vichy – Makeup Most Wanted

Tag: vichy

06
Jul
2017

Makeup Most Wanted June 2017 – Alyssa’s Picks

categories: Bath And Body, Makeup Most Wanted, Palettes, Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

I’ve used so many new products in the past month that this list could be massive. Which makes these five pretty great considering how much they stood out to me. June is always a weird month for my skin and considering how humid Toronto has been, it’s needed all the help it could get.

Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash with Shea Butter

I’ve been using this body wash since winter, sometimes in other scents but mostly this one. The super creamy formula works for both winter AND summer. It’s really hydrating, doesn’t leave me sticky and just makes my skin feel really smooth. We have a couple body washes to test out but this is probably always going to be the one I buy when I run out. I particularly love the Shea Butter scent but there are really so many options.

Yes To Cotton Comforting Facial Wipes

I haven’t used a ton of Yes To products before, but I’m completely obsessed with these facial wipes. They might actually be the softest wipes I’ve ever used, but I guess that’s where the cotton comes in. Made with recycled cotton and cottonseed oil, these wipes are great for sensitive skin and for people who have a ton of allergies. There is a scent but it’s pretty faint and these get all my makeup and grime off. I definitely need to try more of this line.

Too Faced Sweet Peach Glow Peach-Infused Highlighting Palette

I don’t do contouring or highlighting as a general rule. I’m so fair that all bronzers look muddy or dirty and most highlighters just make me shinier or disappear into the redness of my cheeks. So I was mainly using this palette for the peachy blush in the middle (my favourite blush shade right now). Until I decided to try contouring with it just to see. It worked! Sweet Peach Glow is officially the only palette that I can use for contouring. Both the highlighter and bronzer are subtle enough for my fair skin but are also buildable. Everything just looks natural. And it smells like peaches!

Vichy Mineral 89

If you’re like me and you live off of Vichy’s Thermal Water all summer, you definitely need to try this gel version. Vichy calls it a skin booster, I call it a refreshing gel version of the water. It’s basically just Vichy’s Thermal Water with some hyaluronic acid. A skin brightening, hydrating gel if you will. You can use it on literally any part of your face including the eye contour and lips. I tend to use it right after I wash my face, before I use anything else. You can use it with a cotton pad, but I use my fingers. I still use the spray throughout the day but I find this much more effective as part of a skin care routine.

Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Actively Hydrating Daily Lotion

Since my skin is a bi-polar version of combination, the moisturizer I use for my super dry skin in winter, does not work for my mostly oily skin in summer. This moisturizer is light enough to help my oily skin, while still balancing out my dry spots. It absorbs really quickly and is great for sensitive skin. It’s also fragrance-free for those of you who need it. This is a seriously great summer moisturizer for me.

04
May
2017

Makeup Most Wanted April 2017 – Alyssa’s Picks

categories: Hair Reviews, Makeup Most Wanted, Makeup Reviews, Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

Thanks to going on vacation and Passover, I’m super behind on a lot of my posts but now that things have slowed down, I have a lot of new products that I’m using on a regular basis and in April, these ones were used more than most.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Lotus

Before I cut my hair in March, using a dry shampoo was a tricky thing for me but if I used one, it was generally Batiste related. We received a couple new scents just in time for me to start using dry shampoo on a regular basis and Lotus is hands down my favourite Batiste dry shampoo yet. The description is pretty and opulent but all I can say is that it smells completely amazing. It’s a little fruity, a little floral and I really want to use it as a room spray (but I won’t waste it). It also works at giving me major volume, while freshening up my roots.

Vichy Idéalia Smoothness & Glow Mattifying Sorbet-Cream

I loved the original Idéalia line, but Vichy recently reformulated and added new products to it. While, I’ve noticed most people pick the Night Peeling as their favourite, mine is this lightweight moisturizer. Smoothness & Glow Mattifying Sorbet-Cream is pretty much the perfect description for it. It comes out really soft and refreshing like a sorbet, melts into your skin instantly and keeps me pretty matte. It also gives me a really nice, subtle glow and has the same gorgeous almost raspberry like scent that I associate with the Idéalia line. This is going to be a great moisturizer for my combination skin this summer.

Garnier Fructis Moisture Lock 10-In-1 Rescue Leave-In Detangler

Now that my hair is shorter, it’s much easier to style, especially since I generally let it air dry. But it’s still curly and frizzy and this leave-in treatment from Garnier Fructis helps me detangle it gently and starts to minimize frizz. I do use other styling products with it but I can use it on it’s own and still like how my hair looks. The matching Moisture Lock shampoo and conditioner are good too but I like this detangler the most of the three. Using it on dry hair to refresh my curls also works, but if it’s too close to when I have to wash my hair, it gets a touch greasy.

Yves Saint Laurent Kiss & Blush Duo Stick in From Prude To Nude

I’m really a big fan of multi-tasking makeup and the Kiss & Blush Duo Stick from YSL gives you a ton of options. The YSL website alone has twelve suggestions for cheeks and lips, not to mention you could totally use this as eyeshadow in a pinch. From Prude to Nude is a rose nude/mocha nude combo that combined gives me both a nice blush shade and a great nude lip for my complexion but I generally use it as a blush. It’s super tiny but you really don’t need to use a lot and it’s so easy to throw in your purse for touchups. And you’ll probably need a couple touchups in the summer because of the super creamy formula. The price is a little steep at $40, but not surprising considering it’s YSL, but you can get a ton of uses out of it, so it might actually save you from buying a couple other things in the long run.

15
Nov
2016

Vichy Teint Idéal

categories: Makeup Reviews

vichy-teint-ideal
I have to admit, I’m not really a foundation person. I’m more likely to use a tinted moisturizer if I use anything at all, but I do appreciate a good foundation for days when I need a little more coverage. I generally don’t have a preference between liquid, cream and powder foundations, I’ll use any of them as long as they don’t irritate my combination skin or leave me with dry, flaky patches. So when Vichy announced they were releasing foundation, I was pretty excited. Vichy is one of my favourite skin care brands, so their makeup had to be as good, right? Vichy’s Teint Idéal comes in three formulas; liquid, cream and powder and I tried the liquid and powder.
vichy-teint-ideal-liquid-15-ivory
The liquid shade I tried was 15 Ivory, which is the lightest shade. My skin hasn’t fallen into the super winter ghost-like appearance yet, so this was a pretty decent shade for me but it’s going to end up being slightly too dark by January. The foundation comes in five shades, which definitely won’t cover everyone, but this entire line needs way more shades. The liquid was pretty thin and since I generally apply liquid foundations with my fingers, I noticed that I really didn’t need a lot. Vichy says that this is a light to medium coverage. I disagree. This was basically full coverage unless I mixed it with moisturizer, which I ended up preferring. The entire Teint Idéal line is supposed to be illuminating and it really does that. My skin looks glowy and generally amazing. Unfortunately, this liquid made me break out. Since I break out so rarely, I’m guessing my skin just doesn’t agree with one of the ingredients. Luckily, I had another version to try.
vichy-teint-ideal-powder-compact-1-light
For the powder compact, I used 1 Light which is again, the lightest shade they offer. Right away I knew the sponge that came with was going to be a pain to work with, too small and flimsy. So I used a fluffy powder brush and it worked with the foundation really well. This is more like a combination between a powder foundation and a pressed powder. I got really good sheer to medium coverage depending on how much I used and the best part is that even when I kept layering it on, it never got cakey or caused flakiness. It leaves my skin with a semi-matte finish and stays put for most of the day (I use the little sponge for minor touch-ups. The powder compact definitely won between the two foundations for me.
vichy-teint-ideal-swatches
The Teint Idéal line also includes a cream foundation, concealer, highlighter and bronzer. I just wish it also came with more shade selection.

28
Sep
2016

Vichy Spa Shower Gel Head to Head

categories: Bath And Body

vichy-spa-gel-oil-soap

Vichy is the master of skincare, but I don’t usually think of them as my whole body skin. Vichy is known for face skin care. They are moving from face to body with their new shower gels. We tried both the oil and the cream to see which Vichy Shower Gel reigns supreme.

I started with the Oil version of the shower gel. This one is for all skin types from dry to oily and even sensitive. It has magnesium, copper and zinc to help your skin glow. It has a light soapy smell that is fairly subtle. I found the gel-oil to be very difficult to get out of the bottle. No matter how much a squeezed, I could never get a good stream out. Since it doesn’t really froth up a lot that made for some tricky showers. I felt like I could never get a good clean.

I didn’t give up though, because I had another Vichy cleanser to try.

Next I moved the Vichy Spa Shower Gel –Cream. This one has the same distinct smell so if you like it (or don’t) then you will have an easy decision. It’s also for all skin types, so everyone is in luck. The Cream has shea butter and white clay in it for intense comfort and hydration and to help soften your skin. Unlike the oil, this cleanser comes out of the bottle easily and gets nice and frothy. I love how soft this cleaner is on my skin. My skin feels almost instantly smother and softer after using it.

I am so glad that I didn’t give up on Vichy, because I love this Gel-Cream. I am sure that some people will prefer the oil version, so go with your gut on what you think you will like best!

07
Apr
2016

Makeup Most Wanted March 2016: Alyssa’s Picks

categories: Makeup Most Wanted

March was a weirder month than usual for Toronto. It warmed up significantly and then got really cold. It really ended up affecting the products I used the most, so here’s what I couldn’t live without last month.
Vichy Liftactiv Serum 10 Supreme
Vichy LiftActiv Serum 10 Supreme
This serum isn’t new, but it is recently reformulated. I’m slowly starting to incorporate more serums into my skin care routine now that I’m almost into my mid-thirties. Liftactiv Serum 10 Supreme is helping me prevent some of the bigger aging issues while keeping my skin glowing. It’s also not too harsh for my sensitive skin and absorbs instantly.
REN Skincare Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream
REN evercalm_global_protection_day_cream_2
I’d been wanting to try REN for a long time, especially their Evercalm line which is for sensitive skin and protects against environmental pollution. So to say I was excited to try the Global Protection Day Cream could be considered an understatement. Luckily, this cream more than lived up to my expectations. It’s a little thicker than you might expect from a day cream but it absorbs really well and I did actually notice a reduction in redness and sensitivity. It has so many amazing ingredients in it that I’m not surprised at how well it works and the scent definitely has an herbal tinge to it but not enough that it bothered me. I’m definitely going to get my hands on the rest of this line.
Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in L.A. Sunset

March is one of those transitional months where it’s so hard to decide what shades of makeup you want to wear. And while I wasn’t completely ready to ditch my red lipsticks, I definitely needed something brighter some days. Enter L.A. Sunset, which is a gorgeous creamy coral red. It’s a perfect in between shade, not too red and not too coral. The formula is super comfortable and even though it was a cream lipstick, the wear time was better than most. I’ll be wearing this shade long into the summer as well.
John Masters Organics Lip Calm Collection

When I wasn’t wearing the Smashbox lipstick, I was wearing a ton of matte lipstick which really did a number on my lips. If you know me, you know I live off lip balm. My desk is covered with about 8 different kinds and I leave them everywhere, purses, my car, my nightstand, etc…The Lip Calm collection comes with the original citrus Lip Calm and three new flavours, Raspberry, Vanilla and Peppermint. While I would normally gravitate towards anything mint, I’m actually completely obsessed with the citrus and raspberry and have really only been using them. The lip balm is really soft and smooth, easy to apply and kind of melts into your lips and leaves them really hydrated. These never get hard or drag on your lips and they’re probably my new favourite lip balm.
Too Faced Candlelight Glow in Rosy Glow
Too Faced Candlelight Glow Rosy Glow
I’m not into the contour/highlight thing at all. Partially because I’m so pale everything is too dark for me. But when people start telling me I look paler than usual, I need to do something. Rosy Glow is perfect because it makes me look like, well, I’m glowing. I use it with a really light hand and it makes my skin look amazing and not like I’m halfway to being a ghost. The Warm Glow shade is nice as well but Rosy just looks better with my skin tone. This is the only highlighter I’ve used on a regular basis and I’m ok with that.

04
Mar
2016

February Makeup Most Wanted

categories: Hair Reviews, Makeup Most Wanted, Makeup Reviews, Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

Another month is gone, and even with one extra day February still seemed extra short this year. Regardless, I still found the time to discover a few hot new products that I am in love with!

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer – I have almost said good bye to foundation these last few weeks thanks to this new concealer. This concealer is made specifically for erasing those dark circles under the eyes. It’s perfect for that, but it also works at concealing any other annoying spots on your face with perfect precision. I find it incredibly hard to find a concealer that I love and can depend on. This one is simple and effective in all the right ways.

Clarins Wonder Perfect Mascara – I have tried a lot of bad mascaras lately. I thought about writing a post about all of the bad ones, but instead I’m going to celebrate the one great one! This new mascara has been my new favourite. Imagine long, thick, curled lashes every single day. It’s max colour and volume that is perfect for day or night!

Pond’s Wet Cleansing Towelettes

Pond’s Wet Cleansing Towelettes – Who needs regular face wash when you have these towels on hand? These Pond’s wipes are everything you want in a regular face wash, without having to worry about water and rinsing. They give a great clean that leaves my face feeling refreshed. They are also surprisingly moisturizing. I shouldn’t be too surprised though… it’s Pond’s after all. I love their baby powder soft scent too for a before bed clean.

Dove Quench Absolute Hair Care

Dove Quench Absolute Hair Care – This line doesn’t technically hit shelves until next month, but I need to tell you now so that you can rush to stores in March!!! I have tried Dove hair products before, but they didn’t leave a lasting memory. This new line though shocked me. In the shower, this Dove shampoo and conditioner didn’t seem like anything special, it was only after it dried that I was impressed. Time after time, this Dove hair line left my hair soft and moisturized. My curls were bouncy, and that never happens! Frizz was a distant memory. I see a future of soft beautiful hair, hopefully not just for me, but you too!

vichy-normaderm-3-in-1-cleanser-scrub-mask

Vichy Normaderm 3 In 1 Cleanser + Scrub + Mask – I already loved the Normaderm line. It’s my favourite of all of Vichy’s skin care products. Imagine my glee when Vichy added to the collection with a product that isn’t just a cleanser. It isn’t just a scrub. It isn’t just a mask either. It’s gentle enough to be able to be used regularly. You can also leave it on your face as a pore cleansing mask. When budgets are tight, this is the kind of smart products that one needs!

26
Jan
2016

Most Wanted Face Scrubs

categories: Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

Obviously it’s important to exfoliate our skin all year round but with winter’s dryness comes dead skin, flaky patches and uneven skin tone. Luckily, I love a face scrub so I put together a list of my Most Wanted.
Clarins Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream With Microbeads

This gentle exfoliating cream gets the job done and takes it easy on your skin. You get a deep clean from the microbeads but Mimosa extract stops it from drying out your skin. It’s not too harsh for sensitive skin but I would use it less often than the twice a week they suggest.
Vichy Pureté Thermale Skin Renewing Screamy Scrub
Vichy Purete Thermale Skin Renewing Creamy Scrub
This is probably what most people expect from a face scrub. A cream with new environmentally friendly Jojoba beads. It’s extremely gentle but does a great job of exfoliating. This is the one you could probably use more often without irritating your skin.
Laura Mercier Face Polish
Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Face Polish
I was really expecting this to be a little too harsh for my sensitive skin, it’s really grainy. But I didn’t have any redness or irritation. It did such a great job of clearing out my pores, I found blackheads I didn’t know were there.
Lush Ocean Salt Face And Body Scrub
Lush Ocean Salt Face And Body Scrub
This is such a classic product that I’m pretty sure anyone who loves Lush has tried it at least once. The salt, lime and vodka combination are fantastic for clearing out your skin and the avocado and coconut stops it from drying out your skin. Just a tip for anyone with sensitive skin, try a patch test first to see if you’ll react, salt can be irritating.
StriVectin Oxygen Infusion Smoothing Mask

When this product was suggested to me as an exfoliator, I was hugely skeptical. I’ve heard of scrubby masks but this one isn’t scrubby at all. It’s also the coolest mask I’ve ever tried. You apply the cream to your face, watch it foam up and while it dries into a clear film you can feel it get all the crap out of your pores. This has become my most recent obsession and it does such a great job, I was glowing when I rinsed it off.

There are obviously tons of other face scrubs out there, but to get a really good exfoliation, these are my picks.

25
Jan
2016

Vichy Idéalia Day Care Smoothing And Illuminating Cream

categories: Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

Idéalia Day Care Tub
Around six months ago I got to try Vichy’s Idéalia line and I was instantly in love with it. I’m still using the whole line and I’m on my second tub of Skin Sleep. I’m not someone who uses one skin care line from start to finish. I like to mix and match my products to what suits my skin the best or to what I’m in the mood for. But if I wanted to stick to one line exclusively, Idéalia is definitely missing some core products. While Vichy does carry other cleansers and toners, there aren’t any for Idéalia. But now there’s a day moisturizer.
Idéalia Day Care Inside
I haven’t had Idéalia Day Care that long so I can’t really talk about long term effects, but the short term ones have been pretty fantastic. From the first time I used it I noticed my combination skin, that’s been extremely dried out by winter, was hydrated right away and stayed that way all day.

Idéalia Day Care has Kombucha from black tea and Vitamin E among it’s good for you ingredients and is supposed to address fine lines and pores while making your skin radiant. The radiance comes right away. My skin has been a lot more glowy (for lack of a better word) than usual. I don’t have a ton of fine lines so I can’t speak to how that part is going and while I haven’t noticed a major difference in my pores, I really haven’t been using it long enough to see real results but I have good expectations.

This cream is light enough for a day cream but strong enough to use at night if you wanted to. It also has the same delicious scent as Skin Sleep, which makes me really happy. Idéalia Day Care is a perfect addition to the Idéalia line. I’m just hoping they keep adding to this collection because this has quickly become of my staple skin care lines.

04
Dec
2015

Holiday Most Wanted – Skin Care Gift Sets

categories: Gifts, Holiday, Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

Over the holidays we focus a lot on makeup, hair and nails both for gift giving and ourselves. But our skin needs love too. So we found our Most Wanted skin care gift sets for both face and body that you can either gift or keep for yourself. Because everyone’s skin needs a little help during winter.
Vichy Aqualia Thermal Gift Set

You get two choices with this gift set, Rich or Light. They both come with Boosting Essence Water and Aqualia Thermal Night Spa. All you have to do is pick which Aqualia Thermal you want and your dry to very dry, dehydrated skin will thank you.
StriVectin Skin Renewing Favorites

If you’ve always wanted to try StriVectin or know someone who’s into anti-aging skin care, this is a great gift. It includes SD Advanced Intensive Concentrate for Wrinkles & Stretch Marks, Eye Concentrate For Wrinkles, TL Advanced Tightening Neck Cream and Intensive Illuminating Serum. I have a couple family members who are getting this one and they’re going to love it.
boscia Japanese Favorites

boscia is known for their Japanese skin care and if you’ve never tried the Luminizing Black Mask, now you can try it along with other boscia faves like the Detoxifying Black Cleanser, Tsubaki Beauty Oil and Exfoliating Peel Gel. But really, try the mask. It’s insanely good.
philosophy Glowing Days Ahead Set

philosophy’s Glowing Days Ahead has everything you need to transform dull, winter skin into glowing youthfulness. This set includes everything from cleanser (Purity Made Simple) to The Microdelivery Peels, Time In A Bottle Serum and the ever important moisturizer (Renewed Hope In A Jar). Glowing Days Ahead is a must have for the anti-aging skin care junkie on your list.
L’Occitane Almond Star Gift

We can’t neglect the dried out skin on our bodies during the winter and with L’Occitane’s Almond Star Gift you’ll not only have soft, hydrated skin but you’ll smell amazing. With the Almond Shower Oil, Almond Supple Skin Oil, Almond Milk Concentrate, Almond Delicious Hands and Almond Soap; you’re going to want to keep this one for yourself. Or you could buy a couple, $10 from every sale of this gift goes to Dress For Success.

30
Sep
2015

Vichy Normaderm Cleanser & BB Cream

categories: Skin Care, Skin Care Reviews

I’ve tried Vichy’s whole Normaderm line before, but these two new additions really take this line to the next level.

I love this line because it doesn’t make me feel crazy for still having acne in my 30’s. So many other products are targeted just for teens. I feel silly using them now. Vichy’s Normaderm line makes dealing with adult acne seem like any other skin care issue anyone might have. That’s why I initially fell in love with the line. It’s products like the new Cleansing Mattifying Foam and BB Clear Beauty Balm that keep me coming back for more.

This cleaner makes my skin feel clean and dry. All of those oily parts are back to normal again. Meanwhile the Vichy BB Cream has great coverage, while also fighting acne.

I always worry that this type of BB cream will be too light or too heavy. I worry that it’s not made with both medicinal and makeup purposes in mind. Vichy has it all covered! Honestly my skin looked amazing after just a week of using this line. I stopped using it for a while and it was like you could hear my face crying out wanting it back.