Launch Love: Dermalogica’s Phyto Replenish Oil

I reckon the biggest disappointment people experience in their day-to-day beauty dermalogica-phyo-replenishquest is immediate effect. Or in other words, magic. Makeup can be magic, but skincare takes more effort, and if doesn’t get better right away, we can be quick to bin the offending product, or skip whatever part of the regime it is that is letting us down.

Time, eh? Who asked it to be so slow?

Except when we start detecting signs of ageing, that is. Time suddenly turns into a speed-freak, running away on us, leaving fine lines and gaping pores behind. I flip the bird at you, Time — and not merely symbolically, either: DERMALOGICA’s new Phyto Replenish Oil is here to help us put You in your place.

I’m already a fan of their Overnight Repair Serum, so having been allowed to trial something equally as good for the daytime has been nothing but a joy, particularly as it works so well.

One of those nasty things that Time does is to reduce our ability to restore our lipids, those oils that create a protective layer against the environment and keep our skin supple and dewy. Phyto Replenish Oil is basically dewiness-in-a-bottle, thanks to a combination of plant-based active ingredients that makes us shine — in the good way — and helps shore up our depleted lipids.

There’s hyaluronic acid, chia seed oil {especially good for skin that is itchy and needs soothing}, orchid flower extract {which helps lock in moisture} and rice bran oil {provides UV ray and free radical protection}. The texture of Phyto Replenish is light it smells clean with a hint of floral freshness, and despite absorbing like a shot, it doesn’t leave the kind of dry squinch that many quick-absorbing products can: your skin will still feel plump and hydrated and gorgeous.

Add to your SPF or your moisturiser or primer, or use it straight up: six to seven drops will do you, and do right by you. It won’t leave your skin greasy-looking, either, and in fact imparts the kind of glow you took for granted, once upon a Time.

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Available now worldwide! €62/£79.45/$75

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Snap! Judgment: Vichy Ideal Body

Basically said OH MY GOD really loudly when I dabbed a bit of both of these on.

VICHY IDEAL BODY

Both use active ingredients like hyaluronic acid and LHA which you’d be more likely to find in face creams, but surely the rest of our bodies can benefit from them as well? With 10 lovely oils included as well — among them passionflower, macadamia and jojoba — there’s an added sensuality to these products.

The oil smells like summer; the body balm is like wrapping yourself in a cashmere blanket. At €23 and €22 respectively, you might prefer to pick one or the other. I’d go with the oil for spring-into-summer action, and keep the balm for winter. It’s optimistic to think that winter’s over, so IDK, do what you think best.

There’s a serum, too, which may be the bridge between seasons…

Very excited to give these a proper whirl!

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Snap! Judgement: Scholl Velvet Smooth Intense Serum

Regular readers will know that I hate feet and think they are gross. My own espesh, probably because my aversion to appendages with toes means that I don’t take good care of my feet, so that they are even more gross. Part of it is that when I lived in NYC, it was as easy as walking down the street to find a deal on a mani/pedi {Monday-Wednesday, $20!}, and any randomer could do a decent if not excellent job scraping and moisturising.

I don’t even like touching my feet to put cream on, because of how long it takes for the product to sink in.

This just came in the post today — will Scholl’s Intense Serum be The Thing that will change my mind, and the aversion of a lifetime?
SCHOLL FOOT SERUM
It’s got Hylaluronic acid in it, for anti-aging, and green caviar — possibly mainly for the smell, because it smells green — and Pentavitin™, which is a skin bioactive that promotes deep hydration {THX Dr Google}. I can’t vouch for the first yet, but this serum definitely smells good and absorbs quickly. It’s also actually a serum:
SCHOLL THE ACTUAL SERUM
Well, I’d dispensed some, so of course couldn’t let it go to waste. It felt brilliant: it was invigorating on contact and just got better as I massaged it in. Because it all went so quickly, I had zero time to dwell on the ickiness of feet, and I gotta say, my hooves feel really good, even after just one application.

At €9.49, and for as little a bit that I used, I’m seeing excellent value in the offing. There’s also a new Express Pedi with Diamond Crystals {€49.99} and a Velvet Smooth Foot Soak {also €9.49}, if unlike me you are a foot enthusiast and can think of nothing nicer than spending quality time with your trotters. IDK, I may just go for it, squeams notwithstanding, and see can I mind my toes in my my own home…

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Available where all good foot stuff is sold.

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#sparklewithscholl

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