There's Something in The Water...

And it ain't a big fish. Ladies and gents, I'm talking about minerals. More specifically those found the few ranges of french "drugstore" skincare brands currently available in the UK. 

There are three popular brands from france that are widely available in the UK - Vichy, La Roche-Posay and Avene, and all three contain spa waters. As well as spa waters, the lines are also based around the idea that sensitivity can occur in ALL skintypes, rather than just dry skin, which is fabulous. Often my skin reacts badly to anything designed to "treat" a certain skin issue, so while I wouldn't class my skin as classically sensitive, it definitely has issues.

I first dabbled with Vichy when I was approached by a PR and I was experiencing a lot of breakouts at the time - I was sent some products from the Normaderm line, and had great results - you can see the posts HERE and HERE. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised - I've always been slightly dubious about the claims people make about spa waters, but the results spoke for themselves.

I then picked up a couple of the canned water sprays in the Avene and Vichy lines, when my skin was a bit uppity recently - actually it was pretty much a disaster zone after my recent makeup course. Having makeup applied and removed 2-3 times a day will do that though. The water sprays were one of the only things that calmed it down and made it feel less sore.
They seemed to "put back" the vitality that all that makeup application and removal had leached from my skin.

So when my skin recently started to play up again I decided to mosey on down to Boots and see what else these spa water containing products could do for me. I went for the La Roche Posay range, because I hear a lot of raves about it from bloggers like Dil at Skin Care for Men, and British Beauty Blogger.  I was also attracted to the range because it was new to me, and I love the basic, clean functional look of the like.

The first thing I picked up was the Physiological Cleansing Gel. This is designed for normal to combination skin, which summed up my skin type best at the moment.

Different versions of the Physiological cleansers are available for different skintypes - there is a micellar solution (a water based cleanser which you sweep over the skin with cotton pads, negating the need for rinsing with water, which some people find drying), and a cleansing milk, designed for dry skin.

All are suitable for sensitive skin, and there is also a scrub and an eye makeup remover available in the range. Oh and the "Physiological" moniker refers to the pH neutral properties of the range - it is in synch with the pH of skin so less likely to cause any sort of imbalances

The cleansing gel I chose has a lovely clean scent with no artificial chemical overtones - if you can imagine the smell of pure mineral water with a slight floral tone, then you are probably along the right lines.

This is applied over dampened skin, and massaged over with fingers before rinsing. I was pleasantly surprised by how effective this was at removing makeup from both the face and the eyes - it dealt well with my daily mascara, however I'd anticipate it struggling with anything ultra pigmented. For a daily cleanser though, this does a great job. More importantly, it doesn't leave the skin feeling tight or dry in any way, just soothed and refreshed - due in no small part I'd guess to the spa water content. I'm seriously impressed with it to the extent I could see this becoming a staple product to fall back on - I get sent a lot of products to review, and its good to have a reliable staple to fall back on that you know will just sort out, and calm everything down once in a while. This for me is pretty much that product - I'd also take this on holiday with me as I feel this would be especially soothing to sun damaged skin.

I also picked up the Physiological Soothing Toner. Again this is a pH balanced product, which respects the skin, and is described as suitable for all skin types. It can be used to freshen the skin between cleansing, and also suitable for makeup removal - this is not how I've used it, as I've simply stuck to using this as a straight toner.

As with the cleanser, this soap, alcohol, paraben and colourant free and contains the magical spa waters too.

This complimented the cleansing gel really well for me, and there was absolutely no dryness or discomfort caused by using it. It's gentle enough on my skin for use even around the eyes, which is an area I'd never previously dare to use a toner on.

Often toners have that very "astringent" feel to them - this on the other hands feels a lot more softening and kind to the skin. Another total winner.

After cleansing and toning I usually then spritz my skin with a water spray - I'm currently using Vichy's as I have had it for a while, and let that dry on the skin, or alternatively dab off with cotton wool.

This just seems to give the skin back the vitality that everyday activities leach from it - it's a small step, but in my opinion the waters are now a total essential skincare product - they are available in two sizes as well, in all three ranges - I have the largest sized Vichy water which has lasted me a good few months with daily use and cost about £6-7.

The final product I picked up was Toleriane SPA Soothing Protective Cream

This is, as the name suggects hydrating and soothing, and again contains the spa water.

A little of this cream seems to go quite a long way - on initial application it can feel a little but oily - it almost seems to leave a very light film of oil on the skin, but on my skin, after a few minutes it sinks in and skin is just left feeling soft, smooth and comfortable. 

This is going to be a real staple in the winter months I feel to sooth chapped and weather beaten skin.

If this sounds like something you might be interested in then it's also well worth checking out Avene's Skin Recovery Cream

This basically works in a similar way and is available in a lighter and richer version, depending on how dry your skin is - I've been using the regular one and find that works well for my dry-combination skin, although in the colder months when my skin tends to be even drier, I'd probably plump for the richer version. This one seems to sink in slightly faster than the La Roche-Posay version, and has no oily residue. I have to say though I have been using the La Roche one a little more, ass it soothes the skin a fraction more. Neither have aggrivated any existing blemishes or created any new ones - in fact my areas of congested skin seem to be (finally) starting to clear up. 

Again the Avene range is free of chemical nasties, and contains spa mineral waters.

So it seems all that stuff about the Spa waters I initially dismissed as a load of bunkum really does merit a second look - I've previously also raved about the (far more expensive) biotherm range, which I also love - and which is also rich in "water derivarives" - in this a plankton extract which boots the moisture levels of skin. Vichy, La Roche-Posay and Avene are all available in larger Boots stores and  online, and are priced from about £5 to £15. Obviously this review is based on products I have chosen for my skin type, but there are products available from all three ranges which are designed to target a wide range of skin issues as well as protecting the skin and dealing with sensitivities.

They are well worth a look!