likely to clog your pores further by adding and layering products on your face.

STEP 1a: CLEANSING

Cleansing is also a crucial step. Check your cleansing routine. Some years ago, I discovered that I was not cleansing the area close to my hairline well. I began having breakouts in this area and upon investigation I realized that my cleansing routine was wrong.

Start by spashing some water on your face. This is important to allow your cleanser to mix with the water and begin its work. Then squeeze or pour out a decent measure of cleanser on the tips of your wet fingers and rub well to produce lather. Once this is done, start working the cleanser on your face. I begin with my t-zone (my nose and forehead) and then move to my cheeks and then all around my eye area, lip area, near the hairline, close to the earlobes and under my chin as well as my neck. Gently rub in circular movements for a minute or two.

Once you complete this step, splash your face with water and focus on your hairline, around the eyes, and on the neck to remove all traces of cleanser. You are done once you gently pat a towel on your face to remove the moisture.

STEP 1b: EXFOLIATING

I usually exfoliate once a week or if I do have time, at night while I am showering. This helps deep cleanse the face and remove stuff like dead skin cells. Exfoliating also reveals the freshest layer of skin on your face and if done well, you should notice a brighter and slightly fairer face after. Too  much exfoliating is not good as it can lead to redness blotchy skin. So take it easy on this one.

STEP 2: TONING

This is an optional step for some people and always comes AFTER cleansing. At this point, your face is still a little damp.

Take a piece of cotton wool - they come in squares or circles in packs and are really cheap. I personally prefer the circular ones because I feel they are thicker. Splash a few drops of toner on your cotton piece and sweep over face concentrating on areas around the hairline and close to the earlobes. Don't be surprised to find some last traces of makeup on the cotton.

Toning will tighten up pores and preps the skin to receive all other products. If you don't have large pores and oily skin (lucky you!) then by all means skip this step.

STEP 3: SERUMS AND TREATMENTS

If you have a serum then now is the time to put it on. Rub your fingers together to warm it up and then pump or pour out a little of the product on them. Rub your fingers together to spread the product and gently swipe on your face. Let it set and settle for a few seconds. Give your skin time to absorb the product before you move on to the next step.

STEP 4: MOISTURIZING  

A good tip is to buy a moisturizer with an SPF factor of at least 15. What is an SPF you ask? SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor.

A sunscreen with an SPF of 15 filters 92% of the UVB. Put another way, a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 will delay the onset of a sunburn in a person who would otherwise burn in 10 minutes to burn in 150 minutes. The SPF 15 sunscreen allows a person to stay out in the sun 15 times longer. (Taken from About.com - dermatology)

UVB (or ultra violet) rays are bad and small amounts of these are emitted from your computer screen and flourescent lighting too (surprised right?!). Wearing a moisturizer with SPF will give you some measure of protection from this.

Again, with moisturizer, get some on your fingers and rub between fingers to dispers and then apply on your face. Do also factor in some for your neck....this is often overlooked and will begin to show signs of ageing later in life so better start taking care of it now!

So there you have it. Hope this was useful!

Is “Cleanse-Tone-Moisturize” your beauty routine?

For the longest time I believed that the three-step routine was effective in maintaining great skin. Now that I am in my thirties, I am not too sure that this is sufficient anymore!

I came across an article in the Ladies Home Journal some time back that discussed this issue and they have given us a guideline as to what we should add to our routine and what could be left out.

Exfoliator – Add to routine

• The skins natural shedding process slows down when we age and thus adding this gem to your beauty arsenal is a must! I use Aesop’s Tea Tree Leaf Facial Exfoliant which does a decent job of exfoliating.
• There are scrubs that are sold mixed in cleansers now so there is really a wide variety to choose from. I believe that the St. Ives Apricot Scrub was a firm favorite of most people at some point in their lives!

Serum – Consider adding to routine

• It is believed that the thin liquid texture allows for the ingredients to penetrate deeper into the skin and the fact that it can be layered under sunscreen or moisturizer gives this an added appeal. I am all for stuff that can penetrate the deeper levels of the skin.
  

Eye Cream – Consider adding to routine

• I do believe that those who have dark circles and crow’s feet around this sensitive area must use something to help with the problem. My advice is don’t leave it until it is too late to try and reverse the damage! I reached for the eye cream only when I realized that I was looking more and more like a panda than a regular girl before I looked for creams to treat this area. Estee Lauder has their eye cream which though rich and creamy, I must say did not really deliver for me. I have moved on to other creams now.
• Those with no specific problems may choose to use a moisturizer without acids around the eyes at night which will do the job of keeping the area nice and plump.
  

Facial Mask – Consider adding to routine

• This may not be important for everyone but it can help your skin retain moisture or help clear away excess oil. Go easy on the masks though, not more than twice a week. I remember, because of my oily skin in my younger days, I used a clay based mask every other day as I liked the squeaky clean feel after using the mask. Not good! I realized that my skin went into overdrive and started secreting even more oil. Moderation is key – I learnt the hard way!!

Toner – Skip it!

• Funny how I swear by the toner to tighten my pores but once I sat down and had a good think about it, I could skip this step and my pores remain the same size. The article said that toners may contain witch hazel or ethyl-alcohol which strip the skin of essential oils and gives the skin a ‘tight’ feel but there are no positive effects of this product.
• Getting used to one product may make it difficult to stop but like me, you should give it a try.
• Use gentler toners if this step is one that you are fond of…..I know skipping a step in my daily beauty routine makes me feel like I have ‘forgotten’ something the whole day and by the time I get round to figuring out what this is, my day is over and it’s too late!

So, ladies, which step have you added or eliminated from your beauty routine?