Eau Thermale Avène skincare review



Eau Thermal Avene
Gel Soapless Cleanser

I’ve yet again shaken up my skincare routine after being disappointed by the lacklustre results of Dr Murad’s range.   

This time I’ve turned my attention to Eau Thermale Avène skincare range of goodies to provide much-needed love and pampering to my shine-prone, irritable skin.       

I didn’t know too much about the French brand, so was very interested to see what this range could offer.

Its offering is impressive – Avene promised dedication to each level of skin sensitivity - from sensitive, intolerant to allergic.  Also, each product contains the Avène Thermal Spring Water, ‘a unique ingredient whose properties have been endorsed by dermatologists over the years’.  I knew nothing of this spring water, but oh my, it sounded impressive.     

With my special case of combination skin prone to shine (isn’t that the worst kind?), I opted for oily skincare range.  This incorporated a cleanser - Cleanance Soapless Gel, a moisturiser – Anti-Shine Regulating Emulsion, plus the constant for all the ranges, Thermal Water Spray toner.

The gel cleanser looks like blue Fairy Liquid, but it works a treat.  Once I lathered it into my skin and rinsed of, my complexion looked and felt instantly fresher.  Without being harsh, it does offer a deep, yet gentle clean.  It’s also nice to know that the gel was soap-free, so wouldn’t over dry my skin.

While the initial results were great, after a few days the wow factor died down, but I think this is always the case when changing brands, as your skin eventually gets used to what you’re using.      

I haven’t really noticed what benefits the Thermal Spray delivers.  It does serve to tighten the skin slightly, but beyond that, I’m not sure what difference it will make over good old-fashioned tap water.  Nonetheless, I’m persevering with it, as I understand the benefits of including a toner in your skincare routine.  Plus, the spring water is a must-have among models at London Fashion Week, for both cooling the skin and setting make up. I haven’t used it set make up yet, but I’ll give it a try, and if it does the trick, you can guarantee I’ll be shouting about it!       

Finally, after spraying my face with the Thermal Water, I finished with the emulsion, which has a light, non-greasy feel.  After applying this, your skin does certainly feel matte, and for me, it kept me from looking shiny as hell by the end of the day.  However, if you're skin isn't so oil-prone, you may find that the emulsion leaves your skin feeling a little parched.  

This brings me nicely to my final bit of advice regarding the Avene range.  As the products I used were aimed at oily skin, I found that after using the cleanser, toner and emulsion both morning and night, my skin became slightly dry and flaky after a few days.  This was because I was over-cleansing my skin, causing it to dry out.    

 

If, like me, you have combination skin, I would recommend using the cleanser and toner at night, followed by a more moisture-boosting cream.  Then just wash your face with water in the morning and apply the emulsion.  I have been doing this for weeks - it’s the perfect routine for my skin, and has helped keep pesky spots and unwanted shine at bay.

Avene is available online and from good beauty stores including Boots.  

Avene Soapless Gel Cleanser 200ml - £8.25 

Avene Cleanance Anti-shine Regulating Lotion 40 ml - £10.50

Avene Water Spray 150ml - £6.50 

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Vanity thy name is Desi Girl



Makeup - material goods or a girl's essentials

I recently had a scary moment on a train when a stranger accidentally took my suitcase, thinking it was theirs.  I was panicked at the thought of never getting it back.  Luckily, the stranger was a good egg and did the decent thing after realising his mistake and handed it back in to the train station. 

Anyway, the reason I’m writing about this is because it managed to put my materialistic needs into perspective (though not necessarily in a good way).             

During the scary 24-hours that I was minus my suitcase, I began to mourn its contents, contemplating the fact that I may never get them back.  I also realised that the things I was most bothered about losing were my cosmetics.  I said a few words for my BellaPierre nine-stack Eyeshadow set, my New CID I-Primer, my Urban Decay Coloured Eyeliners, my Smashbox Lipgloss and my MAC Foundation.

  

I was so caught up in the thought of losing my makeup that I barely gave a thought to the clothes, shoes and accessories I’d also packed.   

While I had fleeting moments of lucidity, where I realised that these were just material things, these thoughts were squashed by the more overbearing prospect of having to replenish my make-up bag.  

Anyway, now that I now have my suitcase back with prized cosmetics in tact, I would like to impart some wisdom.  Firstly, for an overnight stay, NEVER pack your entire makeup bag.  You won’t need every single item.  Just take the basics and a few extra options on top.  I normally do this, and the one time I didn’t, I risked losing everything.  Secondly, when on public transport, keep your possessions on you at all times.  Sit on your suitcase if needs be, that’ll reduce the chance of it straying.  And finally, keep some essentials in your handbag.  Despite my distress over the nearly-lost suitcase, I comforted myself with the fact that I carried two lipsticks with me.    

I just thought I’d impart some wisdom.  After all, there’s a lesson in everything.

What about you, what material possession do you prize above all?  Plus, what would you be least bothered about losing?                

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The great eye cream shootout –SPC SPA Sweet Almond Eye Balm and Vitamin E Line Serum

As you may know, I’ve been on something of a quest to find the perfect eye cream, one that both reduces lines and banishes dark circles.  The search has introduced to me to a whole host of products – creams, balms, and serums – each offering to be the perfect solution.

From this adventure, I’ve learnt a few things.  Firstly, there is no one-size-fits-all solution – what works for me may not work for someone else.  Secondly, don’t expect miracles, it takes time for the products to work their magic, and you may not see results straight away.  And finally, from your 20s onwards, you absolutely, unequivocally do need to wear an eye cream.  The skin around the eyes is delicate, and your regular face cream won’t cut it.  When it comes to eyes, prevention is better than cure, so investing in a good cream is essential.    

On that note, I’ll get to the last (but by no means least) review of SPC Spa’s eye products - Sweet Almond Eye Balm and Vitamin E Line serum.    

As usual, I’ll detail the claim – or marketing spiel – followed by what I thought…

The claim: 

Vitamin E Line Serum

A delicious line serum which is light and absorbs easily, to help plump fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, lips and forehead for improved skin elasticity.

Containing key ingredients such as Collagen, Grapeseed Oil, which is high in anti-oxidants, Hyaluronic Acid and Frankincense.

This serum can be seen as your daily ‘botox’ cream.

Sweet Almond Eye Balm  

Sweet Almond Eye Balm

A luxurious velvety balm which melts into the skin leaving it soft and silky to touch. It works to fight the signs of ageing by plumping and filling fine lines around the delicate eye area.

Jojoba, Sweet Almond and precious Argane Oils combined with skin-rejuvenating essential Oil of Frankincense, nutritious Rosehip Seed oil, and antioxidant vitamin E act as a cocktail of powerful ingredients to protect the skin around the delicate eye area. The eye area will look and feel smoother, brighter and pleasantly plumped-up.

The Reality:   

Well, these products are nothing if not luxurious.  As advised, I used the Vitamin E Line Serum first, then followed with the Sweet Almond Eye Balm, and felt the moisture kick straight away.  The skin around my eyes felt noticeably and visibly smoother.    

 

However, I think after the first couple of days amazing results, I didn’t notice a huge change after that.  Though this isn’t a criticism, I think it was just that my skin had got used to the product, and I didn’t have a major eye issue to deal with, so it may have reached its peak from day one.    

I found that the cream had a positive effect on fine lines, though I have to say – and this is the case with all the creams I have reviewed so far – there is no ‘wow’ factor when it comes to dark circles.  Again, this may be because I don’t have particularly dark circles around my eyes in the first place.  However, the skin is darker there than the rest of my face, so I would have hoped there would be some brightening effect. 

Overall, I’ve been using SPC skincare’s Line Serum and Eye Balm for over a month, and I think they are good products which do hydrate your eyes, making them feel plumper and less ‘baggy’.  But they may not be the best for dark circles.  But to be fair, if you look at the marketing spiel, that’s not what the products claim anyway, they’re line busters through and through.   

SPC SPA Sweet Almond Eye Balm and Vitamin E Line Serum are priced at £39.00 each.   

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MAC’s # 187 Stippling Brush makes foundation work harder

MAC #187 Stippling Brush review

I’d heard great things about Mac’s #187 Duo Fibre Stippling Brush, so I just had to give it a try.

If nothing else, it would either confirm my scepticism about faddy brushes, or prove me wrong.  After all, there are so many makeup brushes out there, all of which promise the earth.  

However, Mac’s Stippling Brush really does deserve its ethereal reputation.  The brush, when used with liquid foundation, helps create a light airbrushed look, without looking cakey.

As the name suggests, the Duo Fibre Brush is made up of short and longer hairs.  I initially thought that foundation would get trapped in the different lengths, but it hasn’t so far, and I’ve used it a couple of times. 

MAC #187 Stippling Brush

Best of all, you use much less of your foundation, as a little really does go a long way.  So despite it’s £30 price tag, you save money in the long run as your foundation doesn’t run our so quickly.  

I’ve read other reviews which also extol its durability, but I’ve been warned that the bristles can come of, so beware of over-cleansing the brush!

Overall, it’s a good brush.  But be mindful that it’s great with liquid foundation, so I’m not sure how well it would work with cream or mousse formulas. 

MAC’s # 187 Stippling Brush is available, well, all over the internet and in good department stores.        

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