La Roche-Posay Toleraine Ultra Fluide Review

La Roche-Posay (LRP) recently launched a new addition to their Toleriane skincare line which is designed to provide intense soothing care for ultra-sensitive or allergic combination/oily skin types. They sent me the new Toleriane Ultra Fluide for testing and review.

Packaged in a hermetically sealed pump bottle, Toleriane Ultra Fluide is designed to provide combination/oily skin types with 3 main actions: immediate relief of skin irritation, lasting relief of "irritation, reactivity and heated sensations" after 4 weeks of use, and a "high tolerance" for users. The formula contains Neurosensine a "strong soothing agent", LRP's thermal spring water which is included in all their products and is preservative/paraben/fragrance/alcohol/colorant and lanolin free.

I've been using Ultra Fluide for the last 3 weeks in conjunction with my regular skincare which includes Differin gel at night, and moisturizer with SPF 30 during the day. Although I do not have sensitive skin, I do suffer from seasonal allergies which, irritatingly enough, now persist until the snow falls. The skin on my face and around my eyes can frequently get itchy and red and I'm also prone to dryness, peeling and irritation around my mouth and nose due to the dry air the fall brings. I used the Ultra Fluide after I washed my face and after any topical medications (Differin). I did find that having a thin layer of this lotion helped ease the peeling, stinging and redness around my mouth (in part caused by the dryness and the Differin). It provided an extra layer of protection and moisture that that thinner skin needed without feeling heavy or being greasy. 

I also tested it after I used a depilatory cream on my upper lip. Hair removal products such as Neet or Olay irritate my skin leaving it pink and stinging. Using the Ultra Fluid after helped soothe my upper lip skin as well.

Overall I think this is an effective product for irritated skin. It works well layered with other products and is light enough that you won't notice an extra product on your skin. The packaging also ensures it stays free of contamination without adding any extra unwanted preservatives.

La Roche-Posay Toleraine Ultra Fluide retails for approximately $34.00 CA (40 ml) and can be found at retailers such as London Drugs and Shoppers Drug Mart. 

Grade: A

J

Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion Review

Burt's Bees has reformulated their Milk & Honey body lotion and renamed it as Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion.  I received two samples (pictured above) recently on the street and thought I'd do a review on it. 

Here's what a full-size bottle looks like. It comes in tubes of 70g ($6.99 CDN) or 170g ($12.99 CDN).

Burt's Bees claims that its Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion gives your skin 24 hour nourishment. 

For normal to dry skin, this luxurious, lightweight lotion goes to work the minute you apply it, and it’s clinically proven to moisturize for up to 24 hours. Milk nourishes while honey helps to soften skin; plus, coconut and grape seed oils and vitamin E deliver beneficial nutrients to the skin. Our dermatologist-tested formula absorbs quickly but stays with you all day and night.

So what did I find when I tried it? One sample is 7 mL and was enough to use one my whole body. I had originally anticipated to have enough to use on my legs so I was surprised there was so much. While the lotion seems thick, it does warm and thin quite a bit when you're applying it so a little goes a long way. 

The scent is creamy and sweet - exactly what you might imagine a milk and honey lotion would smell like - and pleasant. 

My skin felt instantly soothed and moisturized. The lotion absorbed fairly quickly and the feeling didn't go away. I used it after my shower in the morning and my skin still felt just as wonderful at the end of the day. I can't say that about a lot of lotions I've used. I would definitely recommend this lotion and buy it for myself. 

I was impressed too by the sample packaging. It's a laminated cardboard, which fits well with the brand's natural branding. I wish more samples were constructed using cardboard packaging.

*It should be noted that while Burt's Bees touts itself as a natural brand, the company is owned by Clorox. You can read more about this on a previous Beauty Squared post here. 

Have you tried Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion?  Do you love Burt's Bees? Tell us!

C.

Kiehl's Creme de Corps

Creme de Corps is one of Kiehl's classic, best-loved products and they can add my thumbs up to their review too. I used it for the first time this winter and have absolutely fallen in love with it!

There is one word for this body lotion from Kiehl's - luxuriant. It's meant for dry and flaky skin, so it's ideal for winter skin or anyone with dry, itchy, rough skin. It's made with beta-carotine (helps to produce Vitamin A), cocoa butter and Vitamin E and it makes your skin feel so richly moisturized and takes away any itchiness, tightness and irritation from dryness. You know the feeling of your clothes dragging against your skin when it's dry? Creme de Corps takes that right away. It's just so luxurious and soothing.

It's got a buttery, warm, creamy texture and absorbs easily despite it's richness. It's scent is just as luxurious as it's texture - not perfumed at all, just slightly carroty and creamy.

I like to save it for special occasions, it's just that luxurious. 

C.

Review: Olay Quench Advanced Relief Body Lotion and Olay Quench Therapy Hand

This is our first review of products sent to us by a company, as such we will be using our new 5 point scale to rate and review these products.  To read a full description of the scale, please visit this post: http://beautysquared.blogspot.com/2009/11/beauty-squared-review-scale.html 

We each used the new Olay Quench Advanced Relief Body Lotion ($10.99 CDN/350mL) and Therapy Hand Cream ($8.99 CDN/129g) for seven days to test it out.

J's skin

I live in the prairies, probably one of the driest climates around. Winters are cold and harsh on the skin, especially any skin that is exposed to the outside air. I'm also an artist, so I wash my hands about a billion times a day (2 billion now that we're all afraid of contracting H1N1). And if that wasn't enough punishment, I'm also a climber, so I also have to contend with drying chalk and calluses on the palms on my hands. In the winter my hands get so dry my fingertips will often crack. Simply put, the skin on my hands & body is dry, dry, dry.

Olay Quench Advanced Relief Body Lotion (Fragrance Free)

Value = 3 (medicore)

 Suggested retail price for the lotion is $10.99 - probably more than what I would be willing to fork out on a drugstore brand lotion. However, it is an effective product, so I would say the value is good.

Scent = 4 (good)

The lotion we sampled was unscented. I consider this a plus as it won't interfere with any perfume you choose to wear.

Effectiveness = 4 (good)

Very effective. This is a thick, rich lotion that is not greasy at all. Usually I tend to choose greasier lotions because my skin is so dry - this however moisturizes very well with absolutely no residue. The only thing you are left with is silky skin!

Olay Quench Therapy Hand Cream

Value = 3 (mediocre)

At $8.99 this is a tad more expensive than my usual drugstore standby hand cream, Sally Hansen's 18 Hour Hand Cream. I would say the value for this product is fair.

Scent = 4 (good)

This hand cream has a clean, slightly masculine scent in my opinion. I really like it - it's a nice change from really floral, fruity or sweet scented creams.

Effectiveness = 3 (medicore)

I think this cream is best suited for people with moderately dry hands, not severely dry hands like mine. Although it is developed for "extremely dry, itchy skin" I didn't find it gave me lasting protection. However, I think this would work well for someone who's lifestyle wasn't quite as demanding on their poor paws.

C's skin

My skin is pretty normal overall but sensitive to certain products. I exfoliate often to keep it healthy. I get bumps and blemishes due to dryness or over-sensitivity. My legs get dry in the fall and winter and I often experience itchiness on my arms, though they don't get as dry as my legs. I live in a moderately humid climate with moderate seasons. I don't tend to moisturize often in the summer but try to do so daily in the colder months. With the H1N1 scare, I'm using lots of hand sanitizer and washing my hands much more frequently.

Olay Quench Advanced Relief Body Lotion (Fragrance Free)

Value = 4 (good)

$10.99 is not too bad a price to pay for a drugstore brand that works and drugstores often have sales.

Scent = 3 (mediocre)

This lotion is fragrance-free, though you can purchase it in scented versions. Of course, no beauty product is completely without scent, so don't assume you will smell nothing of this product, but it does not have any added perfume so it will not affect any scents you like to wear, be it a body lotion, hair product or perfume.

Effectiveness = 4 (good)

I much prefer lotions made with natural ingredients, so this, like other lotions that aren't predominantly shea or cocoa butter (etc) made my skin feel less moisturized than I like. Though this isn't to say my skin wasn't moisturized however. It felt silky, smooth and didn't itch, so clearly this works, it just isn't my preference. On a side note, I experienced some breakout and itchiness on my upper body, namely my upper arms and chest. This is an area that I find I am a bit more sensitive and perhaps there's something in Quench that my skin doesn't agree with.

Olay Quench Therapy Hand Cream

Value = 3 (mediocre)

I don't need an intensive cream for my hands, and for drugstore brands I like Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream but this is a pretty good cream for the price. The size is pretty good as well.

Scent = 4 (good)

It's not heavily fragranced at all, but there is a subtle, non-girly, generic scent. It's not offensive or distracting.

Effectiveness = 4 (good)

This is a pretty effective hand cream for moderately dry hands. It gives a similar silky feel to the skin and best of all, absorbs quickly so it's ideal for having at the office. Like the body lotion, it gives my skin a smooth, silky feeling and takes away the tight, itchy feeling I get after I wash my hands. I would recommend this.


For more information about the Olay Quench line of lotions, click here.


Please note that the following product up for review was sent to us by a PR firm. All the opinions expressed in this review have been made independently and are not in any way affiliated with the company supplying the products or the PR firm we are in touch with.