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.

7 Ways To Use Aloe Vera Gel For Skin Care.

Hi guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be sharing 7 ways in which you can use aloe vera gel for better skin.

Aloe vera gel can be used in a million ways but in this post I am covering only easy Do It Yourself (DIYs). Everything needed for any of the DIYs is mostly available at home and does not require too much effort. You can use homemade aloe vera gel directly from the plant. However I have purchased the Patanjali Aloe Vera Gel, which retails at Rs.75 for 150ml, since I am too lazy to actually make the gel.

Without any further ado lets get into the post.

A primer

Aloe vera gel fills in pores and makes the skin smooth. It has anti bacterial properties which makes it perfect for oily skin.It creates a barrier against outside elements like dust and pollution. Due to its finish, it will hold your make up in place all day long.

Just take a dollop of the gel on your palm and spread it all over your face, like you would do with any other primer.

If you would like to know more about primers, we have already done a post on it.

http://compactmatters.blogspot.com/2016/05/primers-101.html

A toner

Aloe vera gel could be used as a toner as well when mixed with green tea and water. Green is a rich anti-oxidant that tighten pores and remove impurities from the skin. Aloe vera helps reduce the inflammation and keeps the skin moist. A table spoon of aloe vera gel must be added into a cup of warm green tea. This should be mixed until there are no lumps. This solution can be added in a spray bottle or can be dabbed all over the face with a cotton ball.

A facial mist

Due to its anti-bacterial properties, aloe vera gel mixed with water make an amazing facial mist especially in the hot humid Indian weather. It will also ensure that the skin remains cool and moist. Add aloe vera gel into a spray bottle with water in a 1:3 proportion. Shake the bottle until it is blended into becoming one substance.

To remove tan

Aloe vera gel works well to get rid of a tan as well.  Just squeeze some lemon juice into 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel and mix it. Apply this solution over the tan affected area and wash it off after 10 minutes.

Anti acne spot treatment

Aloe vera gel helps reduce acne and break outs since they are usually a result of bacteria. The gel has anti- bacterial properties. Simply apply the gel on acne before sleeping and wash it off in the morning.

A scrub 

Aloe vera gel due to its anti bacterial and cooling properties could be used to make a scrub. The gel mixed with honey and granulated sugar could be used as a mask. Honey is an anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial and helps unclog pores. The sugar helps exfoliate the unclogged pores.

Under eye gel

Aloe vera gel has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce eye bags. It also works to lighten discolouration by hydrating the under eye area and thus helps get rid of dark circles. Dabbing aloe vera gel under the eyes every night would work as an a good under eye gel.

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

For regular updates, follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/compactmatters/

Photography Courtesy: Shivam Bhatt.

Innisfree Wine Peeling Jelly Softener Review.

Hey guys! Hope you all are doing well.

In this week’s post, I will be reviewing the Innisfree Wine Peeling Jelly Softener.

Price

The Innisfree Wine Peeling Jelly Softener retails for Rs.900 for 180ml.

Packaging 

The Innisfree Wine Peeling Jelly Softener comes in a plastic bottle that resembles a wine bottle. The product has a cap and a stopper which can be easily placed and removed. However the stopper is really tiny so it can be misplaced easily.

Fragrance 

The product smells like red wine with a mild floral and citrus tinge.

Ingredients

The product contains wine extracts from France, green complex, different leaf extracts, seed extracts, root extracts and fruit extracts.

Application

The product is a thick white liquid. The product must be applied after a cleanser and can be followed by a toner.The instructions on the bottle say that the product must be taken on a cotton pad and gently swiped around the face.However this does not work not well. I prefer taking a small amount of the product in my palms, dab it all over my face and neck and gently start rubbing it with my fingers. The sales lady at the store also used the same method. Within a minute, you can see your dead cells come out in form of gunk with the product.

Usage

The product works wonderfully as a gentle exfoliator.
It also helps tone the skin and cleans the pores while removing the dead cells.
The product keeps the skin hydrated and does not let it dry out. 

Pros

It works on all skin types.

There are no similar products in the Indian market.

It has a soothing smell.

One bottle will last you for quite a while.

Cons 

It can not be used a substitute to a daily scrub or toner.

The application process could get a little messy.

It is slightly expensive.

My Verdict

All in all I feel this is a great product. Innisfree is an amazing brand and this is one of their best sellers for a reason. Even though it is a little expensive, you are getting quite a lot of product for your money. Also every application only requires very little product. Since it works for all skin types, multiple family members can share this product. I personally suggest that you add this product to your weekly skin pamper routine.

That is all for this post. Hope you found it useful in some way. We will be back with a new post next week. If you have any suggestions or questions, leave it down as a comment. For regular updates, follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/compactmatters/

Photography Credits: Ananya Khatri.

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.