Review | Bioderma Créaline (Sensibio)

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This is something I was really excited to try because of all the hype it receives from people who know good skin: models, makeup artists, other beauty bloggers and people whose discerning taste I trust.

Despite that, I was a bit skeptical.

After trying it, it was completely unwarranted. All those people were right! I freaking love this stuff!

I've already spoken about how awesome this is already here, but below is a more thorough review.

What is it:

Bioderma Créaline (or Sensibio H20, as it is sometimes called) is a micelle solution. Briefly, a micelle solution is a makeup remover and cleanser that lifts the makeup, dirt and other impurities off your skin. It doesn't need additional water to rinse off. This is especially awesome for those living in cities that have hard water coming off the tap. Rinsing with hard water is bad for the skin. Personally, I've experienced breakouts, dry skin and a general feeling that my skin wasn't really "clean" with hard water.

For what it's worth, I've spent most of my life living with soft water coming from the tap which is why I keenly feel the difference.

There are many micelle solutions out there, including offerings from Avène, La Roche-Posay and Vichy but none of those come close to being as revered as the Créaline.

This might be coming out as overly dramatic, but that's probably because you haven't tried it yet.

It should be noted that Bioderma makes a whole line of these: in blue, green and one in pink. Créaline, the one with the pink cap, is the one that I have and the one that receives the most beloved reviews.

Claims:

Créaline claims to remove make-up, cleanse and soothe skin. It also claims that it is good for the eyes and face.

Seriously?! Does this work?:

As a makeup remover: This is amazing! Seriously. I am quite disgusted at how much comes off right away. This is from someone who doesn't wear a whole lot of makeup daily – some light cover to even out my skin, brow stuff, mascara and/or eyeliner.

I can usually take off all my makeup using both sides of one or two really nice cotton pads. Sunscreen is a bit tougher to take off. It needs a whole pad to take off (both sides).

I am normally a fan of oil cleansing because it's a gentle, yet thorough way to take off my makeup. But this is a great alternative for the days when I'm feeling a bit lazy and want to take things off quickly and get to bed.

Can it take off eye stuff?!: It took off my mascara and brow stuff with ease, but my mascara was a bit tougher to wipe away. Did the job, though!

As a cleanser: Great! I would say amazing but I really, really like a cleansing routine (as referenced here, here, here and here).

Unfortunately, Créaline can do without water but it can't work alone. You'll need cotton pads to take it all off.

Packaging:

The Créaline comes in a no nonsense bottle. It looks kind of clinical. That's totally OK with me. It's a cleanser. I kind of want it to be free of any design clutter.

The bottle comes in a very thin, flexible plastic which makes it easy to squeeze the cleanser out. I would have preferred to have a pump which would be a lot more convenient and a lot less wasteful with product, but my model (250 ml) doesn't have that. However, a pump is available on the 500 ml bottles.

First impressions:

I was pretty surprised that the Créaline could be so gentle and could take off so much.

If you were curious, the Créaline doesn't have any alcohol so it isn't harsh at all.

Bonus: It also doesn't have any parabens!

Takeaway:

I have sensitive combination skin and hydration and irritation are chief concerns when I try any new product. Créaline didn't leave my skin especially dry, even at the tops of my cheeks, an area where some cleansers tend to strip my face dry.

I've had this for a while and my skin hasn't shown any sign of reacting to this. No spots, no burning or itchiness. It's awesome. Super gentle.

I favour a lot of natural products, but I can stray to other products for various reasons, namely an item's packaging and sheer novelty value. I like that this cleanser doesn't have any ingredients that are especially harmful and that the ingredient list isn't especially long (10, if you were interested).

The shelf life is a year and this is something that I could easily use within that time frame. Even with other cleansers in the mix. I have the 250 ml version, but I think you could probably use at least one 500 ml bottle, even with intermittent use.

There is an expiry date on the bottle etched below and it's pretty generous. My particular bottle is said to be good until sometime in 2016. That's OK, though. I've only had it for a couple months and I've put a pretty sizeable dent already.

I like how this has the potential to be an HG product and that it doesn't break the bank.

I bought this at a drugstore and a bottle typically runs around $20, plus tax for a 250ml bottle. The 500ml bottle is around $30, plus tax.

Pro tip: Right now, Murale is selling two units of the 250 ml bottle for $26.95, plus tax. (link)

Would I repurchase?:

The short answer is an emphatic yes.

But it really depends.

I like my cleansing routine and I like the feeling of my skin after a double-cleanse. Buying this will just make me lazy. For that reason, I'm less inclined to purchase it.

On the other hand, it is really amazing as a makeup remover and as a cleanser. Really, really amazing. In that respect, it's a resounding yes.

Bioderma Créaline (Sensibio H20) can be found at London Drugs, Shoppers Drug Mart, Murale locations and online.

Review | Bioderma Créaline (Sensibio)

This is something I was really excited to try because of all the hype it receives from people who know good skin: models, makeup artists, other beauty bloggers and people whose discerning taste I trust.

Despite that, I was a bit skeptical.

After trying it, it was completely unwarranted. All those people were right! I freaking love this stuff!

I've already spoken about how awesome this is already here, but below is a more thorough review.

What is it:

Bioderma Créaline (or Sensibio H20, as it is sometimes called) is a micelle solution. Briefly, a micelle solution is a makeup remover and cleanser that lifts the makeup, dirt and other impurities off your skin. It doesn't need additional water to rinse off. This is especially awesome for those living in cities that have hard water coming off the tap. Rinsing with hard water is bad for the skin. Personally, I've experienced breakouts, dry skin and a general feeling that my skin wasn't really "clean".

For what it's worth, I've spent most of my life living with soft water coming from the tap which is why I keenly feel the difference.

There are many micelle solutions out there, including offerings from Avène, La Roche-Posay and Vichy but none of those come close to being as revered as the Créaline.

This might be coming out as overly dramatic, but that's probably because you haven't tried it yet.

It should be noted that Bioderma makes a whole line of these: in blue, green and one in pink. Créaline, the one with the pink cap, is the one that I have and the one that receives the most beloved reviews.

Claims:

Créaline claims to remove make-up, cleanse and soothe skin. It also claims that it is good for the eyes and face.

Seriously?! Does this work?:

As a makeup remover: This is amazing! Seriously. I am quite disgusted at how much comes off right away. This is from someone who doesn't wear a whole lot of makeup daily – some light cover to even out my skin, brow stuff, mascara and/or eyeliner.

I can usually take off all my makeup using both sides of one really nice cotton pad.

I am normally a fan of oil cleansing because it's a gentle, yet thorough way to take off my makeup. But this is a great alternative for the days when I'm feeling a bit lazy and want to take things off quickly and get to bed.

Can it take off eye stuff?!: It took off my mascara and brow stuff with ease, but my mascara was a bit tougher to wipe away. Did the job, though!

As a cleanser: Great! I would say amazing but I really, really like a cleansing routine (as referenced here, here, here and here).

Unfortunately, Créaline can do without water but it can't work alone. You'll need cotton pads to take it all off.

Packaging:

The Créaline comes in a no nonsense bottle. It looks kind of clinical. That's totally OK with me. It's a cleanser. I kind of want it to be free of any design clutter.

The bottle comes in a very thin, flexible plastic which makes it easy to squeeze the cleanser out. I would have preferred to have a pump which would be a lot more convenient and a lot less wasteful with product, but my model (250 ml) doesn't have that. However, a pump is available on the 500 ml bottles.

First impressions:

I was pretty surprised that the Créaline could be so gentle and could take off so much.

If you were curious, the Créaline doesn't have any alcohol so it isn't harsh at all.

Bonus: It also doesn't have any parabens!

Takeaway:

I have sensitive combination skin and hydration and irritation are chief concerns when I try any new product. Créaline didn't leave my skin especially dry, even at the tops of my cheeks, an area where some cleansers tend to strip my face dry.

I've had this for a while and my skin hasn't shown any sign of reacting to this. No spots, no burning or itchiness. It's awesome. Super gentle.

I favour a lot of natural products, but I can stray to other products for various reasons, namely an item's packaging and sheer novelty value. I like that this cleanser doesn't have any ingredients that are especially harmful and that the ingredient list isn't especially long (10, if you were interested).

The shelf life is a year and this is something that I could easily use within that time frame. Even with other cleansers in the mix. I have the 250 ml version, but I think you could probably use at least one 500 ml bottle, even with intermittent use.

There is an expiry date on the bottle etched below and it's pretty generous. My particular bottle is said to be good until sometime in 2016. That's OK, though. I've only had it for a couple months and I've put a pretty sizeable dent already.

I like how this has the potential to be an HG product and that it doesn't break the bank.

I bought this at a drugstore and a bottle typically runs around $20, plus tax for a 250ml bottle. The 500ml bottle is around $30, plus tax.

Pro tip: Right now, Murale is selling two units of the 250 ml bottle for $26.95, plus tax. (link)

Would I repurchase?:

The short answer is an emphatic yes.

But it really depends.

I like my cleansing routine and I like the feeling of my skin after a double-cleanse. Buying this will just make me lazy. For that reason, I'm less inclined to purchase it.

On the other hand, it is really amazing as a makeup remover and as a cleanser. Really, really amazing. In that respect, it's a resounding yes.

Bioderma Créaline (Sensibio H20) can be found at London Drugs, Shoppers Drug Mart, Murale locations and online.

Review | Lush Herbalism cleanser

This is cleanser unlike anything I've ever seen before. First off, it's green. Second, it's made of clay. Third, it's in a tub. The woman at Lush had to cut the cleanser off from a larger roll. But I didn't allow any of those concerns to detract me from purchasing it. In fact, a good number of those reasons made me game enough to try it out!

Sample Selection Saturday | Lush Mask of Magnaminty

Another week, another sample selection!

What is it?:

This week's selection is a two-in-one product. Lush's Mask of Magniminty is a pretty generous product. It can be used as a mask and a cleanser.

In brief: the good and the ugly

The good:

It's a two-in-one product (cleanser and a mask).

I like the minty and slightly earthy smell.

As a cleanser – YOU CAN USE THIS ANYWHERE. This is kind of too strong to use as daily face wash. I'd suggest using this as a treatment mask. Definitely once or twice weekly, tops.

As a mask – YOU CAN USE THIS ANYWHERE. It left my face soft and minimized some swelling and some redness from my spots.

The ugly:

For the occasional user, it costs a lot ($12.95CDN for 125g; $24.95CDN for 315g).

It can be far too much product if you're going to use this primarily as a (face) mask, even if you're going to be using this as a face cleanser. Most of the Lush products I own can be used on the face and body, so this isn't really a problem.

It has a shelf-life of only four months.

The perils of buying products with ingredients I can pronounce. /sarcasm

Would I purchase?

Yes

Three things…for the days when you can't be bothered to cleanse

Attaining – and maintaining – good skin isn't rocket science. It requires a good diet, adequate sleep, hydration and daily cleansing.

But there are some days when I can't be bothered to cleanse properly.

Just like there are some weeks where I can't be bothered to post.

Life happens. Sometimes you stumble home late at night from work or a party. Sometimes you collapse into bed after work for a nap, only to wake up at 2 a.m. and can't be bothered to get back up.

Those days happen!

I've stocked up on some heavy-duty cleansers and makeup removers, in preparation for those very days.

While these three products can't compare to my regular skin care routine, these do fine in a pinch.

1. Bioderma Créaline: Créaline isn't the only cleanser of its kind, but it's the one that is shown the most love. Bioderma offers this cleanser in two forms, though Créaline (Sensibio) is definitely the one to get. It's gentle on skin, yet powerful at removing makeup and cleansing. Arm yourself with some cotton rounds, cleanse to your heart's content, and be prepared to see how much comes off. An added bonus – no rinsing required.

Runs for $22CDN for a 250mL bottle and available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Murale and London Drugs.

2. Etude House Wonder Pore freshner: This "freshener" from the Wonder Pore line can do a lot of things, cleansing being one of them. Wonder Pore is similar to Créaline, with a few exceptions. It contains alcohol and is a teensy bit harsher than the Créaline. It also has a convenient pump – something lacking with Créaline. In similar fashion to Bioderma, arm yourself with cotton rounds and prepare to wipe off all that makeup and grime. Again, no rinsing is required.

Find this online in a variety of sizes.

3. Olay cleansing wipes: I reserve these for especially lazy days when I can't be bothered to use cotton rounds. Or, for that matter, find them to use with the other two cleansers. These are pretty good, despite the heavy alcohol smell. Oddly, my skin doesn't feel at all taut or dry afterwards. The sheet is pretty generous and it's possible to use both sides – great if you're wearing a lot of makeup. Its texture reminds me of a Swiffer cloth and it's just as effective at catching dirt and makeup. This is strong enough to easily take off eyeliner, ditto Créaline and Wonder Pore, but I have to tread gently while taking off my mascara.

Still possible, though!

Olay wipes come in a pack of 30 and retail for $8CDN and can be found at London Drugs.

 

Three things…for the days when you can't be bothered to cleanse

Attaining – and maintaining – good skin isn't brain science. It requires a good diet, adequate sleep, hydration and daily cleansing.

But there are some days when I can't be bothered to cleanse properly.

Just like there are some weeks where I can't be bothered to post.

Life happens. Sometimes you stumble home late at night from work or a party. Sometimes you collapse into bed after work for a nap, only to wake up at 2 a.m. and can't be bothered to get back up.

Those days happen!

I've stocked up on some heavy-duty cleansers and makeup removers, in preparation for those very days.

While these three products can't compare to my regular skin care routine, these do fine in a pinch.

1. Bioderma Créaline: Créaline isn't the only cleanser of its kind, but it's the one that is shown the most love. Bioderma offers this cleanser in two forms, though Créaline (Sensibio) is definitely the one to get. It's gentle on skin, yet powerful at removing makeup and cleansing. Arm yourself with some cotton rounds, cleanse to your heart's content, and be prepared to see how much comes off. An added bonus – no rinsing required.

Runs for $22CDN for a 250mL bottle and available at Shoppers Drug Mart, Murale and London Drugs.

2. Etude House Wonder Pore freshner: This "freshener" from the Wonder Pore line can do a lot of things, cleansing being one of them. Wonder Pore is similar to Créaline, with a few exceptions. It contains alcohol and is a teensy bit harsher than the Créaline. It also has a convenient pump – something lacking with Créaline. In similar fashion to Bioderma, arm yourself with cotton rounds and prepare to wipe off all that makeup and grime. Again, no rinsing is required.

Find this online in a variety of sizes.

3. Olay cleansing wipes: I reserve these for especially lazy days when I can't be bothered to use cotton rounds. Or, for that matter, find them to use with the other two cleansers. These are pretty good, despite the heavy alcohol smell. Oddly, my skin doesn't feel at all taut or dry afterwards. The sheet is pretty generous and it's possible to use both sides – great if you're wearing a lot of makeup. Its texture reminds me of a Swiffer cloth and it's just as effective at catching dirt and makeup. This is strong enough to easily take off eyeliner, ditto Créaline and Wonder Pore, but I have to tread gently while taking off my mascara.

Still possible, though!

Olay wipes come in a pack of 30 and retail for $8CDN and can be found at London Drugs.

 

Review | Nature Republic Pearl de Caviar Silky Foam Cleanser

I was really excited to receive – by way of a Nature Republic promo – a deluxe sample of this cleanser with my sun cream.

I mean, wouldn't you be with "caviar" in the description?!

Review | Foreo Luna (Sensitive)

It's been a long time since a post, let alone a proper review. While I'd love to attribute it to making absolutely sure that this is a thorough review – which isn't exactly wrong – it's also due to general laziness.

Anyway!

I received this about six months ago.

I'm a huge sucker for anything novel, luxe and technology-based. The Foreo is a little bit of each. I wasn't sure that I should buy this, because I already have the Clarisonic Mia.

After all, on paper, they sound like the same product.

A tool for deep cleansing. Designed to give gentle exfoliation. Leaves your skin super smooth.

But it had a lot going for it that the Clarisonic Mia didn't seem to have.

Quickie | FOREO Luna

Quick post: Thanks to UPS I now have a new skin care gadget!

And, yes, it is for skin.

Friends, this is the Foreo Luna. Never have I been so excited to wash my face!

It even has an anti-aging component!

Stay tuned for a review soon!

Review | DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

I cleanse my face using OCM – the oil cleansing method. Normally, I swear by either a castor/olive oil mix or pure coconut oil to cleanse. That was a bit heavy once summer hit, so I decided to try something – sort of – new.

Enter DHC Deep Cleansing Oil.