Beauty Brand Spotlight: La Roche-Posay

This post is a beauty brand spotlight of a brand that comes right out of the French pharmacy, the ever lovely La Roche-Posay. This French beauty brand is what initially got started my beauty journey…and am I ever so grateful. 

During the year of 2013, I was having an awful time with breakouts. There was literally a new spot [almost] every day of the week & I couldn’t figure out what was going wrong (stress? hormones? diet? all 3?). Since nothing I did seemed to fix the problem, I researched heavily for months on end & tried products to help calm down my sensitive, red & severely acne-stricken skin… and nothing worked, until I stumbled on this brand. Let the clearer-skin journey begin…

** DISCLAIMER: I am NOT an expert/licensed in skincare/dermatology/etc. It took my skin almost a year to fully get back to “normal”. This was not an overnight success or even a few months; it took a lot of patience, alongside trial and error. I did NOT see a dermatologist during this period or any facial specialist; this was all on my own. It is STRONGLY advisable that you see a dermatologist/skincare specialist for any and all skincare concerns. **

One of the first products I tried from LPR was their Effaclar DUO Acne Treatment. In a few days time, spots that I was having a hard time getting rid of started going away, with some completely overnight. It says on the tube to apply it 2-3 times daily; I was doing max 2 times a day (morning & night) & that seemed to do the trick. I did get a few slight reactions with first use: a little redness, dryness, itchiness, & some very slight peeling; though this is normal when using this medication (for me it went away over time with continuous use). Since I saw such a positive reaction from this product, I decided to do more research into the brand in hopes of being able to find other products to help better my skin more.

Next, I picked up their  Toleriane Soothing Protective Moisturizer & Rosaliac Skin Perfecting Redness Moisturizer (not pictured). The Rosaliac moisturizer helped calm down the redness in my skin tremendously, while also pairing it some days with the CC cream from the same line. Miracle workers! The Rosaliac moisturizer also proved to be a very good base before I applied makeup; another product of theirs that I fell in love with (& finished till the very last drop!). The other moisturizer, Toleriane, proved to be just as effective and compatible to my skin as the previous. It helped seal hydration & ease any discomfort my skin was going through without fragrance & being greasy. I still currently use this moisturizer today despite my skin being under control now. It’s a wonderful product that I always reach for & couldn’t imagine my skincare routine be without!

On the topic of moisturizers, I have to also throw in my two cents about Lipikar Lait. The skin on my face and the skin on my body are completely different; though both are sensitive, the rest of my body tends to be very dry all year round (especially in winter). This body milk is a staple when it comes to hydrating my skin (sometimes I also like to pair it with their thermal water spray). It leaves my body soft and supple without a dry patch in sight! I usually slather it on at night, after a shower, on days where my skin isn’t feeling its best and the hydration lasts until the following evening. 

Once my acne started to clear up with the help of the products above, I started to notice that acne spots were being left behind by blemishes that overstayed their welcome. I picked up the Pigmentclar Serum (not pictured). If you haven’t guessed already, this worked wonders! My dark spots were almost a thing of the past by the time I got done with the bottle. Granted, it is to say that it did not get rid of them completely or overnight, but it helped tremendously in the process of lightening them up; to a point where I barely had to use my concealer excessively anymore.

With all these products going onto my face, I couldn’t forget the most important part of my daily routine, applying SPF! I must admit, for a while I was naughty & didn’t apply sunscreen everyday, but once I started to see the work I was putting to end the AcneFest of 2013, it would just be pointless to have put in all that hard work and effort if it wasn’t properly protected. Now, in comes my FAVORITE/MUST-HAVE from La Roche-Posay, the Antheolios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid. Never have I enjoyed applying sunscreen on my face as much as I do with this product; fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, light formula that is even safe for sensitive skin types. No greasy feeling or residue & dries rather quickly. It dries normal/matte, though I haven’t found it to be too matte for my combo skin. I have experienced absolutely ZERO irritation, stinging, breakouts, clogged pores, etc with this sunscreen. I have always hated applying sunscreen to my face because of the smell, feel, and the fact that some actually irritated my skin [WHO PUTS FRAGRANCE IN SUNSCREEN THOUGH?].  I also want to mention how much I love the size and packaging of this sunscreen; it's small enough to throw in the purse or to pack away when traveling. This has become an everyday essential staple within my skincare routine.

Ending this post with my other LPR favorite/must-have is their Thermal Spring Water. This is the key ingredient throughout the brand’s line, & for good reason. This natural anti-oxidant helps soothe and hydrate any sensitive, dry or irritated areas. It can also be sprayed on for a quick refresh after the gym or hot day. I personally use this after every shower in the evening before I apply anything else, & throughout the day when needed. It just feel so good when spraying it on, sometimes I think I can overdo it because it just feeling so refreshing. With the inexpensive price tag, you can't go wrong & your skin will thank you later.

La Roche-Posay is no longer strictly a French pharmacy brand with its vast expansion throughout the globe, including over here in the states at places such as: Ulta, CVS, Walgreens, & Target to name a few [if i forgot any, leave them in the comments!]. I am so happy that this brand is more widely recognized and known in the beauty world. I have never had such luck from one beauty brand like them before and it’s safe to say that I have placed my spot as a La Roche-Posay customer for life.

All products mentioned & where to find them are linked below:

Effaclar DUO Dual Action Acne Treatment, Target: $24.99

Rosaliac Anti-Redness Moisturizer, $28.49

Rosaliac CC Cream SPF 30, $29.99

Tolerance Soothing Protective Skincare, on sale currently at Target for $21.99

Lipikar Lipid-Replenishing Body Milk, $38.99

Pigmentclar Serum, $35.99

Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid, $29.99

Thermal Spring Water, $12.99 (5.2 oz)

follow my instagram for daily beauty posts!

Cleansing Oils: Una Brennan

 

Firstly, I apologize for the lack of posts for well, the whole month of February, eek! It's been non-stop busy for me, let's hope that March will slow down a bit so I will be able to get some more posts on here...bare with me. Now, let's get into it!

Una Brennan is at the moment solely a brand only available in the UK, but I managed to be able to find a few of her products in stores in the states, in very minimal quantities. Luckily, I was able to snatch up a few of the top products from the range, the cleansing oils: Rose Hydrate Miracle Makeover Facial Oil & the Vitamin C Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil. Cleansing Oils have been a slow but fortunate addition to my skincare routine, morning and/or night. I love switching off from balms to oils; being able to have choices in your skincare routine is important, especially if it proves benefits to the skin in different ways. 

The Una Brennan range is also quite affordable too for a brand that has such rave reviews. Affordable skincare thats great for your skin is hard to come by nowadays, which is why these are such a lovely, spa-like treat!

I love both of these oils, but not equally. That's not to say that one works better than the other, they both work incredibly well at dissolving impurities & makeup if need be; I just happen to like how my skin looks from one oil compared to the other, but thats all just personal opinion here…so I’ll start off with which one I like best.

Super Facialist by Una Brennan: Rose Hydrate Miracle Makeover Facial Oil

Rose Hydrate Miracle Makeover Facial Oil: I love the scent of roses, but at first this one seems a bit overpowering until it gets worked into the skin. The scent doesn’t linger around afterward for too long, which is a plus (though I wouldn't recommend if you are sensitive to strong scents). It really is a miracle cleansing oil; my skin just looks more radiant & hydrated & feels so soft after I take it off with a washcloth. There is a downside to this, and thats the size of the bottle (at 1 fl oz) & the fact that you have to pump more than usual out of the bottle to be able to evenly massage it onto the face…which will only mean that you will go through this quicker  than expected (thankfully I was able to scoop up two more of these on a recent shopping trip). With my combo/acne-prone/sensitive skin, I’ve had no reactions or breakouts from this beautifully scented oil. I like to use this in the morning, or if I happen to use Brennan’s Rose Hydrate Cleanser (morning or night), which has proved to be a great combination together.

Super Facialist by Una Brennan Vitamin C+ Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil

The Vitamin C Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil: The name speaks for itself; when I use this oil (specifically on those mornings where my skin has that dull & tired appearance), it literally brightens my skin up like a ray of sunshine! It has a bit of a citrusy scent to it, which I love for the morning time. The oil is not as thick in consistency as the Rose oil yet, less is more with this particular one. You also get more product than the other oil, with its generous size at 6.7 fl oz. This works just as well at removing makeup & impurities. I guess the only reason(s) why I prefer the Rose one over this one is that I enjoy using the Rose one in the morning and at night while this one, I just prefer to use in the mornings based on scent & outcome. My skin is brighter & clearer, though I don’t find it as softening to the skin as the first.

Needless to say, depending on what kind of benefits you’re looking for for your skin, these pack the punch & work absolutely wonderfully. Cleansing oils are great for all skin types, even oily skin! So don’t be afraid to switch it up time & again to try something new in your skincare routine. If you are one that is still hesitant to try cleansing oils, I would give these a go (if you can find them)!

For more info on these products & the rest of the Super Facialist range, you can check out their website here .

follow j.beaute on instagram

For the Love of Caudalie: Divine Oil

Caudalie has been a favorite brand of mine for about two years now but, their divine oil scent is something special to me. The scent is absolutely luxe & heavenly, without being in any way overpowering. I love using this particular oil at the ends of my hair every night, no matter wet or dry; it miraculously takes my dry ends & turns them into this kind of soft magical feel with “divine” shine…ok I know it seems like I am going a bit overboard with this oil but, I just REALLY love it. 

The description from Caudalie’s website:

This luxurious dry oil moisturizes, nourishes and enhances the face, body and hair, thanks to its unique formula made with exceptional blend of oils (grape, hibiscus, sesame and argan) combined with our patented anti-oxidant Polyphenols. It envelops the skin with a subtle, floral and sun-kissed fragrance, with woody notes. 

I have lost count on how many empty bottle’s of this I have recycled over the last few years….I should really just buy the bigger bottle 100ml…hmm, birthday is coming up in a month… *adds to beauté wishlist*

While I was browsing the webs for my holiday shopping (so lazy, yet so positively convenient) I spotted on Caudalie’s website that they came out with a CANDLE in the DIVINE OIL scent. EXCITED would have been an understatement & naturally I put that in my electronic shopping cart instantly. If you personally love the scent of the Divine Oil or know someone who does & who also happens to love candles, GET THEM THIS. This candle smells exactly the same & burns so lovely, such a spa treat really. I have a feeling I may have to snatch up another one once I’ve used this one up…

You can purchase both on Caudalie’s website

• Divine Oil , prices/sizes range from 15ml ($9), 50ml ($32), & 100ml ($49)

• Divine Candle , $48

follow my instagram for daily beauté posts!

Skincare Routine: Night

Sorry for the delay on this post, finally found the time to sit down & type this baby up.

Get your tea ready folks, this will be lengthy one…

Pre-Cleanse: Again, with the pre-cleansing. Like I said in the last post, for my pre-cleansing I stick to micellar waters because more times than not, they are gentle enough for all skin types, even sensitive. My choice of micellar waters change now & again, but for nighttime use I love using Bioderma at the end of the day because it removes EVERYTHING, & isn’t that the point? ;)

Cleanse: I have been loving cleansing balms. I was late to the game of balms, but its better late than never, right? Best switch I ever made to be honest. My favorite cleanser of all time (too bold?!) is the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm. I can literally just go on about how much I love this cleanser but, I’ll save that for another day with another post (& also because I just ran out & am going to try something new…I will switch back to it in time…). 

At the moment I am using the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. I am still trying to get used to the non-lux feel of this particular one; & unlike the Emma Hardie one, there is no fragrance (which is great for a lot of sensitive skin types). I can’t give a good review of this particular one just yet, considering I just starting breaking this in less than a week ago but, fingers crossed this can be a cheaper & viable replacement of my beloved moringa one.

Toner: Again, I go back to using the Body Shop’s Vitamin E Hydrating Toner.

Treatment (if needed): If I need to put a halt on a breakout(s), my current treatment that I reach for is Dermalogica’s  Clear Start Breakout Clearing Overnight Treatment. Now, from my personal use of this product (it has been some months now), the title is misleading. For me, this doesn’t help clear my spots overnight but, it does help clear my spots in a few days time. I don’t get severe acne, more times than any it’s always hormonal, regardless this still does the trick. There is no burning or redness either, which I have experienced with almost all other acne treatments. And, it’s also quite affordable at $19, with a little going a long way so this will last those people who have the occasional breakout a very long time.

Eyecare: Like the morning, I use two different eye creams at night. One that you read in my morning skincare routine, the Boots Hydrating Eye Cream, I use the same way as I do in the morning, around the contours of my eye. For under eye treatment, I am currently using the Body Shop’s Vitamin E Eye Cream. It claims to help reduce the appearance of dark circles, fine lines, puffiness, etc. NOTE: I do not have heavy dark circles or puffiness so, I am unsure how this would work on those that do. For me, it shows with time but, I haven’t seen a complete disappearing act of the dark circles just yet. Though in the morning, my under eye area is so soft, hydrated, & smooth. The price point on this is pretty good as well; a plus is that there are usually great sales always happening either on The Body Shop’s website (& in-store) or Ulta’s website (& in-store) so always look out for those if you can.

Serum: Serums have been tricky with me; I can never tell if its actually helping or doing nothing to my skin, all I know is that I love Vichy’s Idéalia Life Serum. It’s supposed to improve skin pigmentation & give a more youthful appearance. Now, at 26 years old, I don’t know if I actually need to be looking more youthful than I already do, yet, in some way, over time (on my third bottle of this stuff) it has shown to improve my skin discolorations due to old acne scars. It has taken a lot longer than 8 days (another claim by Vichy) to see any kind of dramatic difference, so that claim also tends to be a bit misleading (personal opinion). Patience is a necessity when it comes to noticing a difference when using any kind of skincare product, & my patience is slowly starting to show and pay off, which makes me appreciate this product even more.

Oil: Oil is another new thing that I have let sneak into my skincare routine. With my combination skin, I never thought oil can help oil but, apparently it does just that. By the recommendation of another beauty blogger, Jess [who runs the amazing blog called Making It Up, check it out here], I decided to pick up & try my first oil by Clarins, with their Lotus Face Treatment Oil. Like the Clinique balm, I have not been using this for a long time so I can not say much about this yet; patience & time shall only tell. I love mixing this & my nighttime moisturizer together & have high hopes of letting more oils into my skincare routines in the future.

Moisturizer: I surprised myself at how much I actually really love this particular moisturizer but, than again, it is by my beloved Clarins. I use their Multi-Active Night Youth Recovery Cream for Normal to Combination Skin. This is yet another anti-aging product, though these have seemed to work best for my skin. It has medium consistency, & even when mixed with the oil, my face never looks or feels like an oily mess. It takes a few minutes to sink in, & when it does, my skin feels hydrated, comforted, & soft. When I wake up in the morning, my skin does look more radiant & awake like I got a good 8 hours of sleep in (even on those days where I don’t!). I am on my second pot of this baby, & this is a moisturizer that I will always have on hand.

I also exfoliate usually about twice a week, where I switch up products and/or the order that I use these products above in. I will make a separate post coming next with all that info.

Where to Purchase Products Mentioned In This Post...

• Bioderma Crealine Micellar Water , $35 (500ml) or $28 (250ml)
• Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm , $55 (100ml)
• Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm , $28.50
• The Body Shop's Vitamin E Hydrating Toner , $13
• Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Overnight Treatment , $19
• The Body Shop's Vitamin E Eye Cream , $18
• Boots Beautiful Skin Rich Hydrating Eye Cream , $14.99 (currently on-sale at ULTA for $12.74)
• Vichy Idéalia Life Serum , $39
• Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil , $52
• Clarins Multi-Active Youth Recovery Cream , $62

check out & follow my instagram, where i update daily about the ongoings of my beauté life!

Skincare Routine: Morning

My morning skincare routine doesn’t vary quite often but, just the same I rotate out products once I use them up unless I see a significant difference, which in that case I would repurchase certain items here & there.

First things first…

Pre-Cleanse: I have been getting into the habit of pre-cleansing; which essentially is just a prep-cleanse before my actual cleanser. I am not saying that you NEED to pre-cleanse but, it helps along in the process of being able to help the skin get rid of dirt & impurities. My pre-cleanse cleanser (for nighttime as well) is & has been a micellar solution. For the morning, my pre-cleanse is Vichy’s 3-in-1 Micellar Cleansing Solution. From what I have seen, majority of micellar cleansers are great for sensitive skin types & have become a staple in the beauty world when it comes to the best kind of makeup-removers. I use this one by Vichy by soaking a cotton pad & gently swiping it across the face, which lifts up all dirt & impurities (your face does get dirty while you sleep!), which reveals a soft, clean complexion. I also find this particular one the best eye-makeup remover (better than Bioderma even, gasp!). After the prep is done, I get down to where the real action begins with my skincare.

Cleanser: I like using milk cleansers in the morning & in general; milk cleansers never dry out my face (unlike gel & foam). I find them to be relatively gentle as well, while leaving my skin clean, soft, and hydrated most importantly. This cleanser will vary every once in a while, unless I absolutely LOVE the cleanser I am using, such is the case with the Clarins Gentle Cleansing Milk w/Alpine Herbs, for Normal or Dry Skin. I put a little bit in the palm of my hand and put a little water into it, and massage it over my face, eyes, and neck, than proceed to take it off with a dampen a muslin cloth (flannel or wash cloth). For me, this is very gentle on my sensitive eyes (it may not be for the extremely sensitive though) and very calming on my skin in general.  I have come to have a bit of a love affair with Clarins over the last few months (a wonderful one at that!).

Toner: Toner’s and I have this love/hate relationship, so I don’t usually use them every single day but if I do, I spray it on rather than wiping it all across my face (I will get into that with my nighttime routine). The one that I love to spirtz on is by The Body Shop from their Vitamin E line. This is a great shot of hydration in the morning, absolutely love it. It has a very light scent that’s calming as it is pleasant. This line will pop up again within my routines.

Eyecare: I like to use two different products for eyecare in the morning. Firstly is Clarins Eye Contour Gel, which refreshes and cools my sensitive, tired under-eye area in the morning; it awakens those babies up! I personally love using eye gels in the morning because I find them to be more beneficial but, thats just a point of preference rather than any kind of skincare rule. The only thing that I don’t like about this particular eye gel is the packaging. The little tube just seems to sometimes have a mind of its own and the product comes out without me having to lightly squeeze the tube…which in turn starts to waste the product…which in turn makes me sad. I have the same problem with another Clarins product because its in the same kind of tube, grr. 

Getting over that…

The second eyecare that I use is by Boots, the Beautiful Skin Rich Hydrating Eye Cream for my     eye contour & right under my brow bone; areas where dryness occurs. This is great in hydrating and moisturizing that area perfectly; no other extra benefits with this one, does what it saids on the tube & the price point is pretty spectacular as well.

Serum: For serum, I go back to the Body Shop’s Vitamin E line with their moisture serum. I always need that extra boost of moisture to combat the dryness that my combination skin has. This serum is so light and soothing when applied to the skin & you just need a little bit for all day hydration. 

Moisturizer: I switch off between two moisturizers, depending on the kind of day. For more of an everyday (school, work, errands, etc) I like to use the Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream. Now, I don't necessarily  need to worry about wrinkles just yet, regardless, this is still a great day moisturizer suitable for all skin types. No oily residue, no neglect of moisture, just a perfect pot of everything in one. When I know I will be away from home all day, I switch it with the Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré. I also use this as a makeup primer, and the makeup stays in place ALL.DAY.LONG. Probably the best 2-in-1 because you get the hydration from the creme as well as your makeup looking fabulous all day long. LOVE this multi-tasker!!

Next post…Nighttime Skincare!

That post will be even longer so make sure you grab a cup of tea beforehand…


Where To Purchase Products Mentioned In This Post...

• Vichy's Pureté 3-in-1 Cleansing Solution , $17
• Clarins Gentle Cleansing Milk w/Alpine Herbs , $31
• The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner , $13
• Clarins Eye Contour Gel , $36
• Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Rich Hydrating Eye Cream, $14.99 (currently on sale at Ulta!)
• The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Serum , $21
• Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream , $59
• Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré , $16 (1oz) & $28 (2.54 oz)

follow j.beaute on instagram!

welcome to j.beauté! : introduction post

Welcome!!

My name is Julie & I am a 20-something student & lover of all things beauty. I decided to start this blog to be able to share my thoughts on different types of beauty products that range from skincare to makeup, body to hair; with product favorites (& non-favourites), reviews, routines, tutorials, & more! I am NOT an expert in skincare or makeup, yet being able to take care of myself & my skin properly is a continuous learning process that I take the absolute pleasure in being able to do.  Here's to a new year, a new blog, & to all things beauté!!!

Also, don't forget to check out & follow my instagram, where I update daily about the ongoings of my beauté life!

Follow j.beaute on Instagram!