Birkinbagbeauty's Best of 2013: Body

I have featured a lot of body-products, hair-related products and other potionalities in 2013. So here is the list of my favourites [also with some newbies]:

Nails:

I became familiar with Ciate thanks to UK Fashion magazines' GWP. Ciate nailpolishes stand out for: 1. fab coverage even after 1 coat 2. dries fast 3. superb colours 4. longevity. I got the Ciate Advent-set and found some favourites: Pillow Talk is the more-than-just-a-neutral Mauve that suits both warmer & cooler oufits. Cutie Pie for that creamy basic that looks luxe without being too fuzzy.

Perfume

In autumn I regretted not been able to find my yearly fragance-infatuation. Then I remembered testing Caligna in the exquisite Parisian l'Artisan Parfumeur shop during summery 30°C weather and liking it. Testing it this winter in colder weather made me even love it more.

I know, showing a paper sample doesn't show that much enthousiasm...But Caligna only comes for the hefty pricetag of €120, which needs some more sampling before I will resist that #nobuy.

Body Moisturizers:

Darphin Nourishing Satin Oil with Ginger and delightful vanilla fragance has been one of those 'special occasion' luxuries that moisturizes as a dream and fragances you so softly. Yes, I'm getting poetic about this and it needs a better review. 
This Works Really Rich Firming Lotion is one of the few (nicely) fraganced products that work when I'm supersensitive: with the added bonus of putting tons of moisture on the dry parts. I have a partial fondness of jasmine so that makes it wonderful for hydrating the body.

Hair:
Oh dear, I've been completely obsessed by reconstructing my hair (see here). Conclusion beginning '14: I have some hair again...!  It's not perfect yet, but it is a major improvement on the sad 'do I used to have.

I've started Phylia [de M] Connect mid '12 and the result is that my the hairgrowth from that time, an estimated 25/30 cm, is full and thick. It's literary 'gettin' it to your roots': the vitamins and the minerals. I haven't been using it since spring but I think it has been the key to my healthier hair.

Hair Styling:

Healthier hair needs some direction, aka styling. I'm still a sensitive person and not everything on my head agrees with my picky scalp. I consider Rene Furtherer Volumea a gorgeous natural alternative on volumizing my 'do, adding some wonderful gloss as a bonus.

Tools:

Since my new hairstyle my priorities switched from 'smoothing out damaged hairs' into 'extra volumising the fresh hairs': that needed a fabulous blowdryer! Reviews gave such positive marks on both T3 (superexpensive) & Parlux 385 (under €100) that I went for the last: also for the cute array of colours!
This latest version is both lightweighted and has a industrial motor inside (techie story here). In my non-techie terms: I love the various settings, heats-'n-coolnesses, and with the right techniques & styling products I'm able to experiment more with hairstyles.

These have been my 2013 body favourites and I could probably list a ton more, but I'll keep it relatively simple with "the excellent of class '13".

Melvita Anti-Pollution Cleansing Mousse

Mmm, good marketing: an Anti-Pollution Cleanser...Especially when most of the inhabitant on this planet live in big, polluted cities.

I had finished the Melvita Micellar Cleansing water and I liked it a lot. I also wanted to replace my latest mousse cleanser after finding the chemical scent a bit too strong (Kanebo Naive).  I remembered liking my more natural Nuxe cleansing mousse and was willing to try another French Natural brand to see if they would be similar-> I went for the Melvita version.

 

Melvita has various stamps upon the box being Cosmetique Bio certified or being an Organic Cosmetic brand. I attach a certain value on this tag, as I find most Organic brands to be friendlier to my (often sensitive) skin. 

The first thing that I noticed that the bottle was quite small. My earlier Melvita Micellar Water was of a 200 ml bottle and my previous Nuxe 3 roses Mousse was a 150 ml. This 50 ml one is a baby.

However, that makes it travel-friendlier and that can be important too. Especially since a Mousse cleanser is impossible to decant into smaller travel bottles, right?

Ingredients:

I think Blackcurrant water, Anise water and Olive extract are the most beneficial ingredients in here. I personally like the Moringa too: I've seen it in a Kerastase Elixir Ultime Moringa here and I know Kerastase does a ton of research before they claim an ingredient to be the most important!

I do not expect a lot of beneficial help from a cleanser, btw. Products that you rinse off do not need a really large dose of superingredients as they do not have the time (or properties) to absorb into the skin. However, some ingredients can help the soothing effect. Funnily, it is exactly the moment you notice this the most when you use a cleanser that has ingredients inside that your skin doesn't agree with.

Melvita Anti-Pollution Mousse is a soft mousse. It feels a bit watery, though, but I had a similar feel with the Nuxe 3 Roses Micellaire Mousse.

• scent: a faint citrus (orangy) that is refreshing at mornings.

• Cleansing: Soft but effective. In terms of hydratation I almost do not have to use moisturizer afterwards, but with the heating & cold weather I still need some.

• Anti-pollution/Deep Cleansing? I had been experiencing more blackheads lately. The mousse does not remove blackheads by itself, only deep cleansing by peels/extraction/steam/masks will do, but after a deep cleanse I feel that there are fewer blackheads appearing when I use this mousse. 
• Softening/Anti Ageing/Brightening? I bought this as a softer alternative for the Kose Naive or an alternative to my earlier Nuxe 3 Roses miscelaire and in both cases it is a softer cleanser that feels gentle on the skin. The cleanser does not claim to target anti-ageing or brightening, but includes ingredients such like blackcurrant has a high vitamine C level (brightening & anti-ageing) and anise (brightening).

CONCLUSION:
 Small but effective in cleansing the skin in a soft but effective way.

Availability:
On Melvita.com or  Naturisimo.com

Of Mousse & Women: Nuxe 3 roses Micellaire Foam Cleanser

A couple of weeks ago I finished up my Kose Softymo Airy Whip

It was not my main cleanser, and I think I had it for about one and a half year. I alternated this cleanser between all the other varieties that I have: the balms, the oils, the cleansing waters etc.

I liked cleaning with this moussy stuff but it has the ability to make dry/dehydrated skin somewhat dryer.

However, I started to miss the feeling of cleaning with a fun foam and some days I really have oilier skin that needs more effective cleansing.

So I bought myself a new foam: The Nuxe 3 Roses Micellar Foam: First, because of the promise of Damascena Rose Petal Floral waterr; also and the fact it got a glowing review from two women with gorgeous skin on Rich/Succesful/Beautiful website Intothegloss (here).

It has a pump-dispensor that works when you pump it: it's not as automatic as the fluff that gets from the Kose Softymo, but this one distributes smaller portions that are just enough for the face.

Ingredients:

a mixture of naturals & some non-natural additives.But without Parabens!

Verdict after four uses:

• scent: 

the roses got me in the first place so I wonder how the fragance would be.  I would describe the rose as a masculine rose, somewhat a similar idea that Le Labo Rose 31 is often described (here). I like roses when they are most natural (as an essential oil) or slightly androgyn so this is ok with me. However, it surpised me a bit.

• Cleansing:

Not as soft when applying as the Kose Softymo and somewhat a dryer mousse (if I can call it like that). The afterfeeling is clean, but almost too clean. I have to follow up with a softening tonic, and a rather moisturizing cream to make up for that.

• Softening/Anti Ageing/Brightening/Deep Cleansing?

I have only used it four times to give out a thorough review. But as said earlier, I like the scent and the fact it is rather natural. Right now I do not mind following up with extra moisture, because most of my creams/lotions take care of that anyway.

Availability:
I bought mine at newfarma.be, for UK people it is also availabe at marks&Spencer, the US have it on skinstore.com and I also saw it on sasa.com.

Kind of funny to see how a French drugstore brand has gone international and mainstream these days (see availability)