Grand Staircase

Showing posts with label French Pharmacy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French Pharmacy. Show all posts

2013/09/10

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.

2013/08/08

Bioderma, Photoderm Max SPF 50+ Sun Lip Stick - Product Review

Hello!

Since I am on holidays and spending them in the beach I thought it would be fun to review some of the products I’ve brought with me. Today I am going to talk about an spf specifically designed for the lips, the Bioderma Photoderm Max SPF 50+ Sun Lip Stick. 


To be honest lip balms with spf have since I remember been a part of my daily routine. I’ve figured that if I like balms with and without spf alike, I’d rather wear the ones with spf and be safe - even if I am not really exposed to that much sun on a daily basis, it is never too early to start prevention of aging skin and thinning lips.

You can hold it in your key chain for easier access

In my everyday life I am happy enough with using spf 15 or 20 on my lips. However, that isn’t enough for me during summertime since I have very dry lips and very pale skin. Besides, my lips and surrounding area get easily burnt and bruised from all the sun, salt and chlorine. So I tend to search for an spf of 30 or higher to wear during that time. The past two summers my choice has been this Bioderma one. It's about 7 euros and you can find it in most european pharmacies.

Ingredient's List, for the more interested ones

Bioderma products don’t usually cause those horrible allergic reactions which I am so prone to and that was one of the reasons I first chose this product and why I bought it again this summer. Moreover it has a very high spf factor of more than 50, it doesn’t leave any type of whitish residue on my lips after applying (the formula goes completely clear on the skin) and it’s quite hydrating as well. It doesn’t have any fragrance which in this case is good – I have a tendency to prefer products with fruity scents but being fragrance free means this product is less likely to be the cause of any rash or other nasty skin reaction.

The only downsize to it is the way it tastes. If you are unlucky to taste your lips after applying this product, OMG it tastes awfully. And the taste does linger. But anyway, since wetting your lips is not too good for you anyhow – it makes your lips dry much faster – I tend to forget this little bit of information because in every other area this product gets maximum score. I have never had my lips burnt again after starting using it and I just reapply it like I would a normal sunscreen – every couple of hours. I guess that, thinking about it, it kind of makes sense – since this lipstick tastes so badly people won’t lick it all the time and as such their lips will be protected for much longer than they would otherwise. Kind of smart in a weird way, don't you think?





Do I recommend it?

Definitely! Unless you are really susceptible to awfully tasting products.

Will I repurchase it?

Perhaps. But I am also curious to try other French Pharmacy brands’ version of this product and see if there is a better tasting one that performs just as well. If I don’t find it I’ll definitely go back to this one.

I hope this will be of help.

Yours,


M.