cleanser Archives - Curiously Carmen

Vichy is back with another new launch this past spring! This line is really targeted for those with acne prone and oily skin. All of these products contain salicylic acid + LHA. Back in high school when my skin broke out a lot more, I always looked for products with salicylic acid due to its efficiency. As always, Vichy’s products also contain soothing thermal water, paraben-free, and are hypoallergenic.

The new Vichy Normaderm line comes in a sleek, green packaging with a plethora of information on the bottles. It includes an anti-acne treatment lotion, deep cleansing purifying gel, and pore tightening lotion, all of which I will be reviewing today!

I’ve loved all of the Vichy products I’ve tested this far, but unfortunately one of the products fell through. Keep reading to find out why!

Starting off with the anti-acne treatment lotion, this is the star of the new line. It is clinically proven to help treat and prevent recurrent and occasional acne. The lotion contains a higher dose of salicylic acid, which is a super-power ingredient to kill and combat acne.

However, the downside of salicylic acid was that it tended to dry out my skin as it sucks out the oils that cause you to break out.I was relieved when my skin didn’t have that tightening feeling afterwards. It had a slight cooling effect which felt nice as well. The only thing I didn’t really like about this product was the scent. It reminded me of men’s cologne and I prefer my girly girl scents, haha!

Although I don’t really have reoccurring acne anymore (SO glad after dealing with it for so many years), I can see myself continuing to use the lotion. I like how lightweight it feels, yet does a great job in keeping my skin hydrated.

Moving on to the gel cleanser! I really liked the packaging of the cleanser, it had that modern and sleek feel to it. After mixing the cleanser with water, it foams up lightly and provides a very gentle, but clean wash. My skin felt really fresh and I was happy to find that my skin did not over dry as it normally does with salicylic acid products.

Last but not least, the purifying pore tightening lotion! It is definitely more of a toner than a lotion though. Unfortunately, this lotion did not work AT ALL with my skin. It felt very harsh on my skin and also stung, which is probably due to the alcohol inside the product. Immediately, I washed it off because I knew my skin would over-dry and feel leathery if I left it on. My skin was stinging for about 15 minutes after I removed it =(

Overall, I enjoyed the anti-acne treatment and the gel cleanser, but the lotion/toner was too harsh with my skin type. These days, my skin type isn’t as oily and acne prone as it used to be. I would recommend this line to those with oily and acne prone skin!

What is your skin type? Have you tried Vichy’s Normaderm line?

Yay!

Thanks for reading!

Carmen

Media samples included. Opinions are own.

Harroooo everyone! =)

About a month ago, I told you all about my Black Friday Sephora mini haul. One of the items I bought during the sale, which I briefly mentioned in that post, was the Bliss fabulous foaming face wash, a 2 in 1 cleanser and exfoliator.

It was one of those items where I wasn’t planning on buying it, but I saw that it was on sale for 50% off and had great reviews. I took too long deciding whether or not to buy it, and when I went to checkout, I found it was sold out along with all the other products I wanted =(

But when I went to Sephora in person the following day, I was happy to find that they had plenty in store, for the same sale price! I got it for $12 canadian, usually it is $24.

Because Sephora is always better at marketing a product than I am, here is what they say- “Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash harnesses the power of botanical soothing technology and super soft exfoliating beads to deliver a simply sensational skincare solution. This bestselling, oil-free purifier instantly dissolves excess oil and makeup and lifts away dead cells, leaving skin clean, nourished, and fresh.”

Maybe because I read so many great reviews on this product, I was expecting more than it delivered. Some people claimed that this product instantly melted away their entire face makeup, so I was really excited to try it because having difficulty removing makeup when you just want to go sleep is a pain!

I tried this a few times when I had full coverage makeup on, it did not remove all my makeup easily. It also did not come off instantly, I had to scrub. It also said that it is an exfoliator, but I see this as a cleanser because it doesn’t do a great job in exfoliating.

I think this face wash would be good on a daily basis, but if you are wearing full coverage, I would recommend something else. My Lush Herbalism cleanser does an amazing job at taking off makeup, clearing breakouts, making my skin tone even, etc… it is truly a magical product. Actually, even my $3 St. Ives Apricot Scrub does a better job at exfoliating and taking off my makeup LOL!

I really liked the light scent it had, it was very refreshing. The gel formula also had a bit of a cooling sensation. This did not dry out my face at all, and felt really moisturized after usage.

For $24 regular price, I don’t think I would buy it again because it’s not worth the price to me. There are products out there that are definitely better at removing makeup, and for a better price as well. However, I am glad that I tried it and I’ll probably finish the bottle eventually because it’s not a bad product. I just had higher hopes for it! =)

What are your favourite face washes? Let me know in the comments down below!

-Carmen