Embryolisse Eau Active Multi-Function Face Mist

After L'Occitane Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Mist, I moved right on to this 100mL/3.38fl. oz. aerosol spray bottle of Embryolisse Eau Active Multi-Function Face Mist. 

Embryolisse Artist Secret Radiant Eye

This 4.5g/0.15oz. twist up tube of Embryolisse Artist Secret Radiant Eye also fell victim to my youngest, after which I finally learned that my nightstand was not a safe place to leave skincare, especially when said skincare is housed in cute little chubby tubes.

Embryolisse Filaderme Cream

Been using this 50mL/1.69fl. oz. Embryolisse Filaderme Cream occasionally for months now so here's a post for it. I'm always on the lookout for rich creams to use during the winter when my skin gets super dry. When I saw this jar, I bought it without a second thought. 

Embryolisse Milky Make-up Removal Emulsion

Half way through this 200mL/6.76fl. oz. bottle of Embryolisse Milky Make-up Removal Emulsion but I wished I hadn't bought it since the first time I used it! 

Embryolisse Hydra-Serum

Finished with Darphin Lumiere Essentielle Illuminating Oil Serum and moved on to this 30mL/1.01fl. oz. pump bottle of Embryolisse Hydra-Serum recently.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Fluide

Had this giant 500mL/16.9fl. oz. pump bottle of Embryolisse Lait-Creme Fluide in the kitchen since the spring so I guess a review is overdue. This is the lighter milk version of the Lait-Creme Concentre which I love (bought a few full size tubes for myself and to gift to friends), and I've been wanting to try the milk version for a long time now.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre Part II

Just finished up this tiny 5mL/0.17fl. oz. metal tube of Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre I got from the Beauty Habit Holiday 2015 GWP. It's old, I know, but it's still fresh and works pretty darn well.

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream

Holy crap! - I think I've found the one in Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream! Could it be true my search for a moisturizer has finally ended? At least for now, I can't imagine going back to or trying out anything else!

Since high school, I've struggled off and on with moisturizers because of my combination dry skin. It was so difficult for me to find something that will work with my super oily t-zones and super dry cheeks. Aside from the countless various moisturizers I've tried here and there, there were only a couple I used for longer than a few months:
- Olay Complete All Day UV Moisture Lotion SPF 15: used to be my day lotion during high school. Of course, my face was always shiny and blotchy as hell. My skin was oily then, and I guess I never realized this lotion was not a good match for me. I just used whatever my mum gave me. I didn't use any moisturizer at night then, which was a really bad idea and only made my oily skin worse.
- Lancome Aquafusion Lotion & Cream: both the non-SPF and the SPF versions were my college staple. I would use the SPF one during the day and the non SPF at night (yeah, finally learned my lesson...), the lotion on my t-zones and the cream on my cheeks. It was kind of working for a while, and then suddenly my skin changed and became dry combination with my t-zones became even more oily and my cheeks got super duper dry. At that point, putting this lotion/cream on turned my face was pure agony. Even the lotion was too oily for my forehead but the cream was not moisturizing enough for my face.

And then I learned the truth about sunscreens, which completely altered my skincare routine. My expectations of moisturizers changed too. Not only I was looking for a moisturizer that works with both my combination dry skin, I wanted one that could be used day and night since I had started wearing a separate sunscreen (layering products with SPF is a big no no!). Needless to say, that made my search even more impossible.
- Clinique Dramatically Different Lotion: I picked this up when my Lancome Aquafusion failed me. It was okay for my cheek but was too oily for my t-zones.
- Lancome Pure Focus Lotion & Gel Cream: used this to fill the space Clinique Dramatically Different Lotion couldn't. This was good for my oily t-zones but irritates the hell out of my dry cheeks and chin.
- Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre & Lait Creme Concentre Fluide (aka 24-Hour Miracle Cream): the very last cream/lotion combination I used. It was okay, not that great. Didn't break me out, but was certainly no miracle either.

But this Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream - where do I begin?


***Picture from Amazon.com.

The Ingredients
Decently simple, probably 1/5 as long as the ingredients in the above stuff I've used, and nothing too complicated. Not that I am a chemist, I just figured I really should pay attention like I do with my sunscreens. The Skin Deep - Cosmetic Safety Database gave this cream a rating of 4 (out of 10), meaning "moderate hazard." While that sounds kind of scary, considering the vast majority of products with higher ratings (0-3) are organic/green/natural/wholesome/what have you, a rating of 4 is not great, but it's not too shabby either! I figured I should stick with stuff rated 5 or higher.

The Cetaphil website lists ingredients as follow:
Purified Water, Polyglycerylmethacrylate (and) Propylene Glycol, Petrolatum, Dicaprylyl Ether, PEG-5 Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Dimethicone and Dimethiconol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sweet Almond Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid.

The Texture
Definitely creamy, but strangely light. I just can't get over how fast it absorbs into my skin. I really was expecting a bit of a fight, some grease, and at least a film of some sort, but nope, NONE. I used it in moderation, of course. I would quickly dab my fingers onto the cream and used that tiny amount for my t-zones. Then I would swipe slightly across the cream's surface and use that bit more on my cheeks. I guess if you goop it on it could get a little greasy, but anything would get greasy if gooped on. Moderation is key, folks.

The Moisturation
Oh my, I can't rave enough here. Not only it worked for both my oily t-zones AND my super duper dry cheeks, it worked as both a day and night moisturizer! I kid you not. I wore it during the day underneath my sunscreen and it was not too heavy, allowing my sunscreen to retain its mattefying properties. I wore it at night before bed and it was just right. My face felt the most comfortable it's ever been! No oily sheen at mid day, no greasy face the next morning. Just very soft and well moisturized skin. The cream is also unscented. SOLD.

The Price
Honestly, if my perfect moisturizer were to bleed me dry, I would just fork over the goddamn price. That was how desperate I was for a good moisturizer. But nope, no blood to be spilled with this Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. It's about $10 for a giant, and I mean GIGANTIC, 16 oz. tub, and it will probably last me for more than a year, if not longer, given the little amount I use. But then I've read that this is a multi-purpose moisturizer that could be used anywhere on your body, so I'm sure I could figure something out to finish it up. The perfect $10 moisturizer that will last for ages? Did I tell you I'm sold? I am soooooooo sold.

Now, the 1 itty bitty little complaint: the packaging. Yes, it's in a HUGE tub. But while most people have trouble with the tub, fumbling with sanitation and storage, to me it's a very minor problem that can be easily solved with a small sanitized glass jar (from a used up eye cream, face cream, etc.). Yep, I just used a sanitized scoop, scooped some into the glass jar, then stored the tub in a cool and dry place (NOT the cabinet in the bathroom) and put my little glass jar in the fridge. When I use up the glass jar, I'll sanitize it again before refilling :D Problem solved. So really, this is not a complaint at all.

Now, if you would excuse me, I need to go dance around my living room like a lunatic.

Current Skin Care Routine

Not that anyone gives a damn, just thought I might look back one day and think, "Wow, that was stupid." This is my current skin care routine as of February 2008.

AM Routine1. Kinerase Gentle Daily Cleanser (See my comments in an earlier post)

2. Avon Hydrofirming Eye Cream
This gel/cream goes on like water, absorbs completely leaving no residue behind, and best of all, it leaves my very dry eye area feeling naked but surprisingly supple and thoroughly moisturized. I used to think it wasn't moisturizing enough when I was still using the Shiseido SPF 55 sunscreen, but then I quickly learned the problem was with the sunscreen and not the eye cream. In fact, this is the only eye cream I've tried so far that does NOT melt my water-resistant sunscreen! I'm on my 4th jar and stock up whenever there's a good promotion, not that it isn't already dirt cheap. Try keeping this cream in your fridge for a lovely cooling effect, especially in the hot summer! I actually keep the empty glass jars afterwards too, removing the label and using them to store other creams and mix loose eye shadows, pigments, and blushes. Talk about efficient!

***Picture from Avon.com.

3. Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre & Lait Creme Concentre Fluide
I have combination-dry skin, and use the Fluide for my oily t-zones and the cream for everywhere else that's crazily dry. The cream is fresh and the Fluide is milky, both are very light, absorbs instantly, leaving my face soft and dewy. I don't wake up with oil-slick face, which is VERY impressive given my super oily t-zones! Neither the cream or Fluide breaks me out or clog my pores. Their prices are reasonable, given you don't need much at all for thorough hydration. My only complaint is they are fragranced.



***Pictures from Thecureshop.com.

4. Sofina Perfect UV SPF 50 PA+++ Lucent (See my comments from the Sun Protection! Part II post)

PM Routine
1. FANCL Mild Cleansing Oil (See the FANCL Mild Cleansing Oil post)

2. Kinerase Gentle Daily Cleanser (See my comments in an earlier post)

3. Lancome Renergie Microlift
It's technically not an eye cream, but who says I can't use it for my eye areas? Actually, I only use it because it feels rich and I love the soft powdery scent similar to those in the Shiseido Benefiance line. It moisturizes better than the Shiseido Benefiance eye cream and isn't greasy, but other than that, I don't notice anything else it claims to do. The cream actually melt my water-resistant sunscreen and stained my contacts when I tried using it during the day, so I can only use it at night. Oh well...

***Picture from Lancome USA.

4. Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre & Lait Creme Concentre Fluide
See comments above.

TreatmentsEvery 3rd night, I use a retinoid gel as a treatment. I actually started out with Avene Retrinal 0.025% Cream, however, while this cream cleared out the carnage from the Tinosorbs (See the Sun Protection! Part II post) on my face, it also clogged the bloody hell out of my already battered pores. The culprit is not the Retinaldehyde treatment, purging, irritation, or otherwise reaction with any specific ingredient but is rather the formula itself. To simply put, the cream was too emolient for my dry-combination skin. My dry cheeks were clear, but my t-zones were greasy and therefore didn't fare so well. After a 3-month battle with my face, I called it quits and switched to Differin (Adapalene) 0.1% Gel.

***Picture from Avene USA.

Differin (Adapalene) 0.1% Gel
Let's just say, "Wow." Within 1 weeks (2 uses) of this gel, my skin cleared like clouds after a rainstorm! I'm finally seeing my good o' clear skin back and this time, it returns with a nice pinkish glow. Am I imagining things? Anyway, because it's in a gel form, it's supposed to be stronger, and hence more drying. We'll see about that. So far, no signs of dryness yet. Let's hope it stays that way...

***Picture from Differin.com.

For more information on Retinoids:
- See an Anti-Aging FAQ page provided by Janssen Cosmeceutical
- See an article on Retinoids written by Albert M. Kligman, the dermatologist and researcher who invented Retin-A
- See even more information on Retinoids from MUA member Tetrakis's notepad, where the above 2 links are provided