This week’s theme is… blue! I know, right, I don’t know how I come up with them either. But here’s an eclectic selection of products for the face, including two fab cleansers, a moisturiser and a traditional aftershave splash.
Pür M.M.C Antioxidant / Anti-ageing Moisture Complex
I’d not heard of the brand Pür until trying this, but I have to say, it was an amazing find. This moisturiser is loaded with the antioxidant powers of white birch and CoQ10, the detoxification properties of malachite extract and, finally, the hydrating and conditioning strength of whey protein. As well as being free from pretty much every known nasty, it contains hydrating squalene, regenerating sea kelp extract and an AHA to break down the bonds between surface dead skin cells.
It has a gorgeous texture that’d suit normal to dry skin types. It feels creamy on your fingers, but as you start to gently massage it in, it turns to a more watery texture that sinks in like a flash. There’s no surface residue and you’re good to go for the rest of the day without feeling dry or dehydrated. Just bear in mind that, as it’s summer and this contains a chemical exfoliant, you should use a good sunscreen alongside it.
L’Occitane Immortelle Intense Cleansing Foam
I reviewed the original moisturiser back in June 2012 when it first launched, and since then I’ve loved the range; it definitely brought me closer to L’Occitane as a brand. It’s formulated with Helichrysum italicum, an ingredient noted for its reparative and calming properties in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology from The Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
It’s a compressed foam that works very similarly – actually, identically – to a shaving foam. Just push and go. What I love about this is the richness of the foam cleanser that comes out, and that it leaves my skin soft without feeling tight and gagging for moisture. If you’re looking for a way to treat damaged skin, skin that’s showing the first signs of its age, or want something that’s age-preventative but not too rich, definitely look into Immortelle. P.S. Mother MANFACE swears by it.
Aveda Outer Peace Foaming Cleanser
Another cleanser, but this time for acne and blemish-prone skin. If you do suffer from acne, blemishes and spots, do check out my impartial Guide to Acne and Blemishes.
Instead of using traditional SLS, it uses an oat-based derivative and other natural cleansing agents (such as those from coconut oil). There’s healing and calming tamanu oil, Indian gooseberry and Indian frankincense, saw palmetto, calming caffeine and gently exfoliating salicylic acid.
Because of its foaming pump bottle, it doesn’t need loads of harsh foaming/soaping agents to create a lather; instead it just gets to work softening, gently exfoliating and helping to repair blemish-prone/damaged skin.
Clarins Men After Shave Energiser
A modern take on a very traditional barbering product. Aftershave splashes are alcohol-based (the alcohol evaporates immediately) and deliver calming, softening and antibacterial ingredients to soothe the skin after shaving and help prevent ingrown hairs. After shaving and rinsing off your foam, just pour some of the Clarins aftershave into the palm of your hand, press it into your other hand and pat into the skin.
Clarins After Shave Energiser includes a whole host of the aforementioned specialist ingredients, such as bison grass, Chinese galanga and purslane to energise, soothe and purify; Centella asiatica to heal; and, finally, Alpine sea holly to deliver free radical protection.
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