My Holy Water: Avene Eau Thermale

This is a remarkably simple product. It's water. In a bottle. Yeah okay, call me crazy, but I'm pretty addicted. This is the Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray: here's why I love it.

This stuff is directly source from thermal springs in France and filtered to make it the purest form possible. It's pH neutral, making it perfectly adapted to help sensitive skin keep calm and soft whilst restoring hydration. My skin type is combination but sensitive with patches of redness that emerge after washing (no matter how gently I cleanse!) or general irritation. I hoped a bottle of this stuff would calm my skin. I also read that it made a great makeup setting spray. It is slightly pricey for a bottle of water: but I hoped I would gain two uses out of it, and do my skin good instead of risking it with a 'traditional' setting spray (I have a feeling a lot of them would break me out.)

Once I pat my face dry, I spray the water all over my face. The great thing about this is that the spray is gentle- I was terrified it would be like a hairspray blast- and the application itself is really soothing. Avene advises that you leave your skin like this for a few minutes before patting your face dry. Unless you were going heavy on it, I don't personally feel this leaves your face 'wet'. Instead, it absorbs into my skin after a minute or so. I moisturise straight away instead of patting off excess. 

It's amazing how quickly the redness is eradicated. After that one minute, my complexion becomes even. I would actually argue that it's improving my complexion with time. It's pretty magic.

As for use as a setting spray, it's sadly not one for elongating makeup wear-time. However (this is a big however) it can be used over makeup for a nifty lil trick that's going to help anyone with combination/oily skin. If your skin produces excess oil, you obviously have to set it with powder. I hate powdering my makeup. I feel like my face can look cakey until it's been worn for a few hours. I always resent any powder I use, but if I skip it I'm an oily messy once I'm out and about. This is where this spray can help!

After powdering, once everything is set and you're done with your makeup, spray your face like you would directly. I know, it's scary (the first time I was totally ready for my mascara to run and my bronzer to move like a messy landslide.) But this does not alter your makeup at all. Instead, that initial powdery look that comes with preparing oily skin to hold its makeup completely vanishes. Your makeup looks smooth but still set. Thank me later!

So that's all the raving I have to do. I seriously love this. If your skin is normal then it's probably not really going to aid you in any way, but for dry sensitive/combo skin that needs calming or combo/oily skin that needs help with cakey makeup, this is a life saver.

You can purchase it here or in Boots stores (UK.) Til next time! xo