Products tried and tested!

I must apologise for my delay in putting up a new blog post! I spent much of my time travelling, specifically in the beautiful Philippines. However during that time I have tried and tested several products which I believe will be regular staples in my beauty regime.

L'Oreal Paris Eversleek Precious Oil Treatment

First product I'd like to discuss is the L'Oreal Paris Hair Expertise Eversleek Precious Oil Treatment with Argan Oil from Morocco. This product claims to be enriched with Argan Oil which absorbs into the hair without leaving your hair feeling heavy. It also claims to leave your hair supremely sleek, luminous and 100% frizz-defiant. After trying this product for 2 months now, I have to agree with all of L'Oreal's claims!

So a little bit about my hair, I have quite dry frizzy hair which tends to be damaged from the amount of heat I apply to it - whether it be from hair drying, hair straightening or curling. As a result my hair became quite damaged and dull, with many split ends. I decided to look for nourishing hair treatments that wouldn't leave my hair feeling oily or heavy. I have tried the famous Moroccan Oil that has been raved about by many beauty gurus, but it was just too expensive for my taste. I set out to look for a cheaper alternative and found LÓreal Eversleek Oil Treatment which was also infused with Argan Oil. This product is amazing and works wonders on my hair.

I usually apply 1 to 2 pumps of this product onto my finger tips and then apply it sparingly to the ends of my wet/damp hair. I don't blow dry my hair, I try to let my hair airdry naturally when using this product. Once my hair dries, I find it extremely soft, sleek and shiny, something in which many of my friends and family members notice when I use this product. Overall I would recommend this product to those of you who have dry, damaged and thick hair. It's a winner!

The Body Shop Spa Wisdom Afrique
Sels Exfoliants Au Ximenia

The body shop scrubs were actually recommended to me by my dermatologist, because of their natural and nourishing ingredients. Exfoliating the face and body once a week is important to remove the dry and dead skin that can leave you looking dull. By doing this every week, your skin can look brighter and healthier, and the products you apply thereafter (creams/moisturisers/lotions) will be absorbed into your skin more effectively. I opted for a body exfoliant that contained sea salt because sea salt effectively removes dry skin and can also act as an anti-bacterial agent.  

PROS:

• Removes dead skin
• Leaves your skin feeling supple and soft
• Never drying
• Good for sensitive skin

CONS:

• Quite expensive ($50 AUD) 
• Available only in The Body Shop stores

Estée Lauder
Advanced Night Repair Eye

Applying an eye cream is important to avoid signs of aging, and to prevent wrinkles around the delicate eye area. The skin around our eyes is much more fragile compared to the rest of the skin on our face, so it is important not to always rub our eyes or drag the skin around our eyes down when applying eye-makeup. I have recently started using Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Eye cream. This product works wonders on the skin around my eyes, and every morning I do notice reduced lines and wrinkles. I use this product by dabbing a small amount under my eyes with my ring finger. Never rub in the product, always gently dab onto the skin.

PROS:

• Absorbs effectively into the skin 
• Contains nourishing ingredients (jojoba, vitamin C and chamomile)
• Light-weight formulation
• A little product, goes a long way (only need to apply a small amount nightly)

CONS:

• Very expensive - $95 AUD (but worth it)

If you are looking for a cheaper alternative eye cream, I also highly recommend Avéne's Eye Contouring cream and Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado.

Moisturizers For Dry, Itchy, Irritated Skin

For a few years now, I've been on a quest to find the perfect moisturizer for my eczema-prone skin. I have used various moisturizers over the years, including those recommended by doctors such as Cetaphil and Alpha Keri thought to relieve itchiness and irritation. 

I'll be reviewing some of the moisturizers I've used over the past years, and recommending the ones which have worked well for me. If you would like to know the effectiveness of other moisturizers not mentioned in this blog post, please comment below and let me know. 

For any international readers, most of these products can be found at a decent price on the StrawberryNET website. They offer free shipping anywhere around the world.

As a precaution, if you plan on using any of these creams, please test on a small area of your skin before applying generously, or consult your physician.

Macro Natural Vitamin E Cream

PROS:

• Does not irritate the skin
• Moisturizes the skin well (up to 24 hours)
• Natural Vitamin E and Vitamin A
• Reduces signs of aging  
• Unperfumed 

CONS:

• Expensive

Conclusions:

Macro Natural Vitamin E cream is by the best cream I've used that seemed to relieve my dry itchy skin and lock in the moisture for a long period of time. After using this cream for several months, I can definitely see an improvement in the texture of my skin. I cannot say that this heals eczema, but it definitely relieves it and reduces the irritation significantly. It can be found in Big W stores and most chemists and pharmacies in Australia for approximately AUD$13.00. Now this is quite pricey considering it is only available in 100g  but it is definitely worth the money. Currently this is the only moisturizing cream that I am using which has almost completely relieved my skin of dryness, irritation and itchiness. The best by far!

 Sugar Crush Body Buttercream

PROS:

• Smells AMAZING
• Moisturizes well (up to ~5 hours)
• Does not irritate the skin
• Relatively cheap for a 300mL container

CONS:

• Moisture is not locked in for a long period of time
• Not readily available in Australian stores

Conclusions:

Unfortunately this product is not widely available in Australia, which meant that I had to purchase this via Ebay here, for approximately AUD$20.65, depending on conversion rates. This product is quite popular in the youtube community, with many great reviews. However if you suffer from severe eczema or irritation, I would highly recommend going for a cream that is not scented or perfumed with natural or organic ingredients. Although this cream did not irritate my skin, it did provide sufficient moisture and I would recommend it to those with normal to combination skin types. 

Alpha Keri Dry Skin Repair

PROS:

• Provides sufficient moisture
• Available at most chemists and pharmacists
• Does not irritate the skin
• Inexpensive
• Fragrance-free

CONS:

• Moisturizes up to ~3 hours
• Temporary relief from itch

Conclusions:

The great thing about this product is its availability and its price (AUD$11.99 at Chemist Warehouse for a 500mL bottle). This particular product was actually recommended to me by my family doctor, however I have found little success in this lotion. I decided to let my mom try out this lotion as she also suffers from skin irritation, and it did not do much for her either. Overall  the Alpha Keri lotion only provides moisture for a short period of time and does not provide relief from dry itchy skin. Personally, I would not recommend this lotion to those with severe eczema or dry skin. Having said that, I have heard success stories from other patients who have used this lotion, so perhaps it varies from case to case.

Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion

PROS:

• Inexpensive
• Effectively moisturizes skin (~up to 5 hours)
• Facial and body use
• Lanolin, paraben and fragrance free
• Non-comedogenic
• For all skin types

CONS:

• Temporary relief and moisture

Conclusions:

Overall, I would recommend this product mainly because it is inexpensive (AUD$20.99 for 1L pump bottle at Chemist Warehouse). I believe it is more effective than the Alpha Keri lotion, and provides more moisture than most lotions on the market. It is perfect for every day use because it is non-comedogenic, which means that it won't block pores. I cannot say that this is the best for eczema suffers, but it does a good job in maintaining the moisture in the skin on a daily basis. If you're on a tight budget, I'd recommend trying out Cetaphil's eczema skin care range as well, as they have proven effective for me and many other people. 

Bioderma Vs. Avene Micellar Water

Micellar water provides an alternative to make up removal, with many make up artists and models swearing by its ability to remove make up instantly without the need to rinse. What exactly is micellar water? The name stems from "micelles", which are basically small molecules of oil suspended in water.

Now, there are many brands offering micellar cleansing water (for more information click here), perhaps two of the most popular and available brands are Bioderma and Avene which are both made in France. Bioderma has been hailed by many youtube gurus as the go-to micellar water make up removal brand, whilst Avene is widely available in many chemists and pharmacies, and is probably the cheapest option available to many Australians.

So which is better? There are many reviews comparing the two brands, but I thought I'd give you my two cents on which is better for me personally. Hopefully this review will help you guys decide which is best for you and your budget!

For any international readers, these products may be found on StrawberryNET at a decent price with FREE shipping anywhere around the world.

How I used both products:

1. Soak the cotton pad
2. Wipe away make up 
3. Continue until cotton pad is free of make up residues

Avene Micellaire Lotion

PROS:

• Removes foundation
• Does not irritate skin

CONS:

• Does not effectively remove waterproof eye make up
• Leaves a sticky residue on the skin (skin does not feel "clean")
• There is a scent (can be considered a pro)

Conclusions:
Although Avene is the cheaper alternative (valued at AUD$24.99 for a 200 mL bottle at Chemist Warehouse) to many other micellar water brands, I don't believe that it is worth the money. Yes, it removes makeup but I always find that I need to further rinse my face after use as there are still traces of make up on my face, which defeats the purpose of the product. Personally, I would not recommend this product, even for its price.

Bioderma Solution Micellaire

PROS:

• Effectively removes foundation
• Effectively removes waterproof eye make up
• Does not irritate the skin
• Leaves skin feeling "clean"
• No scent

CONS:

• Expensive
• Not widely available in Australia

Conclusions:

Bioderma is valued at AUD$29.99 in Priceline stores for a 250 mL bottle. It is definitely expensive, but it effectively removes all traces of make up from my skin, without having to rinse after use which is both convenient and time-saving for me. I would definitely recommend Bioderma to anyone travelling, or on the go and looking for a fuss-free make up removal solution.