Cold Weather Beauty Essentials

If you live in Malta or a country with an extremely humid climate, you would know we cold weather is a killer here - for me at least. We don't get snow or sub-zero temperatures mind you, but when it's cold it can wreak havoc on my skin, making it dry and lack-lustre all over.

In this post, I will be sharing my absolute must-haves to beat the effects of cold weather as voted by you on my Instastories ;)

I will start with the one product that I don't leave the house without - hand cream. My favourites are from L'Occitaine and The Body Shop not only because they smell nice and do an excellent job at keeping chilblains at bay, but they come in the perfect size to put in handbags, which is why I make sure to stock up on them as I literally keep one in every bag. My personal favourites are Argan Oil, Almond Milk & Honey and Coconut from The Body Shop (I currently have the Christmas trio which is shown here), while from L'Occitaine, my favourites are the three shown in the picture with the Radiant Balm being my absolute favourite - it leaves a subtle shimmer on your hands + smells amazeballs!

Hydration is key all year round but I do tend to switch formulas according to season. For my face, I am currently loving Lierac Hydragenist Moisturising Gel Cream and Moisturising Serum. They both have light textures that are easily absorbed and don't cause my skin to turn oily while doing a great job at hydrating my skin. To prevent my lips from getting chapped, Eau Thermale Avene lipbalm is my best friend. It doesn't leave a white residue on my lips and keeps them moisturised for a long time.

For the rest of my body? Human+Kind Family Remedy Cream does the job. It is suitable for a ton of skin conditions, is all natural and is great for use by children and adults alike! Lastly, to beat cold weather's number 1 ailment - colds, I have resorted to ImmunAction and PropoliEVSP by Erba Vita. You can read my full review about both products here but they have really helped me in beating colds this year.

What are your trusted ways of beating the cold?

Review | Eau Thermale Avène Cleanance Range

If you're looking into taking better care of acne prone skin, then this post is for you. I have been trying out the Cleanance range from Eau Thermale Avène to deal with a couple of nasty breakouts due to eating way too much fatty food during the festive season. I was actually introduced to the range a couple of months ago, when I was invited for a presentation about Cleanance at Villa Mdina in Naxxar.

Dr. Lawrence Scerri, one of the leading dermatologists in Malta delivered a very interesting presentation about the different types of acne, what causes acne and the medical treatment available to treat it. Anyone who has suffered from acne at any point in their life knows the impact it has on our day to day life and activities. Women tend to pile on layers and layers of foundation in an attempt to cover up the pustules and scars. Men are also badly affected and this can impact work and their social life.

As you know, I have tried and reviewed skin care products for oily skin from other brands before which I still find them to be very effective and use these products on a daily basis. However, being a beauty blogger, I still like to try similar products to see how they compare. Today I have some products from this same Eau Thermale Avène Cleanance range which were given to me at the event.

Products from the Cleanance range suit my skin type, which is oily to sensitive where I get occasional pimples. The foundation of any great skincare regime is an effective cleanser. I am favouring the Cleansing Gel to remove all traces of makeup and dirt from my face at the end of the day without my skin feeling dry. I have also used the Cleanance Micellar Water and it is just as effective if you want something milder. I generally use micellar water for a quick clean in the morning while I tend to reach for a gel cleanser in the evening.

Cleanance Expert and TriAcnéal Expert are your best bet to take care of blackheads and stubborn blemishes respectively. Both products have a light texture that is rapidly absorbed and don't feel greasy. I like to use them even under makeup to protect my skin and prevent spots from getting inflamed. In fact these two are my favourites because I can see the results within 2 - 3 days.

Lastly, I have Cleanance MAT Mattifying Emulsion which is a light moisturizer that keeps skin shine free for longer. I sometimes use this as a makeup primer because it gives makeup an excellent hold and I don't need to touch up during the day.

What makes Eau Thermale Avène products different from other brands is that all of their products are packed in a sterile environment making them a sterling choice for people with sensitive skins. Eau Thermale Avène products can be bought from all pharmacies in Malta and Gozo.

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Skin Protect Ocean Respect with Eau Thermale Avène's 2017 Summer Skin Care Range

Hello everyone! The month of May is quite an exhausting one in terms of events with new launches and shop opening happening almost every day and Fashion Week is just less than two weeks away. However, despite being too hectic, there are events organized by certain brands that I wouldn't miss for the world; a case in point are all events organised by Pharma.MT.

In fact, on Thursday evening, I was invited to the launch of some new summer skin care innovations from Eau Thermale Avène which took place at Villa Arrigo, one of the best venues on the islands. Even though the weather sometimes suggests otherwise, summer is most definitely around the corner thus it is time to really start piling up on the SPF products.

Eau Thermale Avène already have a full range of sun care products which I use on a daily basis but of course, with the brand being partnered with the European Skin Cancer Foundation (ESCF), the researchers at Avène are always on top of their game and are coming up with new products every so often to make sure the most sensitive of skins are protected. This year, Eau Thermale Avène are also launching a new campaign titled Skin Protect Ocean Respect which aims at better conservation of the environment, the oceans and marine life through improved biodegradable formulas and eliminating the use of substances classified as toxic for marine organisms. More information about this campaign can be accessed at eau-thermale-avene.com.

Dr. Marco Ambonati introduced the new products during last Thursday's event, namely SunsiMed and some new High Protection (SPF 50+) sun creams for sensitive skin.

The biggest innovation for Eau Thermale Avène this year, is SunsiMed which is actually a product that is marketed as a Class I medical device as it aids in the prevention of some of the most common skin cancers - Actinic Kertosis, Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Basal Cell Carcinoma.

The Pierre Fabre Institute, which is where all Eau Thermale Avène products are researched and developed, has designed SunsiMed specifically for skins that are hypersensitive to the sun. SunsiMed provides very high protection against UVA and UVB rays and thus prevents the formation of certain types of skin cancer and photo-aging. SunsiMed also features a patented photo-stable formula that offers a very broad spectrum of coverage and features Eau Thermale Avène's dry-touch texture, is fragrance free and is water resistant. Like all other Eau Thermale Avène products, SunsiMed features sterile packaging with precise dosage thanks to their specially designed pump. It is important that you follow your dermatologist's instructions when using this product.

Eau Thermale Avène sun care range also caters for oily and acne prone skin with their Clenance Solaire SPF 50+ which also has a Dry Touch texture and regulates sebum production thus keeping the skin looking mattified. Moreover, there is also a range for children, again with SPF 50+. Lastly, there is a new After-Sun Repair Lotion and the classic Thermal Spring Water Spray for when you need to refresh your skin.

Eau Thermale Avène products are sold in pharmacies.

Review | Eau Thermale Avène YsthèAL Anti-wrinkle emulsion

Now that I am past the age of 25, part of my skin care routine is dedicated to anti-aging and the use of anti-wrinkle products before they start appearing. One such product that is helping my skin maintain its youthfulness, is YsthèAL from Eau Thermale Avène.

The Eau Thermale Avène brand is not new on this blog so by now you should all be familiar with the all white boxes with touches of orange, and in this case, rose gold. The emulsion is then presented in a clean, white, double layered bottle with a pump dispenser and a clear cap that you just pull off. To dispense the product, you have to first turn the dispenser to the right which makes sense as all Eau Thermale Avène products are packaged in sterile containers. When not in use, you can always turn it back to the left and replace the cap to avoid contamination.

The formula itself is a light, orange coloured emulsion which is rapidly absorbed into the skin. The product is intended for use on clean skin at night, thus a rapidly absorbed formula is most definitely a plus, especially when I am too tired to keep massaging a product for so long for it to be completely absorbed. Moreover, the formula is free from perfume and parabens as the brand is specifically committed towards caring for sensitive skin.

Though I have been using YsthèAL for a couple of months now, bear in mid that my skin still hasn't shown any real signs of wrinkles yet (thank God) so I cannot really say if the product has totally worked or not in that regard. One thing is for sure though, I haven't had a single breakout or skin flare up all the while I've been using this product.

I think this is a good product if you're still starting out with anti-aging skin care as you are not only thinking long term in preserving your skin, but you are also keeping your skin's sensitivity in check. 

Eau Thermale Avène YsthèAL and the rest of the products in the range are available from authorised pharmacies. Follow the Eau Thermale Avène Facebook page to keep updated.

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Review | Eau Thermale Avène Mousse Nettoyante Cleansing Foam

Having oily skin has it's perks - it won't wrinkle until later stages in life (at least I hope this is true!). Taking proper care of my skin has it's perks too as my skin stays younger-looking for longer and I know it is taken care of even at the deeper layers. With my skin type, which also classifies as sensitive, I can't afford to use less than optimal brands to clean and care for my skin.

I had been looking for a good cleanser that doesn't dry my skin out and luckily, Eau Thermale Avène

Mousse Nettoyante Cleansing Foam made it's way into my skin care routine at just the right time! I wanted a cleanser that is gentle enough yet thoroughly cleansing and that lathers up well.

Eau Thermale Avène Mousse Nettoyante Cleansing Foam is just that and more! Let's have a look at the packaging first. The product is supplied in a 150ml container with a pump dispenser. Worthy to note is the tight closing cap and the clean, white packaging. Like all other Eau Thermale Avène products, this cleanser is supplied in a matching box.

As the name suggests, the actual product is a white, very light mousse, of which one pump is enough for me and it lathers up nicely. It is indicated for shiny forehead, nose and chin areas, dull complexion and dilated pores and is targeted towards normal to combination sensitive skin types. Out of these, I only get shine in my t-zone and as I said earlier, my skin falls into the combination sensitive category. 

I have switched to completely using this cleanser both morning and evening and my skin has started to improve; both in terms of sebum production and how bright my complexion looks. I always make sure to use a good moisturiser after using this cleanser though as it still dries out my skin just a bit. Moreover, I have also noticed that my skin doesn't have any red patches after I wash my face with this cleanser. The cleansing foam is great because it removes makeup, impurities and of course excess sebum. The formula is gentle, soap-free and astringent based to tighten pores; contains patented glutamic acid to regulate sebum production and thanks to its Avène Thermal Spring Water content, it is soothing and anti-irritating. The latter ingredient is found in all Eau Thermale Avène products, hence making them ideal for sensitive skins.

I would definitely recommend this cleanser to anyone with my skin type as results can be seen within a few days of use!

Eau Thermale Avène is distributed in Malta by PharmaMT. Like their Facebook page to stay updated!

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