Everyone is aware of the Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre face moisturizer after the Pixiwoo sisters made it famous several years ago in their videos, but what do you know about the rest of Embryolisse‘s products?
Embryolisse – Hydra-Masque
I’m lucky enough that my brother lives in France, so I get the opportunity to try some brands I don’t always have access to in Canada. Whenever him or my parents, who often visit, come back from France, I often ask them to pick me up skincare items from the pharmacies. Last year my dad came back with the EmbryolisseHydra-Masque (19€) – an intense care hydrating mask for all skin types.
Embryolisse – Hydra-Masque
The mask is white and creamy, but not stiff. The instructions indicate you apply it to clean skin and let it sit for 5-15 minutes. It also says you can rinse it off after use OR leave it on your skin to soak in over time. I always rinse it off because the texture is too thick to reasonably sink into my skin fully over time.
Embryolisse – Hydra-Masque on my face
The Hydra-Masque‘s texture is thick, but it doesn’t look like a white paste on my skin. Mostly it’s just shiny. I let it sit for the full 15 minutes, then rinse it off with warm water. I’ve been using this every month or so for the last year and still have a little bit left in the bottle. My skin always feels extra hydrated after I’ve done this mask, and I’ve never felt the need to apply a moisturizer after using it, even later on in the day. I also find it doesn’t have much of a scent, which is an enormous blessing in a face mask. Two thumbs up over here!
Let me know if you’ve tried anything else by Embryolisse – I’m looking to expand on my collection!
I was recently introduced to ACURE Organics, a family owned and operated company founded on sustainable principles and accessible price points to steer people away from toxic chemicals. Each of their products is free from gluten, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, harmful preservatives and artificial colours and is never tested on animals. Their plant + food based formulas are clinically driven to provide optimal performance at a cellular level.
Let’s get into what I tried:
ACURE Sensitive Facial Cleanser
The ACURE Sensitive Facial Cleanser features a soothing blend of organic argan oil, peony stem cell and sunflower amino acids. It’s a gentle creamy cleanser that is intended for dry, sensitive skin that purifies and cleanses without drying your skin out. It wasn’t till I sat down to write this post that I realized just how true that statement is. Usually when I get out of the shower after having used my usual cleansers, I am just *dying* to get moisturizer on my face. This cleanser doesn’t leave me with that dry, tight feeling on the skin. I didn’t even know that was possible! The only downside with this cleanser is that it has a non-scent scent to it (you know what I mean) that isn’t to my tastes. However, since this cleanser is intended for sensitive skin, I can understand them not using any artificial scents.
ACURE Coconut & Argan Oil Cleansing Towelettes
The first thing I need to point out about the ACURECoconut & Argan Oil Cleansing Towelettes is the fact that they come with 30 towelettes and not the typical 25 that every other brand seems to do. Thank you ACURE, THANK YOU! 30 makes way more sense since it’s akin to a calendar month. I’ve never understood the 25 (or worse, 20) towelettes packages and they kiiiind of infuriate me. Anyway, moving on. These towelettes are all-natural, biodegradable and can be used to remove makeup, sweat, dirt and environmental toxins. Unfortunately, these didn’t really work all that well to remove my makeup, particularly when it involved eye makeup. Even when I was wearing non-waterproof cosmetics, I still found that this couldn’t remove the bulk of what I had on my face. So instead, I’d opt to use these more as a quick refresher on the go when I’m not wearing a lot of face makeup.
ACURE Coconut Dry Oil Body Spray
I’ve saved my favourite product for last! The ACURECoconut Dry Oil Body Spray is soooo freaking nice. It’s an ultra-lightweight and easily absorbed dry marula + argan oil spray for the body and hair. The scent is mostly coconut oil, with a hint of suntan lotion (that’s the best way I can think to describe it – there isn’t actually any sunscreen in this product!). It’s the kind of product you can spray all over your body to add some hydration back into your skin. While it reminds me of a beach vacation, this can definitely be used all year long to keep your skin in good condition. The dry oil does leave a bit of a residue (let’s be honest here, all oil does), but it’s not so much that you feel greasy or sticky. Love this one!
Final Thoughts
For a brand I knew nothing about, ACURE definitely proved their worth to me. Although I wasn’t keen on the towelettes, the face cleanser and dry oil spray definitely impressed me. It also worth noting that these products are priced very reasonably – the most expensive item in this review was $12.99 USD (dry oil body spray) and the cheapest was $6.99 USD (towelettes)! Certain ACURE products can be found Target and online at target.com, and the whole range can be found on ACURE Organics site acureorganics.com
The products in this review were provided by PR for consideration.
The older I get, the more I’ve learned to appreciate oil and what it can do for me. Particularly on the face! Sometimes a moisturizer, no matter how thick and nourishing, just isn’t enough to keep my face as hydrated as possible.
skyn ICELAND Arctic Face Oil
I’ve started using skyn ICELAND‘s Arctic Face Oil over the last few weeks. That sounds freaking amazing doesn’t it? ARCTIC. FACE. OIL. Like I’m suddenly splashing polar bear water on my face or gone skinny dipping beside some icebergs. (Just me?)
I really couldn’t phrase this better myself, so here’s what skyn ICELAND has to say about their product:
Arctic Face Oil, composed of 99.9% Camelina Oil, is naturally sourced and cold-pressed to retain maximum nutrients. Extracted from the resilient Camelina Sativa plant, which thrives in sub-zero temperatures, it has a unique composition of 9 Essential Fatty Acids which enables it to survive in harsh weather. Most importantly, the Omega 3:6:9 ratio of this oil plays a critical role in normal skin function making this blend exceedingly curative and rejuvenating to skin. A natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, it also soothes, calms and protects skin.
skyn ICELAND Arctic Face Oil
The Arctic Face Oil comes in a 30ml/1 US fluid ounce glass bottle with a dropper top. This makes for fairly easy dispensing, although I will say that I feel the dropper only ever really gets 60% full. I basically use whatever I can squeeze into the dropper to cover my entire face whenever I’m wearing this product.
My Thoughts on the Arctic Face Oil
Although the scent of the oil isn’t enthralling (it’s not awful, just rather plainly oil-scented), this is a phenomenal way to infuse hydration into my face. I haven’t had to use it in conjunction with moisturizer because it’s THAT powerful. I tend to apply the Arctic Face Oil a few times a week after I’ve gotten home from work and taken my makeup off. I find this especially nice on days when I wore foundation and feel the need to rehydrate my skin. Although I have applied it before my makeup for the day and suffered no ill effects (for example, my makeup didn’t start sliding around my face even though I’d just applied oil to my face), I still prefer to apply it at night so it has more time to absorb into my skin without packing makeup on top of it.
I did find that although the oil didn’t sink completely into my skin immediately (which I honestly quite like), it also didn’t make me feel like a grease pit. It feels like your skin got plumped up from hydration. It’s a good feeling! So, if you’re looking for something to help soothe and heal your dried out skin this winter, skyn ICELAND‘s Arctic Face Oil may be something to consider. I know I’ll be using it constantly, that’s for sure!
This post features a product sample that was sent for consideration.
Today’s skincare post features Dermalogica‘s Precleanse, a makeup remover that’s intended as step one in a two step cleansing process.
Dermalogica Precleanse
Fancy names aside, Precleanse is a makeup remover with an oil base. The idea behind Precleanse is that you use it before your regular cleanser in order to make your skin extra squeaky clean. I know plenty of people do that, but I’m more of a “remove makeup and moisturize” kind of person.
Dermalogica Precleanse is a clear, oil-based makeup remover.
Precleanse has a “deep-cleansing oil that melts impurities and makeup from [the] skin. Thoroughly melt[s] away layers of excess sebum, sunscreen, waterproof makeup, environment pollutants and residual products that build up on skin throughout the day with skin fortifying Borage Seed, Kukui and Apricot oils”.
I’ve found the best way to use Precleanse is to squirt a few pumps into my hand, rub my hands together and then rub it all over my face; focusing heavily on the eyes since that’s where I apply the bulk of my makeup. Once I’ve rubbed it around and it’s started to break apart my makeup, I’ll splash a little water on my face and start using it as more of a destructive cleanser. Continue rinsing until it’s removed everything, then pat dry. (Sidenote, applying it to a cotton round and then applying it to my face worked WAY less efficiently than my hands did.) Because it’s an oil based remover, it also won’t leave your skin feeling dry – huge bonus for me!
Dermalogica Precleanse
Final Thoughts
As far as makeup removers go, the Dermalogica Precleanse is a solid choice. My preference for a remover is always going to be an oil-based one because they can rip through anything you’ve put on your face. I know oil removers aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they certainly are mine!
The only downside for me is that the bottle will get oily. As you’re pumping up the oil through the spout some of it will escape through the crevices and ooze out the side. That’s not THIS product’s fault though as I’ve had this occur with almost every single oil I’ve had that’s come with a pump dispensing mechanism.
The Precleanse oil has a slight savoury smell, akin to rosemary and tea tree oil, that I love. However, it’s formulated without artificial fragrances , colours or parabens so I expect that it wouldn’t aggravate those with sensitive skin. If you’re looking for a makeup remover that will cut through everything you throw on your face, the DermalogicaPrecleanse will definitely deliver!
This post features a press sample sent for review.
Toronto has gotten aggressively colder and colder throughout the month of October and I’ve been forced to start reaching for a more intensely moisturizing routine. Whether The Body Shop‘s Oils of Life were released intentionally to match the colders months, I don’t know, but they sure are seeing a lot of use from me right now.
The Body Shop’s new collection “Oils of Life”
The first thing I noticed about the Oils of Life collection is that The Body Shop has suddenly upped their packaging game. This line comes packaged in sleek white cardboard boxes with gold overlay. Depending on which products you get, some of them come in glass tubs (the moisturizer) while some are still in plastic to ease facilitation of use (the essence lotion). It’s a really nice step in the right direction for The Body Shop as it evokes a more mature, spa-like quality to the brand.
Moving on to the actual properties of this new line, the Oils of Life collection proudly states that “[they] searched the world and selected 3 precious seed oils known for their supreme revitalising and repairing properties on skin:
Black cumin oil from Egypt, known for its concentration in antioxidants.
Rosehip oil from Chile, rich in repairing Omega 3 and 6.
Camellia oil from China, naturally rich in nutritive oleic acid.”
The Body Shop – Oils of Life – Intensely Revitalising Essence Lotion ($22 CAD)
The Body Shop recommends using their Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Essence Lotion after you’ve cleansed your face and before any creams or serums. This Essence Lotion has a “Potent oil blend in to a unique bi-phase (oil + water) formula, we created a daily lotion that provides instant visible results while preparing and activating your skin for the next steps in your routine.”
On me, this is a very lightweight… hmmm… I suppose toner maybe. It adds a bit of moisture although it won’t replace the moisturizer in my routine. Make sure you shake it before you apply it to your face so that the oil and the water can combine. It doesn’t leave my skin greasy and helps make my skin not feel so tight after I’ve washed it.
The Body Shop – Oils of Life – Intensely Revitalising Cream ($34 CAD)
I follow up the Intensely Revitalising Essence Lotion with their Intensely Revitalising Cream. The cream is thick and luxurious – the kind of moisturizer you want to use on your face during the winter months. My skin has a tendency to dry out slowly throughout the fall and winter so I absolutely need a product like this. I’ve been using the Vitamin C gel moisturizer (also from The Body Shop) throughout the summer months, but I knew I’d need to switch to something more infused with moisture as the temperature plummets.
The Body Shop – Oils of Life – Intensely Revitalising Cream ($34 CAD)
“By infusing this potent oil blend in to a silky cream with perfecting micro-pearls, we created a daily cream that intensely revitalises skin and visibly reduces signs of ageing.”
Ummm hell yes to all of that! And just look at that packaging – it’s gorgeous!
Final Thoughts
This is barely worth mentioning because it won’t affect my usage of the product at all, but the Oils of Life scent isn’t totally to my liking. It’s probably the specific mixture of the oils, but it smells like a field of dried out flowers and pencil shavings to me. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it’s the only way I could think to describe it. I asked my husband what he thought of it and he said it smells like a spice rack to him. So there you go, two very different takes on the scent. As I’ve already said however, it won’t stop me from using this moisturizer. The scent doesn’t linger on my face, so it’s not something I’m concerned about.
Since I’ve switched over to this daily moisturizing combination, I’ve managed to keep my skin fairly balanced. I’m not suffering from dryness and it’s not over moisturizing my skin either. The Body Shop has struck a nice balance with this one and I’m more than happy to keep on using it throughout the colder months. (And if you are of a more oily skin person, they do have the cream in a gel texture as well.) This product range gets two very solid thumbs up from me!
Have you taken a peek at the Oils of Life collection yet? Will you be picking anything up? Let me know!
