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 4th 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.
One of my passions is tea. I discovered it when I first started working
in an office and wanted to drink something special and healthy in the same
time. In time I discovered a lot of tea brands, blends and flavors. My all-time
favorite tea is the green tea, especially the Japanese green tea, Sencha. It is
a very subtle tea, has an invigorating effect and a discreet elegance.
