Treatments -Avene - Diacneal Acne Treatment [DISCONTINUED]
verarespirawho 3/15/2007 12:32:00 AM
Suffice it to say that Diacneal is not for me with my very sensitive, dermatitis and acne prone skin. Although I started slow with the Diacneal gel having already acclimated my skin to Ystheal gel, things did not go well with Diacneal on board. The irritation became severe, and my skin cracked so much it bled! Aweful! If this product works for you, great! But sensitives, beware!!! I am back on the Ystheal track, and approaching 1.5 years of dilligent use, since Diacneal is not for me! Price is really good though for a OTC retinoid, and I luckily this product has not been yanked off of the market (yet) by Avene.
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Treatments -Avene - Ystheal Gel with Retinaldehyde 
verarespirawho 3/15/2007 12:28:00 AM
One of the wonders of the skincare world, RIP! This is the my first retinoid experience. Before I began using Ystheal gel, my skin had been normal until I expereinced a chemical burn with a LRP sunscreen. Following this horrendous--raw--experience, my skin became very sensitive, dermatitis and acne prone. Although I started slow with the Ystheal gel over a year ago, I expreienced a bit of irritation for the first few months, and stuck to it. I had the silly idea to test out Diacneal 6 months into my experimentation with retinoids, and this proved to be a wrong turn for my skin. But back on the Ystheal track, approaching 1.5 years of dilligent use, I am now rewarded with much improved barrier function, less irritation, no acne (for 3 months, whew!), no dermatits outbreak in 6+ months, and clear, even, beautiful skin texture! I no longer need to wear make up to feel good about my skin (although I do so for sun protection; see my review for Chantecaille Stick foundation). Sadly, my stash of Ystheal gel is slowly running down. I think I'm going to test the waters with Taz next, slowly but surely. Wish me luck!
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Avene - skin recovery cream (US name: cream for intolerant skin)
verarespirawho 3/15/2007 12:21:00 AM
Although I really like the concept of the Avene line, unfortunatley this product irritated my dryish, uber-sensitive, dermatis and acne-prone skin treated with Ystheal (which I adore). Use of this cream in the long run left flesh-colored small bumps all over my skin. Although this creme is light in texture, it does not absorb well for me, but rather leaves an oily residue with sheen. My skin likewise did not seem adequately hydrated while using this product. I have had much better luck with Bioderma's Hydrabio Light creme (see my review), which IME is superior to both this product and the LRP one. The packaging is mediocre: a small plastic squeeze tube. More readilty availalbe in the states now, but at a steep price for the quality of its ingredients (we're talking mineral oil!)
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Cleansers -Mir - Cleansing Gel
verarespirawho 3/15/2007 12:03:00 AM
I love the Gentle Cleanser product for a morning cleanse to remove my Ystheal! Very mild and very gentle on the skin, I massage this lightly onto to damp skin and rinse off with tepid water. This does not cause any redness beyond that induced by the light massage. The cleanser yields a cooling sensation to the skin (hopefully this isn't a bad thing, but my skin shows me no evidence that it is) which I especially enjoy in the summertime. This cleanser rinses clean and is a great prep for my moisturizer. I am counting my blessings that this product did not cause any irritation to my sensitive, dermatitis and acne-prone skin, nor an allergic reaction, whoo hoo! Very expensive, only available by mail from the UK, and in a somewhat inconvenient flip-top bottle.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -Mir - Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser
verarespirawho 3/14/2007 11:59:00 PM
This is simply the Gentle Cleanser product with 'exfoliating' hydrogenated jojoba (aka jojoba beads). I purchased this in a sampler kit. As an exfoliating product, I don't think it is very effective; by the same token, anything with a rougher manual exfoliating capacity would probably cause more damage than good to my bery sensitive reactive skin. Hence the lower marks. As a cleanser this is great for a morning cleanse, but I could do without the jojoba--so-called exfoliating-- nature of the product and as such prefer the simple cleanser to this. On the upside, this product did not cause any irritation to my sensitive, dermatitis and acne-prone skin, nor an allergic reaction, whoo hoo! Very expensive, only available by mail from the UK, and in an inconvenient flip-top bottle.
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Moisturizers -Mir - Moisturizing Lotion
verarespirawho 3/14/2007 11:53:00 PM
I purchased this in a sampler kit. This moisturizer did not give me enough moisturizer, and unfortunately I had an allergic reaction to this product as my face broke out in hives immediately upon application. Needless to say, I didn't give this product much of a run. Although IMO it is not suitable for drier skintypes without layering oil underneath. Very expensive, only available by mail from the UK, and in an inconvenient flip-top bottle.
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Styling Products -Beauty Without Cruelty - Volume Plus Spray Gel
verarespirawho 3/14/2007 11:50:00 PM
I'm not a gel kind of girl, but this 'Spray Gel' is more of a tacky hydrator than a full-blown gel. Although i can't testify to it's 'volumizing' capabilities (and Zeus knows I need none of that!) I like to use this spray as a refresher for my curly mane, especially after a no-wash shower at the gym, etc. The ingredients of this product are high quality, and I am proud to give business to such a responsible company as BWC. Nice spray bottle, relatively cheap for the quality of the product, available in healthfood stores and at mothernature.com.
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Conditioner -Bumble & Bumble - Super Rich Conditioner
verarespirawho 3/14/2007 11:45:00 PM
I have dry, curly (did I mention curly?), long (wet to my derierre!) hair. I use the no-poo cleansing method. This is the only conditioner that detangles my hair, and with its waxy emollient weight silkifies the kink, to put it bluntly. If it weren't for this product washing my hair would be a tedious exercise in ripping patches of hair out of my scalp, and I would probably be bald at the tender age of 25. Thanks to this, detangling is fast and easy, nearly painfree, and my hair left much silkier and hydrated. I leave about 30% of product in my hair as a styling and grooming aid to tame frizz and control curl formation. I am not keen on the scent (I get that chemically wet dog note, ew...) or the exorbitant price for low end industrial ingredients, but fate has tied me to this product as the only thing keeping this curlyhead sane (with respect to her hair, that is!). Pump bottle is effective save for the inability to pump out the last 5% of product (and at this price, I want that out of the bottle and on my head!).
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Hair -Beauty Without Cruelty - Revitalizing Leave In Conditioner
verarespirawho 3/14/2007 11:37:00 PM
I have dry, curly (did I mention curly?), long (wet to my derierre!) hair. I use the no-poo cleansing method (I use BWC Volume Plus formulation for this, see my review!). Although this is probably the best ostensible Leave-in type conditioner I have tried, leave-in just doesn't cut it for me! Also, I am not keen on the prominence of Ylang Ylang essential oil in this product. However, the quality of this (and other) essential oils is first rate, as BWC employs Oshadhi fine oils. A great bargain for a high quality product at a reasonable price, from a responsible company. Standard squeeze tube with press top, available in health food stores and online at mothernature.com.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Beauty Without Cruelty - Volume Plus Conditioner
verarespirawho 3/14/2007 11:32:00 PM
I use this product as a cleanser (aka the no poo method). I have dry, curly (did I mention curly?), long (wet to my derierre!) hair. I massage this product into my scalp and hair as a cleanser. The last thing I need is a volumizer, and I can't attest to this Conditioner's Volumizing capabilities. But insofar as 'volumizing' means a cleaner rinse, this is perfect to use as a hair and scalp cleanser! Now, the original formula rinsed very clean, left a light but intoxicating trace of lavender, lime, and palmarosa from the superb quality Oshadhi essential oils BWC uses, and resulted in deftly shiny, moisturized, bouncy, and frizz free curls. The reformulation (why did a product have to be reforumulated on it's 50th anniversary???) is almost as good, and certainly much better than the DevaCurl product I use this in lieu of. However, it is nowhere near as unctuous or effective as the original formula, and the texture is thinner and harder to work with. But the price? Who can beat the price! And it gives me pride to support as upright a cosmetic company as BWC, which was the avant garde of the anti-cruelty movenement of the '50's. 16 oz standard squeeze bottle with press top, available in health food stores and at Mothernature.com, very reasonable price for high-quality ingredients and an excellent product! Go with the BWC if you appreciate the ethos!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -DevaCurl - No Poo
verarespirawho 3/14/2007 11:20:00 PM
I have dry, curly (did I mention curly?), long (wet to my derierre!) hair. I use the no-poo cleansing method. Although I never cared for the Rose & Peppermint scent of this product, the *Old* formulation was very effective at delivering bouncy, shiny, frizz free curls! The *New* formulation (reformulation circa Summer '05) with amino acids added to the formula makes my hair dry and brittle, and I think it should be named Poo Poo! I prefer to use the Beauty Without Cruelty conditioners as a No Poo type of wash (see my review for my fave, so-called Volumizing formulation). Even for the larger size, this product is over-priced and over-fragranced IMO. Go with the BWC if you appreciate the ethos!
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Cleansers -Beauty Without Cruelty - Herbal Cream Cleanser
verarespirawho 3/14/2007 11:14:00 PM
Too irritating for my very sensitive skin, but works great as an after-wax cleanser / soother to remove excess wax on skin! High quality ingredients, well executed product at a relatively inexpensive price, convenient pump bottle, just too much for my finicky face :(.
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Moisturizers -Bioderma - Hydrabio Legere
verarespirawho 3/14/2007 11:09:00 PM
Alltime HG status! A preamble about my skin: extremely sensitive, dermatitis prone, highly allergic, clog-prone, acne prone, dryish. Sounds like fun, eh? I use Ystheal gel (RIP, my stash is dwindling) which has certainly improved my sensitivity and acneic tendency. But due to allergies and contact dermatitis, finding a suitable moisturizer had been a struggle for me. Along came Bioderma Hydrabio. This is the only moisturizer that I have been able to use for more than a month with NO problems whatsoever! My skin is finally looking good! Contains no squalane, algae, or any other hive-causing unidentifiable allergans. Does not irritate my uber-sensitive skin. Causes no acne (in fact I haven't had a single zit for 2.5 months!), nor does it contribute to congestion (which is improving thanks to Ystheal). It also happens to be the most cosmetically elegant moisturizer I have ever used! Although lightly fragranced, I hardly notice! It absorbs fast, leaves my skin smooth as silk and poreless and *glowy* (I no longer really feel the need to wear foundation for cosmetic purposes but use it as a sunscreen: Chantecaille foundation stick). Back to the creme: the english name for the Hydrabio is "Light Cream" for 'Dehydrated and Sensitive Skin.' Normally I stay away from skincare products with chemical names I can't pronounce, but my experience with the Bioderma has been a nominal exception. This is the only moizturizer I have been able to tolerate freuquent use of for more than 1 month, and one of few that I can use past 1 application! Ingredients: Aqua, Glycerin, Cyclomethicone, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycol Palmitate, Polyethylene, Sodium Lactate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Rhamnose, Mannitol, Fructooligosaccharides, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Xylitylglucoside, Acrylates / C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arachidyl Glucoside, Hexyldecanol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxyde, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylic / Capric Triglyceride, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Parfum (Fragrance). Comes in a 40mL hygienic pump of opague plastic, easy to find in France, reasonable price.
12 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Nuxe - Reve de Miel Hand & Nail Cream
verarespirawho 3/14/2007 10:49:00 PM
This is a mediocre product at best; very light formulation, although it absorbs well it seems to vanish into my hands with no moisturizing effect whatsoever. I find the floral fragrance off-putting, but I am biased against scented body products. One definite plus to the paackaging (a plastic squeeze tube with flip top) is the slimness of the tube--fits in a clutch!!! Otherwise, I'll pass on this one and stick to my staple daily hand creme by Propoline (see my review). Rather expensive, from Nuxe in France.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Nuxe - Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm with Honey and Precious Oils
verarespirawho 3/14/2007 10:43:00 PM
This is my HG lip balm; it hydrates and relieves chapping like no other! I love the scent and texture of this waxy balm, which I apply at night in the wintertime, and sparingly at night during the warmer weather. This balm always stays in place throughout the night, and restores my lips from the abuse of the day during that time. Although the price seems outrageous, used conservatively this balm lasts me almost a year; given it's efficacy and the amount of product in a pot, it is worth it's weight in gold... I've used this for years and repurchased several times, but tend to buy in France where it's readily available and less expensive. I don't mind the jar packaging as I dip in with clean hands at night, and the jar is lovely to look at!
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