This product was on my radar for a long time before I bought it and I read nothing but great reviews about it. Naturally, I expected a lot from it, but I must say I was sorely disappointed. The serums contains LR 2412 (sodium tetrahydrojasmonate), an ingredient it shares with Lancome Visionnaire and Vichy Idealia Life Serum, which is supposed to harnesses jasmine's ability to self-regenerate. Personally, I don't buy the marketing ploys and I rather put my trust into the honest reviews of the beauty blogger community. The serum promises to correct and improve visible skin quality by tackling problems such as large pores, red marks and uneven texture, however, in my experience it just doesn't deliver.
Texture: I actually like the texture of this serum. It's a light silky lotion that isn't runny and feels light on the skin. It sinks in fast and the skin is dry to the touch due to the high content of silicones, so the finish it leaves is akin to using a very light primer. Due to that I find it's a nice base for make up. The serum has a golden and pink pearl in it, which looks nice, but doesn't show up on the skin. It's hydrating enough on its own for combination skin and personally I don't feel like I need an additional moisturiser, though I do apply it. One thing that does bother me is that when I want to apply a moisturiser on top, I have to do it before it dries, otherwise the serum layer starts to flake.
Performance: Honestly, I saw no positive long term results whatsoever. In fact, my skin looked a lot worse than usual. I don't consider my skin's condition as being bad, but the longer I was using this the worse it got. It didn't happen overnight, but with everyday use my skin gradually got less smooth, my forehead became very bumpyand there were even some spots in places where I don't usually get them. I stopped using it for a few weeks and during that period I tried to fix my skin, which I did with L'Occitane products and my skin looked ok again. I still decided to give this another go, but again it gradually started to get worse, so I just stopped using it.
Scent: The scent is quite fresh and green. It reminds me a bit of satsuma or orange peels.
Packaging: Yes, the packaging is pretty. I'm not a massive fan of pink, but the pink ombre effect looks very cool. The glass bottle with a pump feels well made and looks great on a vanity. The pump works great as well.
Price and availability: I got mine for 15.99 € in Müller.
I just was not impressed by this serum. Though the texture is nice, it is just not working for me and it only makes my skin worse. The high alcohol content doesn't help the case either. My research also led me to a discovery that Lancome's Visionnaire and Vichy's Idealia Life Serum not only look similar, but also have similar ingredients (Vichy's doesn't have alcohol, though. So it's the best out of the three). I had a much better experience with the L'Occitane Sublime Essence Skin Perfector that I was trying during the "break period". My fellow Slovene Bloger Sanja (Sparkle with Laughter), however, had the completely opposite experience (her review is here), so I guess I'm one of those whose skin just doesn't like this.
This is my first cleansing balm and I don't have a habit of buying expensive cleansers, but I did splurge this time to see how much better they perform in comparison to cheap cleansers that I tend to use. I've been using it for about a month now and the answer is much, much better. My face always felt so tight after cleansing and I had tons of dry patches appearing everywhere until I first started using L'Oreal Miracle Cleansing Oil (which I adore, but sadly it's clogging my pores) and now this one. Now my skin feels much better.
It has a very runny texture, like an oily gel of sorts and I have to be very careful when opening the lid or it gets everywhere. I want everything clean and perfect like it just came out of a shop, so this bothered me a lot from the beginning, but I learned how to get the desired amount without spilling the product everywhere. It comes in a basic tube with a flip top, which makes it not just practical, but also more hygienic than those in a pot.
It feels like a thicker oily cream when applied to the face. I massage it on dry skin for about 30 seconds. When water is added becomes smoother, though doesn't emulsify like the L'Oreal oil and I massage it for a few more seconds. It has oatmeal scrub particles in it, which are not too coarse, but still do their job. I remove it with a damp flannel that I soaked in warm/hot water. It needs to be wiped off with something, otherwise it will leave a film on the skin. It leaves the skin feeling clean, soft and moisturised, the effect is very similar to L'Oreal oil. There are no dry patches, my skin doesn't get tight and it feels very comfortable. After cleansing, I continue with my regular routine.
It doesn't sting my eyes and I can open them while the product is on my face. It also doesn't make my vision cloudy, for comparison the L'Oreal one does.
To do a proper test, I used it for removing a full face makeup with Estee Lauder DW Maximum Cover and waterproof mascara. It removed all but mascara, so I use a separate oily remover for eye makeup before cleansing.
The scent is not particularly strong and it's quite sweet. If you're from a country where Kraš candy is sold, you'll be familiar with Kiki candy, this smells very much like it.
You get a muslin cloth with it, which is rubbish. It's like one of those cloth handkerchiefs and so odd to use with this cleanser. I don't like it one bit. I just use my flannels. For those who aren't familiar with British English, flannels are mini "glove" towels, in American English called washcloths I have them pictured here. (Confusing, I know. I guess most people think of shirts or fabric when they hear the word flannels). When I run out of flannels, I just wet the end of a regular towel. It's the same thing, so you don't need to buy flannels if you don't want to, but they are easier to use. It's not cheap at 20£ (23€/30$ at the moment) for a tube and I'm still not a fan of flushing my money down the drain, though technically this doesn't exactly wash off completely, so I do forgive it a bit. I got mine on Look Fantastic and you can also get it on Naturisimo. Both have free worldwide shipping. If you want something cheaper and don't mind mineral oil, L'Oreal Skin Perfection 15 Seconds Miracle Cleansing Oil is nice as well.
This is a wonderful product and it's the first cleanser I'd repurchase after they discontinued Nivea Toddies gel (I bought over a dozen of those in a row). However, I'd still like to try some more cleansers as I don't want to just settle on the first balm I tried. I've been checking reviews on makeupalley and Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm is first on my list, because it supposedly removes waterproof mascara. I'd also like to try Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing gel, the famous Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, L'Occitane Immortelle Precious Cleansing Foam and Origins Clean Energy Cleansing Oil. Oh, I'm so modest...
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