Sample Reviews: Melvita Moisturizing Rose Nectar ®

I got this cream (ages ago) with my first Latest in Beauty order, along with a Lavera Liposome Intensive Night Cream sample and the Lady Gaga Fame perfume sample.

I chose this product because I was looking for a new face cream, and I was interested in trying natural and organic product, if possible. Melvita is certified EcoCert, plus the review were extremely positive and it was recommended for dry skin, so it seemed just perfect for me.

Brand: Melvita

Product: Moisturising Rose Nectar ® - face moisturizer

Sample: 1x2ml sachet

Price: £25 x 40ml (full size from Melvita website)

Where to Shop: find your nearest stockist here

Benefits 

Ideal for dry and dehydrated skin, this sheer, comfortable cream intensely moisturises the skin for 24 hours. Rose floral water acts as a direct source of hydration, while extract of fresh roses, obtained by enfleurage, helps to hold in the skin's natural moisture by maintaining the hydrolipidic film. To help diffuse this moisture at the heart of epidermal cells, wild rose petal extract (derived from roses that grow at high altitudes) helps to stimulate the synthesis of aquaporins – true "water channels". Rose Nectar is made with 100% organic active ingredients and provides 24-hour hydration.
Perfectly moisturized throughout the day, the skin feels soft and supple again – and the complexion looks beautifully rosy!

My Experience

I tried this cream always after cleansing my face with a soap bar (I find it comfortable to use and it doesn't dehydrate my skin); the cream is rich, highly moisturising without being greasy or feeling heavy, it gets absorbed quickly and easily, leaving the skin feeling soft and hydrated; the scent of rose is really nice and natural but also quite strong so keep that in mind if you don't like strong or flowery perfumes.

This cream seems to have a soothing effect on my sensitive skin, it helps reduce redness and it brightens up my complexion; a big upside is that you need only a tiny bit (and I'm usually generous when applying moisturiser), I also liked that it absorbs easily but allows you enough time to spread and massage it into the skin.

It also works as a perfect makeup base, I have tried it both with e.l.f. Mineral Foundation and Bourjois Healty Mix Foundation (just noticed the new formulation, when I'll finish my old version I'll try it!), and at the end of the day my skin was neither dry nor shiny (it happened to me that some moisturisers made my skin sweat and I got shiny in a couple of hours - too much oils; or that after a couple of hours dry patches started to appear on my T-zone - not enough hydrating ingredients).

I managed to get 8 applications (I used the cream for eight mornings in a row) from a 2ml sachet, but probably I was able to do so because I poured the cream into a mini jar; I usually pour all products that come into sachet into mini jars in order to avoid product wastage, and it's easier than having to squeeze the cream out every morning.

Ingredients

ROSA DAMASCENA FLOWER WATER* - GLYCERIN - DICAPRYLYL

ETHER - AQUA/WATER - CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE - OCTYLDODECANOL -

BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER* - ROSA MOSCHATA SEED OIL* -

ISOSTEARYL ALCOHOL - PARFUM/FRAGRANCE - ARACHIDYL ALCOHOL - LAUROYL

LYSINE - SODIUM STEAROYL GLUTAMATE - HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER)

SEED OIL - ROSA DAMASCENA EXTRACT* - CHLORELLA VULGARIS EXTRACT - ROSA

CANINA FLOWER EXTRACT* - ROSA GALLICA FLOWER EXTRACT - ROSA CANINA

FRUIT OIL - ROSA DAMASCENA FLOWER OIL - CETEARYL ALCOHOL - BEHENYL

ALCOHOL - GLYCERYL DIBEHENATE - ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) POWDER - SCLEROTIUM

GUM - ARACHIDYL GLUCOSIDE - TRIBEHENIN - XANTHAN GUM - GLYCERYL

CAPRYLATE - OLEIC/LINOLEIC/LINOLENIC POLYGLYCERIDES - CETEARYL GLUCOSIDE -

BOSWELLIA SERRATA GUM - GALACTARIC ACID - STEARIC ACID - GLYCERYL

BEHENATE - LEVULINIC ACID – BISABOLOL* - SODIUM LEVULINATE - TOCOPHEROL -

LECITHIN - POLYGLYCERYL-3 DIISOSTEARATE - CINNAMIC ACID - GLYCERYL STEARATE

- SODIUM PHYTATE - SODIUM BENZOATE - POTASSIUM SORBATE - CITRONELLOL** -

GERANIOL** - LINALOOL** - EUGENOL** - FARNESOL** - CITRAL** - LIMONENE**.

*Ingrédients issus de l’Agriculture Biologique / Ingredients from Organic Farming

** Constituants naturels du concentré aromatique / Natural components of fragrance

In addition to the various rose extracts we can also find three active ingredients inside this cream:

• Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
• Bisabolol
• Tocopherol

The first is extracted from an algae and has detoxifying,  anti-aging and firming properties; the second is extracted from chamomile essential oil and has strong soothing properties; while the third is the proper name of Vitamin E, which has strong antioxidant and soothing properties.

It's a really nice cream, with lovely ingredients and a well designed formulation; I struggled to find a cream for my sensitive and dry skin which wasn't heavy or greasy, this one is just perfect because it's formulated to be light and virtually weightless on your skin, while boosting hydration, soothing and protecting it with a synergy of active natural ingredients.

Pros & Cons

+ organic ingredients
+ effectiveness
+ texture

+/- price
+/- scent

The price is quite high, it's not expensive but I usually try to spend less for a face cream, but considering that you only need a tiny bit at a time, it's a fair price as I expect that a full size would last me ages. I also have to say that I liked this cream so much that I will probably buy it full size anyway, or buy a bigger sample of it (you can purchase a 15ml deluxe sample at Naturisimo for £4.50, for me it would last 2 months so it's worth every penny). Anyway we'll hopefully see the temperatures rising now that it's full Spring, so this purchase will be postponed until September, as I fear this cream would a little too much for my skin (which is not extremely dry) during the warm season.


That's all for now, hope you liked my review ^^

Rosy

Mini Beauty Haul @ Poundland

Hi there!

Yesterday I decided to defy wind and snow to go to the grocery store, I swear my intent was to buy only eggs, milk and a little more; surely the decision to go to the shopping centre was hiding a secret desire to buy something else entirely.

I went to Poundland to buy light bulbs and other household items, well aware that you step inside to buy two things and when outside you discover you've spent >£20 (and you do not even know how). I expected to give in to the sweet department, or chips, or buying unnecessary scented candles, but while I was reading quickly the ingredients of the cleansing wipes, this struck my eye:

isn't it lovely?

I usually take a blush with me to use it as a mirror, so I have no proper compact mirrors (well, I had a Nana mirror once ... I wonder were it is now, probably lost), so how could I resist in front of an adorable heart-shaped, vintage style, 50s mirror?

Obviously I could not, and so he went inside my shopping cart together with cleansing wipes, a notebook and various sponges. At that point I had to a look more carefully at the counter (more goodies could be hidden among fake lashes and nails) and the brand Sleek popped out from the others.

quite different from the current paper packaging

I love Sleek make-up  I have two of their famous iDivine palettes (the Oh so Special and the Au Naturel) and I am literally craving for more (i.e. the Ultra Matte V2 and the Lagoon), so I am really interested on trying other products from this brand. At Poundland you can find some of the older shades of their True Colour Lipstick and Sheer Cover Lipstick (which are no more available on their website). 

After rummaging through make-up sponges, Revlon and Maybelline duos and quads, and all kind of beauty stuff all mixed together, I managed to resurface from the chaos with two True Colour lipsticks: Blaze (827) and Fuchsia (833); as it was impossible to open the packaging without damaging the products (and I hate those who do not care about others and open all the products), and there were no testers available (also, it was a very impulsive purchase, so I didn't look for swatches on-line), I could only trust the labels on the bottom... ah ah! How deluded! As if labels have ever been faithful to the real product colour... but for £1 only I was willing to take the chance.

the fuchsia label was truthful

Fuchsia is fuchsia, not a magenta, not a hot pink and I am really happy with this colour; I have never worn this kind of shade as I usually wear blue based red, purplish red and when I was a teen I used to wear a Rimmel lip gloss which came in a small jar and was a nice biscuit colour. I am really looking forward to try it on and experiment with make-up matches (I really don't know how to wear a fuchsia colour on the lips, so it will be fun!).

natural light by the window

Blaze really startled me, while the label suggested an old-rose, purplish shade, the swatch on my hand was a brownish/coppery shade, with a frost finish and a glittery look (don't worry, the glitters don't show up too much when on the lips). I am not sure this kind of colour suits me well, it gives me a sort of "vampy" look, which I really like (I love MAC Dark Side because it's really vampy on me), but I usually wear cool colours and I need to get used to wear brownish/warm colours.

I think that with a well studied make-up, with a good balance of warm tones, this lipstick could be amazing, especially with a little tan that enhances the golden tones on my skin.

I also think that given it frosty and glittery finish it would be perfect for layering with another lipstick and/or lip pencil, lip stain etc.

wearing blaze, no other makup on
taken with mobile, sorry for the crappy quality, better pics coming soon

Last but not least, I bought two products from a brand I was curious about for a long time: Simple, which has great advertising, packaging and all, but when I read the ingredients I always feel somehow disappointed (I guess we have different definitions of "harsh chemicals" and "unnecessary ingredients"), so after a thorough analysis of the INCIs I choose to take home the Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner (really lovely ingredients this one) and the Kind To Skin Moisturising Facial Wash (from the INCI it seems delicate and soothing).

So if you want to buy yourself a little beauty on the budget treat, check your nearest Poundland!

Which brands or products would you like to find at Poundland?