It’s been quite a while since my last French Pharmacy post and it’s actually one of my most popular so here is a well
overdue second instalment! It’s also 1/3 off French Pharmacy at Escentual right now so the perfect time to
stock up though these products are always on offer at the likes of Boots and Look Fantastic and too!
I have been obsessed with this stuff over
winter! It’s a cleanser for your body but also doubles as one for your face too
so a dual product! It feels luxurious, not greasy at all, and creates a mild
lather. It is formulated with vegetal biolipids that create a defensive barrier
over your skin and after my shower my skin feels soft and nourished. I have a
tendency to get dry patches on my legs and this coupled with my moisturiser
have been keeping those at bay! It’s very lightly fragranced but no scent lingers
and it also works well to help remove tan. My skin always feels soft, supple
and fully hydrated after use and this bottle has lasted an age with daily use
as a little goes a long way! I have talked about it loads on the blog but you
can read more about it here in my Accutane diary post!
While micellar water is not my usual go
to cleanser, I have completely fallen for this cult classic’s hype! The
Sensibio range is targeted at sensitive to redness prone skin and is alcohol
and fragrance free. I use it to get the bulk of my makeup off before following
with my usual cleansers. The micelle solution itself is great, the formula is gentle,
non-astringent and feels just like water, I was shocked at how much makeup it
removed! It leaves no residue or film behind either which I appreciate! The
only place it struggles a little I would say is with my two coats of waterproof
mascara, and I find I have to go back in with either a balm or my trusty Nivea
double effect waterproof eye makeup remover to get the last, hard to remove,
clumps off! Full review here!
This has been my serum of choice over the
last few months while on Accutane and it is the perfect, simple hydrating
serum! I was previously a fan of the Vichy Aqualia Thermal serum which featured
in my last French Pharmacy Favourites post but with alcohol denat quite high up
on the list in that one I made the switch to this and haven’t looked back! It’s
a really cooling gel serum that hydrates my skin and makes it plump! It sinks
in quickly, lasts all day long for me and sits well under makeup too! Can’t recommend
this enough if you have dry or dehydrated skin! Featured in my accutane diary and best beauty discoveries post!
I am a big fan of face mists and I picked
this up the same time as the Vichy serum and Bioderma shower oil right at the
start of my accutane treatment! It is a lovely, soothing and hydrating spray with
a fine mist. I like to use it as a skincare step right before applying hyaluronic
acid but it works well throughout the day on top of makeup as a hydrating fix
or pick me up! It is alcohol and fragrance free and has been formulated
specifically for sensitive skin!
Finally, a deep conditioning hair treatment
containing jojoba oil! This leaves my hair soft and manageable as well as
hydrated, shiny and healthy looking! It's concentrated so a little goes a long
way and it smells like coconuts. I leave it on for as long as possible and my hair
seems to drink it up! If your ends are as parched as mine are you need to try
this, they will thank you for it! It featured in a favourites post and my best beauty discoveries of last year too!
I know there are a few days left but
March has absolutely flown by! And, as of today, I am beauty purchase free for
the month so no spending report from me, yay! Instead, I thought I would share
some recent favourites!
The priciest item I have today was kindly
sent over by Dermalogica and it’s their Neck Fit Contour Serum* RRP £75.
Now, having a dedicated neck serum is not a necessity for everyone, but, since
turning 30, I am increasingly interested in products targeted towards aging
skin. Neck skin is thinner and more delicate than the skin on your face as well
as being more vulnerable to UV damage especially if using fragrance. Finally,
and my main issue – the skin on your neck is more prone to creasing from tech
neck and constantly looking down like me with my phone and iPad! The serum claims
to lift and tighten, smooth fine lines and protect skin against pollution while
delivering retinol-like results and strengthening the skins moisture barrier. I
cannot get over the difference in my neck since using this! First off, the
roller applicator is so cooling and relaxing to apply, it dispenses the perfect
amount and then you turn the nozzle off and continue to roll in. It really has
targeted the creases I had been noticing more and more and my neck has never
felt so soft, smooth and toned and those fine lines are nowhere near as
noticeable anymore! I cannot recommend this enough if you are concerned about
aging skin on your neck and I can’t wait to see continued results from more
use!
Moving from the most to least expensive
of the items I want to tell you about today and the Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel* RRP $6 has slotted in very nicely as my current eye
gel! Yerba Mate is a tree from South America and a source of antioxidants and
polyphenols which help to slow the appearance of aging caused by UV rays. It
also contains peptides, caffeine and hyaluronic acid so works to hydrate and
revitalise tired, puffy eyes. The gel is so cooling and sinks in easily making
it a perfect base under makeup. My skin is hydrated, bags are depuffed and look
brighter and I am also obsessed with the fun, bright packaging! This also
featured in my Best Budget Skincare post!
Next up, the newest foundation to my
collection, the NARS Soft Matte Complete Foundation RRP £28 and one I
have been wearing constantly since I got it! NARS claims that it is oxidation
proof and provides full, natural looking coverage and I would have to agree!
Coverage is definitely full but not cakey and while it provides a matte finish
it still lets some natural shine come through without the base disintegrating!
It claims to last 16 hours though I haven’t had any reason to test it that long
but it lasts well throughout a day of work and my mask being on and off! It
also comes in a very generous 45ml size and I love the squeezy bottle! NARS
recommend applying with fingers but I apply with a damp BeautyBlender and don’t
think this has affected the coverage or finish! I plan to do a full review of
this later in the year once I am off Roaccutane and my skin becomes more oily
again so I can test how it performs fully as at the minute I would class my
skin as “normal”. See the haul it was included in in my Beauty Spend Report forJanuary!
Sticking with NARS and an oldie but a
goodie - NARS Laguna Bronzing Powder RRP £30.A bronzer with a subtle
golden shimmer running through it, this has been a favourite of mine for years
since it was included in the Steven Klein palette way back when! I upgraded to
a single pan in Sephora a couple of years ago and it’s been used regularly ever
since! I neglected it recently as I was trying to hit pan on my Fenty bronzer
which I was successful in (woohoo!) so I have set my sights back on this one as
its already got a pretty good dip in the pan. It really gives the most natural,
sunkissed warmth to my face and also adds a little contour without looking
harsh. It is such a fool proof shade for lighter complexions and is so
flattering on the skin! It is easily buildable, and leaves a beautiful healthy
glow! A must have in your makeup bag if you ask me! I have another review of it here along with the matte version!
Last but not least, the Sand&Sky
Enzyme Powder Polish* RRP £44.90 deserves a shout out as it’s such a beautiful
gentle exfoliator that has been perfect for my skin while on Roaccutane. The
powder is ultra-fine, full of antioxidants and on contact with water it turns
pink! It doesn’t feel gritty at all which is amazing for me at the moment as I
can’t use anything too harsh but my skin always looks smoother and brighter
after use and never looks red or feels tight or dry! It is very similar to Dermalogica
Daily Microfoliant and Good Molecules Pineappple Exfoliating Powder but this is
the gentler of the three!
So that’s my current favourites! Let me
know if you have tried any of these and what your favourite products are right
now!
It has been a hot minute since my last
empties – the end of December to be precise! I have been making very slow
progress for some reason, especially on skincare and makeup but I have plenty
of body and hair care products to talk through!
Haircare
SportFX Body Build Dry Shampoo
I’m actually finding it really hard to
judge dry shampoos at the minute as I’m still on Roaccutane so being blessed
with “normal” hair and not ridiculously greasy hair that needs to be washed every
two days. This worked fine for me but I can’t say for sure how good it would be
on oily roots! No white cast but I found the vanilla scent a bit meh and it’s
not readily available at the usual places I shop (got it in a Latest in Beauty
box ) so won’t be repurchasing!
VERB Volume Conditioner
This empty has been a long time coming haha,
I brought it home from Canada in the middle of August 2019 and it kind of got
forgotten about but I am so sad it’s finished now! I hope they start selling
here in the future! I got this from Sephora and it’s so affordable for such a
big bottle plus it works really well – I don’t notice massive volume (I have
long fine hair) but it leaves me with lots of shine and hydration! Would repurchase
if I could!
Olaplex No.0
This is my second bottle of this and to
be honest I can’t tell much difference with or without it as the primer for my
long term favourite No.3. You saturate your hair with this, wait 10 minutes
then apply No.3 and in conjunction they work to repair damaged hair. I get about
4 uses out of this as my hair is quite long and after use it certainly feels and
looks healthier. I haven’t repurchased just yet but I think I will in the future
as I trust Olaplex as a brand and want to give it more of a go!
Olaplex No.3
I am obsessed with this and it is
probably the best thing I have ever bought for my hair! I spoke more about it
in this Haircare Essentials post too but I have been using this for years now
and can’t see myself without it! Breakage is dramatically reduced and hair
feels much stronger and healthier! This was a mini I got with the No.0 but I have
already repurchased the full size!
Bodycare
Soap and Glory Clean on Me Shower Gel
Going to be a real negative Nancy for a
minute to complain about Soap and Glory but they have discontinued my favourite
scent Mist you Madly and come out with a bunch of generic fruity scents to
replace the original, distinctive scents they became known for and I am so
disappointed! I think there have been big delays with stock during the pandemic
so I am not sure if now Clean on Me is also discontinued or just permanently
out of stock but where I was once a loyal fan, their new products just don’t
interest me anymore *shrugs*. I will always repurchase Clean on Me (if I can
find it again) and anything else Original Pink scented (still devastated they
discontinued the perfume) but I wish they would bring back Mist you Madly and a
quick stalk of their socials shows a lot of other people would like them to as well!
Rant over!
Aveeno Moisturising Cream
This is the second one of these I have
gone through now since I’ve been on roaccutane and it works really well for my
skin! It’s been keeping it nicely hydrated and I like how it’s got a pump and
there is a lot of product in there too which is great considering how much
moisturiser I go through - it sinks in quickly as well which is a bonus! The
only downside is that it’s unscented which yes is a good thing for sensitive
skin, but I do generally like my moisturiser to be scented so I find this a bit
boring! Already using my backup!
Bioderma Atoderm Ultra gentle shower gel*
This feels good and doesn’t leave my skin
feeling tight, it has a light scent and worked well to help stop scratching! I
went through this quite quickly though and I prefer the oil cleanser so won’t
be a repurchase!
Bioderma Atoderm ultra nourishing cream*
This is really soothing on my skin and
keeps it hydrated all day long and again, doesn’t leave me wanting to itch my
skin later in the day! It also has a light scent too (though I can’t really detect
it) but again I went through it very quickly so would get the bigger pump
bottle next time! Wrote about all three of the above more in this post about the bodycare I am using while on Accutane here! Would repurchase!
Lanolips Everywhere multi cream
My mum recommended this as she loves it
and like the name suggests, this is made for use everywhere – face, body,
hands, under eyes etc! I used it as a body moisturiser and though it hydrated
my skin well without leaving a greasy feel, I went through it so quickly! They
do have a pump version that is double the size of product for £14 which works
out better value so I will be picking that up next time as I do like the
formula! Full review here!
Soaper Duper Marvellous hand cream
Got this in a beauty box, moisturised my
hands well without leaving them greasy and a very generous size for a hand
cream I thought but I don’t love the scent and it doesn’t seem to be available
anymore anyway!
My second one of these and a lovely
lightweight serum containing 2% Cetyl Tranexamate Mesylate which works to
improve the appearance of dark spots and hyperpigmentation as well as 4%
niacinamide to target pores, uneven skin texture and oiliness! This was gentle
enough for me to use while on Roaccutane and did a great job of evening out my skin
tone though I didn’t see a huge change in targeted leftover pigmentation from
spots! At $12 I will definitely repurchase! Full review here!
Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum
Another lightweight serum – I have went
through a few minis of this but never purchased a full size though I know
people rave about it. Like the GM I just mentioned, this is good for evening
skin tone and works on pigmentation but at a higher price! Maybe I would feel differently
after using up a full size but this isn’t a repurchase for me!
Bioderma Atoderm lip balm*
Really enjoyed this lip balm too, it has
a little more slip than the Burt’s Bees which feels good and it’s got a subtle
raspberry scent too. I like how it has a slanted tip as it feels a little
fancier to apply and my lips have been really well hydrated throughout the day
with this! Would repurchase! See my full review here!
Burt’s Bees lip balm
My fave, forever repurchased, minty, perfect
for reapplying during the day lip balm, already have a backup!
Miscellaneous
Spotlight Oral Care Teeth Whitening
Strips and toothpaste
I picked these up last November as I
wanted to start whitening my teeth before my birthday. It says use them every
night for 2 weeks but I’ll confess I use them as and when I want a little lift!
I wouldn’t say the whitening effect is anything crazy but my teeth definitely
look brighter after use and I haven’t experienced any sensitivity! The
toothpaste is ok, again I didn’t notice a huge amount of whitening and I would
prefer it to be mintier! I have the Polished London set to try next but I think
overall I would repurchase this if I got it on offer again!
MOA Dreamy Mineral Soak
Really nice relaxing bath soak, I used
half the night before an interview and felt so calm afterwards and the other
half more recently! Would repurchase.
Dettol Anti-Bacterial Hand Hygiene Gel
A must have since I started going into
the office. I really like this, it dries quickly without drying out my hands!
Will repurchase!
Botanics Eucalyptus Oil
Love the scent of this and I have been
through a few of these now! I just put it into my diffuser, I would like to
invest in some fancier oils and blends but for now this is cheap and cheerful!
Already repurchased the scent but a different brand!
So that’s what I have emptied this year
so far! I hope that has opened the floodgates now and I will have plenty more
empties with less time between each post! Let me know if you have tried anything
I’ve mentioned and what you though of it!
