Free stuff is awesome stuff, right? I received this hydrating duo as a free gift when I made an order online with Yves Rocher. They’re full-sized products too! Rockin’!
Okay, just an FYI, I’ve never tried anything from Yves Rocher before. This is a totally new brand for me [even though Yves Rocher has been around for over 50 years…]. I’ve heard a lot of good things regarding their skin care, but they also sell makeup and nail polish [reviews coming!], as well as hair care, bath & body, and perfumes.
I received the Refreshing Gel Cleanser and Hydrating Toner, which are part of the Hydra Végétal line, which is a botanical skincare collection focusing on moisture and hydration. I adore the cool, light blue packaging. Everything looks so refreshing and clean.
So I’ve mentioned on several occasions that my skin is oily/combination. However, even oily skin can suffer from dehydration [which can make your skin even oilier because it will cause even more overproduction of oil].
Anyway, I think my skin is fairly dehydrated, so I thought trying these two hydrating cleansing products might do my skin some good.
Refreshing Gel Cleanser – $13.00
I really liked this facial cleanser. It had a really fresh and clean scent [possibly cucumber??], which I really enjoyed.
It’s a gel-based cleanser with a really nice consistency. It’s not too thick, but not too liquid-y, either. It does foam up a bit as you massage it into your skin, but it’s not a super rich and foamy lather.
After rinsing, my skin felt nice and clean, but also soft and not overly dry. I did still feel the need to apply moisturizer, but overall, my skin felt pretty darn good.
Hydrating Toner – $13.00
I can’t remember the last time I used a toner. Man, it’s been a really long time. Like, close to 15 years or so.
I have mixed feelings toward this toner.
When I first apply, it makes my skin feel really tacky and sticky. And that feeling lasts for about an hour. After my skin stops feeling tacky, my skin just feels sort of heavy. Like I’ve been outside in the humidity all day. Like I really need to use an oil-absorbing sheet.
At the same time, my skin doesn’t feel greasy. I think it’s just my skin feeling REALLY moisturized. It was just a little too much for my skin. I prefer my skin to feel more matte.
But I think this toner would work well for people with dry skin.
Overall, I was pleased with the products I received from Yves Rocher, and I’m looking forward to trying and reviewing the products that I actually picked out.
I was pleasantly surprised by the affordability of this brand, and they often run sales. For instance, if you were to purchase these two items right now of yvesrocher.com, you’d find that both items are on sale for $7.15, instead of the usual $13.00.
If you have dehydrated or dry skin, you may want to check out the products from the Hydra Végétal collection.
I have been on the prowl for a good skin regimen particularly for my face as I have body on lock down lol [I’ll definitely do a post soon on body care]
My personal goal is to achieve a face so blemish free that I could go without makeup and no one would ask me if I was ill or sad LOL
So I got on the internet and read all I could and of course consulted YouTube. I really have never had a facial regimen apart from cleansing with soap, apply a light moisturizer if my skin feels dry and go to bed! And this has worked well for me for over 10 years but I just had this sinking feeling that I wanted to ‘Up my game’ [you can gag here LOL] As a lazy beauty lover, I figured if I could get a moisturizer that prevents break outs and get an oil or serum whose ingredient was the fountain of youth, I was good to go.
So I happened upon the Yves rocher sebo vegetal moisturiser in a few videos on youtube. I stopped by the Novare mall in Lagos on my way back from Epe early last year and I ran into the Yves rocher store as I was hurriedly walking into shoprite. Yves rocher is a french beauty brand and they only recently opened up stores in Nigeria.
The store is beautiful. I am a sucker for lovely displays. There was so much to see really. Yves rocher has different product lines for different skin types, they also have bath products, hair products and fragrances.
After having a look around I decided to go for the sebo vegetal range as that product line is for the oily skin type and was said to prevent breakouts. There were other products which had mattifying component but had Aloe vera as key ingredients so those were definately not for me.
I purchased the Sebo vegetal Zero blemish Gel cream and the purifying cleansing gel.
Lets jump into the reveiw!
The Zero blemish Gel
The products claims:
The secret to flawless and smooth skin, the Zero Blemish Gel Cream, absorbs excess sebum and minimizes pores. Enriched with Baikal Powder, recognized for its rebalancing virtues, this gel cream smoothes imperfections and hydrates combination or oily skin for a full 24 hours.
Price: NGN4900
PROs
- It has a refreshing and cooling feel to the skin
- It provides moisture to the face without feeling heavy. This makes sense as it does not contain mineral oils and is paraben free
- Loyalty card/rewards programme/ I was given a loyalty card such that you get free points from each purchase you make so if you are sold on their brand you can reap some rewards
- Lovely product packaging. I’m sure by now you would have realized that I absolutely love good product packaging because it makes my vanity table look good! This moisturizer comes in a chic glass jar with a plastic cap.
CONs
- It did not prevent me from breaking out! I was so pissed LOL I used this product religiously every night and most mornings for 2 months straight and I broke out with pimples that had that white stuff! I never have those ever!
- The price. I believe you could get other moisturizers for a lesser price that wont break you out
- Availability. The store is all the way in Novare lekki even though it was explained to me that they have a mini stand at most perfume stores in each mall in Lagos. But I believe it should be more widely available as there are other products from them I would want to purchase [ Their perfumes are really nice] but I can only get those at the main store which is a long way away from normal route.
My take:
I was really miffed about breaking out. I believe its best to do product reviews after a good long period of using the product. I currently just use this moisturizer after swimming because it gives that refreshing feel, I don’t swim everyday so its not enough to cause me to break out especially as I still have a proper bath afterwards. Its sort sad that the product didn’t live up to my expectations. I will not repurchase this moisturizer.
Spinsters Rating 2.0
The Purifying Cleansing Gel
Price: NGN3200
My Skin: constantly Oily
PROs
- It does strip away dirt from the face
- Eco friendly tube package that is 25% recyclable. Though we dont have the recycling culture in Nigeria, its a good reminder seeing packing like this.
CONs
- It does not foam. This is a plus and a negative all in one. If you are used to cleansers that foam this may be a bit odd for you as there is a tendency to use too much product as a lot of us measure how much to use by the amount of lather we have on our face and the absence of foaming signals that the dirt has over powered the cleanser.
- I just didnt see anything. LOL By this I mean my face wasnt visibly matte afterwards nor was it more supple. So everytime I use it I’m just unsure of its benefits. Two months afterwards I still wasn’t sure.
- Price. There are other cleansers and face washes with visible benefits for about the same price point and a little more in the jar
My take: Again I have resorted to using this cleanser whenever I randomly feel like o whenever I go to the pool since the tube is quite handy. When it finishes I wont be repurchasing either because I am unclear what the benefit was for my skin.
Spinster Rating: 2.5
Alright, that is it for my opinion on these products. I would still like to try other products from them eg perfumes and body butters.
What does purifying cleansing gel do?
Purifying Cleanser refines dull skin tone and uneven skin texture, while delivering hydration to dehydrated skin. It employs a mild foaming action to efficiently remove surface debris and impurities, leaving skin feeling refreshed, renewed, and conditioned.
How do you use Yves Rocher cleansing gel?
How to use:.
Apply morning and night on damp face. Gently massage and rinse..
Avoid contact with eyes..
What is pure algue Yves Rocher good for?
Perfectly cleanses, oxygenates and refreshes skin. Rids skin of impurities and traces of makeup. Intended for normal to combination skin, which may feel tight, lacking in moisture or dull.
Is cleansing gel good for face?
Great for many skin types Gel cleansers typically contain very mild ingredients, making them perfect for most skin types. They are particularly beneficial for sensitive skin types because these ingredients aren't harsh on the skin. They won't irritate your skin either.