Instant Fresh Face with Vichy LiftActiv Serum 10 & SkinceuticalsPhysical Fusion SPF15

See? Glowing.

In this part of the world it has been very hot this summer. So taking my make up look from day to night without hosing down first can be a challenge. I am always improvising and trying shortcuts (so you don't have to!) that can refresh and freshen my look easily and effectively. And I love Off Label uses of proudcts that perhaps no one else has thought of. Before I share my secrets, I will share one more. I reviewed a scrub I am loving lately here. FYI- nothing will look good sitting on top of dry dead skin. It looks crepey and papery and never smooth or glowing. So before you try what I recommend and complain you still look blah, please remember to do your weekly exfoliation. Now, we are ready.

Magic trifecta for fresh glowing beauty...

Rather than applying more concealer and powder on top of a face that's been melting all day, I try to keep it fresh. First, I apply a gentle mist of rosewater all over my face. After it soaks in, I dab several drops of my Vichy LiftActiv Serum 10 where there may be dullness and where make up may have melted or settled. Usually under and around the eye area, the neck, and around the mouth and nasal labial folds. Let the serum sink in - you will notice a lovely glow feel your skin hydrate right before your eyes. You are already looking refreshed.

I hate adding make up to more make up, as I wear so little to begin with. It doesn't take much for me to feel, well,  spackled. So I was digging around my make up drawer, looking for something to mattify, even tone slightly, and add a bit of radiance. Seems like a tall order. Even though it was 7pm and I was heading out for dinner, my bottle of Skinceuticals Physical Fusion SPF15 caught my eye. I like to experiment and thought "what the heck". If you read this review of the Physical Fusion you know that it has a tone to it. Super sheer, but still a tone. Nowhere near a foundation, and not even as thick as a tinted moisturizer. But I know it matttefies and that the texture is light as a feather so I grabbed it. I dabbed it under my eyes, on my eyelids, on the inner corners of my eyes, on the tops of my cheeks, and around my nasal area. Right away I noticed an immediate brightening effect, sort of a more wide awake  effect. It also has a mattefying effect, and acts somewhat like a primer in that whatever make up you apply on top sticks to it. So I added a light dusting of translucent powder, a little bronzer, lipstain, gloss and mascara and TA-DA! I looked refreshed and polished without looking like I had layers of make up on. It actually didn't even look like I tried. And, it lasted all through dinner and drinks on a patio, on a  hot summer night. 

Mission accomplished.

In Which My Rose Water Obsession Continues...

So further to my post on rose water last week, my journey continues with some fancy schmancy rose waters. My research told me that there are basically two lovely high end rose waters worth trying if you want a) super luxe skincare and b) a soft gorgeous rose scent.

There is no question that both of these products perform beautifully as toners/refreshers/make up setting sprays. They are probably the softest scented of all the rose waters that have been in my study. Soft of scent and very soft and comforting on the skin. Interestingly I've been trying a glycolic toner out for the past week, and using a rose water spray post toning is amazingly soothing. Quite often the old "you get what you pay for" adage is not really true. In this case it may be, at least in a few cases. The only unknown is what are the exact ingredients, how do they compare, and the costliness of obtaining said ingredients, perhaps ionized or spring water vs something else...its hard to say really. We also know that there are definitely differences between the cheap roses offered for sale at your local grocery store (no smell!) and the more expensive roses from a reputable florist that can fill your home with fragrance. However, what counts in the end is how the products make us feel and how they perform. 

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist: At around $35 for a 100ml bottle it certainly is more costly than the others I tried. It has cult status though, and is well loved by many. It has a lovely soft rose scent with a gentle fresh green scent as well. It also contains glycerin, aloe and grapefruit seed which likely explains the fresh green-ness. The bottle is glass and has a lovely feel in your hand. The spray is gentle and mist like which makes it perfect for setting make up or for a little pick me up midday. The scent disappears within a minute or two of application. I love the Jurlique and find it really makes my skin feel soft and "glowy". Funny how rose does that! Would I repurchase? The jury is still out on that one...it is very luxurious and I enjoy using it so...maybe...

Chantecaille Flower Waters Pure Rosewater: Well, Chantecaille isn't messing around with this over $60 bottle of rose water. I was really expecting some liquid gold when it arrived (thanks to @PrimaDonaLounge for ordering in to my local Holt Renfrew!). One thing they use is "the purest organic extract of the entire Rose de Mai" so I'm thinking organic roses will definitely be more costly than otherwise. And, apparently this rose water will help balance me by helping restore my electromagnetic field. Who knew! This is a gorgeous and super luxurious product in heavy etched glass bottle, and I really enjoy the way it smells and feels and makes my skin feel. I notice that "rose glow" that I am pretty addicted to, and this one really does make skin feel hydtrated and plumped. It is also a soothing post glycolic toner treatment. The sprayer is a soaker, meaning I would not use this over my make up, I'd be drenched. So I soak my face in this post wash, let it soak in, and then moisturize. I have tried, unsuccessfully, to resist a head to toe spraying post shower. Wow. Amazing! I won't do that often obviously, but what a treat. Will I repurchase this one? Again, the jury is still out. I'd like to get through the bottle and see how I feel then.

One thing I will say about both the Jurlique and the Chantecaille. Since they both come with spritzers, I've been spraying the backs of my hands regularly since getting them. And, a dear perfumista friend of mine, Joe, gave me this little gem of advice. He keeps rose water in his kitchen to wash his hands with after cooking. Seriously how awesome is that! So, after dinner, I have wandered to my ensuite bath and spritzed my hands, one with Chantecaille and one with Jurlique. Just one spritz on the back of my hands and maybe one on my finger tips. My hands seriously look 10 years younger than they did. I noticed this the other day and was thinking- hey, these are almost hand model material! My cuticles and fingers look less dry, and the backs of my hands look less, well, old. I have the occasional scratch from my cat and they heal markedly quicker with the rosewater. 

So, high vs low- whats the scoop? The scoop is I don't know yet. For scent, the winner is Thayers, without question. I carry a little atomizer of it in my purse and use it as perfume I love it so much. But as treatments these luxe babies are really spoiling me....

The Beauty of Rose Water

Lately I have found myself craving the scent of rose. Not a rose perfume, mind you, but soft sweet and simple rose. Rose water is perfect for this, but, not all rose waters are created equally. Rose, to my nose, can turn either sour or cloyingly powdery. A lot of rose soliflore perfumes can be stringent and sour on me- that is what happened with Creed Un Fleur de Thé Rose Bulgare and Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater. Conversely I love the Crabtree & Evelyn Rosewater Hand Cream and Room Spray but the scent fails as soon as it becomes a perfume. Rose water is a by-product of the production of rose  oil for use in perfumes, is used to flavour foods, as a component for medical and cosmetic purposes, and also for religious purposes. In aromatherapy, the scent of rose is used in treatment of depression, mental stress and anxiety. It is also used to treat reproductive issues in women. I do find this interesting. Without going into TMI territory, I will say that after my hysterectomy a few years ago, I found myself craving rose perfumes- completely out of the blue. I had never really liked them, and usually wore sultry spicy woody delights. The shift to rose felt like my body telling me I needed to heal. Ok- new age moment ovah....

Rose water is soothing and gentle on skin. It moisturizes naturally without clogging pores, and soothes burns and rashes. It is said to reduct lines and signs of aging with regular use. You can actually see a measurable radiance to the skin immediately after applying rose water. Rose water can be spritzed or applied with a cotton pad, both methods work well. I love a spritz of rose water after applying moisturizer at night or after applying make up in the morning (pre mascara....) as it sets the make up beautifully and eliminates that make up-y powdery look. I keep a small refillable bottle in my purse for spritzes throughout the day- dewy skin in a bottle. However lately I have been on a search for a double threat rose water- one that works that rose magic on my skin and smells heavenly.

So I decided to turn to the 24 hour coffee break we call Twitter and ask my beauty mavens for recommendations! Turns out lots of these lovely ladies enjoy a nice rose water spritz too, so I have to thank them for their wonderful information! They are fun to chat with and share interesting stuff too so follow them for more gags & giggles! @HeatherInOttawa loves nail fun and perfume as well as rosewater- thanks Heather! @m0ff alerted me to wonderful holistic brand I never even knew I could find in Ottawa, thanks M! And the Uber Organic & Natural Guru @Glamology has told me about a lovely rosewater brand I will be ordering from her. She is relentless in her pursuit of all things healthy & safe, so thank you Charmaine for sharing that wisdom with us!

Essencia, Thayers, The Body Shop, Heritage & C&E hand cream

My first rosewater is the Essencia Eau Florale (Floral Water). It comes in an elegant cobalt glass bottle, which would also protect the rose water from light. Although frankly I go through this stuff so quickly that there is little chance of the product turning on me. Essencia is lovely, a basic and quiet rose water and only that. The only listed ingredients are roses and water, and this is the simplest purest rose water I've tried. The scent is very light and not quite as sweet enough. It feels wonderful post cleansing, but the sprayer is too powerful and focused to use after make up. I have it in a little spray bottle for travelling which is much better. After a day in the heat and sun in the summer I love to spray it head to toe, it just makes my skin glow. If you have very sensitive skin and do not want a strongly scented rose water, Essencia would be a perfect choice. It is available in most health food stores for around $15.

Thayers Rosewater is quite simply, amazing. It has a much more distinct rose scent, despite the witch hazel base. Burt's Bees has a Witch Hazel Rosewater which smelled yucky and medicinal to my nose (which is why it is not in this review...) but its listed midway through the ingredients which include goodies like aloe, glycerin and vitamin e, in addition to the sublime rose water. The aloe and glycerin combination adds a silky texture to this that is felt immediately on the skin. Dry skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, skin with blemishes or rashes will be soothed by this. It is *almost* enough to act as a moisturizer on its own. This one is the strongest rose scent of the bunch, but it is a soft gentle and true rose. It makes me think of pink roses, not red, if that makes any sense. The bottle is a generic plastic one but the label is charming & has retro appeal. Available at health food stores for around $10.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist is not "sold" as a rose water product but it does contain rose water, and has a delicate rose scent. This is one would be good if you want a light scent. There is a slight fruit note on the top that works nicely with the gentle rose fragrance. This one seems to perform quite well as a make up setting spray, and for thoughout the day pick - me - ups. I like the glow this leaves as it somehow makes your make up ( powder, concealer, whatever) appear look sheer and last a little longer. Love the small size spritzer bottle, and the spray is a soft even mist for even application. My only issue would be a stronger rose content perhaps. But I love it as a setting mist, it's a keeper. At The Body Shop for around $16.

Heritage Rosewater and Glycerin spray toner is another fave. I got this at Wholefoods in Florida and used it at the beach to stay cool, and post shower head to toe to re-moisturize beached out skin. It has 2 ingredients- essential oil of rose and "vor-mag" water- "water that has been vortexed and magnified to raise the energy to a higher vibration that we believe to be more beneficial". Huh? This is kind of where they lose me but doesn't take away from the simple loveliness of the product. It is one of the lighter scented rose waters, but it does still have a lingering perfume. The glycerin adds a nice moisturizing touch and I do love to spray this one head to toe after a shower before applying my moisturizer. It has a lovely sprayer mechanism and a charming 70s granola style label. The pink bottle is fun, too. At around $6 for a 4 oz bottle, it is a deal. I haven't been able to track it down at any Canadian retailers so if you know of any, please let me know! I am dying to try the Heritage Rose Petals toner which does not have glycerin and which I suspect has a purer rose scent.

come on... you know you want to...

I am waiting on a couple super fancy schmancy high end rose waters to review as well....very curious to see how a $60 rose water will stack up against a $10 one. Maybe they are made with magic water distilled from gold?



Photos of roses from distillery in Iran