Des démaquillants vraiment pas comme les autres

Au rayon démaquillage, on avait déjà le lait, l'eau, la mousse, l'huile, le baume, les lingettes, le biphasé... j'en passe et des meilleures. Autant dire que l'on était en droit de penser qu'il allait être difficile d'inventer de nouvelles gestuelles en la matière, mais c'était sans compter sur l'imagination toujours débordante des services recherche / développement des 4 marques dont je voulais vous causer aujourd'hui. Decléor, Sampar, Sephora et Ren ont en effet réussi à piquer ma curiosité avec des produits qui sortent un peu du lot et méritent je trouve qu'on s'y arrête un bref instant. De très bonnes idées marketing comme vous allez pouvoir le constater, mais est-ce que ça suit niveau formule et efficacité ? Pour le savoir, j'ai fais appel aux lueurs de la cosmétologue So, que vous connaissez sans doute sous sa casquette de blogueuse du côté de (de)maquillages. Les nouveaux démaquillants décortiqués par (de)maquillages, avouez que c'était une évidence ! On se lance dans les présentations ?

Keskecé ce truc ? Lorsque je rentre très tard d'une soirée, je vous avoue que je n'ai qu'une envie : rejoindre au plus vite mon pieu ! Dans ce genre de cas, je peux même battre tous les records de "déshabillage", 15 secondes top chrono me suffisent pour ôter toutes mes fringues et me glisser sous la couette (et généralement, 15 secondes après, je dors déjà !). Autant vous dire que je peux donc parfaitement comprendre les femmes qui parfois succombent à la tentation de zapper l'étape du démaquillage, surtout lorsqu'elles savent en plus qu'elles ont sur leur visage un make-up du genre hyper tenace. C'est visiblement le cas de certains rouges à lèvres qui semblent coriaces à retirer puisque Sephora a jugé opportun de sortir un produit spécifique pour éliminer sans frotter le lipstick même le plus longue tenue. Il se présente dans un mini-tube dont on extrait, via le tube canule, ce gel transparent qu'on pose directement sur les lèvres. Et ensuite ? Bah ensuite, rien du tout, on attend 30 / 40 secondes durant lesquelles la formule est censée "dissoudre" le rouge à lèvres (cela fait un peu violent écrit comme cela mais l'idée générale est quand même là). Là, le gel se transforme en huile et il ne reste alors plus qu'à passer délicatement un coton, ce qui permet au passage de ne pas avoir avoir à frotter les lèvres comme une folle dingue. Autant vous dire que je ne sais pas si cela marche vraiment mais sur le papier, l'idée semble séduisante et le produit (vendu 7€) plutôt original.

Et So, elle en dit quoi ? "Ce "gel en huile" est destiné à éliminer toute trace des rouges à lèvres les plus tenaces. Pour la petite anecdote, il a été conçu suite au développement du rouge à lèvres Outrageous Rouge, une innovation Sephora tellement résistante qu'aucun démaquillant de l'enseigne n'était capable de l'éliminer (et tellement collant que malgré ses indéniables qualités de pigmentation intense et résistance jusqu'au bout de la nuit, je vous le déconseille totalement). Ce démaquillant à lèvres est-il innovant ? Pas vraiment. C'est une huile gélifiée somme toute très classique. Est-il efficace ? Redoutablement, grâce à sa forte teneur en huiles minérales (des huiles basiques mais connues pour leur efficacité démaquillante : isododecane et isononyl isononanoate). Est-il indispensable ? Non. Parce que vous n'achèterez pas le rouge à lèvres pour lequel il a été développé (quand je dis qu'il est collant, ce n'est pas juste "collant" comme un gloss, c'est "tellement collant que si vous embrassez votre mec vous lui arrachez les peaux mortes des lèvres") et que pour éliminer un maquillage particulièrement résistant / waterproof, on peut toujours se tourner vers de l'huile végétale type olive, tournesol, Isio 4..., même si les huiles minérales choisies dans la formule Sephora ont un degré d'efficacité démaquillante légèrement supérieur. Mais je ne vous le déconseille pas, c'est probablement un très bon produit. Disons qu'à 7€ les 15 ml, ça fait un peu cher."

Keskecé ce truc ? Bon, puisque nous en sommes à parler des huiles, je continue sur ma lancée avec cette nouveauté signée Decléor qui nous propose une huile... micellaire ! Étonnant concept que voilà mais c'est en tout cas l'idée du siècle en terme de marketing car elle réunit les deux galéniques qui connaissent les plus fortes progressions en terme de ventes. Je ne reviens pas sur le succès grandissant de l'huile démaquillante dont vous avez certainement du vous rendre compte mais en revanche, un mot rapide sur le succès des eaux micellaires autour desquelles je ne soupçonnais pas un tel engouement. Dans LSA (un magazine professionnel) que je lisais la semaine dernière, il y avait une interview hyper intéressante d'un mec de chez L'Oréal qui expliquait que "les eaux micellaires ne représentent que 7% du marché de la toilette mais que leur part de marché avait été multipliée par 7 en 4 ans". Du coup, quelle bonne idée d'associer sur ce flacon les termes "huile" et "micellaire" mais reste encore à savoir ce que cela veut dire en terme de formulation, et pour ça, je laisse les manette à Sophie qui a beaucouuuuuuuuuuuuup de choses à vous dire (et après, vous viendrez dire que c'est moi qui suis bavard !). 

Et So, elle en dit quoi ? "Cette huile "micellaire" est un joli coup marketing. Pas dans le sens malhonnête du terme, mais dans le sens où j'aurais bien aimé avoir eu l'idée moi-même. Car en réalité, c'est une huile démaquillante absolument conventionnelle, qui contient les mêmes types d'huiles et de tensioactifs que les autres, et fonctionne exactement de la même manière. Car ATTENTION RÉVÉLATION, toutes les huiles démaquillantes font des micelles quand on les rince à l'eau. Ceci mérite une petite explication technique.

Une micelle, c'est une micro-bulle de tensioactifs. Quand les tensioactifs sont dans un environnement aqueux, leurs parties grasses (on dit "queues lipophiles"), incompatibles avec l'eau (elles sont ""hydrophobes"), vont naturellement se regrouper entre elles, ce qui va donner une sphère dont la paroi, en contact avec l'eau, est constituée de leurs parties hydrophiles ("têtes hydrophiles") et l'intérieur constitué de leurs "queues lipophiles.

Une eau micellaire, c'est une eau qui contient des tensioactifs. En gros, c'est un gel douche dilué, bien moins détergent, et c'est pour cela qu'on peut éventuellement ne pas la rincer, qu'elle ne dessèche pas trop la peau et qu'elle convient aux peaux sensibles. Quand vous appliquez une eau micellaire sur le visage, les impuretés vont se loger à l'intérieur des micelles et être éliminées au moment du rinçage ou, si vous ne rincez pas votre eau micellaire, vont rester (plus ou moins) sur votre coton.

Une huile démaquillante c'est une huile avec des tensioactifs à l'intérieur. Il se passe donc l'inverse d'avec une eau micellaire : les tensioactifs se regroupent mais tête hydrophile au centre de la sphère et queue lipophile à l'extérieur. Quand on passe une huile démaquillante sur le visage, on a non seulement les tensioactifs qui vont capter les impuretés, mais aussi l'huile (c'est pourquoi elles sont souvent plus efficaces que les eaux micellaires). Quand on ajoute de l'eau au moment du rinçage, la texture devient laiteuse parce qu'il y a un déséquilibre et un repositionnement des tensioactifs qui en font une sorte de lait (une émulsion) : en gros ("en gros" parce qu'en réalité c'est un tout petit plus complexe mais je vais simplifier sinon je vais vous perdre - si ce n'est pas déjà fait), la micelle "lipophile" devient "hydrophile" et on se retrouve à peu près dans la même configuration qu'avec une eau micellaire, sauf que comme on une phase grasse en plus, le démaquillage est souvent un peu plus doux et encore plus efficace. Au final, toutes les huiles démaquillantes sont des huiles micellaires sans le revendiquer. Décléor a juste eu la bonne idée en inventant cette dénomination de surfer à la fois sur la vague des eaux micellaires ET des huiles démaquillantes. Chapeau bas."

Keskecé ce truc ? Lorsque j'écoute un peu les femmes dans mon entourage, j'ai souvent l'impression qu'elles apprécient vraiment le démaquillage à la mousse même s'il y a à chaque fois deux bémols qui reviennent : le fait que ça pique souvent les yeux et surtout qu'il faille procéder à un rinçage derrière l'application de la mousse. Mais comme le dirait une publicité pour un opticien que nous ne citerons pas : ça, c'était avant ! Car figurez-vous que Sampar a eu la bonne idée d'inventer "la première mousse démaquillante sans rinçage". Et comme une bonne nouvelle n'arrive jamais seule, on peut en plus l'utiliser sur la peau, les lèvres et les yeux. Franchement, que demande le peuple ?! Ajouter à cela la présence d'un actif détox chargé de redonner à la peau tout son éclat et vous obtenez, sur le papier en tout cas, un produit qui semble plutôt tentant. 19€ les 100ml, c'est en revanche pas donné cette affaire là mais maintenant que l'idée est là, nul doute que cela donnera des idées à d'autres marques et qu'on retrouvera sûrement des produits similaires dans quelques mois en grandes surfaces.

Et So, elle en dit quoi ? "Ils sont malins chez Sampar, ils ont réussi à créer une "eau micellaire moussante". Avec les avantages de l'eau micellaire (une bonne tolérance et pas d'obligation de rincer le produit grâce à une concentration moindre en tensioactifs) ET du gel nettoyant moussant (une belle mousse onctueuse que l'on peut masser sur le visage, malgré la faible dose en tensioactifs, grâce notamment à la pompe du flacon mousseur qui permet de "buller" le produit au moment de sa sortie). Cette innovation est en grande partie une question de dose en tensioactifs : dans un gel nettoyant moussant en tube, il y en a beaucoup ; dans un nettoyant moussant contenu dans un flacon mousseur, un peu moins (on voit que dans le flacon le produit est plus liquide qu'un gel nettoyant qui lui a une texture proche du gel douche) ; et dans une eau micellaire encore moins (du coup elle mousse très peu et nettoie un peu moins bien - essayez d'en mettre en flacon mousseur, vous verrez qu'elle sortira sous forme de mousse mais par contre dès que vous l'étalerez, la mousse se cassera instantanément, l'eau micellaire retrouvera sa forme liquide et il vous sera impossible de la masser pour éliminer le maquillage).

Le taux de tensioactifs de Nettoyage à Sec est probablement entre celui de l'eau micellaire et celui du nettoyant en flacon-mousseur, ce qui lui permet de donner une mousse suffisamment rémanente pour qu'on puisse se démaquiller tout en conservant l'avantage du non-rinçage spécifique aux eaux démaquillantes et encore jamais vu pour des démaquillants moussants. Avec une petite astuce de formulation secrète supplémentaire pour que ça ne colle pas quand on ne rince pas (et là je ne suis pas assez calée en formulation pour la deviner). Résultat : une réelle efficacité tout en douceur, et beaucoup de sensorialité. Mais je préfère vous conseiller de rincer ce démaquillant quand même, ne serait-ce que pour maximiser l'élimination des résidus de maquillage et diverses impuretés."

Keskecé ce truc ? Il est certain que comparé aux 3 autres nouveautés présentées à l'instant, celui-ci peut sembler un peu moins dingue mais je tenais quand même à vous la présenter car je trouvais qu'elle surfait plutôt intelligemment sur la tendance des lingettes démaquillantes qui vivote depuis 2/3 ans. Je passe rapidement sur la formule du produit à proprement parler, qui est très bien mais surtout très classique, pour m'arrêter juste un instant sur le mode d'utilisation. On applique donc cette crème sur tout le visage, avant de masser délicatement. C'est au niveau du rinçage que la serviette fournie avec le produit rentre en jeu. On la passe au préalable sous l'eau chaude pour s'en servir pour rincer le visage, ce qui j'imagine doit être bien plus agréable et rapide qu'un simple coton. Ce n'est d'ailleurs pas vraiment une première puisque je me souviens que Garancia (toujours précurseur) avait déjà lancé un concept similaire il y a quelques années, mais sans que cela ne déclenche d'initiatives similaires de la part d'autres marques. En même temps, je me dis que c'est peut-être un exemple parfait de fausse bonne idée car j'imagine parfaitement la tronche de la serviette au bout du troisième démaquillage, pleine de fond de teint, de mascara, de rouge à lèvres... S'il faut la nettoyer tous les 2 jours, risque de galère en perspective.

Et So, elle en dit quoi ? "C'est un lait démaquillant classique, à la composition plutôt naturelle, qui est très agréable à utiliser mais dont l'association au linge humide chaud ne sert pas à grand-chose, car contrairement à ce qu'il est indiqué, le passage de ce linge sur le visage n'ouvrira pas vraiment les pores, il faudrait une source de chaleur beaucoup moins furtive. Ceci dit c'est très agréable comme sensation, très délassant. Vous pouvez faire la même chose avec votre propre lait démaquillant et un gant de toilette propre."

Voilà, j'espère que ce billet vous aura plu et vous aura aidé à vous y retrouver dans ce flot de nouveaux démaquillants. Est-ce que peut-être certaines d'entre vous ont déjà eu l'occasion d'en essayer un des 4 ? Si c'est le cas, n'hésitez pas à partager votre jugement "pratique" sur le sujet ! Et sinon, quelle est l'innovation qui vous semble la plus intéressante, celle en tout cas qui vous donnerait le plus envie de l'essayer ? Côté démaquillage, vous en êtes-vous d'ailleurs ? Lait, eau, mousse, huile, baume, lingettes... ? Vous êtes fidèle à un produit chouchou -et si oui lequel évidemment ?!) ou continuez de papillonner en attendant le coup de coeur ultime 

Operation Use It Up

Here's a quick rundown of the products that I used up in April and May.

If I had to use only one bodycare brand for the rest of my life, it would probably be Rituals, a Dutch brand that offers a delightful range of scents and is pretty easy on the pocket. It's available on FeelUnique and Barneys.

1. Rituals Happy Buddha Organic Mandarin & Yuzu Foaming Shower Gel Sensation: Rituals' shower gels provide the most bubblelicious experience, foaming up almost straight out of the can. The refreshing mandarin and yuzu scent was an instant favourite. Ingredients list below.

2. Rituals Magic Touch Cherry Blossom & Rice Milk had a lovely comforting scent and hydrated my dry skin well without feeling greasy.

3. Rituals Dragon Mud Organic Bamboo and Volcanic Clay gave good exfoliating action and had a lovely minty scent.

4. Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Body Cream didn't leave much of an impression. This was a gift with a magazine, not something that I would purchase.

5. Liberty Helly Kitty Body Butter: This was from Liberty's holiday collection some time ago. This takes some serious massaging for it to absorb fully but it does hydrate quite well.

6. L'Occitane Rose Body Milk is a light textured lotion that absorbs well and hydrates nicely but the rose scent wasn't that special.

7. Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil works very effectively at melting all makeup off and doesn't leave any residue on the skin.

8. Paula's Choice Clear Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution with 2% salicylic acid didn't do much for my skin. I also hated how long it takes to absorb and the tacky feeling it left on my skin. I think it also dried out my skin and had me reaching for Avene Cold Cream which I use only as an emergency treatment.

9. Ettusais Puru Puru Mist: I use this in place of a toner in the mornings. I spritz five or six times and then follow up with a moisturiser to seal in the moisture. It freshens up the skin nicely and is fragrance and colorant free. Ettusais is releasing another version in a green bottle (Puru Puru Mist F) with rosemary extract this summer on 19 June in Japan.

10. Shiseido Ibuki Refining Moisturizer was a surprise hit for me. Shiseido's moisturisers are usually too heavy for my skin but since having a baby, my skin has become more dehydrated and this works wonders for drenching the skin and priming it for foundation. I would purchase this. Ingredients list below.

11. Origins Drink Up 10 Minute Mask left my skin feeling plumped up and more even but the effect was just temporary. I vastly prefer Fresh Rose Face Mask to this.

12. H2O+ Deep Sleep Recovery Cream felt a bit thick and did not absorb as nicely as the Ibuki Refining Moisturiser.

13. Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum was quite watery and lighter than the typical serum. It provides decent hydration but otherwise, it was nothing special. Ingredients below.

14. Ren Vita-Mineral Day Cream was another magazine freebie. It worked alright on my skin but didn't impress like Ibuki Refining Moisturizer did.

15. Schwarzkopf Brillance Intensiv Color Creme 842 Rouge Cachemire and Palette Deluxe 6-88 Intensive Ruby Red: This is my favourite brand for hair color. This combination turned out as a deep rich red that really brightens up in the sun. All my white hairs were completely covered. It does stain towels for a week so I have to be careful when my hair is still damp.

Operation Use It Up

Cleared out another batch of product empties in February and March. We are moving again at the end of this year so I'm trying my darnedest to stick to a no-buy where skincare and bodycare are concerned and really whittle my stash down to a reasonable size.

1. Avene Cleansing Water: I use this non-rinse cleanser on my baby, mainly for cleansing his bottom. Love how gentle and effective it is.

2. REN Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser: This cleanses very gently and never leaves my skin feeling stripped or dry. However, I did not notice any significant effect on preventing clogged pores.

3. Biore Hydra-Clear Makeup Remover: This removes foundation effectively and thoroughly but it stings my eyes.

4. Lancome Bi-Facil: This removes eye makeup in a jiffy although it does struggle sometimes against waterproof Japanese mascaras. It's way too expensive to purchase regularly, so I usually buy L'Oreal's bi-phase Gentle Eye Makeup Remover instead.

5. Pixi Glow Tonic: This was my second bottle of four that I hauled in London last year before giving birth. I use it once daily at night to help keep my skin blemish-free. It doesn't sting or leave my skin sticky for ages like Paula's Choice CLEAR Extra Strength Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution does.

6. Suqqu HA White Mask: I didn't see much improvement in my skin to justify this mask's ridiculously expensive price tag. Suqqu had to recall three of their whitening products but this mask wasn't one of them. For Suqqu, I would just stick to the makeup line.

7. By Terry Creme de Rose Nutri-Lift Comfort Cream: This hydrated my skin nicely without any greasy feeling. Like most of By Terry's products, it bears a rose scent but I don't mind it.

8. DHC Deep Cleansing Oil: This emulsifies and rinses off easily, removing all base makeup in a jiffy. However, I still prefer the lighter texture of Shu Uemura's Fresh cleansing oil (pink).

9. L'Oreal Play Ball Beach Fizz: This was a freebie with a magazine purchase at Kinokuniya Singapore a long time ago. It helps give a bit of structure and volume but wasn't really that special to warrant a re-purchase.

10. Percy & Reed Finishing Polish: This is my second tube and I already have a back-up ready. It tames flyaways and frizz without making my hair stiff or crunchy.

11. Lush Tea Tree Water: This is supposed to help detoxify oily, blemish-prone skin but I didn't notice any significant improvement in my skin. I'll stick with Pixi Glow Tonic instead although that is harder to get hold of.

12. Ma Cherie Moisture Conditioner: Love the sweet floral scent and feminine packaging but I think Tsubaki conditioner (which is also made by Shiseido) boasts more hydrating power than this.

13. Laline Mickey & Minnie Shower Gel: A gift from a friend, this had a nice scent and lathered up well but not particularly memorable enough to re-purchase.

14. Lush The Jilted Elf shower jelly: This lathers up nicely with a bath lily. A pot usually provides me with around 10 uses. I took so long to get around to using this that I think the scent had gone off a little.

15. A Scent by Issey Miyake Body Lotion: I liked the clean scent and light, non-greasy texture.

16. Life NK Jump Start Body Lotion: This was included in a Glossybox (UK) which I used to subscribe to when my husband was based in London. Love the fresh uplifting scent of grapefruit, spearmint and peppermint.

17. Bliss Lemon+Sage Body Butter: Intensely hydrating, this takes some kneading to get it to absorb fully. It came in handy in the winter months when my legs get really dry.

18. K-Palette Lasting 2Way Eyebrow 02: A daily staple, I've used up too many of these to count.

19. Too Faced Shadow Insurance: Another daily staple, I prefer this to Urban Decay Primer Potion. It really helps to make my eyeshadows last all day with minimal creasing. A tube lasts close to a year even with daily usage. I already have a back-up tube somewhere.

Operation Use It Up

Just in time for Chinese New Year, I managed to clear out this bumper crop of products, which were used up between December and January.


1. Pixi Glow Tonic: I hauled back four bottles from London to Geneva after reading the online raves sparked by Caroline Hirons' recommendation in this blog post. Pixi has literally not been able to keep this on the shelves since Hirons wrote about it. It used to be available only in their flagship store in London but it recently became available on their UK and US websites in a new clear bottle packaging. The UK website ships internationally but is currently out of stock again of the tonic. It's not that expensive at £16 for 250ml. It contains 5% glycolic acid for exfoliating the skin and warding off acne. Used once daily, it did help to keep my skin relatively clear, smooth and blemish-free without irritating it, although my pores still needed manual purging from time to time. The only time that it stung slightly was when I applied it after using a Lush fresh mask. I would definitely repurchase this again if it is available.

2. REN Clarifying Toning Lotion also worked well with my skin but is more expensive than Pixi Glow Tonic at £18 for 150ml. Used once daily, I finished this bottle in less than three weeks. The combination of salicilin from willow bark, glycolic acid, lactic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid works to exfoliate, tone and decongest the skin. I did not experience any irritation with this. It does help to keep my skin clear and is more easily available than Pixi Glow Tonic.

3. Astalift Cream did a good job of hydrating my skin but it also made me break out in small blemishes.

4. Astalift Moisture Foam is a pretty standard foaming cleanser that left my skin feeling slightly dry.

5. Astalift Essence Destiny is a light serum that comes with a pipette dispenser. I liked this better than the Astalift Cream as it hydrated my skin without making me breaking out.

6. Astalift Lotion does a good job of refreshing and toning my skin. I still have a full-size bottle of this in my stash.

7. Astalift Complete Make-up Remover Oil did a decent job of removing makeup but didn't feel that special to warrant a full size purchase.

8. Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Body Wash has a lovely citrus scent and cleanses well without drying out my skin.

9. Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Shampoo and Conditioner did not feel as deeply moisturising as Shiseido's Tsubaki range.

10. Lancome Tonique Radiance Clarifying Exfoliating Toner is alcohol-heavy (second on the ingredient list). I accidentally got some in my eye while closing the cap and it stung pretty bad. The Ren Clarifying Lotion and Pixi Glow Tonic are much better alternatives.

11. Helena Rubenstein All Mascaras Complete Eye Makeup Remover proved to be no match for Majolica Majorca's infamous waterproof mascaras. I still don't understand why HR's mascaras top many Japanese beauty magazine polls.

12. Kiehl's Clearly Correcting Dark Spot Solution feels very light on the skin and absorbs well without leaving a film. I didn't notice a significant reduction in the spots on my cheeks though so I probably will not repurchase this.

13. La Mer Moisturising Gel Cream worked surprisingly well with my skin. It helped keep the skin flakes at bay and did not make my skin too oily or cause any blemishes.

14. Lancome Genefique Yeux did a good job of hydrating the eye area without causing any milia. I liked it but probably won't repurchase it as I still have some other eye creams to use up.

15. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Neck and Chest Rejuvenating Complex: This deluxe sample was a gift with purchase. It did a decent job of hydrating but other than that, it was nothing special. I don't really see the point of using a different moisturiser for the neck versus the rest of the body.

16. Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream is gentle enough to use two to three times a week. I find it to be more effective than Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant. When I use this, I skip the exfoliating lotions so as not to over-exfoliate my skin, which can cause it to get thinner.

17. REN Frankincense Revitalizing Night Cream worked well in hydrating my skin during these dry winter months without making it excessively oily. It does have a distinctive scent but I didn't mind it. The Frankincense range has been revamped and renamed the V-cense range.

18. Vera Wang Satiny Body Lotion was nicely hydrating and did not leave an oily film. The scent is cloyingly sweet though.

19. Rituals Lao Tze Chinese Mint and Yi Yi Ren Cooling Foot Balm did a good job of moisturing my feet and I loved the relaxing scent. The cooling sensation isn't that strong.

20. Bioderma Crealine Solution Micellaire cleanses away makeup pretty effectively except for eye makeup, so I always use a separate eye makeup remover. I also follow up with a facial cleanser to make sure that my skin is thoroughly cleansed.

21. Noble Isle Summer Rising Bath & Shower Gel has a lovely elegant green scent that makes me miss London.

22. L'Occitane Fleurs Merveilleuses Shower Gel has a sweet floral scent that is not too cloying. I liked L'Occitane's shower gels but I only purchase them when they are on sale as they are too pricey at normal retail price.

23. Philosophy Sweet Honey Orange Jam was a delicious orange scent but it does not linger on the skin much.

24. Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum works very well for de-frizzing my hair and I like the scent too. It is pricey but I would repurchase this.

25. Nick Chavez Volumizing Shampoo wasn't particularly volumizing.

26. Percy & Reed Beautifully Bouncy Volumising Conditioner was also not that memorable in terms of the effect it had on my hair.

Operation Use It Up

With winter now upon us, I've been slathering on all manner of moisturisers to stave off the dry flakies, which explains the preponderance of moisturisers in this batch of product empties for October and November.

1. Korres Basil Lemon Body Milk: This has a lovely citrusy scent that is refreshing without being too generic. The body milk is light with a runny texture well-suited for the summer months when skin needs less hydration.

2. Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker Soft Body Lotion: Lovely was one of my favourite scents a few years ago and a distinctively unique creation amidst the flood of cynically sweet floral fruity celebrity juices. It's a pity that SJP has stopped releasing fragrances as she had an interesting range. (Chandler Burr wrote a great book "The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry" detailing the creation of Lovely and a Hermes fragrance, which is a must-read for anyone interested in fragrances.) I liked this body lotion for the dreamy scent. It moisturised my skin without leaving any greasy feeling.

3. Rituals Mei Dao Rich Moisturising Body Cream in Organic White Lotus and Yi Yi Ren: Rituals offers several beautifully scented bodycare lines and this is one of my favourites. It's a calming, comfortable scent. The cream offers good hydration without the greasy after-feel of Body Shop's Body Butter.

4. Kenzoki Energisant Stimulating Body Moisturiser: This was the most pricey body moisturiser that I ever purchased but it was well worth it with a cooling texture that hydrates without feeling greasy or heavy. The scent is also wonderfully relaxing. I liked using this in the summer.

5. Philosophy Summer Grace Perfumed Body Emulsion: This worked nicely enough on my skin and had a pleasant scent although it was much less memorable than the Lovely, Mei Dao and Kenzoki moisturisers.

6. The Body Shop Candied Ginger Body Butter: A past holiday release, I liked the ginger scent but this never fully absorbed into my skin and I could feel the oiliness when my skin brushed against the furniture.

7. Shiseido Tsubaki Massage Spa Mask: This was pretty mediocre in terms of conditioning my hair. The Tsubaki conditioners in red or white are much more effective.

8. L'Oreal Elseve Relaxing Mask: This helped to detangle and soften my hair but it was otherwise rather average, so I would not re-purchase.

9. Suqqu Refining Foam: This was included in Suqqu's holiday coffrets for both 2013 and 2012. It lathers up easily and cleanses my skin thoroughly but like many Japanese foaming cleansers, it does tend to leave the skin feeling dry so following up with a good hydrating lotion or moisturiser is a must. Not quite worth the £33 price tag as there are much more affordable cleansers that are more gentle on the skin.

10. H2O+ Marine Cleansing Gel: This has a clear wobbly jelly-like texture that feels refreshing on the skin. It cleanses well without leaving the skin feeling stripped.

11. Ren Micro Polish Cleanser: This contains small scrub particles and glycolic acid for double exfoliating action. This is gentle enough to use 2-3 times a week and it never irritates my skin. Used in combination with Pixi Glow Tonic, this has helped to keep my skin clear.

12. Astalift Jelly Aquarysta: This red jelly moisturiser works well for my skin without making it more oily than normal. My skin also feels more supple when I use this.

13. Elisha Coy Herb Clay Pore Refining Mask: This left my skin feeling softer and smoother. It felt like a nice weekly detoxing treat for the skin and does not dry it out excessively even if left on for more than 20 minutes.

14. Lancome DreamTone 1: Just released a few months ago, this supposedly helps to even out skintone. The 5ml sample lasted around two weeks with daily usage. It absorbs nicely without making my skin greasy but I didn't notice any significant lightening effect on the dark pigmentation spots on my cheeks, although two weeks is probably too short a testing time to make a definitive assessment.

15. Philosophy Clear Days Ahead Overnight Repair Salicylic Acid Acne Treatment Pads: My skin stayed generally clear and free of major eruptions while I was using this. The pads also stayed nicely soaked up until the very last one, unlike some other brands which dry out in the pot.

16. Lancome BiFacil: This works well for removing eye makeup including waterproof mascara without irritating the eyes. It's too pricey for me to purchase it as L'Oreal makes a cheaper alternative, but I often get BiFacil as a gift with purchase or included as part of a set.

17. Jill Stuart Shower Gel: This was part of a summer travel bodycare set. The scent is a tad artificially sweet, typical of Jill Stuart and probably too cloying for some people.

18. Lush It's Raining Men: This has the same sweet honey scent of Lush's bestselling Honey I Washed the Kids soap, so I did not hesitate to purchase it. It cleanses thoroughly without drying the skin. I would re-purchase it except that I still have far too many shower gels to use up.

19. The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Shower Gel: This was pleasant enough but not that special that I would re-purchase it.

Operation Use It Up

Another month has passed by, which means another clutch of product empties on their way out of here.

1. Ettusais Foamy Rich Mousse: True to its name, this produces a firm foam that does not dissipate quickly. It is supposed to be a 5-in-1 product that removes makeup, acts as a cleanser, foam massage, foam pack and moisturises the skin. This can lasted four months with once daily usage in the mornings. It rinses off cleanly but can leave the skin feeling a tad dry. You need less than a ping-pong ball size for each use. Ettusais has just released an extra large version with 25% more product for the same price (S$35/1365yen). I would repurchase this except it is not available here.

2. Za Total Hydration Fresh Foamy Cleanser: This is a typical white foaming cleanser with some small blue particles mixed in. I usually use this after using a cleansing oil or micellar water to remove my makeup, just to make sure my skin is thoroughly cleansed. It does leave the skin feeling stripped, so I would not repurchase this.

3. Ren Rose Centifolia Cleansing Gel: This watery clear gel cleanser is extremely gentle on the skin, perfect for use in the mornings when you only need a light cleanse. The rose scent is also subtle enough not to be irritating. This would work well for all skintypes. Ren has just revamped and expanded its Rosa Centifolia range, to include a cleansing balm, foaming cleanser, cleansing water and makeup remover. Check it out here.

4. Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser: This is a clear gel cleanser that thoroughly cleanses my skin without leaving it feeling dry. It contains 0.5% grapefruit extract and amino-acid based cleansing agents which is supposed to help purify and hydrate without irritation. It is also supposed to help prevent blemishes but I did not find it to have much effect in that area.

5. Lush Cosmetic Warrior: This is supposed to be targeted at acne-prone skin but I did not find it to be that effective. It was also thick and hard to spread, unlike Ayesha, perhaps due to the egg content. Ingredient list below.


6. Lush Breath of Fresh Air: This lightweight toner helps refresh the skin but does not really hydrate or soften it despite containing aloe vera, so even in the hot summer months, it can leave my skin feeling in need of extra moisture. I would not repurchase it. Ingredient list below.

7. Origins Brighter By Nature: This contained cotton pads soaked with a fruit-acid based solution that is supposed to help brighten the skin tone. Sadly, the pads dried out before I had used even half of them, despite the fact that I kept the pot tightly shut. The few that I did use did not do much for my skin and felt a tad rough actually. Definitely will not repurchase this.

8. K-Palette Lasting 2Way Eyebrow: A daily staple which I just stocked up on again.

9. Paul & Joe Fragranced Body Cream: This light body cream was from a Christmas set a few years ago yet it has kept its scent surprisingly well without any visible change in the texture. I liked the scent and moisturising effect but it did leave a slightly oily residue on the skin.

10. H20+ Moisturizing Body Balm: This has a nice clean scent and lightweight texture that absorbs easily without making the skin feel greasy.

11. Steam Cream: As this is very emollient, I use it mainly on my legs which are prone to dryness instead of my face. It hydrates effectively, getting rid of dry patches but it can feel a tad greasy especially in the summer.

12. Philosophy Limoncello Italian Soda: I love Philosophy shower gels for their extensive variety of scents and that they do not dry out my skin. This had a light sweet fizzy scent that was a pleasure to use and it lathers up easily.

13. Korres Vanilla Cinnamon Showergel: Not a fan of this due to the heavy cinnamon note, which I do not like in fragrances. It does lather up easily and did not strip the skin. This was part of a set of three Korres showergels.

14. Peter Thomas Roth Mega-rich Body Wash: This gel cleanser contained microbeads that burst on contact with the skin. It had a lovely refreshing citrus scent but otherwise, it was pretty average overall so I would not re-purchase it.

15. Anna Sui Rose Hair Shampoo: I adore the rose scent but it does not linger strongly on my hair. This worked quite well with my dry hair, rinsing out cleanly without leaving it tangled but it's probably too pricey for me to use on a regular basis.

16. Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Conditioner: This helped to detangle my hair but there was no extra glossiness or brilliance.

17. Pantene Repair & Protect Shampoo: This was a freebie with a magazine. While this lathered up easily, it left my hair slightly tangled and in need of conditioner so I would not repurchase this.

18. Philip B. Lovin' Leave-in Conditioner: This helped to tame the frizz and make my hair more manageable. I usually apply it in the mornings to the ends of my hair and then follow up with a styling spray.

19. L'Oreal Studio Indestructible Gel Spray: This helped to control flyaways around my fringe and provided moderate hold without making my hair hard or sticky.

20. Muji Sweet Orange & Clove Essential Oil: I purchased this in London to use with the Muji Aroma Diffuser. I adore the uplifting scent which has just enough sweetness to soothe the senses. I would definitely repurchase this except I have several other Muji essential oils to use up first.

21. Clarins Body Treatment Oil: This is supposed to help firm and tone the skin. I liked the clean, green scent but found that the oil was surprisingly not hydrating enough for my skin which ended up flaking.