Review: La Roche Posay Compensating Moisturiser

Ever since summer started, I have been biking a lot around New York City. There is nothing like exploring the city on a bike! Its just so different from walking on the streets in the crowds or sitting in a cab gazing. Biking during sunset by the west side is just so beautiful. Anyway, back to the point: after returning home from biking, there were several times I would notice that my face would look so oily and all the tinted moisturizer would just be sliding all over my face. Many times, I'd wake up in the morning and look like a complete grease ball. I failed to understand what was happening. My beloved Avene Skin Recovery Cream was failing me and I could not figure out what.

La Roche Posay Effaclar H Compensating Soothing Moisturizer

So I researched quite a bit. It was bothering me so badly that I had to figure out what else I could start using. And recently I have been obsessed with Caroline Hiron's blog. I read the cheat sheets and her Mineral Oil rant post- and she clearly mentions how mineral oil is a huge no-no. I had always known that my Avene Skin Recovery Cream contained mineral oil so I did some research to confirm. Turned out that one of the primary ingredients in that moisturizer is mineral oil.

While I was hunting for good budget moisturizers, I also emailed the gorgeous Shifa at GetGawjus (she is the best person ever! she is actually one of those bloggers you can reach out to and get a sweet response from) and she told me how the La Roche Posay Compensating Soothing Moisturizer was a no frills moisturizer that works really well for her. My skin being combination and sensitive, I decided to give it try. I even did an ingredient comparison to make sure there was no mineral oil in it and also found the US and UK versions to be the same (unlike the Effaclar Duo has different versions for US and UK)

Pros:

1. Smells better than the Avene moisturizer (smells pleasant)
2. No mineral oil (no more looking like I can make fritters on my face)
3. Absorbs well. Does not slide around the face making it a good base for makeup
4. No whiteheads from it (didnt realize the previous moisturizer was causing whiteheads on the nose and chin)
5. No oily face when I wake up


Cons:

None really at this point although I feel come winter I am going to need something more hydrating at night!

If you are looking for a nice budget moisturizer that does the job then give this a try! I got mine from Ebay. But you can get it from Escentual, Amazon, Ebay or Echemist.co.uk

Review: Alpha H Liquid Gold

The Beginning

I have been using the Alpha H Liquid Gold for over 2 months now. I found out about this product thanks to Ruth Crilly from AModelRecommends. She would rave about it in almost every post! I started with using the Alpha H Liquid Gold Serum in November before gradually adding this to my routine in late April. I didn't want to start using both chemical exfoliants simultaneously incase they did not work out for me. 

I wanted to add this to my routine to eradicate those pesky red spots that stay after a breakout is gone. I have spots from breakouts that are over a year old. My skin tends to be uneven on my dry cheeks and I tend to get whiteheads on my chin and nose as well. The cheeks on my skin frequently get dry patches which is not fun if you have to wear a foundation. I would try to imitate those glowy dewy skin looks that I would see you on YouTube but no matter what I did, it would look like crap! Do you ever experience that?

The Action Part:

I use this 3 times a week at night after washing my face with L'Occitane Immortelle Cleansing Foam. Initially I was using it with the recommended cotton pad but switched to cotton ball as I found it applied more effectively. I do get that tingly feeling when I rub the Liquid Gold onto my skin which I did not get with the cotton pad, but its not an uncomfortable feeling and it subsides within a few seconds. I also follow it up with a moisturizer (Avene Skin Recovery Cream) because without using it my skin feels extremely dry on my cheeks the following morning. Perhaps without moisturizer the intensive treatment is something my skin cannot handle. I see more noticeable results when 

The Special Effects:

I love using this product on a regular basis. It is a must have in my routine. I use this in conjunction with the serum but you can incorporate them in the routine one at a time or use the Liquid Gold by itself. With consistent use, the newer spots have faded (the really old red spot is still here but it is slightly lighter) and I rarely get break outs now. My skin tone is more even and whiteheads and blackheads are under control which means I can use the tinted moisturizer on a regular basis and flaunt the no makeup, makeup look! Followup with sunscreen is a must, so I additionally use Clarins sunscreen if I am going to be in the heat for long hours. 

The product is pricey at about $43 USD, but it lasts for a long long time. I have been using it for 2 months consistently but have not even used a quarter so it is well worth the money! I purchased mine at Beautybay.com which offers free worldwide shipping!

 *J*