Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum

What is it?

A hydrating serum.

Who is it for?

A serum for 'women with sensitive skin looking for deep and lasting hydration'.

(Dear Vichy, Seems a tad sexist no? What about the boys?)

What’s in it?

AQUA • GLYCERIN •DIMETHICONE • PEG/PPG/POLYBUTYLENE GLYCOL-8/5/3 GLYCERIN • PEG-60 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL • DIMETHICONOL • SODIUM HYALURONATE • PHENOXYETHANOL • CHONDRUS CRISPUS (CARRAGEENAN) • AMMONIUM POLYACRYLDIMETHYLTAURAMIDE • POLOXAMER 338 • DISODIUM EDTA • CAPRYLYL GLYCOL • CITRIC ACID • BIOSACCHARIDE GUM-1 • ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER • PARFUM /FRAGRANCE

Ingredients listed on website?

Not one of the retailers that sell this in the UK lists the ingredients. Not Boots, Feel Unique, Look Fantastic, Escentual or Vichy's own website. They are not even listed on L'Oreal's fancy new Derma Center store, it just says 'main ingredients'. What a wasted opportunity. 

I had to track them down via the USA.

Were it not a much-requested review I seriously would not have bothered. 

Personally, I don't think I'm being over the top to ask a retailer to take responsibility and LIST THE INGREDIENTS. We want to give you our money, we would like to know what is in the bloody thing.

Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?

glycols

silicone

fragrance

Natural? Organic? Man made? Vegan?

man-made

Tested on animals during production/sells in markets that require animal testing i.e. China?

No/Yes

What's not in it?

parabens

mineral oil

How do you use it?

Apply onto dry fingertips, spread onto fingertips of the other hand, apply directly to skin.

Where to use in your routine?

Serum, post-toning, pre-moisturiser.

What’s good about it?

This gives immediate relief for a dry, dehydrated skin, It's 'wet', which sounds strange but basically means it's a water formula, whereas Hydraluron for example, is a gel texture. I would still use this the same way, under a moisturiser, and I would still avoid a heavy silicone-led moisturiser/product and go for wet moisturisers on top of this. 

It will make sense if you've been reading the blog for a long time but:

Clinique Moisture Surge is wet.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair is silicone.

It won't be enough if you're dry, you'd still have to use a good oil-based moisturiser on top, but if dehydration is your main concern, and with the price point, I would definitely recommend that you check this out.

Sali Hughes is obsessed and synonymous with it.

What’s not so good about it?

This serum should not work. But it does.

It contains glycols, silicones and fragrance. I don't mind them, but it's the kind of product that would give Beautypedia a hernia. 

Therein lies the mantra of one size most definitely does not fit all. If you don't like those ingredients, avoid. If you're dehydrated, and of the thinking 'whatever works', go for it.

Similar products?

Hydraluron

Hyalamide

Hydraquench - Clarins 

(are we seeing a pattern here) :)

Exchange rate – does it punish the UK?

Not really. We're close enough to France. I imagine the Americans and the Australians are screwed though.

Vichy's Aqualia Thermal Serum is available in a lot of retailers in the UK priced anything from £17.00 - £22.00. 

However, none of them list their ingredients so they can jog on for a link.

Step forward vichyusa.com. 

NUDE ProGenius Omega Treatment Milk

What is it?

Not that you'd know it from the name, but this is a serum dedicated to improving hydration and nourishment quickly. 

Who is it for?

Anyone, but brilliant for sensitive and dehydrated skins.

What’s in it?

Water (Aqua), Isoamyl Laurate, Glycerin, Squalene, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Salvia Hispanica (Chia) Seed Oil, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Punica Granatum Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Avena Strigosa Seed Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract , Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed (Safflower) Oil, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Lysolecithin, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, Diglycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, P-Anisic Acid, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phytic Acid, Fragrance (Parfum), Citral, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate

Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?

Fragrance

Benzyl Salicylate

Natural? Organic? Man made? Vegan?

Natural ish.

Tested on animals/sold in China?

No/No

What's not in it?

PARABENS, SULPHATES, PEGS, TEA, DEA, PROYLENE GLYCOL, PHTHALATES, PETROCHEMICALS, SYNTHETIC COLOR, SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCE, MINERAL OIL AND SILICONES

How do you use it?

Onto fingers, then onto face, in the serum stage of your routine.

What’s good about it?

This is a lovely product, good for those of you with various sensitivities including redness and rosacea. It is loaded with 10 plant oils, rich in 5 omega oils. Some of the more 'chemical-laden' brands would cast doubt on the effect of topical omegas, but personally, I've seen results and am a plant oil advocate through and through. This is a lovely product. I would use it more for soothing and plumping than anti-ageing, but of course stopping dehydration in its tracks is technically anti-ageing so if you are in your late 20's/early 30's and have no other concerns, this could be perfect for you.

What’s not so good about it?

Well, the name. I would immediately dismiss this as a moisturising lotion if I saw it on the shelf. I have no doubt this has hindered the popularity of this product, people may simply not be using it thinking it's a moisturiser for combination skins.

Similar products?

Aurelia Revitalise and Glow

REN Vita Mineral Omega 3 Serum

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum

OSKIA Get Up and Glow

NUDE ProGenius Omega Treatment Milk is £62.00 for 30ml, available from www.nudeskincare.com and needs to be renamed as a matter of urgency. ;)

Bio-essence Hydra Tri-Action Aqua Droplet Sleeping Beauty Mask

What is it?
'An overnight sleeping mask designed to rehydrate and firm.'
or:
an absolute must-have for anyone with dehydration i.e. most of us.

What's in it?

Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?

Silicones

Fragrance

Methylisothiazolinone (MI)

MI is the new 'paraben'. Not scientifically, just to give you an idea of the recent press. The EU and the FDA both say it is 100% safe for cosmetic use. Allergies are reportedly higher with MI than other preservatives. However, it is the last ingredient on the list meaning the % will be very low. If you had an issue with MI you would probably already know about it and be unable to use most shampoos, body washes and body lotions. (But you guys always want me to give you as much info as possible so there we are...  :)

Also - this product is extremely water-heavy and therefore requires a really good preservative....

What's not in it?

Everything else.

Mineral oil

Parabens

Shea

Essential oils

Tested on animals?

No

Who is it for?

Everyone, but especially dehydrated or dry skins. This would also be fine for dehydrated acne skins (most acne sufferers are demonically dehydrated). Like I said: everyone.

How do you use it?
You can either:

• apply as a mask for overnight use
• apply as a moisturiser during the day - put this on over your toner and under a heavier moisturiser or spf or on its own for those of you with angry acne
• apply as a thicker mask for overnight with a double whammy - see below
• would be amazing for flying
• would also be brilliant for those nurses, teachers, doctors that work in really drying environments...

What's good/not so good about it?

OK so I am in love with this mask. My lifestyle, including medication (ugh), continuous travel, the weather.. pick something... means that I am dehydrated a lot of the time. You can use the best products in the world (I do) and suffer from dehydration - it's a skin condition based on lifestyle and surroundings, not a skin type based on your genes. 

I always use this as a double whammy - I take everything off - makeup-wise - when I get home from the school run or around 6ish depending on my day. I then do my evening routine. On the nights that I use this, I apply a thin layer, leave it to do its thing, then before bed, give a quick spritz of something to 'reactive' it, if you will, then apply another layer. 

It works beautifully. The nano technology that this uses is what you pay a fortune for in the creams that cost hundreds, not tens of pounds. I wake up with soft, rehydrated skin. 

When you apply this it literally bursts open, leaving droplets of water (hyaluronic acid) on the surface of the skin, that you then pat in. This is a wipe and then pat product, not a rubbing in product. 

I always describe dehydrated skin as a sponge that is being held underwater with the top exposed. The top immediately dries out. This in essence, fills the holes on the surface level of your dehydrated sponge with hyaluronic acid - something capable of holding 1000 times its own weight in water. 

Similar products?

The most obvious is The Body Shop Bouncy Sleeping Mask which although similar, is not quite as easy to use.

Origins Overnight Drink Up is another dedicated nighttime product, but to my mind this is superior. 

The longest named product in the world is available from CultBeauty.co.uk priced £29 for 80ml.

Also: someone left a comment recently doubting my opinion because I have 'hardly ever used any of the product in the pictures so how could I possibly tell what its like?'.
I, like nearly all bloggers, try and take pictures of everything that I plan to trial when they are new - before I use them, otherwise the product wouldn't look as nice! It doesn't always happen, sometimes I rip things open and crack on - but in most cases, just like with lipsticks, palettes etc, the picture comes first, then the trial....

*is exhausted and thinks that some people will never be happy*

New Year Skincare - Daily Beauty AM

If you follow me on twitter or Instagram you'll have already seen pictures like this - this is my morning routine of the moment. I thought I'd try and put some up here more regularly as I am always asked for further details on the products. (If you see one of these pics on twitter or Instagram and want more info just give me a kick - not literally - rude.)

Left to right are:

Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser - really enjoying this. I use it in the mornings if I'm feeling grubby. It's like a runny clay and just cleanses and refreshes without drying. It doesn't in any way foam - ignore the description on the link.

P50 - I'm back to this at the moment - my post-Christmas skin needed the exfoliation and there's nothing quite like it. 

La Roche Posay Serozinc - as this is unbelievably not available in the UK (sort it out LRP), the gorgeous Amelia brought me enough back from Europe to survive Armageddon (THANK YOU!). Spraying zinc on top of your exfoliating toner stage gives you a little hydration before Hydraluron but more importantly for me its great for preventing breakouts. I toyed with the idea of linking to a picture saying 'WHY ISN'T THIS ON SALE IN THE UK YOU MUPPETS?' but thought it would be rude. Oh. My bad.  Also sidebar: the LRP has to be one of the most confusing/long websites out there. Please also fix that. Alrighty then.

Eysilix - still using this too. It's so easy, perfect texture, great packaging and helps my dark circles - which hardly any other eye cream does. 

Hydraluron - I'm changing this to 'Hironsluron' - still using it most days. Twice a day unless I'm going for an oil or balm in the evening.

Kate Somerville Deep Tissue Repair - I think this and the Goat Cream are the Holy Grail of KS's range. This takes 10 years off of my skin upon application. It is designed as a moisturiser but I use it as a serum underneath...

Kate Somerville Nourish Daily Moisturiser - I treat this as an overcoat. It goes on last on days I am dehydrated - which in this weather and after recovering from drinking alcohol (even a little) on a daily basis over Christmas - I am.

The Kate Somerville range is still unavailable in the UK. RUDE. Please also sort that.

I'm clearly feeling very bossy today.

*the above is a mixture or PR samples, purchases and gifts. All are fabulous.

No Affiliates.

2012 Awards. Eye Cream and Launch of the Year. Eysilix, Hydraluron and Indeed Labs.

I didn't get on with Nanoblur and could never be bothered with Peptalash (just one more thing to do too far - you know?) but Indeed Labs redeemed themselves completely with these two products this year.

Eysilix is essentially every eye cream you ever bought, with added peptides, all wrapped up together for £24.99, as opposed to some of the more ridiculously priced eye creams on the market at the moment. It contains 10 peptides, which doesn't always mean anything but in this formulation, for me, they work. I've noticed if I stop using it my dark circles are worse - it doesn't fix them permanently, if you stop using any cream they will come back - but it does help them on a day-to-day basis when I am using it.

No surprises for my Launch of the Year.

Hydraluron has basically been in my routine since I wrote this review when it launched. Nothing has changed, I still use it daily - most of the time 2 x a day. I've lost count of how many tubes I've used. It has absolutely helped keep breakouts at bay and my pretty much permanently dehydrated skin loves it. 

Eysilix and Hydraluron are my Eye Cream and Launch of the Year. Both are available at Boots.

Hall of Fame - Hydraluron

Well I'm clearly a fussy cow. I haven't done a Hall of Fame in 9 months.

I've been using this for 3 days. Three days - and it's in the Hall of Fame. I think that's a bit of a world record. Even for me.

Ethos:
Manufactured by Indeed Labs whose objective is to 'eliminate all marketing hype and costs and deliver real results cost effectively'.

• World's first hyaluronic acid that is 100% free of animal derived raw materials and organic solvent remnants
• Paraben free
• Propylene glycol free
• Fragrance free
• Suitable for all skin types

The science:

Hyaluronic acid is found in the body and is responsible for maintaining a 'reservoir of water' in the top layers of the skin. We produce it ourselves but as we age our ability to do so decreases dramatically - one of the reasons we naturally lean towards dryer, baggier skin as we get older (how rude). 

Hyaluronic Acid is capable of absorbing up to 1000 times its weight in water. Basically it acts like a magnet to anything you put on top of it - so you apply this, put your moisturiser on - and it stays there - the water in your moisturiser takes longer to evaporate off the surface of the skin. 

It has a whole host of benefits throughout the body - but more importantly for me personally, a lack of hyaluronic acid in the skin leads to a slower healing time and a higher risk of bacteria on the surface of the skin - which for me, means acne. 

Acne that scars and won't heal (swine).

What's in it?

It being sold exclusively at Boots - the ingredients are obviously not listed on their website - something I've complained bitterly about for a long time.

As the print is fairly small I've re-typed below.

Water, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ahnfeltia Concinna extract, Carbomer, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol

What's good about it?

A lot actually.

• Not dressed up as some fancy ridiculously expensive serum
• Not full of rubbish
• Does what it says on the box
• Makes no fancy claims such as 'this is all you need' - they actually recommend using underneath your usual products
• Gives instantaneous feeling of moisture
• Plumps skin
• Makes skin super-soft
• Gives the skin a healthy glow
• Makes your other products last much longer as you use less of them

What's bad about it?

I want a bigger size and I'd like my picture on the tube with a big thumbs up like a geek.

That's about it.

Really.

Verdict:

Everyone should own this product. Everyone except pre-teens with that perfect baby bouncy skin.

Judging from the comments in my Clinic alone, 95% of you are dehydrated at some point or another.
Get one and keep it for when you need an extra boost. Post-partying, post-travel, post-illness, or all of them.

Worth checking out for people who:

• Are on medication and can't use much on their skin
• Use/have been using incorrect products (without knowing)
• Fly
• Use any kind of public transport
• Sit in an office with either air conditioning or heating
• Are stressed
• Don't have the perfect diet
• Have the audacity to enjoy alcohol

Teens/20+

Younger skins that are dehydrated through overuse of harsh foaming products, apricot kernels *god forbid*, partying, boozing, smoking, anything that puts stress on your skin - you need this in your emergency go-to stash. 

30+

Skin starting to look a little drab on occasion? Makeup sinking into your skin? A little Hydraluron under your moisturiser will fix all that.

40+++

Welcome to my world. I have no doubt your skin will be improved from using this product - unless... erm... unless you have a perfect diet, no stress at all in your life and have a facial every week. Not Gwyneth Paltrow? Buy it. (No offence Gwynnie but you get my drift)

I had a teeny tingle on the first use - lasted about 3 seconds and hasn't been back since.

You only need a little - it goes a long way. Use it where you feel dehydrated/dry/makeup usually fades the quickest - for me that's cheeks, entire nose area, jawline and lower brow line. 

Packaging - 5/5 - plenty of info on the box, nice soft poly tubing and a glorious pink

Texture - 5/5 - not sticky at all - which really surprised me. If it's sticky - you're using too much.

Performance - 5/5 - instant gratification, stays hydrated throughout the day

After effects on the skin - soft, smooth to the touch, visibly plumped (thus hydrated), looks healthier after one use

Hydraluron is £24.99 and is available from Boots. I've seen testers in store so you don't have to take my word for it. Go smear it all over your face. Tell them I sent you. And while you're at it - ask why they don't list ingredients on their website please?



*PR Sample - but I will be repurchasing. I have no business affiliations with Hydraluron whatsoever. 

Cheat Sheet - Dry or Dehydrated?

I change my skincare 'wardrobe' every time I change my actual clothing wardrobe over from winter to summer and vice versa. However, this weekend I realised I had probably left it a couple of weeks too late as my skin was dull as ditchwater, flat and dry to touch. That coupled with the blog posts and tweets I've seen recently about dry skin/skin feeling tight etc leads me to think this little guide might prove useful.

Are you DRY or DEHYDRATED? (or both!)

Dry and dehydrated skins have similar characteristics, but different underlying reasons.

Dry Skin - normally a skin type but can be a temporary skin condition

• caused by lack of oil in the skin
• small pores
• 'tight' feeling
• may be flaky
• milia, blackheads and spots may still be present
• skin looks dull
• skin is not plump
• doesn't absorb products easily
• easily irritated - more likely to suffer reactions to products
• aggravated by poor skincare

Dehydrated Skin - is a skin condition affecting any skin type - including DRY

• caused by lack of water in the skin
• pores can be large or small
• skin feels tight and dry although it can confusingly sometimes look oily and have breakouts
• absorbs moisturisers really quickly
• blackheads and spots are still visible
• makeup disappears (and goes patchy) throughout the day as the skin is absorbing any water in your foundation
• skin looks 'ashen' 
• aggravated by lifestyle circumstances - may suffer from a lot of headaches

Skin is made up of 70% water - around  20-30% of that is in the epidermis (top layer of the skin). In normal circumstances, your hydrolipidic film acts as a regulator and barrier - retaining moisture and protecting against germs. If - for whatever reason that is compromised, the moisture in the epidermis evaporates too quickly and the normal, healthy state of the skin is compromised.

The reality is that most of us at one time or another - but ESPECIALLY at this time of the year - are dehydrated.

Any and all of the following can cause dehydration - standby!:

1. Environment - wind, cold air, dry air, too much sun, air conditioning, central heating
2. Diet - the wrong foods, alcohol, caffeine, not eating enough water-heavy foods, not drinking enough
3. Lifestyle - stress (hello?!), poor skincare routine, using the wrong products, medication - including birth control, smoking
4. Genetics - monthly cycle, pregnancy

It is quite common to be both dry and dehydrated but if by looking at the above you have ascertained that you are one or the other - these do's and don't might help.

Do and Do Not:

• Do upgrade your moisturiser to something suitable for dry skin if you recognise the signs - go for products using the words 'nourishing'
• Do change your moisturiser to something labelled 'hydra' or 'hydrating' if you suspect you are dehydrated
• Make sure you are not using products that are too harsh or too stripping for either
• Do steer clear of foaming anything  - keep the bubbles for your dishes
• Do use balms, oils and serums for dry
• Do use milks, specified oils and treatments for dehydrated
• Do stay away from mineral oils, silicones (in skincare - not makeup), lanolins and synthetic fragrance which will make a dehydrated skin worse and make a dry skin scream for help

A word on supplements - omega oils found in either flax or fish oil supplements will help both dry and dehydrated skins - however, you'll need a good 3 months to see the benefits on your skin so if you want to think ahead for the deep winter of end Jan/Feb you could do worse than to get cracking now.