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.

Essence, Stay all day Concealer - Product Review

My first review will be about Essence's Stay all day 16h longlasting concealer.

I decided to start my reviews with this product both because it is very cheap (and as such many more of you might actually be interest in trying it out) and because it is a product I have a love/hate relationship with.

But first things first.  The Stay all day 16h longlasting concealer (couldn't they have picked a shorter name?) is  a liquid/creamy  concealer (liquid but with some consistency to it) with light-reflecting pigments that the brand claims to be very longlasting, up to 16 hours (the key is in the up) and which is advertised as perfect to cover dark circles, redness and shadows and give you a radiant look.

Let's start on the love/hate thing then. When I first bought this product, I guess it was around Christmas, I used it a couple of times and then put it away. I bought it on a whim: it was super cheap and had ligh-reflecting written in its description (which for me translates as: I have to have it! - if my under eye area is concerned). But then, when I tried it the next morning I couldn't have hated it more. It was not about the consistency or the colour but the fact that it looked streaky and instead of covering my dark circles it would build up in my fine lines. I put it away and didn't  think about it again until the day I run out of under eye concealer. With no other alternative available I had to use it. I started applying it with my fingers and just wanted to cry, it looked awful. In pure desperation I grabbed a foundation brush to try and fix the situation and surprise, surprise it worked and it actually looked ok. There was still some product accumulated in my fine lines but nothing I couldn't deal with.

From then on I have used it almost every single day up to now and have to admit that this concealer scored some points with me:

- The colour (20- Soft Beige) is a perfect match for my under eye area, just a little bit lighter than my skin tone, and it has a certain salmon undertone to it that helps with the bluish of my circles. I have to admit though that the colour selection couldn't be much worse - there are only two colours available and they're not that different I guess, so if you have a darker skin tone this product isn't for you.

- I really like the coverage of this concealer, it covers enough but not too much, . By this I mean, I don't look flawless but I look very natural and awake especially due to the light-reflecting pigments that make my skin look brighter.  I don't really care for full coverage concealer in a daily basis and think that in me it just looks a bit unnatural but I also HATE my under eye circles and like to have them disguised to a point that they are there but just barely noticeable (is this strange? I guess i must be crazy for not prefering a full coverage concealer... ).

- The duration isn't bad at all. It certainly doesn't last 16 hours, so the packaging is deceiving but in the website they say it can last up to 16 hours not that it actually lasts 16h, but anyway it was unnecessary to have the 16h duration reference on the product's name. Especially because the truth is not that bad, this concealer lasts  6-8 hours without a powder on top and up to two more if powdered (so 8-10 hours) which is not bad at all for the price. It is also very resistant, even when I am sweating a lot or have been crying it barely moves and I love that I don't have to worry about it melting all over me.

- The application is the thing I least enjoy about this product. I can't really apply it quickly with my fingers and be out the door - if you don't have any fine lines you may get away with doing it, though. I always have to use a brush to apply it. It looks best applied with a classic foundation brush - I used the Sephora one- and then gently pated with fingers on the edges to ensure a seamless blend. More recently I discovered that when applying it with the Real Techniques foundation brush (comes in the Travel Kit) I didn't really find a need to pat the edges because this brush blends the product while applying it in a fantastic way.

- About the fine lines build up problem, I found a good solution recently. I started following Lisa Eldridge's site (she is amazing! - she is the Queen of makeup) and the way she applies under eye concealer makes it much less prone to get into those lines, not just with this concealer but in general. She also makes Youtube videos so if you want to learn about this tip, I strongly advise you to check Lisa Eldridge's website.

All in all, even though it bugs me that I can't really apply it with my fingers I have to admit that this concealer isn't bad at all. In Portugal it costs about 3euros and brings 7ml of product. It is not one for using on pimples due to the light-reflecting properties (unless you want to highlight those problematic areas - and if so: great, keep doing it if that's your thing! :)) or for reapplying throughout the day (it's not liquid enough for you to be able to do so without your makeup looking cakey) but I do advise it if: you have a light skin tone, want an under eye concealer with light-medium coverage, want something to brighten your under eye area and make you look more awake  (you can also use it to illuminate the bridge of your nose or any shadowy areas you might have - but not to correct redness because of its salmony tones), don't wear make up for more than 12 hours daily (the most you'll get from this concealer), have a foundation brush (or doesn't need one- skin under the eyes is not dry and no fine lines), want a concealer that you don't have to worry about in case you cry or sweat a lot and most important want a good quality concealer for the cheapest you can get them (at least in Portugal) and that will last you a really long time.

Sorry for the testament but I really wanted to be thorough. Please tell me if there is anything I can help with.

I hope it was helpful. :) 

Yours,

M.