Wednesday, October 22, 2014

CAUDALIE STORY AND MY PRODUCT REVIEW

When it comes to beauty and skin care (and probably pretty much everything else, - starting with fashion pieces and ending with such things as bed linens and places to eat), - I do prefer when there is a story behind the product as well as strong philosophy behind the brand. Whether it is commitment to only natural ingredients, or unique patented formulas with many years of research before ...
I have my deepest respect and sympathy for companies with their own vision, and once I find them, - oh I am a very loyal customer, indeed :)

All products, that I will introduce to you today, are made by brand who seem to fully meet my demanding requirements, and it is CAUDALIE .

When I discovered their web page, - enormous source of information (by the way, why don`t you check it yourself ), I fell into the brand even more.

The Story


Rather than retyping text from official sources, I suggest you meet Mathilde & Bertrand Thomas, Caudalie founders, who`s brand`s story started in Bordeaux (France) and is directly connected with vineyards on the family estate.






As it was already mentioned in the video above, all of Caudalie products are made of natural and environmentally friendly active ingredients,  usually on the packaging you will find such sign as seen below:




Now this chart (below) has been borrowed from their web page , it is especially for those of you who pay attention to ingredients as much as I do! )

The ingredients


What we like

  • Organic grape water, grape-seed oil, Vinolevure®
  • Plant oils (fair trade argan, borage, evening primrose, hibiscus, sesame)
  • Moisturizing active ingredients (cassia angustifolia, pea)
  • Fair trade shea butter
  • Natural emulsifiers
  • Sage, camomile, flax seed
  • Avocado and apricot butters
  • Ginseng, ginger, echinacea
  • Orange and lemon plant waters
  • Extracts of Indian Hyssop, lemon, juniper, broom, geranium, rosemary and fresh peppermint

What we don't like and you will not find in our products 

  • Parabens
  • Phenoxyethanol
  • Mineral oils
  • Paraffin
  • Synthetic artificial colorings
  • Sodium laureth sulfate
  • Phthalates
  • Animal-derived raw materials


My experience


Moving on to my personal favourites, I will start with Caudalie`s  Nourishing Body Lotion.
I guess you all had experienced (at least once in your life) those body creams, that require several applications until the skin will feel "soft and hydrated enough", but then it`s dry again after a little white as if you never used a body lotion... ?
Well whatever I described above is luckily not relevant to this product at all, as it is not only concentrated with moisturizing active ingredients , Caudalie`s signature anti-oxidant grape Polyphenols and ginkgo biloba,  but also leaves the skin soft and smooth from the very first time you apply it, absorbs quickly (so you can go to bed or put your clothes almost straight away) and has a subtle perfume as well (neutral enough to satisfy even those with very high sensitivity to smell).
It is really very hard to find what`s not to like in this product, I would definitely recommend it to anyone, and will certainly buy it again.



Next in my and my white kitten`s list, - Make-up Remover Cleansing Water (Organic Grape Water & Camomile). This micellar water is suitable for all skin types and it removes make-up from your face...and eyes, so you have 2 products in one! It has a very gentle formula and is appropriate for sensitive skin and eyes (which I have, and I wear contact lenses as well).
I cannot say, that it is the most effective make-up remover I`ve ever had,  - if you used to wear lots of make up on a daily basis, - you might want it to be a bit more effective and "stronger" (e.g. you cannot compare it with something like Bioderma`s micellar water), but it is definitely good for those, who`s eyes are sensitive, it does not have oily texture (which is unacceptable in my case)  and provides your eyes with a very gentle care.
Due to my eyes like this product so much, I mostly use it to remove my eye make up and cleanse a little bit of face as well, preparing it for the next step in my daily routine, - Instant Foaming Cleanser (Grapes & Sage).


Among all Caudalie products I`ve tried, now this (below) is my real favourite!!!
This airy-foam based on a soap-free formula removes make-up gently and quick, leaving the skin fresh and clean, but without drying/tightening effect.
It also has a very nice, delicate aroma.
If I had a lot of make up, after I use it, I might still take one step back  and use a Cleansing water again, just to remove the last "bits" of mascara and foundation. And then apply my toner or thermal water before the night/day cream.




Next, - Gentle Buffing Cream for Sensitive skin.
It is a very gentle scrub, which I have started to use just recently. Contains jojoba microbeads, grape oil and acacia honey.




Initially I was planning to buy just a lip conditioner, but there was a nice "Winter Duo" set available, with a small hand and nail cream,  -  of course I couldn`t resist! I do, however, prefer the texture/aroma of their other hand cream, but this is still nice and I guess compact size is convenient as well.
With regards to the lip conditioner, - again, nice to know that it is 99 % natural origin, and this product not only nourishes your lips, but has anti-ageing properties as well.



God bless my beloved pharmacy! Due to I am buying quite a lot of skin care products on a regular basis, I don`t mind asking for different testers, - to discover new products/textures and see what will suit my skin best.
Now on my beauty wishlist are this brand`s beautiful serums, day/night creams and a very nice eye cream as well!



Hope you found my small review useful, in the nearest future I am planning to rate my current favourite hair care products, (possibly) make up foundations and my Avène skin care products for sensitive skin as well.

Sending you lots of love, stay tuned and don`t forget to follow HELEN`S LIFE BLOG  on Facebook and Instagram (helenslifeblog) as well!                  
 
                                                                                    xx     
                                                                                     



Tuesday, October 14, 2014

WHEN GOING ON A SECRET DATE

When having secret date arranged, you have to prepare at your best:

add a little drama to your look by wearing layered tulle gown by Alberta Feretti, however keep shoes classy: Louboutin will work.

Such date organization requires certain skills and brain, so opt for wise snake green in terms accessories:
Kimberly McDonald 18-karat gold, raw-cut emerald and sparkling pavé diamond earrings as well as luxurious hand-made silk "Audrey" clutch by Laimushka will make a deal.

Leave your skin luminous and make a statement with a playful flick. It`s autumn, - season of new trends, so choose a bright fuchsia lip colour instead of oh-so-predictable red and wear it with confidence.
Consider deep purple or green hues for your eyes as well.

Keep your head up, hair sleek, mind focused and your posture straight.

It would be not a real date without you wearing a perfume, so complete the look with  Boucheron fragrance, with key notes of orange blossom, rose essence, peony and cedarwood.

Remember, no regrets, no expectations, messages or calls.

PS Make sure you burn this note after you read it, if someone asks, - no evidence exists.




Learn more about how to recreate such effortless chic look with Chanel. (Thanks for the video to my beloved Interview Russia! )




AUTHOR 
JELENA PALCEVA

PRODUCTS FEATURED
ALBERTA FERETTI tulle gown
LAIMUSHKA handmade clutch - please discover the world of this very talented designer on Facebook and  their Instagram account laimushka_com as well.
FOLLOW HELEN`S LIFE BLOG 


Saturday, October 4, 2014

DAVID`S LEAVING DRINKS + CURRENT MOOD

My dear friends,

I guess that very soon I`ll have to start each post with words "it`s been forever since we guys last met", as these occasions when I can just sit down quietly at home and write are very rare... and priceless.

Many things are currently going on in my life, it`s all spinning, and I`m not quite sure which direction it will take me next. 

My words seems senseless, and I feel restless.  - being a bit poetic now ))

Nevertheless, let`s start.



This time it`s all about my ex-colleague fabulous David`s leaving party, which took place in Le Metro Bar, last Thursday night. And here`s a little photo report on that.

PS By the way, dear David, you won`t believe that, but as I am writing this right now, Lana`s "Young and Beautiful" song from our beloved  Great Gatsby started to play, so I guess it`s a good sign! ))

Cheers to you one more time and good luck with everything! x Thank you for being The Great :)



I couldn`t decide which one of the below is better (as both of them are super sweet)), hence posting both! 


This is what's playing now on my background :



Also these ballades are currently among my favourites:






I must admit, I have discovered singer Sam Smith just recently, but so far absolutely in love, - so talented and lyrics are just to the point!!! And I am aware that this music is way too sweeter than sugar and I am, probably, being just simply ridiculous :)) But this is how I feel right now, and I can`t help it, friends ))







Kisses from your crazy friend (I bet almost all of the girls have such embarrassing pictures on their phone, don`t they? Or is it just silly me? :)))))))
 
Anyway,  xx
 
JP


PS All pictures featured made by my colleague Sam. Thanks for that! x