Behind the Mirror: May Empties

With some delay, here is my May empties products blog post.

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a dermatologist, the information I wrote is based strictly on my own research, my doctor's recommendations and my experience whith these products. Because I haven't found any such information when I researched these products a while ago, I decided I should put it all together, in case anyone else needs it like I did. If you are not sure these products might be good for you, please consult your doctor.

Avène Cleanance Gel Soapless Cleanser

I have been using this cleansing gel for more than a year now and we got along very well. Mainly because I have very sensitive skin prone to acne this was the only product I could use without aggravating the skin even more. I used it in the mornings and in the evenings. It cleansed the skin of all the impurities and make-up. When it comes to my face cleansing routine, I am very careful and thorough. I never go to bed without washing my face and applying an exfoliating or acne-treatment cream. Otherwise all hell breaks loose.
However I am happy I finished this cleansing gel, because I needed to change it for something more potent in the fight against acne. This gel was perfect during the winter time, when my skin was prone to dehydration as well, because it doesn’t leave the skin feeling too dry. On the warmer months however I need something that cleanses the pores more deeply.
It contains Avène thermal water (very soothing for sensitive skin, but more on that below), lactic acid (helps exfoliating the skin and thus cleansing it thoroughly), zinc gluconate (important ingredient for acne prone skin, that helps healing and activates the natural defense mechanism of the skin) and cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) seed oil (due to its high content of fatty acids and vitamin E it neutralizes the free radicals and enhances the capacity of the immune system of the skin to cure the various problems like wounds, acne scarring, rosacea, stretch marks etc).

Avène Cleanance K Cream-gel

For the same reasons mentioned above, I also used the hydrating exfoliating gel from Avène’s Cleanance range for sensitive acne prone skin. I used it at night, after I thoroughly cleansed my skin to exfoliate and remove black heads. Because it contains Avène thermal water its formulation is kind to the skin, because the AHA and BHA active ingredients are very damaging for the skin. AHA (alpha hydroxy acids) and BHA (beta hydroxy acids) are the acids that actually do the exfoliating of the dead and damaged skin cells and help heal the scarring - process which is known as chemical peel. Also because of these ingredients this cream needs to be used only at night, if the sunlight falls on the skin after you’ve applied a cream with these ingredients you might get highly sunburned – these ingredients make the skin more sensitive to the sun. Another reason why you should use SPF creams during the day (regardless of the season) if you have acne prone skin. Also due to their rejuvenating properties, these acids can be found in anti-ageing creams.
I have been using this cream for more than 1 year now. I used a tube up every 3-4 months. I could use it during the winter season, without getting my skin dry and dehydrated. The skin looked good and exfoliated. However I stopped using it after this tube was finished, because I got a very bad acne outburst and needed something stronger and lighter due to the warmer season.

Avène Thermal Spring Water

Like I mentioned in my blog post on the April Empties, I use Avène Thermal Spring Water because it keeps my skin from drying when I use brevoxyl on the acne that appears on my back. I also use this water on my face and whenever I need to refresh myself and my make-up (I try to do that at least once a day, half way through the day) and before and after exercising in the gym. I found it keeps the pores from clogging with sweat and make-up and prevents acne to form itself.

I spray it also on my boyfriend’s face in the evenings, so that it can counteract with the free radicals and soothe any sun and razor burns. He hates using any cosmetic product, except this one.

Looking at the ingredients its soothing and refreshing effects are more than clear, for ex: it contains zinc (of which I spoke above). 

Bioderman Sensibio H2O

Everybody has an intense relationship with this product. Some love it, other hate it with the same passion. After seeing Lisa Eldridge’s comments on this product, I decided to test it for myself some time ago. This is the 4^th bottle I used-up, so I think this product and I are for a long lasting relationship.

I must admit that I use it for objective reasons – it is a make-up remover for both eyes and skin without hurting my eyes and my skin (both being as I mentioned before sensitive). I cannot say this for the other products I used to remove the make-up from the eyes and face (like, for ex: the Vichy mincellar make-up remover, all of Nivea’s eye make-up removers, eye make-up removers from farmec, elmiplant and herbagen).
Because a product speaks to me only if the ingredients make sense, I took a peek at the ingredients list. Besides being a mincellar solution, it must have some other goodies, I thought to myself. It has Rhamnose and cucumber extract. Rhamnose is the new miracle ingredient that keeps the skin from ageing by stimulating the skin cells to produce natural collagen. It is being extracted from the Uncaria flower, also known as the cat claw. I found more details on Rhamnose on the Daily Telegraph. Cucumber is known to everyone, that it refreshes and purifies the skin, helps with dark circles around the eyes. So it is a perfect product in my book.
I will get it again, because this product and I have a good thing going.

Vichy Dercos Anti-Dandruff Treatment Shampoo

It seems that my sensitive oily skin sometimes gets dandruff and as a result of this combination my hair tends to fall. For this reason my dermatologist recommended me this shampoo. I use it for more than a year now and we get along very well.

I don’t wash my hair daily, because it is very long and the skin is very sensitive, so I use it twice a week. It helped me get over the hair loss, the oiliness and the dandruff. Its active ingredient is selenium disulfide.

I must admit, that I tried another shampoo, but returned to this one, because it is the only thing that works for me. The overall Vichy shampoos are effective. My boyfriend discovered that this statement is correct and uses them as well and his hair looks much better also.

The only down part might be that I use up a bottle in two months and have to get one every two months and this stuff doesn’t come cheap.

OPTI FREE Replenish

This is disinfectant solution for soft lenses. Because I am virtually blind without lenses, I wear them all the time and also in the office. Since in the office the air is conditioned and my skin is like I mentioned before sensitive, I got a mild case of conjunctivitis about a year and a half ago and the doctor changed my prescription for the solution to this one. Ever since I haven’t had another problem with my eyes. They are perfectly safe and healthy.

The only down side of this product is that it has only 300 ml and it lasts a little under two months, which is less than the other lenses solutions do. But nobody said health comes at a low price.

Refresh Eye Drops

Even though I use one of the best lenses out there – Biofinity by Cooper Vision, now and again I get dry eyes (due to the air conditioning in the office and at the gym). When the doctor prescribed me the lenses solution, she also prescribed me these eye drops. A bottle can be used two months after the opening and they counteract dryness and any allergies.

They are not very expensive, can be used more than three times a day over the lenses or not, which for some other drops out there cannot be done.

L-Carnitin and Magnesium Supplements

Because I believe beauty comes from within and if you fell good, you are beautiful, I will talk also about this health supplement I used up. I got this 60 capsules box from dm, more out of curiosity. I know L-Carnitin helps burn out the fat by transporting it to the mitochondria and thus transforming it in energy. Magnesium helps the muscles and the nervous system relax. Because I was going through a pretty hard gym program and needed to burn some fat here and there, I decided to try them out. I must admit that to some extent I felt better and with more energy than normal. It helped during the spring asthenia.

I stopped taking them after I finished up the 60 capsules, because it is not recommended to take long cures of L-Carnitin, or the organism will get used to them and stop producing the natural L-Carnitin.


Alverde cellulite peeling shower gel

I repurchased this product, because i absolutely love it. It smells of lemongrass and rosemary. I use it towards the end of the shower with an exfoliating body brush. It is invigorating and fresh and makes me feel good.
It contains caffeine, which helps breaking the fat cells apart and thus reducing the cellulite. The lemon and rosemary oils are from biological cultures and the smell is all natural - a mixture of etheric oils.
After the shower I use my anti cellulite gel I presented you in my AprilEmpties blog post. The shower gel lasts for about two months and I will get it every time I can from dm.
I love all the alverde products I used, they have mostly natural and bio products and are not very expensive.

Bourjois Rimmel Volume Glamour Ultra Curl

I am not a fake lashes kind of girl, but I do possess some long lashes which I like to show off (yes, I know, how very selfish of me). So I went to a Sephora shop and asked the lady for a curling, volume rimmel, expecting her to sell me some fake lashes. But no, instead she gave me this rimmel from Bourjois. I used it and I liked it. It is perfect for my lashes. It curls them just enough and elongates them just long enough for them to pop-up and in the end they don’t look clumpy. It is not water resistant, which is good, because I am no fan of water resistant rimmels, but it is also not very runny, as some of the non-water resistant rimmels are.

I understood that this rimmel contains natural bees wax and it is also good for lenses users. It is not expensive and we get along very well. I must admit I like Bourjois products (I was very sad when the Biodetox foundation was discontinued) and this one has not disappointed me, so afer this one was finished, I got another one.

Stay healthy, it is good for the skin!Alex.