O.S.T. Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum & Vitamin Sleep 9 to 5 Crema

While taking photos for today's entry I was planning to write two separate reviews. After thinking the topic over I came to the conclusion that it seems more sensible to describe both products at the same time, as they are supposed to work better together. Uhmmm, really? I have mixed feelings, mainly because of the difference in quality between them... Let's see what's going on.

As the spring has come it’s time to change skincare routine - for me it’s always a focus on hydration and UV protection (winter time is for AHA peels and post-peel regeneration). Although vitamin C can be used all year round (and like so I'm doing it) -  it's in the spring/summer when it has a special place in my skincare. Ascorbic acid is an AHA after all, so one way or another it contributes to a gentle exfoliation of dead skin cells. I care more for its brightening properties and supporting the collagen production. Many times I wrote that my main problem are stubborn sun spots (melasma), so choosing cosmetics for my face I focus on the selection of components having the brightening fame(eg. ascorbic acid, vitamin B3 aka niacinamide, arbutin, kojic acid).

Nature Republic Snail Solution Foam Cleanser

I was planning something completely different today, more elaborate and detailed etc. but last Saturday I threw myself into the wonderful world of "do it yourself" mixtures so other interesting things have to wait. I need to monitor the progress on my skin and since I expect "miracles", it may take a while ;) Hopefully it’s going to be worth it ;)

I haven’t reviewed a face cleanser yet so here it is today. Nature Republic Snail Solution Foam Cleanser is my current second cleaner (my oil-based one is Banila Co. Clean It Zero reviewed here) in a double-cleanse routine.

Sorry about the photo quality... The UK's lack of sun is not very helpful...

INGREDIENTS

A foam cleanser... The ingredients don’t throw me on my knees but ultimately it is only to wash your face... I don’t  have much of a problem with irritation/rash etc. after this type of products. I'm not a 100% real ingredients snob, certainly not in the case of something that is supposed to remove make-up traces from my face. The only thing for face washing my skin can’t stand is an ordinary soap. Although Nature Republic Snail Solution Foam Cleanser has a rather higher pH (with my water it’s around 7), it does not hurt me. Well, the cleanser pH is important if you don’t use pH adjusting toner before your pH dependent actives (AHA/BHA/ascorbic acid). Or if you have acne, as I believe it’s important to keep the right pH balance on your skin in order not to be giving it an easy ride on your face. It’s just my point of view but again, my face is not sensitive and most of the time I do use a low pH face wash (with lactic acid, one of my favourite skincare ingredients) because it happens to additionally hydrate my face.

CosDNA analysis here, if someone wants it. Just remember it’s more for reference than anything else ;) We should know our skin and its needs best.

TEXTURE

Thick cream, with addition of water turns into a relatively rich foam. Veryyy efficient. Little goes a long way. A pea-sized amount is enough to wash my entire face.

PERFORMANCE

As a second cleanser is OK... I can not completely discredit it, or write paeans to it either. It’s OK used after my oil-based cleanser. Although it would not be able to remove make-up on its own. My normal/combo skin is literally SQUEAKY clean after using it so I guess it’s a bit too good at removing everything from your skin surface - including the lipid barrier... Not recommended for dry and sensitive skin.

PRICE

Bought from Roseroseshop for around £5 / 7$

SUMMARY

It is just an OK cleanser. Cleanses the skin VERY THOROUGHLY. Not moisturizing. Snail mucus somewhere at the end of the list :/ Will repurchase? NO

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Planowałam zupełnie coś innego na dzisiaj, bardziej rozbudowanego itd., ale ponieważ przedwczoraj rzuciłam się w wir cudownych “zrób to sam” mieszanin, to niektóre ciekawe rzeczy muszą poczekać. Muszę monitorować postęp a ponieważ oczekuję “cudów”, to może to chwilę potrwać ;)

Produktu do mycia twarzy jeszcze nie było, więc pojawia się dzisiaj. Nature Republic Snail Solution Foam Cleanser używam jako drugi zmywacz (moim pierwszym “zmywaczem” jest Banila Co. Clean It Zero, recenzja tutaj) w podwójnym oczyszczaniu twarzy.

SKŁADNIKI

Krem do mycia twarzy… Składniki nie rzucają na kolana ale ostatecznie to tylko do mycia… Nie mam większego problemu z podrażnieniami po tego typu produktach. Nie jestem 100% składnikowym snobem, napewno nie w przypadku czegoś, co ma mi oczyścić skórę. Jedyną rzeczą do mycia, którego nie znosi moja skóra jest zwykłe mydło. Mimo, że Nature Republic Snail Solution Foam Cleanser ma dość wysokie pH (z moją wodą oscyluje ok. 7), to krzywdy mi nie robi. Analiza CosDNA tutaj, jeśli ktoś chce. Pamiętajmy jednak, że to nie wyrocznia ;)

KONSTYSTENCJA

Gęsty krem, po dodaniu wody zamieniający się w dość bogatą pianę. Baaardzo wydajny. Kulka wielkości zielonego groszku wystarcza do umycia całej twarzy. Dobrze się pieni.

DZIAŁANIE

Jako drugi zmywacz jest ok… Nie mogę go zupełnie zdyskredytować, ani też pisać peanów na jego cześć. Dobrze oczyszcza skórę, użyty po olejowym zmywaczu. Aczkolwiek sam nie byłby w stanie usunąć makijażu. Moja normalna/mieszana skóra jest jednak dosłownie “piszcząca” po jego użyciu, więc trochę za mocno usuwa wszystko z powierzchni skóry - łącznie z barierą lipidową… Nie polecam dla suchej i wrażliwej skóry.

KOSZT

Kupiony na Roseroseshop za ok. 26 zł.

PODSUMOWANIE

Jest tylko OK. MOCNO oczyszcza skórę. Nie nawilża. Śluz slimaka gdzieś na końcu listy :/ Czy kupię ponownie? NIE

Setting powders: Innisfree no-sebum mineral powder vs Skin Food Peach Sake Silky Finish Powder

A quick heads up before I jump onto today’s review. From now on, new posts will be coming every ?Monday(s), as I hopefully managed to organize myself ;) I'll do my best :)

I’ve been meaning to write this comparison for weeks, if not months... One of the reasons is the difficulty in assessing make-up stuff, especially when it comes to a full make-up - I do not feel competent, because I don’t use the whole range of these products. Besides, for some time I’ve been ditching the matte make-up finish as after AHA / BHA and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) treatments my skin needs super hydration and dry powders haven’t seemed to serve me well recently.

Innisfree no-sebum mineral powder and Skin Food Peach Sake Silky Finish Powder are very well-known products, having many followers. Skinfood one was the first one to go through my hands. I don’t remember how it happened, as when I started my adventure with AB skincare/make-up I made few quite random choices... What wasn’t proved to be so bad or unsuccessful - thanks to this I began to explore the Asian cosmetics market and very unlikely (or rather impossible) is my return to western cosmetics. Okay, to the point.