Viva Woman

I wish I can say that this is a miraculous potion and it was worth every cent I paid. But for what I’ve paid, La Mer The Radiant Infusion just didn’t deliver up to my expections. Especially so when I compared it with La Mer Serum which was truly amazing. But then again, the price tag for the latter was doubly so.

What worked
La Mer The Radiant Infusion is a mesh-like sea gel containing La Mer’s exclusive Deconstructed Waters and is said to provide high-potency infusion that promises to deliver radiance, clarity, pore-minimizing and tone. Well, it did deliver radiance alright. In fact, I noticed an immediate perk-me-up effect upon application with a glow that was visible especially when I’ve had a late night. My tired face did look less so when I apply this on in the morning after toning.

If you read the product description, the concoction sounds amazing but I don’t know what to make out of it except that this is in between a toner and a serum.  It is very diluted but it leaves a slightly sticky film before it dries completely and is quickly absorbed into the skin, leaving no silicone texture. Some have described the aroma as lovely but to me, it just smells like fermented lime tea although it didn’t turn me off.

What didn’t
My main disappointment with La mer The Radiant Infusion is that it didn’t deliver the pore minimizing effects as claimed for me. I’ve used it since mid October last year but I have nothing positive to report about my pore size.  Neither did I notice my skin becoming visibly clearer overtime.

In addition, I agree with most reviewers that this product scores low on hygiene factor. La Mer should have included a tube dispenser or pump. Instead, I have to be careful when pouring out the lotion onto my hands, for fear of over-dosing as well as introducing bacteria into the bottle.  But one thing though; the price isn’t that expensive if you factor in the fact that you don’t have to use a lot of this each time so the product can last quite awhile.

Going by the name, the product did deliver radiance for me.  But going by the claims, this product has over promised but under delivered for me. 

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These are from my recent Mexoryl-based sunscreen loot:

1. Vichy Capital Soleil SPF 50+  Face Cream For Reactive Skin    
2. La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Fluide Extreme For Face 
3. La-Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Lait Veloute Face & Body Lotion

In my earlier entry about Mexoryl-based sunscreens for maximum protection, I mentioned I wanted to get one or two to try out but eventually, I went out to buy three of them.  They were all below S$40 and La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL 50+ Fluide Extreme in particular was even going for under S$20 with a special promotion.  So it was really hard to resist.

Protection
In terms of formulation, La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL 50+ Fluide Extreme For Face and La-Roche-Posay Anthelios XL 50+ Lait Veloute Face & Body Lotion are more superior because both contain Mexoryl SX and Merxoryl XL, a combination that is said to be the most potent photostable anti-aging sun filters for UVA and UVB rays.  Mexoryl SX or XL alone does not provide complete protection.  Just refer to the following rating compiled by Environmental Protection Agency on Ecamsule (Mexoryl SX) with inputs I obtained from Cosmetics Database about Drometrizole Trisiloxane (Mexoryl XL).

 
(Drometrizole Trisiloxane not officially in FDA monograph. I added it here for reference only, with inputs obtained from Cosmetics Database.)

Vichy Capital Soleil 50+  Face Cream For Reactive Skin also offers very high protection but the sunscreen only contains Mexoryl XL.  But this formulation contains Eperuline, a sensitivity regulator and is therefore most ideal for those with allergic and very sensitive skins, limiting the chain of events leading to sun intolerance reactions.

But since I don’t have sensitive skin, I find that using the La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL range gave me better peace of mind because the formulation promise better total protection and they even come with Titanium Dioxide and Octocrylene.



(Drometrizole Trisiloxane not officially in FDA monograph. I added it here for reference only, with inputs obtained from Cosmetics Database.)

Texture
All three sunscreens give fabulous velvety protection and left no white marks or greasy effects upon application.  In fact, La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Fluide Extreme For Face which is in milky form left no trace of oil at all on my face.  Vichy Capital Soleil SPF 50+  Face Cream For Reactive Skin is creamy on contact but again, left my face almost greaseless.  However, this is because both products contain alcohol denat which drys and strips your skin’s moisture when used overtime. 

La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Lait Veloutte Face & Body Lotion is much more creamy, feels a tad oily upon application but it dries up pretty fast on my hands, leaving no greasy marks.  When applied on my face, my skin did feel slightly greasy though it was manageable.  The good thing is that I didn’t see alcohol denat on the ingredient list for this product.

Summary
I have to concede that all the three Mexoryl-based sunscreens work great on our skin but for the sake of comparison, La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL range is better especially the La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL SPF 50+ Lait Veloutte Face & Body Lotion which is also water resistant.

But honestly, I’m not exactly comfortable using these chemical sunscreens even though they promose ultra protection because of their ingredients.  Even if they do not contain alcohol denat, they contain a whole lot more chemical ingredients compared to mineral sunscreens.   The only attraction for me about chemical sunscreens with Mexoryl is that you’re virtually impervious to sun exposure.  As I mentioned in my earlier entry, Mexoryl is photostable and this means you can wear it all day long without the need to reapply and yet receive long lasting, effective protection as it does not degrade in sunlight. 

I guess I will continue to wear these for awhile given the fact it has been exceptionally sunny on most days now.  I will most probably however, just limit to my hands and switch back to mineral based sunscreens for my face.

And please also read my post on tips on sunscreen protection & application.

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Last month, I mentioned Ferro Cosmetics Mineral Makeup and I said I’ll be reviewing the products as well as bringing my readers an exclusive promo.  Well, here it is!  Just for the readers of Viva Woman, Ferro Cosmetics is offerring FREE international shipping on orders US$75 or more, plus US$5 off purchases over US$40.  If you’re located in US, you already get free shipping on purchases over $49 but you can still benefit from the $5 discount. Just use promo code VIVA200 during checkout. 

And here are my reviews on Ferro Cosmetics mineral foundation, mineral veil, mineral glow and mineral eyeshadow. 

Mineral foundation that last all day
Ferro Cosmetics offers two types of mineral foundation; the Radiance Foundation and the Ultimate Foundation.  I really love the Radiance Foundation!  While it is said to offer sheer-to-medium coverage, I find that it gives my face good enough coverage for a natural-looking, radiant glow.  In fact, my face, which is combination type, still looks good with just a slight sheen around my cheeks after a full day, despite our warm weather now.  This picture shows how I look with Radiance Foundation in Light Beige R-2 after wearing it for 6 hours.  Please note that I did not apply concealer to my face, except for the undereye area and I did not apply any blusher or veil either.

The best thing I like about Ferro Cosmetics’ Mineral Foundation is that the shades I see on their websites — Pale Honey, Light Biege and Honey Creme which match my fair skin tone — actually work precisely for me.  I don’t need to order a shade up, unlike some of the other brands of mineral foundations like EM, Lumiere and Alima I’ve tried.  I’m not going to dissect the ingredient list but I believe it’s because Ferro Cosmetics mineral foundations have concentrated minerals for the coverage and that’s why their shades can match exactly.

And maybe it’s for this reason that the Ultimate Foundation doesn’t work as well for me as it contains more minerals than the Radiance Foundation with pearl and pure silk powder to give matte, full-coverage.  So when I put this on using the same amount I usually use, I get a darker tone even for the same shade although I concede it does give me better coverage overall.  If I want to stick to this, I have to remember to layer less to get a more desirable effect.

Because of the health concerns surrounding inhaling Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) in nano particle form in powdered mineral makeup, I asked Krissy Ferro, who is the founder of Ferro Cosmetics about their position on this and here is what she said:

“About nano-particles, we don’t use them. Micronized particles are extremely small, however they are absorbed into the body like anything else we put on our skin.  We do use micronized titanium dioxide in our darker shades of Ultimate Foundation because it offers more sun protection and allows the darker pigments to show without being cakey and heavy.”

Matt mineral veil
I tried Sheer Matt, Nude Matt and Rose Matt Mineral Veil and I have to say Sheer works best for me.  Nude somehow gives me a darker tone.  But I’m happy with Radiance Foundation on its own and usually do not to brush on anymore veil afterwards.  The picture you see above also did not include any mineral veil.

3-in-1 mineral glow
Ferro Cosmetics’ Glow are great because they’re 3-in-1!  You can use them as a bronzer, a blush or an eyeshadow.  I like the Glow Baby Glow most because it’s great as as a warm blush for me.  I’ve got Spring Kiss too but since it is darker, I can use it as an eyeshadow base.

Delicious mineral eye candy
I tried Ferro Cosmetics Pearl Eye Candy which offers a beautiful sheen.  I’m in love with Sage, a very fresh dose of subtle green which is great for my skin tone and it works great with Emerald Smoke which I use for crease contouring or as an eyeliner.   Sapphire Smoke is a very deep blue and works well as an eyeliner but I wish they offer a pale blue to match. 

But whichever color you pick, you have to order at least one of their eye candies.  Their packaging is so cute and they come with sifter which means, no mess and no wastage!  I also noticed that their pigments are really concentrated and I just need to use a little each time.  So it’s true what they say, that a little goes a long way!

Summary
If you’re into mineral makeup, you want to try this line to see for yourself the difference with some of the others in the market.  Their foundation formulations are pretty concentrated and yields a good finishing.   And because they are more concentrated, you don’t have to layer too much of it to achieve sufficient coverage.  But you’ll need to find out for yourself if Ultimate works for you, or like me, Radiance is better.  You can always try their mini foundation kit which comes in fully labeled 5 gram jars with a sifter.  I’m using those now and they actually last awhile.

Application techniques
Before I go, I leave you with a link to videos that Krissy Ferro has put up to demonstrate how to put on mineral makeup.  Even though I’ve used mineral makeup for nine months now, I’ve learnt something new, which is to start out by applying foundation on the jawline first and work your way in so as to avoid an overdose of powder on the cheeks.  Additionally, I’ve also discovered on my own that I shouldn’t be using the brush in a circular motion around my face, but rather buff it downwards so as not to push the pigments into my pores and accentuating them in the process.

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Having used Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil for eight weeks now, it’s time I review the product and also let you know how this product stacks up against Renew Certified 100% Organic Rose Hip Oil which I was using end of last year.

Facts on Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil
Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil is extracted from the seeds and fruit of certified organic, wild-grown rosehips and contains a powerful blend of natural nutrients including 80% essential fatty acids (oleic, linoleic and linolenic), vitamin E and the antioxidant lycopene, all well known for their ability to promote skin repair and rejuvenation of skin cells.

This organic rosehip oil is said to be most effective as a daily moisturiser for the face and body.  On top of leaving skin feeling soft and hydrated all day long, Trilogy Rosehip Oil is supposed to help minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, scars, ageing skin and damaged skin.  In fact, results from the clinical assessment to test the efficacy of Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil after eight weeks of use reported skin moisture improved by up to 44%, while appearance of wrinkles reduced by up to 23% and skin smoothness improved by up to 21%.

(graphs from Trilogy’s website)

Comparison: Benefits
I only use Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil in the evening as a nourishing overnight facial.  While the clinical results on improving skin moisture and smoothness are true for me, I don’t see much of a reduction in terms of my wrinkles.  However I feel a tightness over my skin everytime I apply Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil and I always wake up in the morning with soft and supple skin.  In addition, like Renew 100% Organic Rose Hip Oil, Trilogy Rosehip Oil certainly helped to lighten new scars for me. 

Comparison: Texture
I cannot tell if Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil is finer than Renew 100% Organic Rose Hip Oil.  They both feel the same to me but when applied on the face, I would concede that Trilogy’s feels less oily and is quickly absorbed.  In fact, I could even apply moisturizer afterwards, something I wasn’t quite able to do with Renew’s. 

Comparison:Smell
Perhaps the most obvious difference between the two products is the smell.  Despite the richer golden color, Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil doesn’t smell as strong as Renew Rose Hip Oil. 

Comparison: Packaging
Both use dark glass storage with a tube dispenser and so they’re similar in that respect.   However, Trilogy’s is 20ml while Renew’s is 15ml.

Summary
Let me first say that I like both products because my skin benefitted from using them.  However, in terms of product quality, I would say Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil is more superior.  If you’re into trying rosehip oil and your face is slightly oily, then I would recommend Trilogy over Renew.  Then again, do note that Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil do cost more at S$30 for the 20ml bottle. 

As a sum up, I’m giving Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil 4.5 hearts for keeping my face well nourished.  The missing half heart is for no visible reduction in wrinkles. 

In Singapore, you can find Trilogy’s range of products at Watson’s in Ngee Ann City and Raffle’s City.

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There are a couple of selling points for Lavera SPF40 Neutral Sunblock.  This is a 100% mineral based high SPF sunblock made with carefully selected organic ingredients and is specifically developed for people suffering from allergies, and extremely sensitive skin.  It is certified as vegan and 100% free from synthetic filters, perfumes, colourings, preservatives as well as flower extracts, herbal extracts and essential oils.  In addition, it provides UVA, UVB and even UVC sunblock protection and is waterproof.

Immediate protection
However, the one selling point that stood out most for me is that this sunblock provides instant protection upon application with no waiting time necessary. 

Honestly, I don’t know how much to believe this because as far as I understand, it takes about 20 minutes for sunscreens or sunblocks to optimally distribute themselves within the stratum corneum (horny outer layer of the epidermis).  But since I couldn’t find anymore information on their website or anywhere else to explain this claim so I’m not taking any chances.

Update: I’ve since read that physical sunblocks containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide work immediately because they literally form a protective shield over our skin and hence, it is true that Laveral SPF 40 Neutral Sunblock can offer immediate protection upon application.


Sixth safest sunblock rated by EWG
I don’t have sensitive skin but I was keen to try Lavera SPF40 Neutral Sunblock because this product came out six on the list of best sunblock in terms of safety by the Environmental Working Group.  The product was assessed to provide effective sun protection against UVA and UVB rays and having a rather low hazard in terms of the safety and non toxicity of the ingredients - rated at 2 due to the Ethanol (grain alcohol).  You may also like to refer to the following rating compiled by Environmental Protection Agency.

Rich, creamy and slightly greasy
Having used this for awhile now, I have to say that Lavera SPF40 Neutral Sunblock is better for those with drier skin.  The texture is rich, creamy and slightly greasy and does leave a white overcast on the face if you don’t blend well.  You definitely need to layer this sunblock with some powdered foundation to take off the excessive shine.  This formulation is fragrance free but it does have a mild smell because it contains organic evening primrose oil to nourish and active ingredients from licquorice root to soothe.

Performance above average
Overall, I would rate this sunblock as above average even though I have combination skin.  It works well for me and I like the claim that it is waterproof, though I have to qualify that I have yet to substantiate this as yet. But judging from the texture upon application, this might hold some water.  In addition, for an organic sunblock, Lavera SPF40 Neutral Sunblock is fairly priced.  The 50ml plastic tube retails at S$28 from Watson’s but I got it slightly cheaper with a 20% discount.   

Ingredients
Aqua, Glycine Soja*, Titanium Dioxide, Polyglceryl-3 Ricinoleate, Glycerin, Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tricaprylin, Helianthus Annuus*, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Oleate, Simmondsia Chinensis*, Prunus Dulcis*, Oenothera Biennis*, Canola , Glucose Glutamate, Aloe Barbadebnsis*, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hippophae Rhammoides, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Alumina, Stearic Acid, Tocopherol, Betaglucan, Ascorbyl Palmitate *ingredients from certified organic agriculture. Contains coated nano particles.

If you have dry sensitive skin proned to allergies, you may want to give this sunblock a try.  And please also read my post on tips on sunscreen protection & application.

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