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Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm
by pink_glitter
Ages ago I was sent a generous sized tub of the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Balm Cleanser in a beauty box along with an Emma Hardie face cloth. At the time I hadn't heard of Emma Hardie products but I love trying different cleansers so was excited to try this out. Unfortunately this somehow got put into a box and forgotten about for ... a while, but I saw someone talking about this in a video on Youtube, so dug it out and have been using it for a while now.
The first thing I noticed about this was the packaging, which is absolutely beautiful. It comes boxed and the pot that this comes in looks really good quality and expensive. It's a sort of silvery-gold colour with a thick clear plastic wall around it and it immediately gives the impression of being a luxury product.
The product is described as being 'lift and sculpt' which may indicate it is for the more mature woman, however it seems to have gained a bit of a cult following amongst younger girls. There is no indication on the box of what skin type this is for.
The cleanser itself is a pale yellow colour and in the tub it looks a lot like petroleum jelly. It has a very unusual texture which is hard to describe, but I'd say it's kind of like a thick, greasy balm.
I was worried I wouldn't like the scent, as the only other moringa products I recall are those from the Body Shop, and although I don't recall exactly what they smelled like, I do know I wasn't keen on them. This product however, I do like the scent of - it's floral yet not overpowering and I think it smells a lot like evening primrose.
To use the cleanser, you just scoop some out, mix it with a bit of water in your hand and apply all over your face. When you mix this with water it softens up and turns into a thick white cream. As you smooth it onto your face however, it goes clear and feels like you are applying an oil to your skin. It's very unusual but I really like it. One negative point I have found, is that to cover the entire face you will need to use quite a lot of product - more than I would expect certainly. This cleanser is quite pricey so I find that slightly irritating, as obviously I'd like to have my moneys worth!
To remove the cleanser you simply soak a cleansing cloth in water, squeeze out any excess and wipe your face. As I mentioned I was sent an Emma Hardie cloth with this. These are sold separately at a cost of £8 for three. Personally, I have used the Emma Hardie cloth, a Liz Earle muslin cloth and a cheap flannel with this product and found absolutely no difference to the way my skin has been afterwards. I therefore wouldn't really recommend paying extra to have the branded cloths.
In terms of effectiveness I have been really impressed with this product. It will take off all make-up in one application and my skin feels moisturised and soft after use. I did try it once to remove eye make up (including waterproof mascara) and whilst it got most of it off, I did feel that I needed to use a separate eye make up remover to feel that I had got my eye area really clean.
As well as a cleanser, apparently this product can be used as a 'rescue balm' on dry knees and elbows or even as a lip balm! I haven't tried it in any of these ways, but I suppose that is a bonus and goes to prove how moisturising it is.
A 100ml pot of this cleanser costs £34 from www.feelunique.com. Despite how good the product is, I do think that is extremely expensive and I'm not sure I would want to spend that much. I think if I did repurchase it would probably be as a one of treat and definitely not an everyday thing.
Leaving the price out of things, then I would have to say that this is an excellent cleanser and I'd even go so far as to say it's probably the best I have ever used. I suffer from dry skin and the moisturising properties of this product have left my skin hydrated and looking brighter without a doubt. The price tag is the biggest negative point for me - as I said you need quite a lot per use, so you can't be economical with it and therefore I am awarding it four stars out of five.
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Vichy Normaderm Purifying Astringent Toner
by sparkle1004
I became familiar with Vichy as a brand when I lived in Italy as their products were available in many of their pharmacies and stores. I have had only good experiences with brand so I am always open to trying their products. I have oily skin with enlarged pores and I know that toners can help with this problem and so I bought Vichy ... Normaderm Purifying Astringent Toner.
What does the product do?
The product promises to deal with shininess, clogged and enlarged pores and imperfections, all of which I suffer with. It claims to help to prevent the production of 9excess sebum by tightening the pores and to remove impurities from the pores given the skin a more clear, matte and smooth appearance. It also helps to soothe the skin and to reduce any inflammation of blemishes. It also contains Salicylic Acid which is a chemical exfoliant that helps to remove dead and dull skin cells to leave the skin more radiant and smooth.
How do you use the product?
The product is to be applied to skin that has already been cleansed. You are instructed to apply a thin layer to the face once a day and to adjust the application according to how your skin reacts. In order to apply the product, you can pour some of it onto some cotton wool and wipe it onto the skin that way. You then leave it on the skin so you mustn't rinse the product off again.
Packaging and Price
The product comes contained within a green plastic bottle which has a flip top lid which it easy to open and close. It has some more information given about the product on the back of the bottle and the bottle hasn't little design or decoration. The toner will cost you £10 for 200 grams of the product and it can be bought from department stores such as Boots and Debenhams, and also from a range of online websites.
Application and Performance
The product has the runny consistency which you would expect from a product of this type. When you are pouring the product onto the cotton pad, you have to take care that you don't pour out too much. You don't want the pad to be soaked with the toner but rather suitably damp. The product has quite a refreshing aroma and doesn't have that strong alcohol smell that some toners do, even though it does contain alcohol. As you wipe it onto the face, you don't get that strong stinging feeling that I have felt with other toners but you do experience a bit of a tingling. I quite enjoy the sensation however because it does feel like it's doing a good job without it feeling like I'm hurting my skin.
Some dirt and make up does come off on the cotton pad even after cleansing my skin with a facial wash so it gives the skin an even deeper clean. It also has reduced the size of my pores with continued use which is great news for me as my pores are quite enlarged. This is turn has made my skin a little less oily but hasn't stopped my oily complexion completely from making my skin shiny. I am prone to the odd blemish here and there which is embarrassing at my age but this seems to have kept my skin clear so far. It hasn't irritated my skin or caused me to experience any discomfort. Even though the product isn't particularly cheap, it will last you a very long time.
Conclusion
All in all, this is a good toner which cleanses my skin, tightens my pores and keeps my skin clear. It tingles on the skin but doesn't hurt and it has reduced the excess oils which are produced by my skin. It leaves my face feeling fresher, cleaner and more matte. It doesn't dry out my skin or make it feel tight or uncomfortable. This is a good product which I would probably repurchase.
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