Sparkled Beauty

The Quenching Mineral mask is very special among the 3 new face masks Vichy releases recently, which explains it having its own featured post today.

First off, this mask is meant to be left on overnight, no need to wash off, which sits very well with me (and my growing stash of overnight masks).

Secondly, formulated with rare minerals and Vitamin B3 to provide quick relief to thirsty and sensitive skin, this mask has a cooling water gel texture and a light fragrance of green tea, jasmine water and bamboo. It is very pleasant to apply, does not take long to absorb and leaves no residue.

I pair this mask with a facial oil almost every night and really enjoy the long lasting moisturization. I also notice that it helps calm inflammation down, which I appreciate. Not a super fast effect, but noticeable.

If you are wondering, I slightly prefer this mask to Vichy Aqualia Thermal Night Spa, mostly because of the texture. However, because it does contain alcohol (see below), I make sure to pair it with a hydrating serum or oil.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Niacinamide, Dipropylen Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, PEG-8, PEG/ PPG/ Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, PEG-60 Hhydrogenated Castor Oil, CI 61570, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tetrasodium Edta, Menthoxypropanediol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Fragrance.

The jar is 2.54oz/ 75ml, $34.

Vichy, my favorite skin care brand, has released a trio of facial masks, and they are the most beautiful things to receive, look at and use.

First off, presentation! I am very familiar with the jars that lots of Vichy skin care products come in, but the colours and textures inside these jars of masks that take things to the next level. They are display pieces on the shelf!

Note the jars shown on the boxes feature English labels but the actual jars only have French labels, which I find a bit odd.

Onto the masks themselves. All 3 are paraben free, refreshing and cooling with fresh light scents, feel amazing on and leave the skin with a very comfortable feel that I almost want to skip the moisturizer after. They are, however, not the same. I am showing you the 2 wash-off masks today and saving the third one for its own post tomorrow.

The Double Glow peel mask with volcanic rock and AHA is meant to brighten dull skin with a double peel action:
- chemical action with AHA (fruit acids) to remove dead cells
- mechanical action with rock of volcanic origin to gently exfoliate.

I love exfoliating products, and to have the action is a mask format is a dream come true. The gel texture looks and feels awesome on, and when dries down, it does not create the tight feel on the skin. The scent is of cassis, apple and white musk, making the experience more pleasurable.

I alternate this mask and my glycolic toners during the testing period, and like I said, a mask feels more luxurious, for similar effects. I normally keep it on at least 20 minutes (against the suggested 5 minutes noted on the box) but test your skin's resistance/ sensitivity to find the ideal duration.

Ingredients: Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethlpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, CI 14700, CI 19140, Carbomer, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Pumice, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Mannose, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Disodium Edta, Carprylyl Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Xanthan Gum, Fragrance.

The Pore Purifying clay mask with 2 mineral clays - Kaolin and Bentonite - is designed to help eliminate excess sebum and impurities for combination to oily skin with clogged pores.

The texture is smooth and clay like, but more creamy, and the scent is minty but more subtle than most clay masks, which I appreciate.

The mask does what it promises to do. Not much else to comment on it other than saying it dries softly (not cracking hard), hence the skin still feels comfortable through the process and feels clean afterward.

Ingredients: Water, Kaolin, Argilla, Propanediol, Glycerin, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, CI 77891, Cetearyl Alcohol, Zea Mays Starch, CI 77499, CI77492, CI77491, Allantoin, Ceteareth-20, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Carprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Fragrance.

The masks are 2.54oz/ 75ml, $34 each. Make sure to catch 'em at a sale. Stay tuned tomorrow for the third mask.

I have been on a roll with sprays in the last month - primer and setting sprays, refreshing sprays, skin mists, etc., so we'll make facial sprays the theme of this week.

Starting with Vichy, one of my favorite skin care brands that I have recently reconnected with.

We have heard of Vichy thermal water in a lot of their products, now we can have it all on its own can, enriched with 15 minerals (the highest diversity of minerals among French thermal waters).

I normally look for a burst of moisture in facial sprays to sooth and revive the skin through the day, not really count on any long term effects but Vichy mineralizing thermal water is said to restore the skin's pH, strengthen and regenerate the skin's barrier against external aggressors.

Not the easiest claim to confirm, I must say but I do find spots calm down quite a bit through the day and the skin feels hydrated and cooling. The spray is not super fine so you do feel it when it goes on, but not abrasive.

Love the fact that it is fragrance free and dries fast enough that I don't have to pat it in as the brand suggests. The nozzle is sturdy and produces continuous sprays if you desire.

Ingredients: Water.
Mineral composition: Hydrogenocarbonates 4818.63mg/l, Bore 970ug/l, Calcium 165.61mg/l, Fer 810ug/l, Fluorures 7.67mg/l, Lithium 5.17mg/l, Magnesium 12.08mg/l, Manganese 200ug/l, Orthophosphates 210ug/l, Potassium 103.56mg/l, Silicium 11.78mg/l, Sodium 1862.88mg/l, Soufre 182.39mg/l, Ammonium 390ug/l.

The spray is now sitting next to my desk, I have to try to refrain from overusing it. It is preservative free, 5.1oz/ 150g, $13.

New to the revamped Vichy Aqualia Thermal line this Fall is the Boosting essence water, the first essence water in Canadian drugstores.

Scientifically, essences have smaller molecules to travel deeper in the epidermis, with texture even lighter than serums (which are known for having the highest concentration of active ingredients).

Aqualia Thermal essence water is to offer deep and long lasting hydration that might be stripped away previously with cleansing, and soothe the skin.

First to note: despite the name, the product is more of a very runny lotion than a water. The flip cap closes tightly though, no leakage risk.

Supposed to be applied after cleansing, morning and night, this product is an extra step before your serum and moisturizer.

A quick hydration test at Shoppers showed that my skin was dehydrated (surprisingly), so I sure was a candidate for this but the fact that it did not absorb as fast as most serums and took a few minutes to dry, I have not been using it daily during more than a month of testing.

I do feel the hydration effect after the product goes on, but overtime, not super noticeable compared to what a serum already offers. Ultimately, I would prefer a true essence water that I can spray on and move on with a serum right away.

Here is the milky texture of the essence water. Again, quite runny, so work fast to rub it in once it is on your face.

Ingredients: 688788/10, Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, PEG-20, Butylene Glycol, BHT, BIS-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Potassium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, etc.

The product is suitable for sensitive skin. I would suggest it for those who needs the hydration boost to the serum that does other jobs (anti aging, anti perfection, etc.).

The bottle is 6.7oz/ 200ml, retails $29.95.

You know I would follow up that bare face I showed in the review of Vichy Normaderm BB Clear with a FOTD. Know that no makeup would be able to completely camouflage the breakout (and old acne scars) I have but it definitely helps. And I feel better with some colours on the face.

Still BB Clear as the base, no primer, with support of a few more products. On the face:
- It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eyes full coverage concealer in Neutral Medium
- Joe Fresh mousse blush in Rose.

On the eyes:
- Flower Beauty Color Play cream eyeshadow in Time Willow Tell as base
- Freedom Makeup Pro 12 palette in Romance and Jewels
- Jordana Best Lash Extreme volumizing mascara in Black
- Barry M Intense eyeliner pen in Dark Emerald and Rimmel Scandal Eyes waterproof kohl kajal liner in Light Blue.

I tried to find a good colour match and coverage for the brows, which explained the number of products:
- Annabelle Stay Sharp brow liner in Taupe
- Marcelle Forever Sharp in Medium Brown and
- Annabelle Brow Show brow liner + highlighter in Light.

On the lips: Maybelline Color Blur I Like to Mauve It, and I do like it :) The colour is more subdue than what I normally wear, but it works for certain looks.

I have been out of town for a few days for work, and it was nice. Awesome harbour view outside my hotel room window with a different cruise ship in the harbour every day, nice weather for this time of year, no cooking/ cleaning, lots of eating :) But it's heading home time today. I can't wait to pick up some donuts and cronuts from a bakery on the way, and get back to a routine.

Vichy Normaderm line is dedicated to imperfection-prone skin, like it understands my pain of dealing with acne almost my whole adult life.

I am old enough to say I am too old for acne, but unfortunately acne does not discriminate based on age and it still plays with my heart (and face).

I have reviewed quite a number of Normaderm products on the blog, especially worth mentioning are the Hydrating acne care and the micellar solution. The line has 2 brand new products that arrived just in time to rescue me. If you are brave enough, stay tuned till the end to see my almost-bare face with only one product on :)

Top: Normaderm Cleansing mattifying foam. Bottom: Normaderm BB Clear in 2 shades.

The purpose: conceal imperfections and treat acne at the same time.

The Normaderm cleansing mattifying foam would start my acne skin care routine, meant to exfoliate and eliminate impurities (including residual makeup and excess sebum) with salicylic acid.

The water to foam texture is easy to use and rinse, and does what it does what it promises to do. Personally, I have always been wary about foaming cleansers drying out the skin, hence did not use the product every day and it turned out fine.

I don't particularly find the skin looking matte after washing but since I always follow it up with other skin care products, I don't really need the cleanser to be matte anyway.

Ingredients: Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Potassium Chloride, Triethanolamine, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, etc.

The foam is oil/ soap/ paraben/ alcohol free, 150ml, $19.95.

And then there is Normaderm BB Clear anti-acne unifying beauty balm, available in Light and Medium, with:

- 2% salicylic acid (anti imperfection active ingredient)
- Mineral pigments: melt into the skin for a natural coverage (no mask effect)
- Anti-bacterial/ sebum-regulating zinc: decongests pores, removes dead skin cells, slows down sebum production and stimulates cellular renewal
- Kaolin and silica: absorb excess sebum and neutralize shine.

BB Clear, with a light powdery non-greasy texture, is formulated to help mattify the skin, conceal imperfections and treats acne. On me, it is more about evening out the skin tone than concealing, since my imperfection requires a serious concealer with good coverage. It would be perfect for you if acne is only a temporary issue and you want light natural-looking makeup.

Here are BB Clear in Light and Medium, in comparison with Vichy Idealia BB cream in Medium.

BB Clear is a little lighter in texture, making it very easy to blend. The matte finish only lasts until about lunch time for me, or extra an hour or 2 with a primer, though.

Idealia BB cream has pink pigments to correct the grey tone in the skin and is not matte.

Ingredients: Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Glycerin, Diisostearyl Malate, Kaolin, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Salicylic Acid, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, PEG-9 Zinc Gluconate, etc.

BB Clear is paraben free, 40ml, $19.95.

Here is the forewarned bare face with just one coat each of these 3 BB creams - Normaderm BB Clear in Light on the forehead, Medium on my left side of the face and Idealia BB cream in Medium on the right side of the face.

Once blended out, Light and Medium shades both work for my skin tone, mostly because of the light coverage. And I end up liking both BB creams - the Normaderm version a bit more while I am breaking out (been wearing it for a few weeks now with a concealer) but the Idealia version is always an option for better skin days.

I will follow up with a FOTD tomorrow, with more makeup on of course :)

The latest beauty in Vichy Idealia skin care line for night time is Idealia Skin Sleep, sent to me for review.

As the name kinda gives it away, Skin Sleep is an overnight recovery gel-balm to recreate the benefits of a deep sleep (plumped skin, rested features, fresh complexion) even with poor sleep.

I personally cannot count on one hand the number of nights in a year that I go to bed before 11. My double duty as a blogger at night and multiple other things a single mom does are to blame. So Skin Sleep, I appreciate you!

I love this hybrid texture where I still get all the benefits of a balm while enjoying the refreshing gel touch. With calming jasmine and green tea scent in Skin Sleep, and some facial massage action before bed, your skin gets those relaxing moments it deserves after a long day.

The 6 main ingredients in the formula:
- Glycyrrhizic Acid: ensures the skin remains hydrated and supple
- Hyaluronic Acid: allows for a more hydrated skin, full of bounce
- Caffein: reduces fatigue marks, skin looks rested
- Vitamin B3: provides an even and healthy skin tone
- Repairing oils (rich in Omegas)
- LHA: provide a more supple and resistant skin.

Certainly, some skin care benefits are more visible and longer termed than other. I can testify to the hydration and skin tone improvement, especially my under eye area, the mornings after during the testing period. Do note that I still need foundation and/or concealer with it though.

Naturally, I have to compare Skin Sleep (left) to my HG Aqualia Thermal Night Spa (right).

Texture, absorption and basic benefit wise, they are very similar. So if it is a boost of hydration you need, go with Night Spa -  either a quick 15 minute mask or an overnight treat (especially lovely on the airplane).

If you crave extra benefit for your tired looking skin in the morning, Skin Sleep is it!

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Prunus Armeniaca/ Apricot Kernel Oil, Isononyl Isononanoate, Polysorbate 20, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, PEG‐20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Ammonium, Polyacryldimethyltauramide/ Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethy Taurate, etc.

Skin Sleep is sold in a 50ml jar, $52 (vs. Night Spa 75ml, $44).

Sun and warm weather definitely are mood boosting factors now that we actually have a summer. I better tell you about these sunscreen before it is gone :)

Vichy has revamped its awesome Capital Soleil sun care line into Ideal Soleil this year, and I was lucky to receive a few. Can't have enough of that gorgeous golden orange packaging.

What all products in the line share:
- 100% sensitive skin suitable, paraben free
- light texture, quick drying, no white residue once shaken
- hydrating, smoothing and
- broad spectrum protection against UVA and UVB (both can cause skin cancer and hyper pigmentation).

I have covered the formula (Mexoryl XL-SX, Avobenzone and Octocrylene) in my initial review (linked below) so I will not repeat it here.

Worth repeating though, Vichy suggests sunscreen application 15 minutes before sun exposure and reapplication every 2 hours (or after 40 minutes of swimming/ sweating, or immediately after towel drying).

Brand new this year is Ideal Soleil Invisible Mist SPF50 (dry touch, water resistant).

I have thoroughly enjoyed the Capital Soleil Invisible Mist SPF30 from last year, no doubt this year.

Please note though: A SPF50 product blocks 98% of UVB rays, only 1% more than what a SPF30 product does, so pick one that calls your name :)

The 3-4-7 rule: spray 3 seconds on each arm, 4 seconds on front/ back and 7 seconds on each leg.

The 2 sprays look the same, so I'll show you the swatch from last year.

Ingredients do differ though.
Active ingredients: Homosalate 10%, Oxybenzone 6%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Avobenzone 3%, Ecamsule (Mexoryl SX) 2%.

Other ingredients: Butane, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Cyclohexasiloxane, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Silica, Dicaprylyl Ether, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Dimethicone, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, etc.

The can has 155g of product, retails for $31.95.

The line also has 2 products for the face and very exposed areas. I cannot really tell them apart in terms of texture and application, so again, pick one that suits your phototype.

Ultra-fluid SPF30 (daily use) is meant for phototypes 1-4: pale, fair, light brown skin.

Active ingredients: Octocrylene 8%, Titanium Dioxide 4%, Avobenzone 3%, Drometrizole Trisiloxane (Mexoryl XL) 2%, Terephthalyidene Dicamphorsulfonic Acid (Mexoryl) 1%.

Other ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Alcohol Denat., Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Silica, Propylene Glycol, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Nylon-12, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, etc.

Ultra-light lotion SPF50 (express dry touch) is best for phototypes 5-6: brown and dark brown/ black skin.

Active ingredients: Homosalate 10%, Oxybenzone: 6%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 5%, Avobenzone 3%, Terephthalyidene Dicamphorsulfonic Acid (Mexoryl) 2%.

Other ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Cyclohexasiloxane, Styrene/ Acrylates Copolymer, Silica, Dicaprylyl Ether, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Dimethicone, etc.

Both products dry quite fast, do not leave a white cast (with shaking action before application, of course) and work well under makeup. They are quite runny, however, so no texture shot :)

Standard amount: 2mg (half a table spoon) per squared cm of skin or the 1-2 rule: 1 tablespoon for face/ neck/ decollete and 2 for each body part (front, back, each arm and each leg).

The face sunscreens are fragrance/ preservative free, water resistant. The bottles are 40ml, $25 each.

Another aqua burst of colour and more innovative products today!

If you are familiar with the traditional blue and white packaging of Vichy Purete Thermale products, get excited as the line is being revamped with this gorgeous aqua theme and a solid V logo on the front.

There are 2 brand new cleansers launched in the line that I could not wait to tell you about but we can't forget great existing cleansers either, so this post will be a mix of both.

A note to start: All 3 cleansers carry a light fresh scent that I personally enjoy but test them in advance if you are scent sensitive.

The current product that gets the new look is the 3-in-1 One Step cleanser. It is truly a multi purpose product - a cleansing milk, an eye makeup remover and a toner.

I was surprised to realize it is a no rinse cleanser, applied with just a cotton pad. I was all for that but wondered how well it would work.

Well wonder no more after the first few tries. The milk gel texture is very pleasant to use, light and soothing. Makeup comes off and the face is left feeling comfortable, clean and non greasy. I can sing raves about this cleanser all day!

Ingredients: Water, Paraffinum Liquidum/ Mineral Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Potassium Phosphate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Dipotassium Phosphate, Disodium Edta, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Myrtrimonium Bromide, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii/ Shea Butter Seedcake Extract, Fragrance.

It is suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. The tube is 6.7oz/ 200ml, retails $19.95.

On to the brand new stuff.

This is the Fresh cleansing gel that is designed to remove impurities (dust, sebum excess and pollution particles) and reduce the discomfort caused by hard water.

The formula is enriched with moringa, easy to use. It is a bit runny (see below) and does take a bit to rinse off thoroughly, but the comfortable feeling afterward is the same.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Coco-Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sodium Chloride, Dipropylene Glycol, Lauric Acid, Triethanolamine, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Edta, Fragrance.

The bottle, with a pump, has 6.7oz/ 200ml, retails $19.95.

Here are the textures of the 3-in-1 One Step cleanser (left) and the Fresh cleansing gel (gel).

Within that one minute while I tried to take pictures, the gel was running down on my hand :) Not a big deal when you actually use it though, cause you would be pumping it into your balm.

The milk gel fared better, staying put on my hand, so you will have time to spread it out on the cotton pad before application.

Lastly, the Beautifying cleansing micellar oil. Finally, Vichy makes a cleansing oil. Wish granted!

If you are new to cleansing oils, they are to go on your dry hand, then massage onto your dry face. Add a few drops of water to emulsify the oil, then rinse off with water.

The short and sweet verdict: I like everything about this oil. I did not test it on my eye makeup and mascara, cannot confirm that aspect.

Before you wonder, I prefer Vichy (125ml, $19.95) a tiny bit than L'Oreal Sublime Radiance Sensational cleansing oil (150ml, $14.99) which I also like. It takes less product (one pump) to cover my face, spreads out a tad easier and the scent attracts me more. If you like Sublime Radiance, there is no reason to stop though.

The ingredients [Paraffinum Liquidum, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Isohexadecane, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Water, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance] are almost identical to L'Oreal's, with the exception of Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, which has moisture retaining and emulsifying properties.

So there are quite a few options for you, depending on what texture you look for in a cleanser and the weather you use it with. Have fun with it!

If you haven't kept up with micellar solutions for removing face and eye makeup, you gotta!

They feel like water, are so easy to use (with a cotton pad, without having to rub or rinse), great as the first step before a cleanser, or for those late nights that you cannot bother a full facial wash.

I had the opportunity to test out 2 micellar solutions from Vichy to share some thoughts with you.

Vichy micellar solutions are alcohol/ corolant/ soap/ parabens free, pH balanced, with Vichy Thermal Spa water, suitable for sensitive skin. They claim to cleanse and soothes the skin without causing discomforts or tugging. And I can confirm all that!

The original version from Vichy is the Purete Thermale 3-in-1 Calming micellar solution (left), a good solid one for everyone.

It does take an extra cotton pad to thoroughly get all the waterproof mascara off (so 2 for the face, 2 for the eyes, on average) but leaves my skin in the most comfortable state it can be. No tightness, dryness.

Despite fragrance being listed (see below), I do not detect a scent with it.

Ingredients: Water, Hexylene Glycol, Glycerin, Poloxamer 184, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Disodium Edta, Panthenol, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Fragrance.

And then, Vichy came out with Normaderm micellar solution for acne prone skin (right).

The same micellar technology but with Zinc PCA, an antibacterial agent that helps removing sebum and gently purifying the skin. It feels the same way on the skin, and still with no scent. It is extra soothing on those bumpy pimples, I am happy to say. 

Same bottle shape, with flip tops.The Normaderm version spots the green accent.

Ingredients are mostly the same too: Water, Hexylene Glycol, Glycerin, Poloxamer 188, Zync PCA, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Disodium Edta, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Citric Acid, Dihydrocholeth-30, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide.

I adore the Normaderm version for the state of the skin I am in right now, and love the fact that Vichy acknowledge that need. But the Purete Thermale bottle would be good for anyone. They retail $19.95 (200ml) or $27.50 (400ml).

Now that I told you how Vichy LiftActiv Supreme takes care of my face, I am gonna continue on with Vichy Ideal Body serum-milk, as it is equally fab.

First, check out the main ingredients, besides Vichy Thermal Spa water, in the Ideal Body line :
- Hyaluronic Acid (hydrating)
- LHA (exfoliating) and
- 10 Fundamental oils: Macadamia, Rose Muscat, Blackcurrant seed, Sunflower, Coriander, Jojoba, Apricot Kernel, Passion Flower, Corn, Rice Bran.

The Serum-milk is supposed to offer continuous hydration, harmonized skin tone, firmness and smoothness. It absorbs super fast, like a serum, with a runny and milky texture, enriched with mother-of-pearl particles. Great for any time of year, but very ideal for the summer when you do not want any sticky feeling on the skin nor wait around for your skin care to dry to get dressed.

The light scent is refreshing with musk, vanilla, amber and floral (Tiare flower, Roses, Violets, Peachtree flowers and Freesia) notes, developed to minimize allergy risks.

I am sold after this point. It is hard to tell now if I like the texture or the scent more :)

And I sure am sold again after seeing how well it keeps my skin moisturized with the "light like a feather" feeling, especially after a shower or right before bed. I believe I can fly, lol.

This serum-milk is like nothing else I have, so I don't have anything else for the texture comparison shot. You can see the pearl particles quite well here in the closeup, but they are almost invisible with naked eyes, so no, you won't glow like a disco ball :)

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Alcohol Denat, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Isononyl Isononanoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Zea Mays Oil, Tinoxide, Ci15985, CI7891, CI77491, Mica, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Ribes Nigrum Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, etc.

This product is suitable for all skin types, even sensitive, retails $22.50 (200ml, the size I received) or $29 (400ml). I totally recommend it!

There is also an Ideal Body balm ($27.50, 200ml) that turns into a cream on the skin, meant for dry/ very dry skin. I am quite curious about that, tempting a purchase soon.

It has been a really rough winter (still is, it just snowed yesterday lol), I was lucky to receive Vichy LiftActiv Supreme right in the middle of it for review. Have been using it every morning since.

LiftActiv Supreme is a daily wrinkle corrector and firming skin care, with 5% Rhamnose + Adenosine + Caffeine + Neohesperidine.

Now if you remember Rhamnose, a natural sugar extracted from silver beech to rejuvenate the skin in LiftActiv Serum 10 and LiftActiv Serum 10 Eyes & Lashes, my skin took some liking to this ingredient and I saw good results of its effects.

On top of that, LiftActiv Supreme is supposed to have:
- Instant 3D Optical technology: Offers mattifying and blurring finish, with illuminating effect
- Over-day Aging prevention: Caffeine and Retinol-like Adenosine promote cellular energy and responsiveness, so skin remains smooth, firm and rested all day long
- Fight long-term Aging effects: Rhamnose 5% helps reduce the look of wrinkles and increase skin firmness; and Neohesperidine, a potent anti-oxidant, boosts the effects of rhamnose, for cellular renewal and global protection.

You could probably guess by the look of it in the jar (and the texture showed below, on the left), LiftActiv Supreme is a thicker cream, but Glycerin, Apricot nourishing kernel butter and shea butter in the ingredients help it melt into the skin quite fast and I could hardly feel it after that.

Suggestions: apply all over the face, decollete and neck, avoiding the eye area, spread with upward strokes, from inside to outside.

I am not very good at moisturizing my neck but try to remember the instruction to be better at it. With daily use, my skin has not felt tight nor dry with morning commute in the cold, snow, freezing rain and everything in between.

The mattifying and blurring effect show in some extent, with other makeup put on top of it for the day. But the skin does feel plumped and firm, signs of wrinkles reduce. I feel like the better version of me :)

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Rhamnose, Isohexadecane, Alcohol Denat, Propanediol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, etc.

Like all Vichy skin care products, LiftActiv Supreme is enriched with Vichy Thermal Spa Water, paraben-free, suitable for all skin types. It does have a light scent which does not bother me. When spring (and then summer) comes, I might alternate it with Aqualia Thermal Dynamic hydration, shown above on the right for texture comparison.

Available now, the jar is 50ml, retails $49.50. Check out Vichy Works for Me website where you can receive a coupon up to $20 off a routine that works for you, and there is always sales at drugstoers for extra savings.

It's about time to show you what I got over Boxing Week, online and in stores. Being on vacation didn't stop me getting in on good deals :)

At Shoppers, Quo holiday collection was cleared out for 50% off. Beauty Boutique locations seemed to have more in stock. I already got my fair share of the Back to Basics (original and Matte) palettes so I only grabbed the All About Brows set (reg. $20).

Annabelle holiday Lipsies duos were half price too (reg. $7.95). I found 3 sets, from L-R:
- Flirty Candy Cane & Cinnamon Candy
- Yummy Gingerbread & Grandma's Peppermint
- Roasted Marshmallow & Hot Chocolate.

Quo Backstage brush set (reg. $65), part of the holiday collection, was also 50% off. Love the long gold handles, contrasting the black bristles.

If you don't know me by now, I could hardly ever pass up on a brush set clearance, especially with Quo and Sephora. And then put them on display, as the boxes are too pretty to use lol.

Found a gift set that includes my favorite Vichy Aqualia Thermal Night Spa, reg. $44 (values $59), 50% off. Basically I paid $22 for my beloved Night Spa and has a free gift (Aqua Thermal lip balm) to tote around in my bag.

I always plan my Shoppers trip with a x20 point event or a coupon ($10 off $50, etc.) which happens ever so often. Don't walk in the door without an offer :)

Walmart put Christmas items on clearance of 50% off starting Boxing Day, then 75% off after New Year for whatever left.

I got the Flower Beauty Color in the Lines mini Lip Chubby beauty set (reg. $9) online before it was sold out. None left in the stores when I checked.

There were still a few Eye See You eye beauty sets (reg. $19) left for the 75% off in store, so I picked up the rose gold set and the purple set.

Similarly, Joe Fresh had some lips, eyes and nails holiday gift sets on clearance at Superstore.

I grabbed the 5-piece Chubby lipstick set and 5-piece Chubby eyeshadow set on 75% off (reg. $10 each).

I saw a few sets of holiday nail polish but the colours didn't really wow me on the spot, so I am still thinking about it. The price is great though.

Winners didn't have much new stuff, so I only bought 2 things from the clearance section:
- China Glaze All Aboard set for $18 (reg. $24.99), mainly because of Choo-Choo-Chose You, and
- Real Techniques Retractable Bronzer brush $11 (reg. $14.99).

I recalled seeing a lot of holiday gift sets at Winners before I left for vacation. Guess those were sold out right away on Boxing Day :)

Last but not least, Sephora! The extra 20% off sale item promo was definitely nice, but I panicked and got a few things (noted below with a *) before the code was sent out, fearing they would be sold out quickly.

Bite Beauty Deconstructed Rose lipstick trio* ($40) made an appearance for a split second before selling out. Considering these lipsticks retail $32 a piece, the trio is definitely a steal.

Sephora Favorites SummerStash set (reg. $54) landed on the sale page for $36, so why not? :) I'm excited about the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor cheek gelee in Pink Escape and OCC Stained Gloss in New Wave.

Make Up For Ever Studio Case (reg. $68.50) was discounted to $45 the day I went to use my $25 VIB Rouge credit, so it turned out to be the best deal I had. Wanted it for so long! Still missed out on the 30 Color set, but it would probably never be back.

Also eyed Stila Merry & Bright set (reg. $38, on sale for $26) for a while but I held off until 20% off. Main focus was the Convertible in Tulip but the jeweled headband was a nice touch :)

Same situation with Sephora Eye Look book set (reg. $35, on sale for $25). It would look good on a book case too, as the 4 little palettes (The Nude, the Smoky, the Party and the Metallic eye look) sit snugly in a case like books.

Benefit 3 Scoops O' Sexy set* (reg. $50, on sale for $30) sold out quite fast. I didn't have any tints or balms from Benefit, guess the set was a good opportunity to try them. I have high hope for the Lolli duo, my type of colour.

Last but not least, the big ticket item - Sephora 24 Karat Gold Mine brush set* (reg. $106, on sale for $56). It would be nice if I could grab it with 20% off but what can you do?

The gold detail definitely intrigued me but the selling point was the long ferule that ran along the handle. Very classy and luxurious. Again, don't know if I have the heart to break them out of the box yet :)

Still on the way to me are Josie Maran Winter Dreams Argan Color collection ($36 from $43 reg.) and OCC Colour Pencil Essentials set ($24 from $54 reg.). Shipping took some sweet time this time of year.

What have you been hauling in the last week or two?

One of the highly anticipated product this Fall from Vichy Normaderm - the Night Detox - is here!

Meant to be an anti-imperfection clarifying care, Night Detox treats oily skin's imperfections and reduce serum production during the night.

The detoxifying and purifying effect thanks to:
- Perlite+ absorbing powders: soak up the nightly excess sebum production
- Eperuline+LHA+Hepes+Salicylic Acid: reduce impurities and the look of imperfections.

To put it simply, this is like a (night) trip every day to the spa where you have a facial done on your skin while you sleep. Over time, you wake up with less imperfections and less visible pores.

I followed the suggested use - Apply every night on clean skin (avoiding the eye area), massage with a circular motion and leave on over night. The light texture and scent, fast absorption and the semi-matte finish got me ready for bed in no time at all.

Conveniently, I had some small spots on the face at the beginning of the testing period. After about 2-3 days, they were gone before being able to grow any bigger. And nothing else has showed up since. I'll just go ahead and call Night Detox my (night time) bff.

I do realize that there are many different factors that cause acne, and Night Detox sure is not the solution for all, but it worked for me and I'll continue using it until it is proved otherwise.

Here is the texture of Normaderm Night Detox (left) next to another Normaderm product - ProEven Night (right).

Not to say that they do the same thing (cause they don't), but I thought it would be easier to visualize the texture of Night Detox in comparison with a product you might have seen or tried, or at least read about before.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Isononyl Isononanoate, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, PEG-20 Stearate, Dimethicone, Cetrylalcohol, Silica, Zeamays Starch, CI 19140, CI 42090, etc. 

Night Detox is paraben free. The tube is 40ml, retails $29.95.

And a bonus offer from Vichy, the Skintervention website offers a holistic approach to skin care and especially acne care for those who are struggling. Worth a look!