Friday, 20 February 2015

Budget Week - Day 2


Ooh, I'm a couple of days behind so you'll have to excuse me. Busy with work and I'm skin prepping behind the scenes for London Fashion Week as well so will be playing catch up for a few days. :)

The above routine is actually my favourite of this week so far (I'm a few ahead as I write this obviously). This was an A.M. routine.

The Ultimelt Deep Purifying Hot Cloth Cleanser - £10.00 for 100ml - Soap & Glory's foray into the 'Hot Cloth' domain is easily one of my favourites. I'm obsessed with the packaging, which is akin to a large toothpaste tube and the product inside doesn't disappoint. Although it says it is 'deep purifying' and it contains clary sage, I don't find it too strong at all. It does not leave my skin red and instead leaves it subtly refreshed, ready for the day. I would also use this as a second cleanse in the evenings.

Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion - £16.50 for 200ml - this caused some shocked reactions when it went up this week. This Clinique MCL is used as an exfoliating acid and it's a brilliant one - especially if you can't/don't want to use glycolic. It contains 0.5% salicylic acid and has a ph of 2.9 - making it one of the stronger exfoliating acids on the market. It's also, for those of you that were horrified, alcohol-free. Dive in my friends, it's lush.

Vichy Liftactiv Serum 10 Eyes & Lashes - £24.50 for 15ml - not particularly 'budget' this one, but one I am asked about a lot, I think because these french pharmacy brands can always be found on offer or used with Boots points for example (in the UK!). As it is designed to increase the strength/length of the lashes - you would obviously need to use this up to the end to see the results, but for texture and usage purposes, it has a great slip/feel to it and is incredibly soothing and hydrating....

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Serum - £17.00 - well Hughes is right. This is a great hydrating serum, that instantly imparts moisture without greasiness and a feeling of relief without stickiness. At £17.00 it's also considerably more affordable than others in its genre, including Hydraluron.. If you are dry/dehydrated and haven't already, try this out. You'll probably love it.

Twas a good face day!

(Note: I am trialling some embargoed moisturisers that can't be photographed yet. I did use a moisturiser after this serum, as brilliant as it is, it wouldn't have been enough for me on its own)
at
Labels: , , ,

39 comments:

  1. Anonymous20 February 2015 at 19:50

    For those that don't know...An embargo is essentially the prohibition of release of a certain piece of information, imagery or product news before a specified deadline. So Caroline can't talk about the product until the lovely PR *Smiles Whimsically* tells her she can. I think?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous20 February 2015 at 23:10

      ; ) hoping it's what I think it is.

      Delete
  2. Beauty + Bourbon20 February 2015 at 19:52

    Great recommendations! Look forward to what you have in store for London fashion week!

    ReplyDelete
  3. NK20 February 2015 at 20:10

    Can the Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion be used daily? with Serozinc over it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kelsey20 February 2015 at 20:24

      Hey Caroline! Bought the Clarifying Lotion as I thought my routine could use some salicylic acid, but I broke out with weird hives/bumps along the jawline of one side of my face...Is that weird? I was going to attribute it to staying at my Mom's instead of my place (lol!!), but I'm not sure. Haha. Can't wait to try the Vichy serum! :D

      Delete
    2. Kelsey21 February 2015 at 04:22

      Oops...meant for this to be a separate comment and not a reply! Damn my fat fingers on my mobile device. Haha! Sorry!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous22 February 2015 at 00:15

      I've been using the Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion daily for years, and I have extremely sensitive skin and rosacea. It's absolutely fine for daily use (provided it agrees with your skin, etc. etc., as with any product).

      Delete
  4. Clever Girl Reviews20 February 2015 at 21:06

    That serum sounds lovely!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous21 February 2015 at 11:15

      But isn't it full of mineral oil? Dimethicone?

      Delete
    2. Gilly21 February 2015 at 14:29

      Dimethicone is a silicone.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous21 February 2015 at 15:48

      Oh. You are absolutely right, Gilly. Thank you.
      But silicones also do nothing for the skin, do they?
      Thanks, Sandra

      Delete
    4. Gilly30 April 2015 at 15:17

      Hi Sandra, as far as I know and correct me if I'm wrong Caroline as I'm interested too, I think the use of silicones in product are more about giving said product a certain feel. I know that in things like primers they give a lovely silky smooth feel to the product/skin and as far as I'm aware that's what they do in skincare too.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous20 February 2015 at 22:02

    Caroline, is the Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion called Clarifying Lotion One in the US? There are no ingredient lists on the Clinique USA or Sephora websites...
    Thanks! Kate

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A fan21 February 2015 at 14:31

      No, the ones with numbers are the ones with lots of alcohol. On the Clinique USA website the MCL is listed under the same name.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous22 February 2015 at 00:17

      Easiest way to identify the Mild one is that it's green - all of the other Clarifying Lotions are varying shades of pink.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous20 February 2015 at 22:13

    After a little more goggling, I found that this is a 5th Clinique clarifying lotion. There are #1-4 and the mild one. Both are available in the UK and the US. Here are the ingredients -
    Water, Butylene Glycol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Cyclodextrin, Salicylic Acid, Millet Plant Glycoprotein Extract, Aloe, Arginine, Peg-10 Soya Sterol, Ceteth-20, Dimethicone, Ceteth-20, Kimethicone, Ceteth-2, Dimethicone Copolyol, Hexadecanol, Methylparaben, Green 5, Yellow 10
    I think I may have a new inexpensive toner to replace my almost empty Pix Glow!
    Thanks Caroline!
    Kate

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous21 February 2015 at 00:43

    Just wanna say thanks for all this information and for free. Most people would charge out the ying-yang for this kind of info and you are so lovely for doing it without asking for anything. I don't know you but feel like I do just from your posts online and that says a lot as most people who review do it so systematically and without personality! I hope for many more posts because I love learning from you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. emmabovary21 February 2015 at 01:18

    Ooh that S&G looks mighty tempting - the Fab Pore Hot Cloth cleanser from them was my HG back in the day before it was pulled from the shelves - you don't happen to know if this is the same/similar formula....? If so I am going to squeal in excitement!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jaime | GirlLovesGloss.com 21 February 2015 at 02:06

    Bummer the Vichy serum is actually expensive here in Canada (It is $41 and Hydraluron is $20-25) I used to use it awhile ago but found I went through it much quicker for some reason.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Destriana22 February 2015 at 19:50

      I live in Canada and I can't find the Hydraluron serum! Where did you get yours?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12 August 2015 at 06:01

      Most Shoppers Drug Marts sell the Hydraluron along with other Indeed products.

      Delete
  10. Budget Indulgence21 February 2015 at 02:25

    Will definitely try the Clinique Toner. My skin loves sallycilic acid

    ReplyDelete
  11. Kate21 February 2015 at 02:51

    A giant toothpaste tube of cleanser sounds rather appealing! Eagerly anticipating the rest of this series.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Unknown21 February 2015 at 06:39

    That eye serum didn't do anything for me.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ciara21 February 2015 at 07:39

    I bought the cl number 1 this week. Is it as good or should I return and replace with the mild?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A fan21 February 2015 at 14:29

      If you like alcohol, it's fine. I prefer pinot gris, though :-)
      Seriously, the MCL is the only Clinique Toner without alcohol. All the others contain lots of it, even the ones for dry skin - just look at the ingredients list on the back of your bottle.

      Delete
    2. Ciara22 February 2015 at 11:13

      Thank you

      Delete
  14. by-pippa21 February 2015 at 14:16

    I love these posts, straight to the point and great reviews. Thank you! (:

    ReplyDelete
  15. Unknown21 February 2015 at 14:21

    I've tried The Ultimelt Deep Purifying Hot Cloth Cleanser but it's too much for my sensitive skin, it felt like it was burning my skin off. I'd imagine it's great for normal skin though. The Vichy serum sounds excellent.

    Trona @ Aye Lined

    ReplyDelete
  16. Gilly21 February 2015 at 14:31

    I've been eyeing this serum recently and now it's deffo going on my shopping list. Thanks Caroline.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Farmaliana21 February 2015 at 16:12

    Hi, maybe someone who knows more about this stuff can tell me if Lierac Radiance Toner qualifies as a good exfoliating toner. It is also alcohol free. I would really appreciate it. Thank you :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Farmaliana21 February 2015 at 16:13

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Unknown21 February 2015 at 16:54

    Ultimelt is one of my favourites as despite my sensitive eczema prone skin I've never had an issue with it, lasts for ages and is affordable especially on boots offers, nice to see that it's not just me who loves it.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous23 February 2015 at 23:51

    I thought the strength of a bha was made by it's %, not it's pH? The pH HAS to be lower than 4 in order for the acid to be effective, but I don't think that it influences its strength?

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous23 March 2015 at 13:38

    The Ultimelt Cleanser is brilliant. I've tried the Nutriganics softening cleansing gel oil and didn't like the fact I had to clean every single molecule off my face otherwise I had sebum lumpy bits the next day. The Ultimelt however isn't oily even though it does have essential oils in it, doesn't react with my skin or make my eyes stream (something of a novelty!) and leaves it clean and soft. I'm half way through the tube and will be buying it again. I won't buy the Nutriganics again.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous17 April 2015 at 22:25

    Clinique toner broke me really bad. How is it possible?:/
    Justine

    ReplyDelete
  23. Unknown17 April 2015 at 23:11

    Hi Caroline, I have dehydrated skin and am keen to purchase the Vichy Aqualia serum in hopes that it will help my condition. However, in your 'Dry or Dehydrated?' cheat sheet you say that it is not a good idea for people with dehydrated skin to use skincare products that contain silicone. How is the Vichy serum good at hydrating this type of skin condition if its third listed ingredient is a silicone? I don't want to risk making my skin any worse than it is so thought I should double check before I go out to the shops!
    Many thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Alice5 June 2015 at 16:22

    im so confused I'm sure Caroline has said before the clarifying lotion from Clinique is awful and will 'take your face off' , it was a while ago i was just reading her clinique take the day off balm , but I'm confused now

    ReplyDelete
  25. Unknown3 July 2015 at 08:13

    The numbered lotions (#1 #2 #3 #4 ) all contain alcohol and are vile in my honest opinion but they also do a mild clarifying lotion which is alcohol free. It isnt on the shelves on quite a few counters for some reason and you have to ask for it but it is lovely. Im on my second bottle and since following caroline's routines my skin is absolutely glowing. Id def check this out. My only issue is that the woman is going to make me bankrupt ( joke ). Seriously caroline, if you read this THANKYOU. Between you and sali hughes I have better skin now in my 30's than I did as a kid. And that in the bathroom vid you did with her was inspirational ( I'll stop gushing now as Im starting to scare myself ). Much love xx

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)