Nuxe Aroma-Perfection Purifying Cleansing Gel, Hello!

I'm not sure if you guys remember but I stopped using cleansers when I rediscovered the awesome cleansing and skin-balancing properties of the konjac sponge in Nov 2012. I really feel that not using cleansers 90% of the time helped my skin to regain its natural balance and got my skin back to a..how shall I say...neutral ground? Like I got a fresh look at my real skin type y'know? =P I hope I'm making sense here.

It's been almost a year since I had a regular facial cleanser into my routine so I figured it was time to reintroduce one to my routine. Since there was some salicylic acid in the ingredients mix, I settled on the Purifying Cleansing Gel from the Nuxe Aroma-Perfection range~

S$42/200ml at the usual drugstores/pharmacies/dept stores

Although its just a tad pricey, Nuxe is quite often on 20% off during sales so that brings the price down by almost S$10! *thumbs up*

Here's a look at the back of the bottle and ingredients list:

'Clears pores and eliminates excess sebum while respecting the skin (soap-free, mild surfactants). Morning or night, work into a lather on damp skin then rinse off. Avoid contact with eyes.

Without paraben.'

After switching toners from Legere to DHC, my sebum clog-prone jawline was still experiencing the occasional clog so I was hoping that a cleanser would complete the job. The Nuxe Purifying Cleansing Gel comes in a regular pump dispenser that's abit on the stiff side so it travels safely without leakage.

I usually use about 1 to 1 1/2 pumps....this is the amount you get from 1 pump:

The instructions say to work into a lather on damp skin. For awhile I couldn't figure out how to foam it...applying it to a damp face only resulted in a thinned out gel with zero foam. Then I realized that I need to foam it in my palm first~ Just rub the gel and a little water semi-violently around the palm of your hand with a couple of fingers and you should get a thin foam that looks like this:

Conventional knowledge will tell you that gel cleansers are better for combination oily skin types but I was skeptical as I'd previously tried the Perfect Gel cleanser (Kose) and didn't like it because it seemed to leave an invisible layer of something on my face and didn't do anything for the sebum production...

But Nuxe totally did it for me. The lather washes off great and doesn't leave any dry or tight feeling. My jawline was completely clear within 2 weeks of usage and I use it maybe 4 days of the week to prevent overcleansing~ I'm about 2 months into the bottle and my jawline is PRISTINE. Not a single, tiny clog, I swear. I also notice an overall less oily complexion =)

So basically, the Nuxe Purifying Cleansing Gel:

• at S$42, is on the slightly higher price end of drugstore products but there's always drugstore sales to take advantage of
• 200ml bottle should last 3 to 4 months (I'm about 2 months into my bottle and have about 1/2 left)
• clean-looking white plastic pump dispenser bottle; doesn't over-dispense and easy to travel with
• soap-free, paraben-free, mild surfactants, contains salicylic acid & zinc.
• thin lather washes off well and leaves no dry or tight afterfeel.
• worked well in sebum control and delivered fairly quick results with regular use
• results: zero sebum clogs on my clog-prone jawline and an overall less oily complexion

So glad that I didn't have to go through a few different cleansers before settling on this one! It was really a lucky on-a-whim purchase! (^_^)

Quick Peek - Nuxe Unclogging Thermo-active Mask

I seem to have amassed a fair number of Nuxe products recently >_< after enjoying the effective convenience of the Nuxe Rose Petal Micellar Cleansing Water (which I ended up buying a 2nd bottle of) and Huile Prodigieuse Multi-usage Dry Oil, I'd like to see what other good products I can find from the range~

This is the Unclogging Thermo-active Mask (awarded 2010 Prix Parents les etoiles de la beaute/Star Beauty) from Nuxe's Aroma-Perfection series:

 

The Aroma-Perfection range is an Anti-Imperfection range, targeted at combination and oily skin. Formulated with rice, walnut powder, jojoba and kaolin clay, the Thermo-Active mask serves to gently exfoliate, clarify and deep cleanse the pores.

I think this mask is one of those that needs to be shaken a little before dispensing as my initial squeeze dispensed a cloudy oil. After shaking you get a consistency more like a cream exfoliant:

Upon application the warm sensation is almost immediate, gentle and fades in less than a minute. The mask also returns to a slightly more oil-like texture.

 

After about 3 minutes, I massaged for about 20 - 30 seconds before washing off with cold water. The fine granules give gentle exfoliation as promised.

 

Well, I regret the lack of an after photo but visually there isn't much difference after only 3 uses over 2 weeks. My skin does feel very smooth (very) and clean without any tightness. The mask also washes off easily and throughly despite the slightly oily texture and doesn't leave you with any lingering 'mask' feeling.

 

In short this initial usage of the Nuxe Unclogging Thermo-Active Mask:

• has a pleasant floral/nutty fragrance that's gentle and not noticeable after the initial whiff
• is, as indicated, a gentle exfoliator so not for those who ummm..'like it rough' so to say =p
• gentle warming sensation occurs almost immediately upon application but fades quickly
• skin feels mattified, clean and very smooth after massage and rinse
• washes off easily and doesn't leave any residual feeling, tautness or oiliness

**Note: Use with caution in dry climate - 1 of the 3 times I used this mask was in a winter climate and the next morning my skin felt dry with patches of light skin peeling! Despite returning to Singapore a day after that, it took about 4 more days before I was able to return my skin back to normal.

I really like the skin smoothening results and the lack of any residual feeling so I'll keep using it and check back in about a month or so with the results~ Really hope it'll help clean out my pores!

 

All the exfoliators I've used so far have only delivered smoothening and dead skin removal results but not much in the pore-cleansing department. How about yours?



Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Dry Oil - The Other Dry Oil

I guess most of you know about the fantastic Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-usage Dry Oil? But if you've been ever so slightly intimidated by the price (S$40/50ml, S$68/100ml) or are a heavy user, maybe you should cast your sights on Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Dry Oil~

The Nuxe Dry Oil I have is the OR version which is shimmery and I was hoping to get a bottle of straight up dry oil for my hair ends~ A chance romp through the Kiehl's store resulted in this purchase:

S$72 (236ml/8 oz bottle)

I bought this in Finland for about 35 euros, checked for the local (Singapore) retail price which turned out to be S$72.. >_<

A look at the ingredients list shows Argania Spinosa oil to be 7th (followed by a variety of other oils) and Apricot Kernel oil 3rd on the list. Since this is supposed to be Argan Oil, I was slightly disappointed but it's ok given Apricot Kernel oil's benefits~

Some benefits of Apricot Kernel Oil are:

• Vitamin-rich, especially Vitamin A & E and other essential acids that are good for the skin, especially prematurely aged or dehydrated skin
• Is absorbed completely with no greasy afterfeel
• Does not cause allergic reactions, therefore safe for sensitive skin (even baby skin!)
• Has soothing, moisturising, anti-inflammatory and revitalizing effects on the skin
• Can also be used to strengthen hair follicles and nourish the scalp

So you see why I have no objection to it being higher on the list?

Argan oil on the other hand....I have to concede that there's no way Argan oil will cost just 35 euros for more than 200ml given that it's not commonly found and its extraction is a very, very, (did I mention very?) very labourious and complex process even with the inclusion of machines.

Benefits of Argan Oil include:

• helps prevent or reduce signs of premature aging of the skin due to environmental stress
• is a non-cholesterol oil with a higher moisturising index compared to shea butter and olive oil
• has sebum-regulating properties
• with antimicrobial properies, it can also help in the treatment of acne, eczema and psoriasis
• helps strengthen hair and improve texture
• if used in massage, its anti-inflammatory properties are good for sore muscles and soothing arthritis

So how does it perform?

From left: Fresh out of the bottle >> massaged into skin (notice the decreased dry lines?)

Just a personal note: It was quite a learning curve figuring out how much to use for hair. Just a couple drops too much and my hair would end up looking greasy so it took some trial & error to get the portions just right. But all in all, I'm convinced that the Kiehl's Argan Dry Oil can be a pretty good substitute for Nuxe's Multi-Usage Dry Oil if you're not a fan of floral scents or are a tad price sensitive~

Rosewater Regime - Nuxe Micellar Cleansing Water

A month or so ago, I bought a couple of products from Nuxe that I only recently started using after experiencing the awesomeness of the Nuxe Multi-Usage Dry Oil~

Today's product is the Nuxe Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Petals, a one-step makeup remover and cleanser for face, eyes and lip. Designed for sensitive skin, it's applied with a cotton pad and is non-rinse! Oh did I mention that it's also paraben and (kind of) alcohol-free?



200ml bottle / S$38 from BHG aLT beauty corner
Also available at dept stores like John Little and drugstores like Watsons

By default, I'm quite attracted to products with rose content, petals, rosewood, rosewater, damascas rose, those are all trigger words! As Nuxe prides itself on being a natural-origin skincare brand, a look at the ingredients list is a must~

Do you see what I see?

Glowing with Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse

If any of you dear readers are on the Bellabox Singapore facebook page, you might have noticed the recent Nuxe contest!! (^0^)



Won the 50ml Huile Prodigieuse OR (Multi-usage Dry Oil - Golden Shimmer)!!

Bellabox is an Australian owned high-end beauty box subscription company but also has a branch in Singapore. Every so often they have contests on their Bellabox Singapore facebook page where you stand to win some of their star products. The Nuxe Multi-usage Dry Oil is 1 of them and I WON!!! *skips circles around her confused dog*

Having only recently noticed this brand in Watsons, I think it's worth a closer look. Nuxe stems from a French pharmaceutical laboratory and is now a bestselling brand in pharmacies and drugstores. It's all about natural-origin cosmetics and skincare, committed to:

• Selection of natural active ingredients
• Containing no mineral oils, synthetic colorants or animal-origin ingredients (my favourite point!)
• Non-comedogenic products
• Optimum safety and effectiveness through tests by an independent lab approved by the French Ministry of Research
• Preservative system without parabens
• Eco-friendliness by preferring to use recyclable materials, discontinuation of leaflets, use of smaller folding cartons, etc.

(above information extracted from Nuxe Paris catalogue)

Now, a look at the Multi-usage Dry Oil!