La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel and Astringent Lotion Review.

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s blogpost, I will be reviewing the La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel & Astringent Lotion.

La Roche Posay is a French brand that specialises in products for sensitive skin. Thus its ingredients are paragon free and it does not include any potentially irritating ingredients. All the ranges have been worked in collaboration with dermatologists.Their popular ranges are Lipikar for dry skin, Anthelios for photo protection, Cicaplast for skin repair, Toleraine for sensitive skin and Effaclar for acne treatment.

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion has been on my wish list ever since it was launched a few months ago. La Roche Posay is supposedly a drugstore brand. However it is not exactly affordable in India. So I decided to wait for a good sale and bought it on 15% off along with The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel. I was not really keen on purchasing the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo + Acne Treatment Cream as I think its a little too expensive for the tiny quantity so I gave it a miss. 

The La Roche Posay Effaclar range works best for people with oily and acne prone skin. However according to me, people with normal or dry skin can use these products when they face breakouts. It might be too drying for their skin on a regular basis.

 The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel

Price

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel retails for Rs.450 for 50ml.

Packaging

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel comes in a white tube with a blue cap. On the front of the tube, the brand logo along with some product details have been mentioned in English and French. On the back of the tube, there is a list of ingredients. 

Fragrance

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel has a strong fragrance which could be due to the citric acid it contains. The fragrance is not strong enough to bother anyone.

Application

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel is the first step  of the CTM routine. One should take a tiny amount of the gel on your fingers and rub it in circular motions on one’s wet face for a minute. Then gently wash off the foam.

Usage

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel is a cleanser that helps clear the face off any dirt and impurities.

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion

Price

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion retails for Rs.1190 for 200ml.

Packaging

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion comes in a transparent cylindrical bottle with a white cap. Just like the foaming gel, the front of the bottle has the the brand logo and product details whereas the back has the list of ingredients.

Fragrance

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion has the same fragrance as the La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel.

Application

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion is the second step of the CTM routine. Take a small amount of the toner onto a cotton swab and wipe our face with it.

Usage

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion is basically a toner and thus helps deep clean and tighten pores. However since it contains salicylic acid, it also works as a micro exfoliant.

Pros

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel and Astringent Lotion are travel friendly.

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel and Astringent Lotion reduce breakouts.

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion reduce redness on acne spots and scars.

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion works as both a toner and a micro exfoliant.

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion will last for over 6 months since you require only a time amount for each time.

Cons 

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel and Astringent Lotion are slightly expensive.

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel and Astringent Lotion may dry out your skin if used too frequently.

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel and Astringent Lotion does not provide you with any fancy packaging for the price you are paying.

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel is a little too small in size and little too expensive.

My Verdict

The La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion might be an investment buy if you are a student or just on a budget but I personally feel its totally worth the price if you have acne prone oily skin. If you have redness due to acne scars, this toner is exactly what you are looking for. It helps repair the damage done to your skin slowly. If your skin is not too problematic, you can probably find a more reasonable alternative. The La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel complements the  La Roche Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion very well. It helps reduce breakouts but does not do much to reduce redness and heal acne scars. There are many cleansers that help reduce breakouts just as well at a more affordable price like The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Wash. So even though it does a pretty good job, I would not repurchase it.

That is all for this post. If you have any questions or suggestions, leave it down in a comment.

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Photography Courtesy: Shivam Bhatt.

Plum Green Tea Face Mask and Toner Review.

Hi guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be reviewing Plum Green Tea Toner and Clear Face Mask.

If you have read through our

  Fabindia Skincare Product Reviews
 (http://compactmatters.blogspot.com/2016/06/fabindia-skincare-product-reviews.html )
 and

 The Body Shop Tea Tree Product Reviews
(http://compactmatters.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-body-shop-tea-tree-product-reviews.html),
 you would know how much we love natural skincare products. 

Plum is a recently launched Indian skincare brand that is available is on websites like Nykaa, Amazon and Flipkart. It is India’s first beauty brand that is 100% vegan.  Their products are paraben free and they do not test their products on animals. They have products for every skin type. They are an environment friendly brand as they avoid using non recyclable plastic in packaging and give 1% of their sales to environmental non profits. They have a fabulous website which sells all their products and has some amazing combo deals. The website also explains the purpose of every ingredient used in their products and has a total of amazing posts on skincare related questions. I personally suggest you should check out their website and let us know if you would like to see any other product reviews from Plum.

 

The Plum Green Tea Clear Mask

 

Price

Rs.475 for 60g

Packaging 

The face mask comes in a box within which there is cylindrical glass box with a white cap. There is a small piece of paper which has the instructions on how to apply the mask. Since it is made of glass, it is heavier than most of my face masks that come in plastic containers.

Fragrance

The face mask smells fresh and has been synthetically derived.

Application

The face mask is relatively thick. You can apply it in a thin layer all over your face and neck with your fingers.You must keep it on for 30 minutes or whatever time it takes to dry. In the initial few minutes of application, you might feel a tingling sensation which is said to be normal on the paper with instructions. I felt this sensation the first 2 times while using this mask after which it disappeared. This mask should not be used more than once a week.

Pros

Pocket friendly

Clears dead cells and grime from your face

Has anti-oxidant properties

Helps control acne

Keeps skin looking younger and fresher

Cons

The paper with the instructions can be lost easily and there are no instructions of the glass bottle itself.

The mask is not travel friendly.

The mask usually takes more than 30 minutes to completely dry off.

 

The Plum Green Tea Alcohol Free Toner

 

Price 

Rs 380 for 200ml

Packaging 

The toner comes in a white plastic bottle. It has a nob which must be pressed to use the product. After using, the nob must be pressed again and it shuts comfortably. Spilling off the product seems highly unlikely.

Fragrance

The toner smells just like the face mask.

Application

A small amount of the toner can be taken on a cotton pad which is enough for a swipe across the face as well as the neck. You must let it air dry before applying any moisturiser.

Pros

Pocket friendly

Travel friendly 

Cleans and minimises pores

Recommended for oily and acne prone skin

Honestly I have nothing bad to say about this product. This is by far one of my favourite toners. The Plum Green Tea Toner and Clear Face Mask is a more reasonable alternative to The Body Shop Tea Tree Toner and Clay Mask. The ingredients of both the ranges have similar benefits and work really well. If you are on a budget, you should give the Plum Green Tea Range a try.

That is all for this post. Hope you liked it. For regular updates, follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/compactmatters/

Photography Credits: Shivam Bhatt.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Product Reviews.

Hi guys! Hope you all are doing well. In today's post, we will be reviewing products from The Body Shop's Tea Tree Range. Tea Tree products are best for people with blemished skin or people who have break outs often. We have been using some of these products for years now and thought of sharing our views specially since The Body Shop has a sale on their website till the 14th of July. We hope this post helps you.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Cleaning Facial Wash retails for Rs. 695 for 250 ml. This is definitely one of my favourite face washes. It is a gel based face wash, suitable for everyday use which helps control oil and prevents any blemishes and breakouts. It washes off all the dirt and oils and leaves your skin feeling clean, cool and refreshed. It makes your skin feel healthy and prevents blemishes and pimples. This is a really good buy and something we both love and recommend.

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Night Lotion is priced at Rs. 995 for 30 ml. This lotion is mainly for blemish damaged skin and aims to work on those areas. It has a pump which makes the application  easy and clean. One pump is enough for your entire face. The lotion is light, fresh and non greasy. I don't have a lot of blemishes on my face so this did not help me a lot. However it helped repair the few problem areas and prevents any additional breakouts and blemishes. The lotion stings a bit but makes your skin feel hydrated and fresh.  

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner retails for Rs.795 for 250ml.Though a little heavy on the pocket, this is one of my favourite toners of all time. A few drops of this on a cotton swab is good enough for your entire face after which you must wash your face with water. It thoroughly cleanses your pores and prevents your skin from getting oily. It helps to dry up acne and reduces break outs.

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser retails for Rs.950 for 30ml. It is essentially a pore reducing primer. Like most products in the range, it also mattifies your skin. This is the primer I reach for when I am having a breakout and have to do a full coverage look. If your skin is not dry, you can use this instead of a moisturiser. You can also apply this product all by itself just to tighten your pores and mattify your face. You need only 3 dots of product for your face and you can massage it into your skin gently. Unlike most primers, it makes your skin feel healthy and fresh. 

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Clay Mask retails Rs.1095 for 100ml. After cleaning your face with a face wash, you need to put a thick layer of the product onto your face and leave it for 15 minutes. You can apply the product with a brush or your fingers. It dries up after 15 minutes and then you can wash it off. This product absorbs all impurities from your face thereby reducing breakouts. I like applying a small amount of it on a new/fresh pimple as it soaks in all the impurities and the pimple dries out within no time

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Squeaky Clean Scrub retails for Rs.995 for 100ml. It is a gentle scrub with natural exfoliators. You can gently massage the product on a wet face which will help unclog pores and get rid of impurities and dead cells. Unlike most scrubs, you can use this twice a day.

 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Targeted Gel retails for Rs.895 for 2.5ml. This product is my go to product when I am on the go and am having a severe break out. It comes in a small plastic tube with a wand, that comes handy during application. This helps contain the break out until you have the opportunity to cleanse, scrub and tone your skin. This product never leaves my handbag since it really helps dealing with unexpected breakouts.

That's all for this post, we will be back with a new post soon. 

Photography Credits- Shivam Bhatt.  

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