Thursday 30 September 2010

b·liv By Cellnique Skincare Review*

A little while ago I read a post on the lovely Phoebe's blog about her experiences with the b·liv by Cellnique skincare range, in the post she offered her readers the chance to contact the company to receive a free sample - I did so and instead of a sample sachet the company offered to send me a selection of their product to review. I have to admit it wasn't a brand I was familiar with. Popular in the USA and the Far East b.liv is part of the Cellnique's skincare portfolio. Using potent beauty salon  formulations b·liv was developed to be their range for younger skins which is designed to be quick, easy to use and risk free. The products from the b·liv range fall into 4 categories, the blackheads range, the large pores range, the blemish / acne range and the dry range. You can pick products out from each range to deal with you specific concerns and form a full routine so with my combination skin I was sent  4 products from the blackhead, large pore and dry ranges to try. I'm going to do this review a little bit differently to how I normally do them so I hope you'll bear with me. First of all I am going to do a quick review of the 3 main products I used, I am then going to do a full review of the mask I was sent and then finally I am going to talk about how the products have made my skin feel and any differences there may have been over the last 3 weeks or so I've been using them, hope I've made sense, so lets get started x

b·liv by Cellnique Squeaky Clean Beads Cleansing Gel



Part of the blackheads range, Squeaky Clean is b·liv's premier cleanser for most skin conditions but it's specifically designed to remove excess oil and impurities from the skin, making it ideal for me. A salon formulation it includes ingredients such as Green Tea a noted anti-oxident which is great for sensitive skins, Aloe Vera which is super gentle and an anti-inflammatory, and Peppermint extract for oil control and deep cleansing. The Peppermint extract is the one that dominates this wash it has a fabulous minty smell, that really refreshes you without been too strong or overpowering, The product itself comes in super useful pump action dispenser. It dispenses easily and a couple of pumps is ideal for your face and neck.


The wash itself is a green gel which contains tiny exfoliating beads, don't think that because it's an exfoliating wash that it's harsh, it certainly isn't! I used it twice a day pretty much every day for nearly a month , apart from when I was removing make up and I have to say it was very gentle. The beads are very small and smooth, and as you mix the wash with water, all you feel is a very gently scrubbing action, which you seems to be really cleansing and purifying your skin.




For such small beads I found that it rinsed away really easily leaving no traces on your skin. The skin was left feeling super soft, and dare I say it squeaky clean ;), not tight or dry, just soft, smooth and purified. Ideal for cleansing at anytime time of the day I would especially recommend this wash in the morning - the fresh, minty smell gave me a real get up and go as well as making my skin feeling clean, soft and mattified  Squeaky Clean Beads Cleansing Gel retails at around $25 for 130ml which should last easily last you a month or so.

b·liv Shrink and Tighten Large Pores Reducing Serum  



The second product I used in my b·liv routine was the Shrink and Tighten Large Pores Reducing Serum understandably from the large pores range. As I've mentioned many, many times on my blog, twitter, my You Tube etc. etc one of biggest problems with my skin is open and large pores, I really have probably tried everything now so I was delighted to receive this product, and get a chance to try something new.



Shrink and Tighten comes boxed and in a pump action dispenser, which I like, the product is kept clean and germ free. Designed to minimise the pores, calm the skin, and prevent future oil and breakouts, the serum contains ingredients such as Niacinamide, to control oil and to help tighten pores, Salicylic Acid, to exfoliateate and prevent oiliness and breakouts, and multivitamins and collagen to help with skin repair and skin texture.



The serum itself is quite runny in texture, with a slightly cloudy colour. It smells quite fresh and a tiny bit chemically. I used this after cleansing applying a few pumps in circular motion all over my face concentrating particularly on my t-zone and cheeks where more pores are at the worst. The serum has a cooling and ever so slightly tingly feeling on your face which was quite refreshing. It absorbed quickly and left a matte finish. I'll talk more about the overall effect of the whole regime on my skin later along with some close up pics, but I have to say I did notice a little bit of a difference with this, the pores certainly didn't disappear completely, but I didn't really expect them too, but they certainly appeared to be smaller and less obvious. I would definitely like to try this product alongside the rest of the large pore range to see what results using all the products together would bring. The Shrink and Tighten Large Pores Reducing Serum retails at around $49 for 30ml which would easily last you a month or so .

b·liv Quench Me Moisturising Gel



The last two products I was sent were from the dry range. Initially I was apprehensive as I really don't have dry skin but as you will see I had nothing to worry about . Quench Me is probably b·liv's most popular moisturiser. Designed to help your skin keep moisture locked in, again  this product comes boxed and in a pump action bottle.



Containing ingredients such as Squalane and Silk Protein to help retain moisture and repair the skin, and Bearberry which contains anti-oxidents, Quench Me has a light cream gel texture, pale blue in colour with a slightly sweet fresh smell, I used a few pumps onto my face and neck after using the Shrink and Tighten.



It spread easily onto the skin, and absorbed very quickly leaving the skin lightly moisturised and with a slightly matte finish. Since this product was from the dry range I immediately thought it was going to be too much for my combination / oily skin but I needn't have worried the texture was nice, and light and my skin was left comfortable and certainly not greasy after application, I don't think it would be enough for really dry skin but on mine it worked. Quench Me Moisturizing Gel retails at around $32 for 50ml.

I've given the suggested retail prices for the first 3 items but if you would like to try them all b·liv by Cellnique currently sell them in a kit called Large Pores for $87 a substantial saving on buying the products individually - there are also several other kits available containing combination sets of their best selling products

b·liv Leach Me Moisturizing Mask




The final product I was sent was the Leach Me Moisturizing Mask also from the dry range. Normally sold in a pack of 6 I was sent one mask. Designed to brighten and deeply moisturise the skin this is basically a sheet mask, a white fabric/ paper mask which is soaked in a serum containing fruit acids, and moisturising ingredients. The mask comes in a sachet, after cleansing my face I removed the mask from the sachet and the backing sheet, and applied it to my face, as you can see there are spaces, for your eyes, nose and mouth but you still look as though  you could be in Phantom of the Opera - cue spooky picture of me xx



The mask was very wet almost dripping in serum, so the best way to use it was to lie down. It felt very cooling and fresh on the skin, and I actually found the whole experience much more relaxing than say a clay mask. I left the mask on for probably more than the 30 minutes indicated, as there was still so much serum in it. After that time I peeled the sheet off and massaged the excess serum into my face and neck. The picture probably isn't that conclusive but my skin was left very refreshed and very smooth, and I would almost say glowing



This was my first experience of sheet masks and I have to say it was a positive one, I found the experience really relaxing, and my skin was left feeling refreshed and looking much brighter and clearer, and despite the mask being for dry skin, my skin was left glowing but not greasy or oily. My one slight issue was that the mask was probably too wet, in the sachet there was a lot of left over serum so I kept it applied it to my face both in the evening and on the next morning. If you want a proper pamper treatment try these you won't be disappointed. b·liv Leach Me Moisturizing Masks are available in a pack of 6 for $28.

Results and Reflections

I've used the first 3 products for over 3 weeks now and I've used the mask once and in that time I've came to a number of conclusions, and I've seen a number of changes in my skin. First of all pictures -

Before






and After






OK I admit it the pictures don't really show any difference or at least no conclusive difference but in reality I think there have been some changes. First of all my pores, OK they are still visible but they definitely aren't as deep or dark looking. I also think that the texture of my skin in general has improved it feels a lot smoother, and it also appears to be less oily. I also found that the combination of the products made an ideal base for make up,  I didn't need to use a primer and my make stayed on much better, probably down to the super matte surface that the products created.All in all no miracles but good enough results for me  to be impressed.

If you are interested in checking out the b·live by Cellnique range please bear in mind that they are based outside of the UK hence the prices are in $, I know a few people had some issues with customs but I personally didn't have any problems. If you are interested in learning more about the products please check out their website . If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask x

*Press Sample

1 comment:

  1. Wow - that mask looks amazing. I've never heard of a serum mask before. Thanks for the very comprehensive reviews, and for the sample offer - I've requested my sample!

    xx

    ReplyDelete

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