Everyone has those few products which work for their skin when nothing else works and Clarins Skin Beauty Repair Concentrate S.O.S Treatment for Sensitive skin (CAD $66 excl taxes for 15ml) is one of those products for me. This has been in my skincare arsenal since few years and it is not advised to be used regularly but when the skin is in dire need. I reach for this serum/oil when my skin behaves badly whether it is due to weather, stress, allergic reaction or when I have eczema flaring up ( my eczema does come up once or twice in a year). The packaging of this product is in a small plastic bottle which is air tight and the product comes out of the pump. The fragrance is very subtle and I find it medicinal in a nice way.
Clarins Skin Beauty Repair Concentrate S.O.S Treatment for Sensitive skin is described as ultra-soothing “emergency” treatment for skin that reacts to every little thing. It helps calm extreme irritations and inflammations with the nurturing benefits of 90% pure plant extracts. It restores balance and clarity to sensitive skin with continued use. It is suitable for skin of all ages and skin types normal, oily, combination and dry. The texture of this treatment is oily.
The main ingredients involved in its formulation are derived from Sunflower, Olive Tree, Avocado, and Sweet Marjoram. The oil and wax from the seeds of Sunflower have moisturizing and protective benefits. The chemical from the leaves of the Olive tree is extremely moisturizing and is similar to the lipids in the skin. Avocado is exceptionally rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and essential fatty acids and has been used as a remedy for a migraine, respiratory disorders, and skin disease. Sweet Marjoram is valued for its medicinal purposes by Greeks and in many other parts of the world.
As mentioned in the starting of this post, this serum/oil is advised to be used as a treatment for no more than 15-20 days at a time as an intensive treatment or any time of the day as an emergency treatment, and one pump on cleansed face and neck avoiding eye area. The texture is oily but does get absorbed into the skin very fast without leaving any residue or oily feeling. I reach for this bottle when my skin is red and irritated due to breakouts or allergy. It does work very well on my eczema or dry patches on the skin which I usually get around the change of season. I find this treatment calms down my skin and I can rely on it when nothing else works for my skin. I follow up with a gentle moisturizer after using this product.
This is available at Clarins Canada Official website, Hudsons Bay, and Sephora.
Have you tried Clarins Skin Beauty Repair Concentrate? What is your go to product in skin emergency needs?
I am all about the best and luxurious products and when it comes to few of my favorite brands, I just have to buy the product. I love Omorovicza as a brand and have used a few of their products which I have reviewed in this blog and posted on my Instagram. If you are interested in reading about them, you can write ‘Omorovicza’ in the search bar on the right and will see all the posts about the brand. I got a small sample of this mist a few years back (precisely almost three years back) and then I purchased the full size of Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist (CAD $110 excl taxes) which tempted me to get a travel size (CAD $40 excl taxes) to keep in my bag and yes, here I am with the review for one of my go-to mists.
Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist is described as a refreshing neroli and rose-scented toning facial mist perfect for a midday pick-me-up or as a post-cleanse toner. A quick spritz of this neroli and rose-scented facial mist refreshes the skin and lifts the spirits. The formulation is purifying and hydrating. This mist was inspired by the Queen of Hungary Water, the world’s first recorded perfume, formulated for Queen Elizabeth of Hungary in the 14th century. It is free from Parabens, Sulfates, Phthalates and synthetic colors and fragrances. As all other Omorovicza products, this is also powered by a potent blend of Hungary’s mineral-rich healing waters and their patented Hydro Mineral Transference™ delivery system. It is suitable for most of the skin types and does work well for dull and dry skin.
I do love facial mists, I am not referring to the makeup setting sprays but the mists which have some skin care benefits and can be incorporated into your skin care routine. In my skin care routine, mists are must whether it is after cleansing my face, drying it and then spraying the mist before applying the serum onto my skin or if it is a follow-up spray after using an acid exfoliator. I have used this mist for a long time, almost 3 years on and off and I do like to keep it in my skin care stash always.
Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist, the names itself sounds divine, majestic and luxurious ( so many beautiful words in one sentence for this mist I know). A spritz of this mist does give a nice glow, hydration, and freshness to the skin and to the senses too. The packaging is beautiful glass bottle and the best part is the topper from where the mist comes out, it is the gentlest and fine mist that comes out of that topper, not like you get wet or the product gets to different directions, but just the perfect kind and like made as per your face’s size and needs.
My face needs 2-3 spritz and I just wait for few seconds to apply my serum on to the skin. It makes the serums get absorbed nicely.The fragrance of this mist is very subtle and natural. Apart from using it the ways I described above, I do like to keep this in the fridge and spritz it onto my face during my skin care routine, it feels so calming and freshening. For using this as a mid day pick me up, the aroma and the gentle mist does freshen up the senses and the skin. It is available to be purchased at Sephora and the Omorovicza official website ( they do ship worldwide).
Have you used Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist? What is your favorite skin care mist/hydrating toner?
Pili Ani is the first Filipino skincare line which is developed by mother and daughter duo Rosalina and Mary Jane Tan. This skincare line that the pili nut as its primary ingredient. The pili oil has been a part of the locals for the needs of skin problems, with few examples of farmers whose 10-year-old psoriases was cleared when he started working on the Pili farm. The pili pulp contains a lot of beta carotene, as well as vitamins A and E which makes it a natural antioxidant. From amongst the five skin care products under the brand, I was sent Pili Ani Natural Radiance Facial Moisturizer Cream (USD $125 excl taxes) and Pili Ani Intense Hydrating Facial Oil(USD $155 excl taxes) for testing and review purposes. The products use pili and elemi oils mixed with active ingredients that aim to solve various skin concerns like dullness, wrinkling, dryness, and sagging. The packaging as you see in the pictures is very beautiful and luxurious. The shape of the jar and bottle is very unique and the colors work very well with the natural and brightening aspects of the brand.
Pili Ani Natural Radiance Facial Moisturizer Cream is a creamy moisturizer which is formulated with a luxurious blend of Pili Ani’s pure Pili and Elemi Oils. Pili and Elemi Oils are clinically proven to be effective vitamins and superfood extracts. This moisturizer cream revitalizes the complexion for an intrinsically lit from within glow. The key ingredients in this product are Pure Pili Oil, Pure Elemi Oil, Vitamin C and White Truffle Extract.
Pili is prized in Asian Pacific region for centuries for its skin nourishing properties. Pili oil is derived from the Pili tree’s pulp and hand pressed to preserve its efficacy. It is rich in essential fatty acids, amino acids, and flavonoids that provide intense hydration and antioxidant benefits along with reducing inflammation. The Elemi oil in the ingredients is derived from the pili tree’s bark and acts as a gentle antibacterial that balances skin’s oil levels and supports firmer, tighter looking skin.
The powerful duo of Pili Oil and Elemi Oil blends seamlessly into the skin for nourishing and lightweight hydration. The papaya extract, white truffle extract, and Centella Asiatica are other key ingredients which form a cocktail to work to inhibit melanin production to improve skin tone and increase overall brightness. The results are smooth, even and radiant skin. It is advised to be gently massaged over face, neck and decollete to lighten uneven skin tone, dark spots, and hyperpigmentation. It is best suited to be used in your night skin care routine.
Pili Ani Intense Hydrating Facial Oil is a natural skin conditioning facial oil that deeply absorbs into the skin leaving it soft and smooth while providing a healthy, natural glow. The key ingredients of this oil are Pure Pili Oil, Pure Elemi Oil, and Vitamin E. The Intense Hydrating Oil boasts an abundance of natural antioxidants and Vitamin E that help protect skin by limiting the exposure of free radicals, helping reduce the signs of aging. The Pili Oil has a high level of hydration and moisturizing properties. It is also known as an anti-aging aid, anti-bacterial and supports firmer, stronger and tighter looking skin. It normalizes the skins oil balance and reduces overly oily skin. It is an anti-inflammatory and has a very balancing, uplifting aroma. The Elemi Oil supports stronger, tighter looking skin. It is advised to be gently massaged over face, neck and decollete to hydrate the skin.
My overall thoughts about these two products are very positive. I have been using them during my night skincare regime since over 3 weeks. Both the products do provide a natural glow to the skin, not the shine but the lit from within glow. Pili Ani Natural Radiance Facial Moisturizer Cream is a nice addition to my night time moisturizers and delivers very well to the claim of providing natural radiance. My skin does look supple, bright and glowy in the morning after using this moisturizer at night. I believe this is a nice treatment moisturizer that does help long term with anti-aging and skin firming. I am reaching my mid-thirties soon and this is a nice addition to my growing anti-aging squad.
The Pili Ani Intense Hydrating Facial Oil first seemed to me just a hydrating oil and that too intense hydrating, means congestion acne for my combination acne prone skin. But no, I read about the inflammatory benefits of the ingredients and I felt safe to use this on my face. And yes, I did not experience any congestion or acne after using this, but my skin felt more supple and brighter, with no new acne. I am a fan of oils and this is a keeper in my face oils collection. Both the products did not leave any residue and never irritated or congested my skin, despite being hydrating. I have been using both during the night and very happy with the results.
Have you heard of the Pili nut and its benefits? Which product would you like to try from this skincare line?
Chemical exfoliators have been a part of my skin care routine since almost last four years and I am very much satisfied with the results I get from them. I have used quite a few chemical exfoliators from various mid to high-end brands which I have posted about on my Instagram a while ago and I am planning to do a more thorough review of those in coming posts. The Chemical exfoliator comes into my skin care routine after cleansing and before a hydrating mist or toner.
For a gentle exfoliator, I can use it in my morning routine but for something that is not very gentle and does some good work when applied on the skin, I prefer to use it during my night time skin care routine. I bought Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner (CAD $38 excl taxes for 125ml) to add to my ever growing arsenal of skin care products. It has been in my skin care stash since more than a year and I use it twice a week in my night time skincare routine.
Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner is described as a fresh, fluid exfoliating lotion that brightens, smoothes and softens skin. It contains tamarind fruit acids to eliminate impurities and dead skin cells and boost cellular renewal and white nettle extract to tighten pores. It can be applied to the clean dry face and neck with a cotton pad avoiding the eye area and then followed with a moisturizing product which can be a hydrating toner, hydrating serum or a moisturizer. The product is packaged in a white plastic bottle with a hole on the top to moisten the cotton pad.
From the collection of acids I have, I have assigned days when I will be using this in a week. I have tried using this every night but I feel it makes my skin more sensitive and a bit dry. So I follow Clarins’s advice and use this twice or thrice in a week. This does make a nice difference to the clarity, softness, and brightness of my skin. When I use this, my skin is softer and clear in the morning.
Using this exfoliating toner as part of my skin care routine helps other products perform well too, like the serum or moisturizer I use after applying this toner, it absorbs better into the skin making it look brighter and glowy. It does contain Glycolic Acid (predominant), Salicylic Acid (a BHA) and Tartaric Acid (an AHA) but it is still gentle and does work without irritating the skin. It is suitable for all skin types as per the official website of Clarins and for my combination acne prone skin, it suits me well. Also, when I use an exfoliant in my skin care routine, I religiously use a sun protection during the day whether it is sunny, rainy or cloudy.
Do you use chemical exfoliants in your skin care routine? What is your favorite product from Clarins?
I have a sensitive scalp and it behaves very differently in different seasons for which I have tried and tested from few of the best luxury brands out there in the last few years. I have few favorites which performed well as compared to the hype around them and few of them which didn’t work well for me. I was a fan of this brand since I bought and used the Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Oil reviewed here. I bought Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt last year and I am a fan of this one too. I bought the small packaging (CAD $24 excl taxes for 2.7oz/75ml) to give it a try and then this full-size big packaging (CAD $67 excl taxes for 8.33oz) was the result of my love with the product.
Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt is described as a Purifying, Hydrating and soothing shampoo for sensitive scalps and oily roots. Sephora describes this as a purifying, moisturizing, and soothing scrub is the ideal detox treatment to remove product buildup and rebalance sensitive or oily scalps. It can also be used as a post-coloring treatment to relieve itchiness and remove chemical residues left on the scalp. Its original formula contains sea salt—a natural exfoliant—which eliminates impurities and supports natural blood circulation. The paste is enriched with a 100 percent plant-derived agent, which offers deep and long-lasting hydration to the scalp even after rinsing, leaving it soothed, rebalanced, and healthy. It is free of Paraben, Silicone, and colorants.
It is advised to be used once or twice a week and I have used this every week for two months. At first, this product seems very different and difficult to use but once you get started, it seems easy and worth when you see the results. The first things I liked about this product is the idea of scrub for the scalp, I do have a lot of buildup from the styling products or when I have dandruff, it is just a mess (i know it is not the right way to describe my own hair but that is true).
I wet my hair, take a small amount, almost a teaspoon of this into the palm of my hand and massage it on my scalp gently. Then I add a very small amount of water and continue to massage gently, it lathers very nicely. Keep in mind the lather does feel different on the hands than the lather from other shampoos and soaps. Then I rinse thoroughly, yes it does take quite an effort to have this all out of hair. I apply a conditioning treatment to the length and ends of my hair. I prefer to use Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Oil as they both work very well together. If not, any other conditioner works well with this. After rinsing the conditioner thoroughly, yes I am done. Just want to mention here that the smell of this product is very fresh and lemony which I like. If used alone without any conditioner afterward, you will feel the hair a bit dry as it is a purifying shampoo.
I have really liked the concept of a scalp and hair scrub and the after-results. My itchy, irritated and sensitive scalp feels calm, my dandruff stays at bay with regular use, and my hair does feel soft and shiny. This has been my second repurchase of this product and I hope to keep sticking to this one for my problem scalp. Also, I notice it does give a nice volume to hair which is a big yes for me.
If you are interested in reading my review about Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Oil, I have linked it in the first paragraph of this post. They do work well together and even separately. It is available for purchase at various international online merchandisers like Net-a-Porter and also at Sephora.
Have you tried a scrub for scalp? What do you use when your scalp is itchy, irritated or have product buildup?