New snail cosmetics from British company!

Among the Korean cosmetics there is a lot of snail products to choose from, so many companies have something to offer: Mizon, Missha, Secret key, Tony Moly, Skin Watchers, Shara Shara, Mypu, Etude House, Benton, Skin79... Thanks to growing popularity of  Korean cosmetics we tend to think that snail products are characteristic for Asia, however snails have been present in Western and European cosmetology as well. I remember that as a kid I saw on some QVC-style home shopping channel advert for miraculous wrinkle erasing snail cream (my access to the TV was restricted, so as soon as I got a chance to watch TV I was watching anything, including these stupid commercials :P). Once you start to search for it, you will find quite a few non-Asian snail cosmetics - Chilean Elicina cream (probably the very first snail cream ever), German Schnecken gel, Portugeese Baba De Caracol or Polish Snails Garden. Recently in a magazine I came across review of Britain's very own snail gel from Dr Organic, a newbie released in April this year.

Dr Organic is cosmetic series created by Holland & Barrett - company producing supplements (vitamins, mineral, herbs) and natural cosmetics.

I'm normally quite sceptic for all the organic products, but I must say that ingredients of Dr Organic cosmetics were a pleasant surprise. At the moment Dr Organic's snail line contains six products:

Gel Face Serum
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) seed oil, Aqua, Olea europaea (Olive) fruit oil, Snail secretion filtrate, Glyceryl oleate citrate, Rosa canina (Rose) fruit oil, Glycerin, Magnesium aluminum silicate, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Moringa oleifera seed oil, Persea gratissima (Avocado) oil, Benzyl alcohol, Xanthan gum, Sodium phytate, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic acid, Cymbopogon flexuosus (Lemongrass) oil, Levan, Olea europaea (Olive) leaf extract, Decyl glucoside, Zizyphus jujuba (Jujube) seed extract, Alcohol, Phenethyl alcohol, Citric acid, Citral, Linalool.

Face Gel
Snail Filtrate, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Lime Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Litsea Cubeba Oil. Aloe barbadensis lead juice, Aqua, Snail secretion filtrate (Helix aspersia muller), Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 cocoate, Sodium hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium sorbate, Ethylhexlglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium hydroxide, Litsea cubeba oil, Cymbopogon schoenanthus oil, Citrus aurantifolia oil, Citral, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool.
 
Gel Cream
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Aqua, Snail secretion filtrate, Cetearyl alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl stearate citrate, Cera alba (Beeswax), Isoamyl laurate, Butyrospermum parkii (Shea) butter, Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) butter, Sodium hyaluronate, Argania spinosa (Argan) kernel oil, Prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil, Macadamia ternifolia seed oil, Persea gratissima (Avocado) oil, Vitis vinifera (Grape) seed oil, Punica granatum (Pomegranate) seed oil, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet almond) oil, Glyceryl caprylate, Tocopherol, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, Chondrus crispus (Carrageenan) extract, Xanthan gum, Chamomilla recutita (Chamomile) extract, Tilia cordata (Linden) extract, Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) extract, Melilotus officinalis (Sweet clover) extract, Altaea officinalis (Marshmallow) extract, Malva sylvestris (Mallow) leaf extract, Litsea cubeba (May chang) oil, Cymbopogon schoenanthus (Lemongrass) oil, Citrus aurantifolia (Lime) oil, Sodium phytate, Sodium benzoate, Potassium sorbate, Citral, Limonene.
 
Gel Eye Serum
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Aqua, Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) seed oil, Olea europaea (Olive) fruit oil, Snail secretion filtrate, Glycerin, Aleurites moluccana (Candlenut) nut oil, Glyceryl oleate citrate, Magnesium aluminum silicate, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Moringa oleifera seed oil, Benzyl alcohol, Xanthan gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium phytate, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic acid, Levan, Olea europaea (Olive) leaf extract, Decyl glucoside, Zizyphus jujuba (Jujube) seed extract, Alcohol, Phenethyl alcohol, Citric acid.
 
Moisture Mask
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Aqua, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Cetearyl alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl stearate citrate, Snail secretion filtrate, Glyceryl stearate, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) seed oil, Macadamia ternifolia seed oil, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) oil, Isoamyl laurate, Prunus amygdalus dulcis (Sweet almond) oil, Prunus armeniaca (Apricot) kernel oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, Xanthan gum, Glyceryl caprylate, Glucose, Sorbitol, Sodium glutamate, Urea, Sodium PCA, Glycine, Lactic acid, Hydrolyzed wheat protein, Panthenol, Chamomilla recutita (Chamomile) extract, Melilotus officinalis (Sweet clover) extract, Malva sylvestris (Mallow) leaf extract, Tilia cordata (Linden) extract, Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) extract, Altaea officinalis (Marshmallow) extract, Plantago lanceolata (Plantain) leaf extract, Artemisia umbelliformis extract, Litsea cubeba (May chang) oil, Cymbopogon schoenanthus (Lemongrass) oil, Citrus aurantifolia (Lime) oil, Sodium phytate, Sodium benzoate, Potassium sorbate, Citral, Limonene.
 
Gel Hand & Nail Elixir
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Aqua, Olea europaea (Olive) fruit oil, Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) seed oil, Helianthus annuus (Sunflower) seed oil, Snail secretion filtrate, Glycerin, Glyceryl oleate citrate, Magnesium aluminum silicate, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Benzyl alcohol, Xanthan gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Litsea cubeba (May chang) fruit oil, Cymbopogon schoenanthus (Lemongrass) oil, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic acid, Sodium phytate, Alcohol, Citric acid. 
 
One of the main ingredients in the series is soothing and moisturising aloe, we will also find many various oils and plant extracts. The face gel has much better ingredients than the famous snail gel from Mizon, but it's also adequately more expensive  - £19.99 for 50ml while Mizon is around £4 for 45ml. Anyway, as soon as I finish off my current face gel and eye cream I'm going to try Dr Organic.
You can buy Dr Organic products from their shops across the UK or on their official website. Good news for people form outside the UK - company is shipping to European countries for  £6.95.
 

BRTC Aqua Rush Water Drop BB Cream Review

So far I tested three creams from BRTC: Jasmine Water, Whitening and Blemish recover. They all felt pretty similar to me, so I didn't even bother reviewing the last one. When I was ordering sets of those creams' samples I received another BRTC sample as a free gift. I wasn't planing to review it, however it was a pleasant surprise so I decided I have to mention it!

Product description:  a unique BB cream that releases water drops as you rub lightly. These water drops hydrate dry areas and restore skin’s natural glow, while evening out tone and helping conceal imperfections. Dry and dehydrated skin will be a thing of the past once you indulge yourself in this BB cream. SPF28 PA++

In the ingredients list we can find Deep ocean water. What makes it different from casual water? Cold and dense deep sea water sinks deep into underwater currents, circulating near the ocean floor and because it doesn't have contact with sunlight, bacteria and pollutants it remains pure and rich in minerals. In this BB cream there are two kinds of water - casual "water" on the first place and then sea water in the middle of ingredient list. In ingredients we will also find various plant extracts:

• Trifoliate orange (Chinese bitter orange) extract - widely used in Oriental medicine as a remedy for allergic inflammation
• Lilac extract - skin conditioning and toning
• White lily (Madonna lily) flower extract - has hydrating and emollient properties and can be added to all types of formulations aimed at dry, irritated or sensitive skin. Helpful in healing burns and wounds, prevents scaring.
• Edelweiss flower and leaves extract - has antioxidant and ant-inflammatory properties, also capable of stopping enzymes in skin that break down its support structure. 
• Daffodil flower extract - have been used in ancient Rome as a topical treatment for wounds and sprains.
• Red Clover flower extract - a source of many valuable nutrients including calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C.
• Magnolia Liliflora flower extract - have been used historically in China to minimise the irritation caused by some cosmetic ingredients. They can also help remove dark spots and whiten the skin.

Among with whitening arbutin, anti-ageing adenosine, moisturising hyaluronic acid, calming macadamia seed oil and anti-wrinkle jojoba seed oil.

Full ingredients list: Water, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Talc, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Dimethicone, Squalane, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Iron Oxides (CI 77492), Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, PEG-10 Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Iron Oxides (CI 77491), Iron Oids (CI 77499), Aluminium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Zinc Stearate, Microcrystalline Wax, Stearic Acid, Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract, Macadamie Ternifolia Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hydroxethylcellulose, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sea Water, Fernesyl Acetate, Panthenyl Triacetate, Niacinamide, Syringa Vulgaris (Lilac) Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus (Daffodil) Flower Extract, Freesia Refracta Extract, Iris Ensata Extract, Trifolium Pratense (Clover) Flower Extract, Magnolia Liliflora Flower Extract, Arbutin, Adenosine, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Fragrance

Ingrediens Analysis [HERE]

The full size products is a 35g tube, I was using sample sachet. A little goes a really long way and one sachet was enough for five applications!

This BB Cream has surprising texture - when I squeezed onto my palm it seemed quite thick, just like other BRTC's BBs. The principle of "aqua drop" products is that they release drops of water when applied. As soon as I started smothering this cream on my face texture changed from thick to smooth and quite runny. There was no visible aqua drops, but it felt like I would apply cream on slightly wet face. Overall it's a very nice and refreshing feeling that I really enjoyed. But I noticed that to feel it properly you have to smoother the cream on your face - patting doesn't give that watery effect.

Amount shown on this picture is enough to cover whole face...

...so I applied it on my face and just smeared what's left for the second picture ;)

The cream has a very light pleasant smell. Colour is nice and bright, fits well my complexion. The coverage is quite good, evens out skin tone, covers redness and under eye circles, however my old acne scars are still visible. It's dewy, gives skin slightly wet look - for my oily skin a mattifying powder is a must. It stays well on the face, fades slightly during the day, but doesn't disappear completely like for example Missha Perfect Cover. At the end of the day coverage is not so good, but it's still there.  Doesn't roll up in wrinkles. Neutral for enlarged pores - doesn't hide them, but also doesn't make them more visible like BRTC Jasmine Water did. It's also neutral for sebum control and moisturises skin really nicely. My oily skin tends to dehydrate, to it's oily in the surface, but feels dry and tense underneath the sebum. With this cream my face feels hydrated all day long.
There is just one downside - I noticed all the BRTC creams dry out quite easily, so if you are using samples it's better to empty the sample to some small container that you can properly close after use. Just after one day the content of my sample seemed thicker, with every day it was more thick what made application slightly more difficult.

Price: full size version from £17 on e-Bay, you can also buy set of three sample sachets for approx. £2.

Pros:
+ nice texture, that turns from thick to watery, giving skin refreshing feel
+ keeps skin moisturised all day long
+ a little goes a long way
+ nice colour, good coverage
+ doesn't roll up in wrinkles

Cons:
- expensive
- dries out easily if left open

Overall I was really pleased with this product - from all the BRTC's BB Creams I tested so far this is definitely the best one. Even though is aimed at dry skin I think it's pretty universal - it moisturises, but it's not as heavy as Jasmine Water.

If you are interested in "water drop" products several other companies have something to offer: Liole has Water Drop BB cream and Sleeping Pack, Elisha Coy Water Drop Sunscreen and Ice Herb Whitening Water Drop Essence, Skin79 Shiny Pearl Water Drop BB Cream...

Missha M Signature Real Complete BB Cream No.21 - over 50 botanical extracts!

I really like Missha's products, their skin care is very good quality and their M Perfect Cover was my first ever BB cream, so I was quite excited to try another product from this brand :)

Product description: Combining cosmetics with skin care, this product promotes natural-looking coverage while providing sun protection, treating dark spots, and preventing wrinkles. Skin-friendly Skin Lipids and Amino Acid Complex Peptides strengthen the Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF) of the skin by restoring its natural balance. Engineered with micro-multi roll-grinding technology to create super fine particles that work with skin-smoothing botanical ingredients for lightweight, long-lasting coverage for up to 12 hours. Contains a skin-regenerating peptide complex, skin-soothing Gingko Leaf Water rich in antioxidants, and a 50-kind botanical complex for intense moisture and nutrition. SPF25 PA++

Product is available in two sizes: 20ml squeezy tube or 45ml tube with pump applicator. I was using just the sample sachets: 

The samples are generous and one sachet lasts for 4-5 applications.
This BB cream is available in four shades: No. 13 Light Milky Beige, No. 21 Light Pink Beige, No. 23 Natural Yellow Beige, No.27 Honey Beige.

This BB Cream absolutely blew my mind with it's ingredients list. The description promises us 50-kind botanical complexes - there is actually 53 botanical extracts (yes, I counted! :P) and some other good ingredients. On the second place on the ingredient list, just after the water, we will find Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract. Ginkgo leaf is a good antioxidant due to it being a rich source of flavonoids that work to prevent cell membrane peroxidation, which is a source of damage that can lead to increased signs of inflammation and ageing. Ginkgo leaf also seems capable of increasing skin's moisture content and reducing factors in skin that lead to inflammation.
Other skin-loving ingredients in this cream are:

• Orbignya Oleifera (Babassu palm) Seed Oil - lightweight and absorbent skin conditioning agent, moisturising and nourishing.
• Sodium Hyaluronate (sodium salt of hyaluronic acid) - is a powerful anti ageing ingredient in skin care. It is naturally occurring in the skin, but as we get older it's level decrease causing our skin to age and sag. It has ability to absorb water up to 1000 times its weight, what makes it one of the best moisturising substances known.
• Amino acids: Lysine, Histidine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, Glycine, Alanine, Valine, Methionine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Cysteine - amino acids supply nutrients to nourish the skin, hair and nails from within the body. This procedure strengthens connective tissue and keeps the skin smooth and elastic.
• Squalane (or Squalene)- natural organic compound obtained from shark liver oil or olive oil. It’s an antioxidant-rich, age-fighting emollient, that over time can reduce wrinkles, eliminate scars, reverse UV damage, lighten freckles and erase skin pigmentation.
•  Macadamia Seed Oil - contains Palmitoleic acid that is vital for delaying skin and cell ageing, Oleic acid that has regeneration and moisturising properties, Linoleic acid that helps to prevent skin water loss and Plant phytosterols that are calming and healing.
• Beta glucan - a natural compound extracted from plants, that helps to maintain a youthful appearance for skin
• Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Flower Extract - one of the most well-known herbal ingredients used in herbal medicine and skincare. Has strong anti-inflamatory and soothing properties, so it's especially recomended for people with sensitive skin, prone to allergy, eczema.
• Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-yuen (Job's Tears) Seed Extract - have antioxidant effects and might also decrease growth of bacteria and parasites. Can be found in skin care products claiming anti-ageing and whitening properties.
• Panax Ginseng (Chinese Red Ginseng) Root Extract - contains many substances and vitamins that maintain elasticity, vitality, and regeneration capacity of our skin cells. Contains phytonutrients that can stimulate and activate the skin's metabolism and blood flow to regenerate, tone and brighten the skin. It is also thought to promote skin cell regeneration by increasing oxygenation to skin cells and has the effect of boosting blood circulation as well as detoxifying the blood, which is very important to human skin health. Ginseng detoxifies the skin and rids it off the free radicals that accumulate due to daily exposure to sunlight and environmental pollution.
• Scrophularia Buergeriana (Buerger's Figwort) Root Extract - anti-inflammatory
• Scutellaria baicalensis (Baikal Skullcap) - used in traditional folk Asian medicine thanks to it's anti-inflammatory, shooting, anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties. It soothes irritated skin, prone to allergies, rashes, eczema, preventing inflammatory process in epidermis. The extract of this plant tones skin and stimulates natural collagen production. It also showed whitening effect on skin and ability to reduce sun and age induced pigmentation. 
• Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Extract - contains the ingredients that can reduce melanin production and other beneficial elements, which can reduce free radical and speed up cell regeneration, increasing the thickness of the skin and increase collagen production. The polysaccharide can maintain and regulate skin moisture and restore skin elasticity to make the skin returns moist, delicate, shiny. 
• Rhus Semialata (Chinese sumac) Gall Extract - used in Chinese medicine thanks to it's antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antidiarrheal and antioxidant properties.
• Peptides: Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 (Matrixyl), Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 (Argireline) , Copper Tripeptide-1 - anti-ageing and anti-wrinkle

and many more extracts including: strawberry, cucumber, coconut, lime, Japanese camellia, apricot, carrot, grape, sweet cherry, mango, guava, walnut, peach, papaya, licorice, dandelion, pumpkin, lychee, soybean... the general message is: moisturising, anti-ageing, soothing. Except the lavender extract, that is widely used in aromatherapy and brings to mind soothing and relaxing properties, however  used on skin may be actually an irritant.

Ingredients: Water, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Arbutin, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Hydrogenated C6-14 Olefin Polymers, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sodium Chloride, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caprylyl Methicone, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mica, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ozokerite, Sorbitan Olivate, Alumina, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hexyl Laurate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Carbonate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Lysine, Histidine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, Glycine, Alanine, Valine, Methionine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Cysteine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Squalane, Glycerin, Ceramide 3, Cholesterol, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Beta-Glucan, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-yuen Seed Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Scrophularia Buergeriana Root Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Rhus Semialata Gall Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Fragaria Vesca (Strawberry) Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Fruit Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Extract, Linaria Japonica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Oldenlandia Diffusa Extract, Bambusa Textilis Stem Extract, Iris Ensata Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Water, Prunus Avium (Sweet Cherry) Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Acorus Calamus Root Extract, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Fruit Extract, Asarum Sieboldi Root Extract, Angelica Keiskei Leaf/Stem Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Seed Extract, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Cornus Officinalis Fruit Extract, Luffa Cylindrica Fruit Extract, Bletilla Striata Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Taraxacum Officinale (Dandelion) Rhizome/Root Extract, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Fruit Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Litchi Chinensis Fruit Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Oenanthe Javanica Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Lecithin, Polysorbate 20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Talc, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Adenosine, Methicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tropolone, 1, 2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance
Ingredients analysis [HERE]

Now for the performance: this BB has nice, creamy texture and subtle floral scent. It applies easily on the skin, works best patted with fingers. Coverage is medium - evens out skin tone, covers redness, but blemishes are still visible, just a bit tonned. In fact this very similar in it's performance to Missha M Perfect Cover BB, even colour is similar:

Missha Complete is only a little bit more pinkish than Perfect Cover, but both blend well with my natural skin tone. The main difference is that Complete is a little bit heavier on the skin but also more moisturising. The dewy effect is quite strong, mattyfing powder is a must. It also seemd to increase sebum production - normally my face starts to be oily after approx. 2-3 hours, but if I don't have time to blot I can wait a bit longer, in this case blotting after two hours is an absolute must. The lasting is average - not as good as Etude House Bright Fit BB, but better than M Perfect Cover - Perfect Cover was disappearing after 6-8 hours, Complete can last about 9-10.

Price: from £5 for the 20ml or from £11 for 45ml.

Pros:
+ moisturising
+ doesn't roll up in wrinkles
+ choice of four colours
+ No. 21 nicely fits my natural skin tone
+ impressive ingredients list

Cons:
 - a little bit heavy on the face, seems to stimulate sebum production
- it doesn't last for the promised 12 hours - disappears after 9-10.

The Signature Real Complete seems to be Perfect Cover's big sister. A bit more fancy packaging, extended ingredients, extended lasting, richer feel. If I would have to choose between the two I think I would go for Signature, even though it makes my face a bit more oily. However both of them are a decent products, but there are better ones for my skin type out there, so I am not planing the purchase of full size. If you have mature or/and more dry skin this may be worth trying. 

Why it's important to check ingredients? L'oreal Youth Code Night Recovery Cream

One of the advantage of working in the superstore is possibility of being the first to grab a bargain. Some time ago we had range change in our skin care section and I grabbed discontinued L'oreal's night cream for £3, while the full price was £15 or so. Product was discontinued because L'oreal decided to refresh the range and change the packaging.
I must admit that I wasn't planing to review this product. I bought it only because I realised I am running out of my night cream and it takes at least two weeks for order from Korea to arrive, so I needed something quickly. From all the superstore available night creams I got that one, not only because of price, but also because I feel sentimental about L'oreal. My friend gave me for my 16th birthday L'oreal Pure Zone (line designed for young, acne troubled skin, discontinued now) gift set, that contained face wash, toner, cream and some spot product in handy cosmetic bag. I enjoyed using the series, however as a teenager I didn't have any regular income (no pocket money :P) and I struggled to save money to buy the whole series again, so I had to choose one favourite product (cream) and continued using it for through the whole high school. The cosmetic bag in this gift set was great - I still use it now, after 7 years and it's in great condition :)

But let's focus on the Youth Code. I bought it couple of months ago, when I was waiting for my Secret Key's set to arrive. I used it only couple of times, it seemed ok, but as soon as Secret Key arrived I have put it away and forgot about it. About two weeks ago I finished my snail cream and the snail gel is too light for night use, so I started to use L'oreal again... here it is:

The cream is packed in heavy, glass jar, 50ml capacity. Jar was packed into cardboard box, box was sealed in foil. Unfortunately I have thrown away the box, so I can't give you original product description, but the new version's description is:
Mature skin and young skin behave differently when exposed to external aggressions. As you age, skin takes longer to recover and responds more slowly.
L’Oréal Paris introduces new Youth Code Night Recovery Cream, inspired by gene science.
Every morning, wake up to visibly younger-looking skin:
1st morning. Intensively hydrated, skin appears less creased. Complexion is refreshed.
After 7 nights. Skin recovers a smooth, more rested appearance and signs of fatigue appear reduced.
After 28 nights. Wrinkles appear visibly reduced. Skin looks rejuvenated.

Promises, promises...

 

Cream has nice, lavender colour, the colour appeals to me as something shooting and calming (again: promises, promises...). It also has very strong smell - smell is very characteristic, perfume like, posh. It stays on skin for a long period of time, on the face we will smell it only for a while, but at the moment I have it on my hands and every time my hand goes close to my face I can still smell it (after 30mins), even though I catched cold and my nose is blocked. This intensive smell is the first thing that rose my suspicions: do my wrinkles need perfume?

Cream has nice texture, rich, but not too heavy. It absorbs fairly quickly and leaves skin matte, so matte that there is still no shine in the morning. I have oily skin and I suppose I could use this cream on a daytime, but in reduced amount, as it leaves film on the skin. Moisturising effect is fair. So what's my problem with this product?
Since February I am taking antibiotics to keep my acne at bay. My acne type are painful bumps on the skin, accumulating under the skin surface (professionally called nodules), they take long time to heal and leave scars. Usually there was only one, max two appearing at once on my face, mostly around mouth, chin and lower cheeks area. Since I'm on antibiotics I didn't have a single nodule, sometimes before my period some pimple would appear, but nothing major or painful. So my nodules stayed away until I reached for this cream - after week of using it three nodules appeared. Three! That's my record! I have never ever experienced three at one time before! The first one went away quickly, the second one I nipped in the bud (my irreplaceable Lioele Acne Patches), but the third one was haunting me for good couple of days. What annoyed me the most was the fact, that they appeared on my jaw line, place that was always trouble free, where my skin used to be fair and smooth. Despite of this cream I didn't introduce any new product into my skincare, I didn't change the diet or supplements, I didn't change antibiotics dose, I wasn't before my period - so I am 99,9% sure the Youth Code is to blame.
I decided to look into ingredients list. I have already thrown away the packaging, so I had to research for a while to find the ingredients list, but when I found it I am no longer surprised that I caused me to break out:

AQUA / WATER, SQUALANE, CYCLOHEXASILOXANE, GLYCERIN, CETYL ALCOHOL, GLYCERYL STEARATE, PEG40 STEARATE, MYRISTYL MYRISTATE, OCTYLDODECANOL, ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE, SORBITAN TRISTEARATE, MANNITOL, POLYACRYLAMIDE, TEREPHTHALYLIDENE DICAMPHOR SULFONIC ACID, NIACINAMIDE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, PANTHENOL C1314 ISOPARAFFIN, TRIETHANOLAMINE, CAPRYLOYL SALICYLIC ACID, ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, LAURETH7, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, CYCLODEXTRIN, DISODIUM EDTA, FAEX / YEAST EXTRACT, DISODIUM SUCCINATE, SCUTELLARIA BAICALENSIS / SCUTELLARIA BAICALENSIS ROOT EXTRACT, MORUS BOMBYCIS / MORUS BOMBYCIS ROOT EXTRACT, HYDROLYZED SOY PROTEIN, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, CHLORPHENESIN, CI 15985 / YELLOW 6, PARFUM / FRAGRANCE, CITRAL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, ALPHAISOMETHYL IONONE, BENZYL BENZOATE, GERANIOL, CITRONELLOL, COUMARIN. 

Let's state something - I am not ingredients expert, I still have to google a lot and go through the ingredients with CosDNA. But even I can see that this ingredients list is up to no good. First we got slapped in the face with silicons, then potentially comedogenic surfactants (Cetyl Acohol, Myristyl Myristate), then there are two UV filters (in a night cream? What for?) and then finally yes, we do have some good ingredients:
Yeast extract - rich in protein that can nourish the skin, contains beta glucan that can prevent skin from ageing and improve skin immunity and moisture; rich in various vitamins B that can flatten wrinkles, reduce pigmentation and soften the skin.
Baikal Skullcap root extract - used in traditional folk Asian medicine thanks to it's anti-inflammatory, shooting, anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties. It soothes irritated skin, prone to allergies, rashes, eczema, preventing inflammatory process in epidermis. The extract of this plant tones skin and stimulates natural collagen production. It also showed whitening effect on skin and ability to reduce sun and age induced pigmentation.
Chinese mulberry root extract - stimulates collagen production, has a strong brightening effect, lightening sun and age spots,has a strong anti-inflammatory effect on skin, healing and calming irritations.
And while you think everything is going to be alright, the ingredients list finishes of with... wait for it... 4 preservatives and 9!!! fragrance agents. I really don't understand how my skin could resist those three good ingredients...
CosDNA ingredients analysis [HERE]

Price: I bought it as a discontinued item fo only £3, the new version costs about £16.

Pros:
+ mattifies skin, no shine even in the morning
+ moisturises

Cons:
- INGREDIENTS!!!
- strong smell
- price, for those ingredients that price should be illegal, seriously.

Summing up: well, considering how little I payed for it, I don't really regret the purchase - it was an interesting experience, I would have never thought that cream can "defeat" antibiotics. I am going to avoid this comapny's creams, which is a bit of a shame, I have theirs toner and micellar solution, that have nice, simple ingredients lists and perform well. I should have check the ingredients list before I actually bough it/applied it on my face, but I didn't thought about it, as I bought many Korean products without the ingredients check and none of those harm my skin in any way. Just to give you some comparison: have a look onto Secret Key's snail gel ingredients, product made by company considered by some bloggers with more experience in Asian skincare and able to spend more money on it, as an "average brand", brand that is relatively cheap. A few good for skin ingredients right at the top of the list, no preservatives, only one fragrance agent. And all of that for 1/3 of L'oreal's price...

Beautiful shiny hair: Shwarzkopf Essence Ultime Diamond Color Illuminating Oil

Some time ago Schwarzkopf developed with Claudia Schiffer two new lines of cosmetics - Blonde Ultime (hair colourants) and Essence Ultime (haircare). In Essence Ultime line we can find basic stuff like shampoos and conditioners, but also spray conditioners, hair masks, BB cream for hair (kind of leave-in conditioner) and hair oils. One of this oils it the topic of my review today :)

Product description: Dazzling colour luminosity with diamond gloss serum & UV filter for coloured, highlighted hair. Application:
1. Pre-wash for colour sealing
2. After-wash on damp hair to seal and smooth
3. Style-finish for illuminated colour and shine

Oil is in a nice, plastic bottle with 75ml capacity. The bottle has handy pump applicator, which makes application nice & easy. The pump reaches right to the bottom of the bottle, so there shouldn't be any problems with using up the product.

As we can easily expect from drugstore oil, it is not 100% natural product, it contains silicones, perfume (limonene, geraniol) and colourants (CI 40800 - beta carotene). Despite of this it also contains:

• Sunflower Seed Oil - provides a rich source of unsaturated linoleic and oleic fatty acids and Vitamin E. It creates protective film protecting skin/hair from water loss.
• Apricot Kernel Oil - rich in essential fatty acids, which are vital components of the human organism. It creates protective film on the skin/hair.
• Octocrylene - an oil soluble, water resistant absorber covering UVB and short UVA (a.k.a. UVA-2). It is a relatively weak sunscreen, inadequate when used alone. On the other hand, octocrylene is very stable and it both protects and augments other UV absorbers while improving their uniform skin coating. 

Full ingredients list: Cyclomethicone, Dimethiconol, Helianthus Annus Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Octocrylene, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Limonene, Beznzyl Salicylate, Alpha-Isomethyllonone, Coumarin, Geraniol, Citronellol, CI 40800.

I take care for my oily hair in similar way as for my oily skin - I use basic and lightweight care in the morning and more rich, heavy stuff, that may increase oiliness at the nighttime. Originally I intended to use this oil at nighttime, but it turned out to be surprisingly lightweight. This oil is not very greasy, my damp hair absorbs it quickly. I apply the oil to my fringe and close to the roots, but it doesn't make my hair look greasy, just shiny and smooth. For one application I use 2-3 pumps, a little goes a long way. After two month of using every other day I used only 1/4 of the bottle. Typically for Schwarzkopf product it smells beautifully, the smell stays on hair for a while.

As you can see my hair doesn't look greasy after oil application, just nice and shiny.

Price: about £5, I bought it on offer for £3. In UK it's widely available in many drugstores and supermarkets.

Pros:
+ lightweight, doesn't make hair greasy
+ beautiful smell
+ gives hair glorious shine
+ little goes a long way
+ handy pump applicator

Cons:
- contains silicones, colourants etc. - no use for people looking for natural haircare
- quite pricey for an oil - we could buy two 100% natural oils in this price
- weak UV filter

In general I am pleased with this product, however I am not sure about re-purchase - I would like to try 100% natural hair oils (but if they turn out heavy I will continue using this one in the morning). If you don't mind silicones in you hair care routine this is definitely worth trying.