Review: Nuxe & Caudalie Shower Gels

I was very kindly sent a few products from the lovely people at Farmaline which is a online pharmacy based in Belgium that sell a wide range of skincare (particularly french skincare) that you cannot really find in the UK. For more information on my disclaimer, click here, honesty as always. 

Caudalie Fleur De Vigne Shower Gel (£8.02, 200ml): I have the fragrance from Caudalie of this scent and I adore it. The scent is so fresh - it smells like freshly cut grass and a summers day! The shower gel packaging is great and the delivery time was fantastic (super fast delivery). The shower gel lathers really well so you only need a small amount each time and the scent is just heaven, perfect for this time of the year. It leaves my skin smooth, clean and it doesn't irritate my skin at all. Overall, I love Caudalie as a brand and every product from them (apart from one) has been amazing, including this one. ★★★★★, 5/5 stars!

Nuxe Fondant Shower Gel (£7.22, 200ml): If you are not a fan of super fresh, almost herbal scents then this one may be for you. I haven't tried any other Nuxe shower gels but I need too now. This one is soap free so if you are sensitive to soap, this one may be one to try. The scent is just gorgeous, it smells like sugared almonds, vanilla, marshmallow - so lush, girly and sweet! I adore the scent of both shower gels. As with the Caudalie shower gel, this one lathers really well too, you only need a small amount. So even though they are a little expensive, you do get a lot of product and a little does a long way with these two shower gels. ★★★★★, 5/5 stars.

Have you tried either of these shower gels before? 

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Review: Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum

I was very happy to receive this serum from the lovely people at Escentual (my favourite destination for French skincare in the UK)! Even though I received this product to review, my opinions are my own - honesty as always. For more information on my personal disclaimer, click here.

I have the *Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum (£12.75 1/3 off throughout March, 30ml). I have tried a few skincare products from Avene - I hate the Avene rich compensating cream as it does irritate my skin but the Avene no rinse gentle cleanser and the Avene water spray are just amazing! 

Firstly, the delivery was quick and the product was well packaged. The packaging for the serum is simple and effective, no excess packaging in my opinion. The bottle is made of frosted glass which looks and feels very expensive and luxe in my opinion - it makes the product feel nicer to use if it has pretty, luxe packaging! 

I have tried a few serums such as the YSL youth liberator serum (which I adore), the Caudalie sos serum and the Boots botanics skin relief serum, all of which I like. I haven't used a serum since this one for a while and I think serums do make a nice, effective addition to my skincare routine. A serum is used after cleansing and before moisturising, there are a lot of serums on the market and they all have different claims. This serum is aimed at dry/dehydrated/sensitive skin types which described my skin perfectly. I have been using this serum twice a day for about one week now and I love it! 

The serum glides onto the skin so effortlessly, you only need one pump for the whole face and it makes my skin feel so smooth, soft and moisturised. It doesn't irritate my skin at all (and I have on/off eczema patches). I love the way it feels on the skin, it absorbs quickly and it makes a nice addition to my skin care routine. I find it adds an almost instant boost of smoothness and moisture to my skin which it definitely needs! 

Overall, I am very happy with the packaging, application and results of this serum. I will be buying it when I have finished this bottle. All french skincare brands are currently 1/3 off throughout March on Escentual and I have quite a few items on my wish list such as the Avene gentle toner, the Caudalie nourishing body lotion (which I LOVE) and the Caudalie divine oil. As for this little wonder serum, it has to be ★★★★★, 5/5.

Have you tried this serum? What are your top french skincare products?

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Review: Caudalie Beauty Elixir

I put off buying this product for such a long time but I did eventually buy it and...I LOVE it! I used this up fully a couple of weeks ago and I am going to put it in a empties blog post but this product is so good it had to have a post dedicated to it.

Firstly, what is this product? It is a glorified water spray, like the Avene and Vichy sprays. They are multipurpose, designed to be used as a refreshing facial water spray, a toner and a makeup setting spray. I use it for all three purposes and it is great at all three.

Refreshing water spray: I took this product on holiday with me last year and it was really useful. We went on a cruise holiday with Royal Caribbean and we went to Italy, Corsica, Sardinia and Spain - so it was quite hot. This product came in so useful on holiday, it has an instant cooling effect on the skin which lasts for a while which was great. It is great for refreshing the skin!

Toner: I also use it as a toner, but sparingly, as it is fairly expensive. I spray it onto a cotton pad and then sweep it over the face and neck. It again has an instant cooling effect and the skin just feels clean and refreshed but not dry or irritated which is fantastic!

Makeup setting spray: This product works really well as a makeup setting spray - it refreshed old makeup and it is great as a final setting spray to stop makeup looking caky or powdery. It also makes the skin glowing and radiant - I don't know how it makes my skin look so radiant (but not shiny or oily) - it is amazing!

Overall, it is an expensive product but it works so well, the packaging is great, it doesn't irritate my dry/sensitive skin and it makes my skin look great! Also because it is multipurpose I can justify the price tag - I am definitely going to repurchase soon! x

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