Rimmel London, Scandaleyes Waterproof Khol Kajal Eye Liner - Product Review

Hello!

Today I want to talk about a product everyone should have on their makeup kits: the Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Khol Kajal Eye Liner in the color Nude. It’s a wonderful drugstore multitasking product that will suit both beginners and people already versed in makeup.

This eye pencil has been raved about by every Beauty Guru for being the first waterproof khol in a nude color sold by a drugstore brand. Before it came up on the market, there weren’t many natural colored eye pencil options to use in the waterline besides the ones from higher-end brands. The thing is: I haven’t heard much talk about this product’s versatility. And that’s just a pity because the most amazing thing about this item is that it is good at fulfilling many of your makeup needs.

So let’s jump into it:

Face

Corrector

If you follow my blog posts you must know by now that I struggle with dark circles. Under-eye concealer has long become my best ally. However, I’ve also came to the realization that counteracting my circles’ purplish-blue color before I apply my concealer makes a world of a difference. Well, this eye pencil does a great job doing so. Since it has peachy undertones to it, it really helps disguising the blue tinges. I like to apply it not long after I’ve applied my eye cream (check my review on the Liz Earle Daily Eye Repair) directly onto the darker areas (I’d advise applying it only where you need it) and then blend with my fingers. Lastly, I apply my concealer. I really like the results I get when I do this. Honestly, it will probably not work as well as the amazing Bobbi Brown corrector but let’s be realistic, it’s much cheaper.

Blush

This pencil is super creamy, therefore it blends really nicely onto the skin and that’s why I like to use it as a blush. It’s very subtle, super easy to apply and looks really fresh and natural. Once again I apply it directly to my cheeks after I’ve applied my foundation/tinted moisturizer (don’t apply it on top of powder cause it might look a bit cakey; try powdering afterwards instead). To get the best color pay off and since this product is so easily blended I like to use my Real Techniques Stippling brush (see haul) and just pat the product onto the skin with it. If you use the brush with your usual blending motions it might come out a bit too sheer to be noticeable. All in all, it’s just a quick, foolproof way to apply your blusher and you can always apply a powder blush on top to make sure you have soft rosy cheeks all day long.

Eyes

Waterline

This is no surprise. This pencil is great to use in the waterline when you want to look more awake and fresh, especially in the morning. It also reduces the appearance of any redness you might have on your eyes. Obviously it won’t last all day but it stays true to color for about two hours and then starts to slowly fade away. In general, it lasts for about six hours in my waterline which is not bad.

Eye shadow

I also really like to use this nude khol as an eyeshadow. It covers any darkness and vessels on my lids and due to its color it also helps making me look more awake. I just apply it all over my lid up to the crease and then blend the edges with my finger or a brush: it couldn’t be easier. If you have drier eyelids, I’d recommend using an eye primer underneath in order to prevent the product from creasing into those dry patches. The primer is also a good idea if you want to use this product on its own (with no other eyeshadows) because it will keep your lids looking flawless all day long. If you prefer you can add some definition to your crease (I do so with some matte brown powder eyeshadow) or just use this pencil as a base for the rest of your eye makeup.

Inner Corner Highlight

This is probably the way I use this product the most. If I’m late to go the train (which is every morning!) and have only 3 minutes left to do my makeup I usually just do my base, apply my mascara and then pop a bit of this onto my inner corners and blend it with my finger. This makes a huge difference. It instantly makes my eyes look brighter and more awake (even more than if I apply in the waterline).

Lips

Definition

It can also be used as a lip liner. What I also love to do is outline my lips with this product and then blend it out (if you have fair skin like I do this will work in a similar way as if you’d apply concealer around your lips to make them look flawless and your lipstick standout).

Filling

If you don’t have super dry chapped lips (as I sometimes have) you can also use this product to fill your lips. First moisturize your lips and wait for a couple of minutes (this is when I suggest you start doing another part of your face). Then blot you lips with a paper tissue to take off any excess that may be left. You’re now ready to fill your lips with this pencil. To finish, apply either a balm or clear gloss if you want to rock the nude look (which looks really pretty because this khol’s color gives your lips a rosy nude tone and not that awful death looking lip you can sometimes get if you apply concealer on your lips) or go for a lipstick or gloss in a color of your choice. Using this pencil will make your lipstick/gloss last longer and besides it gives you a more neutral base to apply your lip color (that means you lip color won’t interfere with the coloring of you lipstick).

Coloring

Undoubtedly this is my favorite way to rock this product on my lips. I simply apply lip balm and the go straight on with this pencil, applying it on the center of my lips. Then I just blend it out with my fingers and – viola! a quick, great looking nude lip. If on the mood I sometimes apply clear gloss on top. The only difference between this option and the previous one is that filling your lips makes for longer-lasting color.

Will I repurchase it?

Yes! I can’t see myself living without it anymore. Besides it’s really affordable. I bought through Feelunique.com (they retail it for 4,99 Euros but I got it for a bit less on a sale they had) – check my Feelunique haul post. The only downsize to it, I’d say, is that you have to sharpen it.

Do I recommend it?

Absolutely! If you don’t have it already go and buy it! Believe me, you need this product and you definitely won’t regret buying it. It’s an amazing product to have on your makeup bag and for travelling. It’s also great for lazy mornings or for mornings in which you have slept in and need to be ready in seconds. A bargain, really!

Please let me know if you have this pencil and if so, do you use it in any other way?

Yours,

M.

Liz Earle, Daily Eye Repair - Product Review

I want to apologize in advance for such a long post but this product deserved it. If you are short on time, as always: skip to the end of the post and see my answers to the two questions in orange (Will I repurchase it? Do I recommend it?). I hope you can fall in love with is product as I have. :)

An eye cream that really works? That’s right!

I have lots of problems with my under-eye area: from super dry skin and fine lines (and I’m just 22!) to puffiness and the dreadful dark circles – I’ve got it all. Until I came across this little guy I had given up on brightening eye creams. I’d tried both drugstore and high-end super-raved ones, but nothing worked – worst even, they would leave my under-eye area feeling super dry and hence made my concealer look cakey. So I resorted to a really hydrating eye cream (my favorite so far was the Estée Lauder Hydra Complete Multi-Level Moisture Eye Gel Crème) and a brightening concealer – that’s it. I wasn’t really satisfied but there wasn’t much I could do about it.

The packaging seems carefully thought about, with these lovely drawings on the sides.

And then, the Liz Earle Daily Eye Repair came into my life. I didn’t have high hopes for it, I’ll admit. I got it, as my free full-size product, a while ago when I purchased the Liz Earle Monthly Essentials. But then I tried this preciousness and got hooked from day one.

Ingredients

This is an amazing product. I don’t know how it works to achieve that but it does, it ticks all my boxes (yes, all of them and some extra ones, I didn’t know I had).

But first things first - what the brand has to say about this product:

“Use this triple-action cream every morning after moisturising to help reduce the appearance of fine lines. Light-reflective particles brighten dark under-eye shadows, while SPF10 mineral sunscreen helps protect this delicate area from UV light.”

After testing this product for a while I can assure you of something: this ISN’T a triple-action cream. It’s an at-least-FIVE-that-I-remember-action cream.

This eye care product meant for the mornings, has a thick creamy consistence and a slightly herbal scent – so far I bet you’re not so impressed, right? Let me just tell you this – forget the scent for a while (it doesn’t last, anyway, and it’s not strong at all) and apply this white cream under your eyes. I bet you’re thinking “How the hell will I be able to apply my makeup afterwards?” Yes, I know it looks a bit too dense for a morning cream but if you’ll just pat it under your eyes – yes, you’ll notice, it isn’t at all. “Maybe this isn’t moisturizing enough for me…” - it might occur to you. That’s because in less than a minute it looks like the product was completely absorbed and you no longer have that sensation of just having applied moisturizer to your skin. So why was I raving about this product after all?

This product is definitely the underdog that ends up coming out on top. It doesn’t seem anything special right after you’ve applied it but then:

• You’ll notice that you under-eye area is brighter and you look more awake. How? Do you know those light-reflecting concealer/highlight products (like the YSL Touche Eclat), that are so super flattering? Imagine those in a translucent/no-color-to-them version. This is what this product looks like. You can’t see the light-reflecting particles (not even on a magnifying mirror – don’t worry) you just look more awake and really well-slept. It’s really beautiful. And after, perhaps, two weeks of using this non-stop I started to notice that my dark circles were getting less and less prominent, even before applying this product in the morning. Since day one you’ll notice that your need for concealer will decrease (because of the light-reflecting particles your eyes will immediately look brighter) and given time the appearance of your dark circles will get better and better- they’ll be less and less noticeable.
• Hydration-wise you’ll have to wait up until the end of the day to see for yourself how this product works. Right after applying this eye cream, you may have your doubts about is replenishing powers, but the reality is that more than 12hours later if you touch your skin it still feels as nourished as if you had just applied your cream. I’ll be honest I had never, never tried an eye cream that kept my skin as hydrated for such a long time (usually after 6-8 hours I need to reapply them because otherwise my under-eyes get really itchy and I feel uncomfortable).
• You might also notice that you don’t have as many fine lines after a couple of weeks of using this (at least I did!).
• Another achievement for this product was reducing puffiness. It doesn’t promise to do so but the thing is, after a week I realized that my lids didn’t feel so heavy anymore (but dismissed it). However, after 3 weeks I couldn’t deny it anymore – the difference was visible (to me, obviously – this probably won’t have your friends asking you if have just done some plastic surgery to that area – but it was enough of a difference to make me feel more confident about a part of my body I used to hate).
• Last but not least, two important extras: it contains SPF10 – which is not the highest but since I always wear sunglasses - and would never apply sunscreen around my eyes anyway (except on the beach/pool) because they’d be to drying – this is just a nice bit of extra protection (and ageing prevention too!); besides, this cream results from lots of nice ingredients instead of a bunch of chemicals put together on a tube.

Will I repurchase it?

YES! YES! YES! It’s just a wonderful product that works like no other I’ve known. Already a holy grail in my collection!

This product makes me look fresher and feel prettier every single morning. And at night, after taking all of my makeup off, my under-eye area still feels and looks properly taken care of and ready to enjoy the full benefits of whichever night cream I choose to apply.

Moreover, it’s much cheaper than many, not so effective, eye creams I’ve tried (it retails for 17,75euros (10ml tube) on the Liz Earle Website - but a little goes a long way!)

Do I recommend it?

In all honesty, I couldn’t recommend it more: no matter how old you are, whether you have a problematic under-eye area or a flawless one – just give it a go (they have it in a travel version too).

This product just works: it brightens the under-eye area; diminishes dark circles, wrinkles and puffiness; it’s very hydrating, but not too much, so it just works brilliantly under makeup; has SPF on it which also helps preventing ageing and wrinkles; it’s made out of very nice ingredients; it isn’t ludicrously expensive and finally it’s suitable for all skin types.

Please, let me know if you have already tried this eye cream. Do you share my thoughts on it?

Any suggestions for future posts are very welcome! :) Thank you for your time!

Yours,

M.

Biotherm, Aquasource Deep Serum - Sample Sized

Hello everyone!

I'm back with a mini review from another Biotherm product, this time the Aquasource Deep Serum.

It reads:
- Deep hydration and luminosity
- Try it out!

 If you’ve read my last Sample Sized post, then this name will feel extremely familiar. That’s because this Serum is also from Biotherm’s Aquasource collection and I got this sample when I purchased a couple of things at Sephora (see my Sephora Haul).

It reads:
- 3 times more concentrated
- A new source of light is born...
- *concentration in Thermal Plankton water and Mannose in comparison to Aquasource Gel

So, what does the brand have to say about this product?

“3X more concentrated (than the Aquasource gel) and 24hr hydration”

“For the first time, Biotherm has managed to concentrate Thermal Plankton water 3X more and associate it with mannose in a formula, to create Deep Serum. This elixir helps to improve the appearance of skin quality and leave skin looking more radiant.”

“Visible skin results: skin feels intensely hydrated and looks healthier; skin looks more luminous and complexion looks more even; skin looks more hydrated”

It reads:
- Discovered in the French Pyrenees
- Skin regeneration properties as no other
- Protected by 12 patents

And what are my thoughts on this?

Well, I really liked it. It was a white gel type of product. It felt even lighter on the skin than the High Density Hydrating Jelly and it also got absorbed faster. The smell was pretty similar to that of the Hydrating Jelly deliciously sweet and citrusy – loved it. I used it for about 4 nights (how long the sample lasted) and noticed my skin looking more luminous and hydrated in the morning. I didn’t notice my complexion being evener – but I just used it for such a short amount of time that it’s difficult to tell if it works or not.

Ingredients

Will I purchase it?

Even though I liked this product, I’m not sure I’ll be buying it at least on the near future. I am almost done with my last bottle of my Holy Grail, the Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex (which featured in my August Favorites and a proper review will be coming soon). I used this product as my nighttime serum for more than a year non-stop – that’s how much I adore this product. However, I wanted to try something new in order to share more opinions on products with you and I ended up picking one serum/oil in my last Feelunique shopping spree (as soon as I get the products I’ll post a haul with pictures). Besides that, the new Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II (ANR II) has arrived to Portugal about two weeks ago and as soon as I finish testing the new serum I ordered at Feelunique.com I’ll run to Sephora to buy the new ANR II.

So, all this blabber just to tell you that: I don’t know if I will buy this product because I can’t think that far ahead.

Do I recommend it?

From what I could test I would say yes. It didn’t cause any allergic reaction nor did I notice it clogging my pores. It’s very light but very hydrating at the same time. You can use it mornings and/or nights before your moisturizer (or on its own if you prefer keeping things lighter) and it’s recommended for all skin types so it’s great if you want to share it with a sister, your mum, your friend, basically anyone you might live with (that’s a really great idea if you can’t spend that much money on one product on your own). If you want to buy this product online, you can find it at Feelunique.com for 46,25euros (50ml).

Please let me know your thoughts in case you have tried this product. I’d also love suggestions on how to improve the quality of the blog and products you’d like me to review.

Yours,

M.

Disclaimer – I know that I’m always talking about Feelunique.com but I’m in no way affiliated to them. The reasons behind my mentions of Feelunique are, its offering: free shipping worldwide, a large variety of products at very competitive prices, great service.

Beauty Haul 2 - Feelunique

Hello,

Today I wanted to share with you a couple of items I bought from Feelunique.com, before I went on holidays. I've been testing these products and I'll be reviewing them as soon as I have a proper opinion formed on them.

I've also purchased some products during their Sales period. I've already received a couple of them but I'm waiting for the rest to arrive to then do a joint haul.

Their old packaging . products are packed differently now

To begin with, I bought a Spiezia Organics Muslin Flannel to compare with the ones I have from Liz Earle and the Primark face cloths recommended by Caroline Hirons herself.

Then I decided to pick the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector Oil Free B.B. Cream in Light because here in Portugal I could only find it in the color Medium.

Since I was very curious to try the so raved about Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Khol Kajal Eye Liner in Nude, I figured "why not now?" and to my basket it went.

Last but not least, I decided to grab another Real Techniques brush, this time the Stippling brush, to add to my collection.

And that's all for today.

Please leave your comments and suggestions down below to help me develop this blog. I really appreciate it. :)

Yours,
M.

La Roche-Posay, Posthelios Melt-in gel - Product Review

Hey guys!

Today I am going to review one of the products I mentioned in my August Favorites post (if you haven’t seen it yet click here) the La Roche-Posay Posthelios Melt-in gel.

This is an after-sun lotion that is advertised for face and body. But I find it even more multitasking.  I’ve used this product for the past two summers, for four different purposes and it really performed well in each and single one of those situations. The name is a bit deceiving though, this product doesn’t have a gel-like consistency but instead the consistency of a lotion. It’s quite thick when you squeeze it out of the tube but when you start to rub it in it feels super creamy and light and is very easily absorbed by the skin. It has the very subtle but quite lovely scent of a lotion (I bet you didn’t find this very helpful, but when I smell this product it’s just what comes to my mind, it has that typical lotion scent but in a good way). As most French Pharmacy products this after-sun is not likely to cause any allergic reactions which I found especially nice since the skin in my body had been acting up quite a lot this past summer.

Now let’s talk about the ways in which I used it: as my nighttime moisturizer, as an after-sun body lotion, as a hand cream and as a part of my “lip exfoliation treatment” as I like to call it.

Like I mentioned in my Favorites post, I absolutely love the way this product works on my face. The first time I used for that purpose I was wary and expecting to have my skin feeling all clogged by the next morning but the opposite happened, this product really helped my skin to stay balanced despite the sun, salt and chlorine aggressions. It doesn’t clog the pores, nor does it leave your skin feeling greasy. I think this would work great on every skin type and I think it would even be appropriate to apply on children. I just want to let a lit warning out there: this lotion does contain mineral oil on it so if your skin reacts to it or if you simply don't like to use products with ingredients such as these on your face then don't.

I have very much enjoyed using this product as a body lotion, as well. It’s very hydrating but it doesn’t feeling heavy on the skin at all (which I just hate especially in the hot summer months) and it sinks pretty fast so you don’t have to wait ages to be able to get dressed. It also works really well if you have slightly sun-burnt skin, it’s very soothing and it seems to nourish and repair the skin over the night.

Ingredients

This melt-in gel has also worked amazingly as hand cream. Let’s be clear, it’s not the perfect product to use during the day. Even though it absorbs really quickly it can leave your hands with a slightly sticky residue which I hate during the day. However, it works miracles during the night, leaving your hands super soft and hydrated by the next morning.

The last way in which I used this product was to exfoliate my lips as I have mentioned before. Since using sugar scrubs isn’t good for your lips, if you do so on a regular basis, I tend to stick to Lisa Eldridge’s advice to get rid of all those nasty bits of dried skin. You just need a cotton bud and some sort of cream (Vaseline will do but Lisa’s favorite, I believe, is the Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream) and just work the lotion with the cotton bud on your lips – it’s easy but believe me it does work (to see for yourself how she does it check some of her videos). Anyway this year I forgot to bring my Vaseline with me so I used this product and it worked wonders. It left my lips feeling incredibly soft. I think it would also do a great job of healing sun burnt lips. Despite all its benefits, keep in mind that this product doesn’t taste the best so I wouldn’t be licking it around.

All in all, it is a great product to travel with because it is very multitasking. The original size product comes in a bottle with a pump which makes it even more convenient. However if you are unsure about it you can always get a 100ml version of it for free - the one I have at the moment - if you buy some of their sunscreens (I really recommend the ones from the Anthelios AC range for a daily facial spf).

Will I repurchase it?

Yes, absolutely. This is one of those products that I just can leave without if I am travelling during the summer (this isn’t quite as amazing as a body lotion as that Sephora after-sun I talked to you about in my Garnier after-sun post).

Do I recommend it?

YES! It’s that one product that will suit everyone in your family - mum, dad, children, grandparents; it’s okay to use even in people with very sensitive skin (always test it in a small area if you are super super sensitive or reactive to products, though); the fragrance is so very subtle that I don’t think it will make men run away from it or have people that are sensitive to fragrances reacting badly; it’s a multipurpose product, great for mums on the go and minimalist people who don’t want to take a lot of products with them; it’s not super expensive (in Portugal, a 400 ml bottle, retails for under 20 euros) and its overall an excellent product from a very nice brand that many Dermatologists recommend. If you can get your hands on it I would definitely tell you to give it a go.

Yours,

M.

Monthly Favorites - August 2013

Hello!

From this month on I decided to start having a Monthly Favorites rubric here on the blog.

This month you won’t find any makeup products in my favorites. Why is that? Well August is the only month throughout the whole year during which I feel like not wearing makeup. I just don’t feel like I need it (I wish things were like that every month but one can only wish for so much...). I sleep better, eat better, reduce my caffeine intake, my stress levels are at its lowest and usually I get a bit tanned. All of this makes for really nice, happy skin that looks its best- with almost no redness or sallowness to it, no pimples or bad breakouts and most importantly much reduced under-eye circles. Unfortunately September has already come along and this past couple of days I’ve already seen myself forced to fall back on my makeup stash. As sad as that is, now is time to talk about August and the products that really made a difference.

• 1.       Garnier Skin Naturals Pure Active 3 in 1 Wash/Scrub/Mask
• 2.  Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex
• 3.       La Roche-Posay Posthelios Melt-in gel

These three first favorites were the ones responsible for keeping my skin on perfect conditions all summer long. I used the wash/scrub every morning before applying my sunscreen and going to the beach. I also used it as a mask once a week. It kept my skin free of breakouts and prevented black heads to overpopulate my nose. Using this product as a mask also helped my skin stay a little less oily in the T-zone, especially.

Garnier Skin Naturals Pure Active 3 in 1 Wash/Scrub/Mask

The Advanced Night Repair has been a part of my nighttime skincare routine for almost 2 years now and I absolutely love it. Its effects are particularly noticeable when your skin is exposed to a more aggressive environment (sea salt, chlorine, direct sun exposure). It seems to cancel all the bad things you’ve done to your skin during the day leaving it radiant and healthy looking again by the following morning. This is a product I just can’t live without!

As a last step in my nighttime, holidays version, skincare routine I would apply the Posthelios Melt-in gel. It’s the second summer in a row that I’ve used it and it’s just amazing. You can use it both on your face and body but I couldn’t enjoy more the way it works on my face. It leaves it super hydrated, nourished and soothed without being too greasy or clogging my pores. I used it on my lips a lot, as well.

La Roche-Posay Posthelios Melt-in gel

I’m planning to post thorough reviews of all this products soon.

• 4. Bioten Repairing-Nourishing Body Lotion

As for body products, I fell in love with this Bioten Lotion with Cotton Herbamilk and Rice Proteins for very dry skin. I already knew Bioten’s skincare line was good but had no idea their body care products were even better. This Lotion is super moisturizing but at the same time it absorbs quickly onto the skin. It’s also very refreshing and it smells better than amazingly.

I’ll blog about this lotion later, don’t worry. Besides that, I have other Bioten’s products that I’ll also be reviewing.

• 5. L’Oréal Professional Solar Sublime After-sun Nourishing Balm

Last but not least, I couldn’t not mention this hair mask. It kept my hair soft, shiny and healthy looking throughout the holidays. It’s smells amazing and it doesn’t have to sit long in your hair to do its job. If you want to know more, click here to read my review.

L’Oréal Professional Solar Sublime After-sun Nourishing Balm

And that’s it for my August favorites.

I hoped you enjoyed it.

Yours,

M.

Garnier Ambre Solaire, Golden Touch After Sun - Product Review

The end of summer is fast approaching but since I know some of you are yet to go on holidays, I think/hope it’s not too late to do a review on the after-sun lotion I took on holidays with me this year: the Garnier Ambre Solaire Golden Touch After Sun.

 For the past couple of years my go-to after-sun lotion/body moisturizer was Sephora’s After Sun Moisturizing Balm. I fell in love the first time I used it. It’s just amazing. And since the price range was so close to that of the drugstore versions, I didn’t even bother to look up for another. This summer I couldn’t find it anywhere – I just hope it hasn’t been discontinued!

 However, this summer when I went to buy my sunscreen (I’ll be reviewing it soon), every single sun-related product was at a major discount (75%!!! What??). There’s no need to tell you, I couldn’t not bring an after-sun with me as well (they were just so super cheap!) Anyway, I looked around and went for this one.

It reads:
- Shimmering hydration lotion enriched with nourishing Monoi oil and a luminous pearl shimmer

-Is the hydrating lotion Golden Touch After Sun for me?

-Yes, if your skin feels tight after sun exposure and you want to moisturize it and enhance your tan at the same time. The Golden Touch Lotion is specifically formulated to nourish and soften skin that has become drier due to sun exposure.

It reads:

- How does it work?

- Its formula is enriched with nourishing Monoi oil and a luminous pearl shimmer.

- Original from Tahiti, Monoi oil results from the combination of Tiaré flower and coconut oil. Monoi oil is recognized worldwide for its nourishing properties as well as ability to restructure the superior layers of the epidermis that were damaged by external aggressions.

- Its texture is subtly enriched with luminous pearl shimmer to illuminate your complexion and enhance your tan, after sun exposure. Its sensual perfume leaves in your skin a sense of being on holidays. Nourished and soothed, your skin stays hydrated for 24 hours and your tan is enhanced.

- How to use it?

- Non-greasy and non-sticky, the Golden Touch lotion is quickly absorbed and leaves your skin with a golden touch and delicately fragranced. Apply to clean skin, after each sun exposure.

 

The description was quite catchy: “Shimmering hydration lotion enriched with nourishing Monoi oil and a luminous pearl shimmer.” Who doesn’t want that?

 It also promised to:

·         Illuminate tan

·         Soothe the skin

·         Provide 24 hour hydration

·         Have a cooling sensation

·         Be dermatologically tested

All good things, right?

Ingredients

 So, what’s my final verdict?

It’s really nice (BUT in all honestly, it doesn’t even come close to the Sephora one, just saying!):

-          My skin didn’t react to it – in a bad way (which is known to happen – I have atopic skin and had my share of allergic reactions)

-          I love the scent, it’s really lovely – quite fresh and summery – but not strong enough to interfere with your everyday fragrance.

-          The lotion is super light and absorbs quickly onto to skin, which is great.

-          It did feel cooling (a little bit – if you are on the look for a cooling product I wouldn’t recommend this).

-          It was hydrating but I guess I’d prefer it if it were a bit more moisturizing – I have normal to dry skin (I’m talking about my body, obviously). In a day-to-day basis this would probably be enough for me but the sun, sand, salt and chlorine always leave my skin feeling much drier.

-          It didn’t hydrate my skin for 24 hours but maybe 6 to 8 hours.

-          I don’t think it prolonged my tan – but can’t be sure. Anyway, it doesn’t promise to do it either, I guess.

-          It soothes dry skin but it isn’t particularly good with soothing your skin if you have been sun burnt, it cools the area a bit but nothing special.

-          All in all, quite an average product but for one thing: the shimmering part. This moisturizer has tiny little glowing golden particles on it. They are only visible on the skin if you are under direct sun light or bright lighting. They give a nice subtle slightly shimmery look to your skin. I liked it but didn’t adore it. Some of you might love it, or hate it though. It’s certainly not for everyone’s taste – if you apply it just to the legs and/or arms maybe – but for an all over body lotion it might be a bit too much if you go clubbing after applying – the lighting effects might make it less subtle (but I haven’t tested it so they may not).

 

The shimmery particles
- Keep in mind that in the picture they are a bit more concentrated than usual - it was just for me to be able to show you more or less the look of them

Do I recommend this product?

-          Maybe. It’s not the best product I’ve ever tried but it’s good enough, just not as good as my beloved Sephora’s one. I’d say, quality wise, it’s quite similar to ones from other drugstore brands such as Nivea. The only difference is that this one has shimmery particles and the Nivea one doesn’t – so if it were me undecided between Garnier’s and Nivea’s after sun I would use the shimmering detail as my decisive factor. If you want subtle shimmer just go for this one, if you don’t the other one might be better for you. If you are interested in buying it, I’m sure you can find it in any supermarket or drugstore that sells sunscreens or you can buy at Feelunique.com for 12,49euros (now, on sale, for only 8,74 euros!)

 Will I repurchase it? 

-        Once again, had I not “met” my darling Sephora’s After Sun Moisturizing Balm I’d probably would but as I have, I don’t think so. Unless Sephora has discontinued it (please, please no!) which would break my hard and put me back on the market for a new “Holy Grail” to replace it.

  

Yours,

 M.