Biotherm, Aquasource Nuit High Density Hydrating Jelly - Sample Sized

Hello everyone!

As you may have already noticed, I decided to create a new rubric called “Sample Sized”.

In this new rubric I’ll talk about samples of products that I received: either with a purchase, for example, or through those monthly boxes.

I didn’t want to call them product reviews because the amount of product is not enough for me to understand how a product will work in the long run. Will it actually do something? (most products, particularly skincare ones, need to be used for at least 6 weeks before you see any results on your skin) Will it clog my pores? Will it alter the appearance or texture of my skin? Is it worthed the money? And I want my reviews to always be thorough, never rushed opinions.

So, I felt tempted to just use my samples, throw them away and don’t say a thing about them. However, there might be reasons behind me not buying a certain product after having tried the sample that could be useful to you. On the other hand, I may not need a certain product at the moment but might have been very impressed with its sample and so could perhaps advise you to ask for a sample yourself if you are on the hunt for that type of product.

Now you know: those were the reasons behind this new rubric. The first one of the type will be about the Aquasource Nuit High Density Hydrating Jelly.

To be honest I had never tried any of the Biotherm products before and therefore was pleased to find this little one at the bottom of my Sephora bag when I got home (I posted about, if your curious about it: Click here!).

According to the brand:

•    Your skin loses more water at night than during the day. Biotherm Aquasource Nuit High Density Hydrating Jelly helps to replenish skin with moisture and hydration all night long. Wake up to fresh looking, luminous skin which feels more elastic and radiant, as if reawakened.
•    Biotherm introduces P.Antarctica, a microorganism able to survive the extreme conditions of the Antarctic due to its incredible capacity to retain water. Enriched with P.Antarctica, Biotherm Aquasource Nuit High Density Hydrating Jelly helps the skin maintain its natural water reserves all night long.

Ingredients

Pretty impressive, right?

I can’t know for sure if it ticks every box from that description but after using it for a week these are my thoughts:

•           The product itself is a light and refreshing blue gel that smells deliciously like a citrusy dessert.
•           It provokes a very nice cooling effect when applied to the skin, which is particularly nice in the summer time.
•           It doesn’t feel heavy at all when you first apply it. (I don’t think this will be moisturizing enough, were my first thoughts – I was mistaken, though). However, even after the product sinks it leaves you skin glowing (a tiny bit greasy looking even – but nothing that isn’t worth suffering through) and if you touch your face, your skin still feels like you’ve just applied moisturizer. 
•     In the mornings after having used this gel, right from the first one, I could notice a visible difference on my skin. It looked and felt as moisturized as when I first applied the gel. Nothing like other night creams I’d tried (high-end, drugstore, good or bad…), usually by the time I got to the bathroom in the mornings my skin wouldn’t look or feel as plump, as smooth or as radiant as right after having applying my night cream. Much less would it look plumper, smoother and more radiant – yes, that was what this product did.
•         I believe it doesn’t clog your pores either – but keep in mind I have only used this for a week (the amount of time it took me to get to the end of the sample).

Will I purchase it?

I strongly believe, I will!

I have 4 night creams to finish before I can even think to buy a new one, but certainly this will be one of my first choices when I allow myself to get another moisturizer.

Do I recommend it?

Very much, I loved it from day one! Moreover, this product suits every skin type!

However, and since this is a quite pricey product (35euros for the 50ml bottle at Feelunique.com – 29,75euros now, on sale!) I’d advise you to ask for a sample first and see if your first impressions match mine. I think it might also be helpful to see reviews from people that have actually used the full size product. I know that the famous Brazilian youtuber Camila Coelho does use this product, at least in this video, she does – Removendo a Maquiagem!

Please leave a comment down below with your thoughts on this new rubric. Also, since it’s the beginning of September and both Catrice and Essence are coming up with new stuff, let me know which products you would like me to purchase to review here on the blog!

Yours,

M.

Essence, My Skin Moisturizing Cream-Gel - Product Review

Hey, you!

Today I have another review for you. It's from a very affordable and very much loved (at least by me) brand. I’m talking about Essence and this review will focus one of the products in their My Skin skincare line, the Moisturizing Cream-Gel.

The My Skin is a line especially designed to satisfy young skin’s needs. The range of products in the line consists of: a gel cleanser; a face wash/scrub/mask, the all-in-one type of cleanser; a refreshing toner; two varieties of face wipes; a paper face mask; an eye roll-on; a tinted moisturizer and three different moisturizers, one for normal to combination skin, another for normal to dry skin and finally one suitable to all skin types. I’m going to review to the latter.

But firstly I’d like to share my opinion on Essence’s products since I have already tried several of the products from this My Skin line (both cleansers, the toner, the eye roll-on and the tinted moisturizer; I’ve also bought the mask but haven’t tried it yet) as well as a bunch of their makeup products and some skincare from the Pure Skin line.

The main thing I want to share is: they are super safe – so don’t be afraid to try them! I tend to stick to high-end skincare products just to be safe but I can honestly say that I have never been afraid to try a new/different Essence product. Even though their products are really cheap their philosophy is really to save on advertising to invest on better quality products. They also don’t test on animals!

Obviously their products won’t have state-of-the-art technology involved or the best anti-ageing ingredients on the market but that isn’t the brand's purpose either. Their products have in mind young girls, in their teens, with not a lot of money that want to have a nice basic skincare routine and that want to wear makeup that won’t make them break up, won’t cause any allergic reaction and (most important, perhaps) won’t lead them to bankruptcy. So if you haven’t reached your twenties but want to start taking care of your skin from an early age and don’t have a lot to spend this is the brand for you.

And before I get down to the moisturizing cream-gel itself, I just want to apologize for the detour but I really wanted to share the information because I know a lot of you might be reticent to try such cheap skincare products. And so was I before I started using their products. That’s why I decided to do a little reading, back then, and after using their skincare products for almost 2 years now (and makeup products for 7 years) I can really vouch for them.

Now, about the My Skin moisturizing cream-gel: as all products from the line it is dermatologically approved so not likely to cause any nasty skin reaction (unless you have super sensitive and reactive skin and if so I’d look for professional advice before trying any new skincare product), oil-free (so it won’t clog your pores) and has uva/uvb filters (I do still super recommend using an spf separately - this filters are not enough to stop sun damage!).

According to the description in their website this “cream-gel is absorbed quickly and offers your skin 24h of intensive moisture while protecting it from damaging environmental influences with uva and uvb filters” (once again you need extra SPF!- just saying!). “Enriched with lime and cucumber ingredients ensures a radiant complexion, it also contains light-reflecting pigments for a subtle glow”. It is recommend for all skin types.

In my perspective, I do agree with most of it.

It reads:
This energizing cream-gel is intensively moisturizing
and the light-reflecting pigments inside let the skin glow

This is a very fresh and cooling light textured moisturizer. It’s even lighter and fresher than the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. The texture actually reminds me of the Garnier Skin Naturals Fresh Essentials 24Hr Hydrating Day Cream for Normal/Combination Skin but a tiny bit more liquidy.

It’s so light that you won’t feel like you’re pilling up too much product on your skin - if you’re like me and follow your moisturizer with sunscreen (as you should) and then a full face of makeup. At the same time it keeps my skin moisturized for a good 8 hours I’d say – keep in mind I have combination skin.

I particularly love this cream to use in the morning, because it really gives a more awake and radiant appearance to my skin but in a very subtle, non-oily way. It’s almost imperceptible – it gives me glowing but not shiny-looking skin.

Don’t get scared though: in the packaging the product glows in the dark. It won’t happen on your skin though, if you massage it in (which is super easy due to the almost liquid consistency) – so don’t worry.

The scent really helps to wake me up as well. It has a very citrusy fragrance but toned down by the clean scent of cucumber.

I really enjoyed using it during my beach vacation. I would slather this on my face throughout the day, every time before I’d reapply my spf. This kept my skin from getting dry due to the sea salt and also was a great way to refresh my skin. And since the prince range is bellow the 3euro mark I didn’t feel guilty to go through this cream in such a short amount of time (a little over a month – liberally applying it on my skin up to 5 times a day!).

It also works perfectly before my gym classes. I go to the gym right before dinner. And since I hate exercising wearing makeup – if you do, you’re much more likely to get clogged pores – I usually wipe off my makeup right before leaving to the gym. I don’t like to have my face without any moisturizer on it but I hate to use my more expensive moisturizers when in an hour time I’ll be washing them off during shower. This, I found, was the perfect solution. It leaves my skin feeling: fresh again after taking my makeup off; moisturized but not with that heavy feeling that would bother me during exercise. And, once again, it's super affordable so after my practice I wouldn’t mind having to shower it off.

Those are some of the reasons I so adore this product.

 

Unfortunately, I would say it is not moisturizing enough for very dry skin and I probably wouldn’t advise you to use it as a night cream either no matter what your skin type is, because you might need a bit more moisture.

However, if you are the type of person that hates the feeling of moisturizer before going to bed (and it is better something than nothing – am I not right? ;)) or live in a hot humid place and just want something refreshing on your face to help you get to sleep - this might be the perfect nighttime product for you.

For people with really oily skin during the hot summer months: I’d recommend using the mattifying version of this product on your T-zone or using a serum with mattifying properties also on your T-zone (I really like the Bioderma Sébium Pore Refiner Serum) to prevent your skin from every looking greasy but keeping the glowing and fresh looking skin.

Do I recommend it?

Absolutely:

•   To normal and combination skin: to apply all mornings all year long.

•   To oily skin: to apply all mornings except in the summer months (unless you apply just to your cheek area or with a mattifying serum underneath it in your t-zone).

•   To dry skin: to apply in the mornings during hot weather.

•   If don’t have super sensitive or super dry skin.

•   If you haven't reached your thirties yet. (If you have: it's time to start spoiling you skin with some better quality products ;) : I'd sugest looking into French Pharmacy brands because they have products that are as effective as the ones from high-end brands but much cheaper)

- If you have acne-prone skin Essence has this Pure Skin line that has products specifically designed to prevent and/or disguise acne spots, in case you’re interested - however, if you have serious acne issues you’d better seek a Dermatologist’s advice.  

 Will I repurchase this product?

- Yes, I probably will. But, for now, I’m very curious to try the mattifying version.

Sorry for all the rambling but I really wanted to be thorough. 

Please leave a comment down bellow telling me if this post helped you! I'd also love suggestions of products to review.

Yours,

M.