Wednesday, March 28, 2012

*Let's MakeYuUp*: Review: Apivita Skincare (Cleanser, Serum ...

A few weeks ago I did a post on the Apivita Hand Cream, and today I'm back with a review on some bits from their core skincare line! I've been using these daily for almost a month now, so I felt it was a good time to let you guys know how they've been working for me :)

This is one of Apivita's cleansers, and this one is specifically for those with oily or combination skin. It comes in a gel consistency, presumably to reduce the hydration that may come from cleansing lotions or creams. The ingredients also have specific uses - propolis as an antiseptic/antioxidant, citrus to tone and refresh, juniper essential oil to rejuvenate and lemon and tea tree oil to regulate oil. The ingredients are 96% natural, with no SLS, parabens, mineral oil, silicones, SELS or propylene glycol.

This - ingredients wise - sounds absolutely fantastic. However, I'm genuinely sad to say that I can't see myself repurchasing this, and I'm really keen on finishing it up.

My first comment is that because it's SLS free, it hardly foams up. This is generally a price I'd be willing to pay for a healthy cocktail of a face wash.

However, this leads on to my second comment, which is that it's so incredibly runny. As soon as I put some product on my hand and lather it as much as I can and lift my hands to my face, the product drips down my arms and soaks my sleeves. I've tried using my face brush with it, but the same thing happens.

Third, I found that there was always some residue left on my face. Now this may be a personal taste thing - I personally just want my cleanser to cleanse and feel like my skin is clean. But this leaves a film of something - nothing nasty - just a feel to your skin, possibly some residue to retain moisture or the benefits of the ingredients listed above.

Which brings me to my final point - I didn't notice any reduction in oil for me. I find that when it's so hard to use and with so little effect, it's a no rebuy for me sadly!


Radiant skin is a must for me - I can't stand dull skin for the life of me, I go mental! And this was my first ever serum, so I was pretty excited! This contains 96% natural ingredients, with no parabens, silicones, propylene glycol, mineral oil, ethanolamines, phthalates, PCM nor NM - do I know what all those mean? As if, haha, but I know the first few and they are skin-devils!

Now this claims to reduce discoloration, improve skintone and increase radiance by 28% (which is a statistic that is begging to be asked - what does that even look like?!) and reduce dark spots, dull skin, first wrinkles and aging.

Personally - I don't like the smell, as I think it smells like a cleaning product. However, I love the packaging and I love the consistency. It seeps into the skin so well, and you can smooth it out really well. But I also found that in the month that I've been using it, I'm already almost at half-way through the bottle!

In terms of the effects - my cheeks may have been "lit from within" but honestly, not long enough to really make a difference over time. I also felt my scars reducing and redness control were more the result of my exfoliation routine than this serum. It's all a bit too uncertain to be buying another bottle, and I also think there's more fish in the ocean to test. This one, I think, dependent on the person, may be to some people's taste and needs!

This is the best of the bunch for me. This is 98% natural ingredients, with no parabens, silicones, propylene glycol, mineral oil, PEG, nor ethanolomine. This Aqua Vita line replaces water with green tea infusion, which apparently enhances antioxidation. The propolis in the moisturizer helps to regulate oils, and the geranium essential oil revitalizes the skin.

The smell of this is DIVINE. It's a fruity but sweet scent, and very natural-y. I also love the jar - it's a heavy glass jar with a plastic black lid with the white logo of Apivita.

The consistency is also, divine. It's somewhere between a gel and a cream, and it smoothes over your skin so nicely. It moisturizes really well, and is a good mix of sinking in, and protecting and moisturizing the surface. However, this also means I didn't notice an oil-controlling feature. This really quenches the thirst when your skin is dry!

So my only major drawback is the price. For 50mL you shell out €30.50. It's quite a lot for a moisturizer, and the consistency is something I have found in the Boots Botanics Night Shift Cream - granted, that one doesn't have half as good ingredients as the Apivita one. The consistency is to die for, and the moisturizing effects are brilliant -  but I'm not sure those 2 are things you should be paying so much for! There's not much more you could add to the product, because it's a great as it is, but I just wish it was €10 cheaper! It pains me to say that because I really do love what it is!

Like the other products I've introduced, this is also a heavily natural product at 95% natural ingredients. It doesn't have a scent, parabens, silicones, propylene glycol, mineral oil or ethanolamine. It claims to hydrate your eye area and reduce black circles and puffiness.

I felt it did none of those for me - but I've never felt like an eye cream ever fully meets its claims. For this one, I felt like the consistency was too light for my preference - I really like moisture for my eyes! I didn't notice much difference in my black circles, and sometimes I even felt that it stung my eyes. So this was a no go for me. That being said - I thought the packaging is brilliant! Very easy to control and sanitary :)

Sadly, all in all, this range was a no-go for me. I REALLY, REALLY wanted to love this range (haha don't we ALL have this once in a while?!) because I'm seriously trying to make my move into the non-paraben, natural and ethical side of beauty, and Apivita sounds fantastic for it! They have a clear message, an extremely attractive company image, and their products are all so beautifully packaged and designed - it would have been nice to find a full skincare routine that I could repurchase and not worry about the yuckies inside!

But aside from the moisturizer, I can't see myself purchasing any of the products. Maybe if I were filthy rich I would get the moisturizer again some day! ;) But I also do think that a lot of what I said was down to personal preference, especially with the serum and the eye cream. Unfortunately, the consistency of the cleansing gel I think would annoy most people!

So there you have it ;) Not to worry about my despair in the skincare line working for me though - the image of the company has still got me absolutely hooked! Keep an eye out for coming reviews of masks, hair products and body products from the lovely people at Apivita :)

Have you tried Apivita goods before?
Are you into the natural goodness of skincare? :)

<3yu

*Received for consideration.

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