Vichy Liftactiv Supreme

I posted back in June that I was approached by Vichy to see if I'd like to try their Dermablend range (see my review here) & the new Liftactiv Supreme moisturiser.  I reviewed the foundation straight away but wanted to give the moisturiser a fair trial before posting my opinion.  I've now been using this cream for 6 weeks & I have probably enough product left for another 3 or 4 days.  During this time, I've used no other day or night creams or facial oils, just the Liftactiv Supreme for normal/combination skin & a hydrating serum underneath.  

On receiving, I did the usual texture test & even though this felt rich & immediately nourishing, because it is more of a gel-crème formulation rather than a heavy cream, I knew my skin was going to like it.  The only thing that slightly concerned me was the merest hint of shimmer given by the the white micro-pearls as in the past, any product with 'illuminating' properties (ie, anything with shimmer so most highlighters & a lot of other primers & creams) have broken my skin out terribly but I'm very happy to report that I had no reaction whatsoever to this - yay!!  You can read more in depth product information on the Vichy website, I just want to give you my findings on this today, not bamboozle you with science!

So, after 6 weeks of twice-daily use, what are my thoughts on this cream?  Hand on heart, it's been a long time & a lot of products since I've used a moisturiser that I've loved this much.  I've noticed a tremendous difference in the texture & firmness of my skin, my face just looks a lot 'fresher' at the moment!  When I wake up in the morning, my skin still feels plumped & hydrated & that hasn't happened in years, believe me.  Also, I could be imagining it but I'm positive that the fine vertical frown lines I have between my eyes are less noticeable now - I'm so annoyed I didn't take a closeup 'before' photo as proof!!

 I was so impressed with this & happy that this suited my skin so much that after only 3 weeks of using it, I ordered the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Serum to replace my depleted stocks of Hydraluron & Clarins Hydraquench Serum & another pot of the Liftactiv Supreme.  Never before have I used a product that I've felt the need to replace before I've even finished it so that in itself speaks volumes!! Thank you so much Vichy for sending me this & bringing your lovely products back to my attention!

Liftactiv Supreme is available from Boots at £31.00 but shop around online, as other sites sometimes have it on offer. 

Marrakech packing ~ makeup & skincare

I've had the morning to myself today as Hubble has taken Alfie out to a rugby tournament so I thought I'd get a head start on my pre-holiday beauty prep!  So far I've tinted my eyelashes (not the easiest thing to do yourself!), waxed my 'tache(ahem!), applied lashings of gradual tan lotion, coloured my roots & given myself a pedicure.  My hair is getting cut & blow dried on Tuesday morning so I can get up & go on Wednesday - one less thing for me to do!  I'm doing my friends' nails for them on Tuesday so I won't do my own nails until Tuesday night after I've packed the last couple of bits & bobs so I don't ruin them.

I've also sorted out & packed my makeup & skincare to take with me as I won't need these before we go - another tick off my packing list!  Seeing as we booked cases on in the end, I'm taking more than is probably necessary but a couple of bits I'll finish off whilst I'm there so they won't be coming home with me.  So here's what I'm taking -

My makeup bag from Muji is fantastic.  It's double sided with plenty of pockets & spaces to keep things neat & tidy!  They don't have this exact model anymore but they have this one which is very similar.  There's tons of room left in it so I might just put all my skincare in there too, one bag less to take!

Makeup wise, I'm going to decant into the teeny tiny posts my Boujois Bronzing BB & Revlon Photoready BB & that's my face sorted - nothing heavy & definitely no powder.  I will, however, take this dinky tube of Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer to cover up my persistant scars on my face.  To add a healthy flush in the evenings I'm taking my Bourjois Cream Blush & a tiny pot of mineral powder bronzer by Bare Minerals that I picked up in TK Maxx.   

For my eyes, I just have 2 eyeshadow pencils in charcoal & bronze by Barry M & a mini Lancôme Hypnôse Star mascara that was part of a special offer gift set (reviewed here.)

And the last of the makeup are 3 of my favourite lip colours, Bourjois Peach Club  (review here), Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple (review here) & No 7 BB Lips in Blush Pink.

Now moving on to the skincare.  I bought this Rosehip trial size gift set by Trilogy a couple of weeks ago so this is the base of my skincare.  It contains a cream cleanser, hydrating mist toner, facial oil & day cream.  Next, I've got a miniature of Bi-facil eye makeup remover by Lancôme, a mini micellar water by B Pure, mini Hydraluron that came in a gift set & my Botanics All Bright eye roll-on to help tired eyes.

So although there looks like quite a lot, because they're all minis they take up no room at all!

I need to take a quick trip to town in the morning to get the last couple of bits that I need & then I'll get my case packed.  3 days to go....!!!

Skin saviours

 

Ugh, I can't tell you how bad my skin has been over the last 8 weeks or so.  I've always been lucky in that I've had great skin all my life, even as a teen I was never really plagued with spots or acne.  Every now & again I'd get a hormonal spot or two but not very often so when my skin suddenly took a very bad turn for the worse, I didn't know how to treat it!

 

I have the Liz Earle Spot-On Treatment Oil that I roll onto any spots usually but even this, which normally works a treat, wasn't working.  My chin & upper lip were covered in big, angry lumps that were really bloody painful & no amount of clay masks or spot treatments were working.

 

I though for a while I was having a reaction to a product that I loved using it but I've come to realise now after a trip to the GP that it really was down to some serious hormonal issues I have going on at the minute.  I'll bore you with the details another day!

 

Anyway, as my normal skincare products seemed to be exacerbating my already problematic skin, I decided that now would be a good time to completely change my products & I want to tell you how I'm getting on with them. 

 

1.  Clarins Pure Melt Face Gel  £19.50 for 125ml

I apply a pea-sized amount of this thick gel cleanser which, when rubbed over my face, turns into a light oil so massages in comfortably.  When water is applied, it emulsifies into a milk but I usually gently rinse mine off with a muslin or flannel.  My skin feels scrupulously clean with no oily residue left behind. 

 

2.  Clarins Gentle Exfoliating toner  £25.00 for 125ml

I was really cautious about using this beauty blogger favourite as I also suffer with rosacea & anything with AHAs usually makes it flare up but after reading so many reviews saying it was suitable for the most sensitive of skin, I decided to give it a whirl.  I spoke to a sales assistant about my worries beforehand so she gave me a sample to try first & after only a few days, I noticed such a huge improvement in my skin, I went & purchased a full bottle.  I get no tingling sensation or irritation whatsoever from this slightly viscous toner but my scarring & lumps have lessened substantially in the 2 weeks I've been using it.  I use it probably 4 or 5 times a week, more than the recommended use, but my skin seems to thrive on it.  This is definitely my new skincare BFF!!

 

3.  Clarins Beauty Flash Balm  £29.00 for 50ml

This is another blogger favourite that admittedly I had been using for years but hadn't replaced when my last tube ran out about 6 months ago.  My skin feels so nourished when used as a mask & looks so much better when used as a base primer.  There are oodles of reviews online about this fabulous cream so I won't bore you with another one!

 

Indeed Labs Hydraluron  £24.99 for 30ml

After reading Caroline Hirons banging on about this product so much, I decided a few weeks ago to try it when it was on offer for a third off at Boots.  My first impression on opening the box was how teeny tiny the tube looked but this product really goes a long way.  I use the tiniest amount over a freshly cleansed & toned face, applying just where my skin feels really dehydrated (my chin & cheeks at the moment) & then apply my moisturiser over the top.  My skin has felt so much plumper since using this & my scarring is getting better too - I'm sure this in conjunction with the Exfoliating Toner is working its magic on my poor skin & I will definitely be repurchasing when it's ran out.

 

Clarins Multi-Active Day Cream  £40.00 for 50ml

I had a generous sized tube of this cream in a Clarins GWP so have been using it for a few weeks & again, my skin seems to love it.  I've had no adverse reaction to it & I alternate between this day cream & another for my rosacea, which I'll review another time.

 

So slowly but surely, my skin is clearing up.  The large angry bumps have gone but I still have a couple of smaller lumps still hanging around.  The redness seems to be kept in check & the pigmentation & scarring is much less noticeable now.  I'll keep up with these products for another few weeks & report back on how my skin is again - watch this space!