Caudalie Review March 2019
My love affair with Caudalie began at the beginning of 2017 after I had seen a bit of a buzz about a product called Beauty Elixir and of course I “needed” this product so I ordered it and awaited it’s arrival with typical skincare geek anticipation. The anticipated wait was worth every second as when this beautiful product arrived I fell in lurve. Proper lurve. Real lurve. As real as any person can love an inanimate object kinda lurve
The Beauty Elixir is inspired by the “elixir of youth” used by Queen Isabelle of Hungary and is a powerful, plant based skincare which smoothes the features and gives a burst of radiance, it can be used after foundation, before powder, to set your make up and it can be used at any time of the day for a relaxing, toning, refreshing effect. All of that and I haven’t even discussed the smell of it. Oh Maaaaan - The Smell. It is like walking into a heavenly burst of minty, rosemary freshness that awakens your senses but at the same time relaxes your shoulders
What followed next was a full on investigation into the brand, the rest of the products, how to get more of it into my life and then a realisation that this was the ideal partner to bring into my little beauty room to treat my clients to beautiful facials as well as the first retail brand to sit on the shelves. I had been reluctant to jump into partnership with all the usual suspects in beauty rooms around Dundee as my aim was to bring something new, something special, something indulgent and a company who’s philosophy was just as important as the skincare products they sell. This story, thankfully had a happy ending and 7 months after my initial contact with the brand, I had it on my shelves
I LOVE CAUDALIE - The brand was created from a vineyard in Bordeaux in 1995 by a young couple who still run the company now. They have patented the treasures of the grape - polyphenols, resveratrol, viniferine and vinegry to create a range of face and body products that deliver incredible results for many different skin concerns. The products are affordable but indulgent, beautiful but functional and if you haven’t tried any of their products yet I hope my review helps you decide that this may be the brand for you. I use a variety of Caudalie products in my daily routine along with other brands and other products as I love trying new skincare and my shop sells other brands too so I did a 2 week trial of using only Caudalie a.m and p.m
Here are my findings
The a.m routine - Instant Foaming Cleanser, Clear Skin Purifying Toner, Premier Cru - The Serum, Eye Lifting Balm, Soft Cream, Soleil Divin SPF 50
CLEANSE - INSTANT FOAMING CLEANSER £15
A liquid cleanser, this beautifully scented, soap-free cleanser turns into an airy foam for gentle but deep cleansing. It leaves the skin clean, refreshed and is a really comfortable cleanser to use. I used this every morning in the shower and rinsed with warm water making it an easy product to use. As with lots of Caudalie products, it smells dreamy and although it is a foam wash for combination skin it also soothes and moisturises where needed. A beaut of a cleanser
TONE - CLEAR SKIN PURIFYING TONER - £18
Containing natural salicylic acid from the Wintergreen plant, this toner is super duper for cleansing out the pores, purifying the skin and is also radiance boosting. I take HRT and wax the hairs from my chinny chin chin so am prone to breakouts if bacteria worms its way into my pores, I find by using this every day these breakouts happen less as the purifying action of the salicylic acid prevents dead skin clogging the pores and trapping said wormy little bacterias. I launch a few drops of this into the palm of my hand then sweep all over my face and neck
SERUM - PREMIER CRU ‘THE SERUM’ - £90
This is the ultimate, ultimate, ultimate serum and deserves its award winning status. It intensely revitalises the skin with a boost of the patented ingredient VINERGY which basically gives your mitochondria a kick up their wee tooshies meaning signs of ageing can be corrected. It firms, it lifts, it lightens, it brightens, it sings, it dances, obviously not the last 2 but you will be singing and dancing when you use it. There is no specific age that you have to start using products with these super ingredients in it and rather than classing it as anti-ageing (not a fan of this term) I think of this products as skin supportive. It is AWESOME
EYES - RESVERATROL EYE LIFTING BALM - £36
Ingredients, resveratrol and hyaluronic acid are in this wee wrinkle fighting tube along with advanced peptides and who doesn’t love a peptide? This beautifully smoothing balm helps lift eyelids and has a special anti-puffiness plant complex. I woke up one Sunday morning during the trial, you can imagine what Saturday had consisted of (overindulgence) and my eyes looked really really crepey and dehydrated, I know the incredible effects of some skincare on dehydrated skin but this one truly wowed me as after I’d applied the balm my eyes looked plumper and hydrated. I applied it 4 times that day. SKINTELLECT TIP - using ring finger circle apply product gently in a circular motion around the bony eye socket bit (super technical instructions) and let the product smooth into the eye area, repeat just before applying make up. WINNER WINNER
MOISTURISER - RESVERATROL FACE LIFTING SOFT CREAM - £42
This super soft moisturiser feels like cashmere to touch and smells like a dreamy dream. Here are some words for you - RESCULPTS, FIRMS, LIFTS, PLUMPS, NOURISHES, REPAIRS, SOFT FOCUS PIGMENT, LOVE, THIS, PRODUCT, SO, SO, MUCH. From the first time I used this I loved it, and 91 out of 100 other people who tried it said their skin was firmer after 30 days, I don’t always buy into skincare statistic bullcrap but I know this is very very likely to be true. Resveratrol do have a night cream in the range and although there are reasons to use the night cream I must add that this little tub of magic does for day and night if you prefer
SUNSCREEN - SOLEIL DIVIN SUNCARE SPF 50 - £20
Walk into any French pharmacy (I have done this a lot cause I adore them) and you will find shelves full of sunscreen. WHY? Because they take their skincare seriously and they know very well that the sun is the number 1 baddie for your skin. I find myself shouting “SCOTTISH people why dont you believe the damage you’re causing your skin by not wearing sunscreen” It is not a lie, nor a myth, nor a fallacy. Now, take a telling once and for all you wee stubborn mules and PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM THE UV RAYS. Granted my fellow pale faces, we don’t get too much of the sun here but we do still get UVA and UVB sun rays attacking us. Winter sun is also damaging. My recommendation to you is between the months of MARCH-OCTOBER wear a sunscreen of 30 or higher and through the winter months make sure you have an SPF in your day moisturiser, tinted moisturiser or foundation. Right then, thats you all telt! This product offers broad spectrum filter complex, is anti-oxidant and has a non-sticky finish. Blends in beautifully and doesn’t leave you with a ghostly face
MOVING SWIFTLY ON TO THE PM PRODUCTS
PM Routine - Make-Up Removing Cleansing Oil, Concentrated Brightening Essence, Premier Cru-The Serum, Eye Lifting Balm, Premier Cru-The Cream, Premier Cru-The Precious Oil
CLEANSE - MAKE-UP REMOVING CLEANSING OIL - £18
With 100% natural ingredients (if you care about this type of fact) this is a stunning make up removing cleanser. The blend of nourishing oils easily remove make-up including waterproof mascara and sunscreen and the application is absolute relaxation for night time use. I massage the oil into dry skin to dissolve all traces of makeup, grime and gunk then add a small amount of water to create a milky cleanser that washes off beautifully. I love the way my skin feels after using this and it gives me an opportunity to massage away the big frown that has accumulated through the day. For the purposes of keeping the routines simple I did not cleanse again after using this but I don’t wear that much make up usually, if I felt like I needed a second cleanse I’d go to the foaming cleanser after this
TONE - CONCENTRATED BRIGHTENING ESSENCE - £22
This special little toning lotion contains a small amount of glycolic acid and we all know that the acids in the toners are doing all the right things. This one works to eliminate dead skin cells, while white peony revitalises and makes the skin tone more even. It is hydrating, soothing and moisturising and although the scent isn’t my favourite of the Caudalie range I did get used to it. I love dropping a wee puddle of this into the palm of my hands then patting into the skin on my face, neck and chesty bits. This bottle lasts forevaaaaaaa
SERUM - PREMIER CRU ‘THE SERUM’ - £90
See Above
EYES - RESVERATROL EYE LIFTING BALM - £36
See Above
MOISTURISER AND OIL - PREMIER CRU ‘THE CREAM’ - £90 and PREMIER CRU ‘THE PRECIOUS OIL’ - £52
I have popped these 2 in the same category as I used them both as my evening moisturisers. For the 2 week trial I wanted to use them both (oil first) for the whole 2 weeks but my skin did not take too well to that, sometimes less is more when it comes to skincare. After 3 nights of both my skin felt clogged in the morning as I don’t generally have a problem with dry skin, if you do then these 2 will make the perfect nightime combo. Precious Oil is luxurious and this product melts into the skin, it also helps to smooth the skin, brighten the skin and SKINTELLECT TIP - pop a couple of drops into your foundation or into the palm of your hand and pat onto bony face bits for an illuminated appearance. AVOID EYE CONTOUR with this one. The Cream is absolute luxury in a bottle, I adore this for night time use as I always wake up with velvety smooth skin. It contains all the incredible Caudalie patents and really is a superpower in the cream category
P.S………
I received my very own tub of Vinoperfects new addition - DARK SPOT CORRECTING NIGHT CREAM- £34 - a few days before I had finished my 2 week Caudalie regime so I had to give it a go. It works overnight doing it’s wee munching away of all the dead skin to reveal a brighter, glowing complexion and BY JOVE does this work. It is a flipping fantastic addition to the range and I believe with continued use that anyone with dark spots from pigmentation or acne scarring will see a marked improvement
CONCLUSION
I don’t really think I need to conclude - You have read it all, there is nothing I dislike, I didn’t even need to do an exfoliation or mask in the 2 week regime (just as well cause I forgot I wanted to for your benefit) as my skin felt really really good. Here are my faves
MY CAUDALIE HEROES -
CLEAR SKIN PURIFYING LOTION
PREMIER CRU - THE SERUM
MAKE-UP REMOVING CLEANSING OIL
RESVERATROL EYE LIFTING BALM
If you have any questions about the products or the range please contact me at info@inthelob.com
LOVE TO YOU ALL MY WEE LOBSTERS
KEZIA