I just got back home after a great 10 days relaxing in the south of France, exploring small towns and not to forget hunting down all the fantastic French pharmacies to pick up some skincare and beauty essentials from a country that knows exactly how to care for their skin.
If you didn't already know, pharmacies in France are a big deal; walk down any main street and you're bound to spot one or two offering the best skincare from brands such as Bioderma, La Roche Posay, Avene and Caudalie. You can get your hands on many of the brands back here in the UK however the French pharmacies have more exclusive products and often work out cheaper to buy with their deals and the current exchange rate.
Whilst I was in France, I also picked up a few things in Sephora which is a big makeup and beauty shop selling brands including Make Up Forever, Too Faced, Urban Decay, Guerlain, Sephora's own brand and many more - they have stores all over Europe and America although they still yet to have any stores back in the UK so I was very excited to have a look around and pick up some stuff that I cannot get back home.
Pharmacy
LA ROCHE POSAY, TOLERIANE DERMO-CLEANSER
I've used the La Roche Posay Toleriane moisturiser before and loved it so when I saw this corresponding cleanser in a big bottle with a pump for just under 10 euros I had to pick it up. The product claims to be a dermo-cleanser that removes makeup and gently cleanses the face, no rinsing needed. I'm looking forward to using this as an easy, go to simple cleanser that I am sure will last me a long time in the impressive 400ml bottle.
EAU MICELLAIRE, Micellar Cleansing Water
Bioderma used to be my go to micellar water until many other alternatives came on the market for a cheaper price; Garnier is now my go to brand for their micellar water however in France the stuff is a lot more accessible and many brands offer it for as cheap as chips.
I decided to get this micellar water in a handy big 500ml pump bottle which I found in the supermarket for under 5 euros.
AVENE CLEANANCE MASK
I have never tried any products from Avene before and I have heard many great things about the brand so I decided to try out this cleansing mask which looks like it would be a real treat for my skin.
AVENE EAU THERMALE, Thermal Spring Water
I really like toner waters and have used La Roche Posay Serozinc and Lush's Eau Roma toning sprays before and I love how refreshing and cooling they are so I decided to try out this version from Avene to see how it compares.
DERMOPHIL HAUTE TOLERANCE
I have used these lip balms for years, they do the job at deeply moisturing lips without making them too sticky and they're really cheap and cheerful. I managed to get this multi pack with a free extra balm for under 5 euros and I'm pleased to be stocked up again with my favourite lip balm.
CAUDALIE VINOSOURCE, Moisturizing Matifying Fluid
I was after a moisturiser suited for normal skin after finding it difficult when many were aimed at either very dry or very oily skin so with the help of a pharmacist in the shop, I was recommended this Caudalie cream which I can imagine to be great for me and I am looking forward to seeing how I get on with it.
CAUDALIE PURIFYING MASK
The Caudalie cream was on a special offer and came with this free purifying face mask which is suited for all skin types and I am excited to try it out.
SENSI BIAFINE, CREME VISAGE RICHE
Whilst I was talking to the pharmacist, she noticed that my face was peeling from sun burn and kindly gave me a few samples including a rich moisturising cream which I used that night and woke up the next day with super soft skin that felt healed and moisturised- a few days later I stumbled across a pharmacy that had the exact same cream on a special offer for under 10 euros that included a free gift for the same price. The cream will come in handy for when my skin gets very dry and flaky, whilst also being able to use as a super hydrating mask overnight.
SENSI BIAFINE, LAIT DEMAQUILLANT APAISANT
My free gift with the hydrating cream was a gentle milk cleanser suited for sensitive skin and I am looking forward to seeing how it performs at removing makeup and cleansing my face.
Sephora
TRIPLE ACTION GENTLE MAKEUP REMOVER GEL
Sephora have a sneaky way of getting your attention at the tills by offering mini versions of products to tempt you and I decided to pick up this handy little makeup remover that I can imagine will be perfect to use whilst travelling or to pack into my makeup kit.
POMEGRANATE FIBER FACE MASK
These masks were all over the shop floor and I couldn't resist picking one up, after taking a while to decide which scent to choose with the massive choice on offer I finally decided on the pomegrante version and I'm sure it will be perfect for a girly pamper night.
SEPHORA NAIL POLISH
I couldn't resist picking up this unique green nail polish which was on sale for just 1 euro!
SEPHORA SMART LINER
I've noticed these oddly shaped eye liner pens pop up all over the internet and I have been curious to see how they work so when I saw one in Sephora I picked one up- I have already tested it out and so far I'm very impressed- I'm sure I will let you know my full impressions soon.
SEPHORA KISS ME TINTED LIP COLOUR, MELON SORBET
I was attracted to these by their cool packaging and funky colours on offer- I decided to go for this orange colour which I wore a lot on holiday and left my lips tinted an orange/ peach colour which was really easy to wear and felt comfortable on my lips. The colour isn't as strong as it looks in the bullet which I was a little disappointed about however I do love the subtle tint it gives non the less.
SEPHORA CREAM LIP SATIN, 10, 01
I've heard many beauty bloggers rave about these lip satin liquid lipsticks so when I spotted them in Sephora I knew I had to try them out. I first decided to get no.10 which is a bright orange red colour and after wearing it the next day, I loved it and really wanted to get my hands on another colour so when I spotted Sephora in another town I picked up no.01 to add to my collection! These liquid lipsticks are extremely pigmented, dry matte, feel comfortable on the lips and last hours- what's not to love?
Duty Free
JUICY COUTURE, VIVA LA JUICY
As I mentioned in my last post, I've started working in a little cafe and I got paid on the day before I jetted off on holiday so I decided to treat myself in duty free and bought myself this Juicy Couture perfume which is one that I used to wear all the time but haven't had the money to buy it myself for a long time- I love the strong unique scent and can't wait to start wearing it again.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post from me and maybe picked up some ideas to add to your shopping list if you're off on holiday any time soon! :)
