Darphin Hydraskin Rich

In the last month, I have definitely noticed the gradual shift in the season. On that front, my skin is the ultimate gauge because it literally goes from one extreme to the next. Now that summer is kinda (finally!) over, my face has gone from ridiculously oily to a little too dry. Not tight and itchy dry, but dull and dehydrated dry. Interestingly enough, I actually get more acne prone during this period than when my skin is at its slickest. To combat this in-between season skin, I have decided to go a little richer than usual, which I always love. Mattifying moisturisers are great for the during the day but at night I like to really pamper my skin with a richer face cream, you know- the whole sensory bedtime ritual to really kickstart the repair and nourishing overnight. And for this reason, I have gone for Darphin's Hydraskin Rich. 

Vichy Normaderm: Purifying Astringent Lotion and Chrono Active Night Care

NORMADERM PURIFYING ASTRINGENT LOTION, £10.50 for 200ml

Out of the lot, this product was the one I was really impressed with. I have been such a big fan of La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Astringent Toner that initially, I didn't really want to try Vichy's toner. But since it was on offer, it was the cheapest of the three and so I got it for free anyway. Surprise, surprise! It was the best out of the three. I probably wouldn't trade my Effaclar for it, but it comes at a very close second in the category of French Pharmacy brands that I've tried. 

PROS: Price-wise, it's doesn't dent the plastic too much, especially when it's on offer like a 3 for 2, you can't really beat that. As far as skin caring ingredients are concerned, this exfoliant has all the stars. Salicylic and Glycolic Acids are present to really unclog and clean the pores, helping in tightening them, as well as exfoliating the surface of dead skin cells to help reveal a brighter complexion. It also contains Glycerin, which is a great ingredient for keeping the skin moisturised, preventing the skin from drying as it works by attracting water from the base layers of the skin up to the surface. I have used some exfoliating toners in the past that have really dried out my skin to the point that in the walk from my bathroom to my room, my skin gets tight and really, really thirsty. This particular one however, mattifies without drying too much. The Hydrogenated Castor Oil  together with their own Thermal Water, also helps soothe and soften the skin, which is ideal if you have sensitive skin (primarily because that's what the brand specialises in) or dry skin that can be prone to irritation. 

CONS: I was really pleased with the product, so no cons from me at all. 

VERDICT: 4 out of 5. I would buy it again. 

***

NORMADERM CHRONO-ACTIVE ANTI-IMPERFECTION NIGHT CARE, £12.77 for 50ml

What a name. Such a mouthful, but whatever. At least it says it all on the headline right? 

From their website, Vichy explains that Normaderm Nuit limits the production of excess sebum at night with its Pore Targeting Technology, which works deep into the heart of the pores, dissolving any dead cells and unclogging them to tighten and reduce it's visibility, night after night. In the course of my trial, I didn't use a serum at all, so I applied this directly post-toning every evening.