Avène Eau Thermale VS Bionike Defence Tolerance Soothing Droplets

A few weeks ago I went back home from uni for a few days, and when I opened my travel make-up bag I realized I had forgotten to bring my beloved Avène Eau Thermale! I went shopping later in the day, so I decided to pick up the only similar product that I could find - the  Bionike Defence Tolerance Soothing Droplets. I'm not sure whether Bionike is available in other countries other than Italy; anyway, it's an Italian high quality pharmacy brand. I've been using their deodorant for years and their Defence Sun sunscreen (review here) this past summer, so I decided to try their soothing water out. Did I like it better than the Avène? Let's find out.

Both products claim to soothe the skin and provide freshness and relief; also, they can be used after shaving or waxing, on sunburns, etc. I mainly use thermal waters after glycolic acid peelings that my dermatologist does on my face, and when my skin feels itchy (which happens very often). I tested the Avène Eau Thermale and the Bionike Defence Tolerance Soothing Droplets in both situations and they acted in similar ways.

But, there's a but. I much prefer the Avène Eau Thermale for different reasons: it feels slightly more refreshing and it definitely perks my skin up more. Also, I find the nozzle gives a much finer mist than the Bionike's, which is pretty difficult to press down as well. But the thing I dislike the most about the Bionike Defence Tolerance Soothing Droplets must be the scent and taste: it smells like some solution a dentist would use (which brings back many unpleasant memories to my mind), and it has a weird taste too, while the Avene doesn't have one. All in all, I trust the Avène Eau Thermale more as it's just water, while the Bionike product is made in a laboratory made. Simple is better :) 

Have you ever tried any of the two products? Are you a thermal water kinda person? ;)

Favourite everyday lipsticks

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Having to go to Uni pretty much every day of the week, during the past month I have found five lip products that work with virtually any outfit and eye make-up. I can apply all of these even when I'm in a rush and I don't even have the time to look in the mirror. Some of them are my all-time favourite lip products, so let's find them out!

My life in photos #6

The Coliseum, the Fountain of Trevi, the Tiber, a delicious cupcake, Piazza del Popolo, a little Sephora splurge, the main street in my neighbourhood, my first Yankee Candle, a super yummy ice-cream ♥

Follow me on Instagram: @francivusk

Il Colosseo, la Fontana di Trevi, il Tevere, un cupcake delizioso, Piazza del Popolo, un po' di shopping da Sephora, la via principale del mio quartiere, la mia prima Yankee Candle, un gelato buonissimo  ♥

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer

About a month ago I got my hands on the infamous Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. It was my first Laura Mercier product ever, so I was very excited to finally test it out! 

My skin is not in the best of conditions at the moment, so I usually go for medium or full coverage foundations on a day-to-day basis; anyway I really wanted to try a lightweight foundation to use on those days when I'm not feeling like wearing a ton of make-up. This product turned out to be a great choice. My shade is Nude, which is a perfect match for my very light skintone. The consistency of this product is light and creamy, and it blends effortlessly into the skin, giving it a nice even look. The coverage is very sheer and would be great for those who have good skin to begin with, but it can be built up on areas where you need more of it. The staying power is not the best -I usually have to powder about 4 hours in-, but I have oily skin so it's understandable. Maybe I should have tried the oil-free version!  

The main reasons why I like the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer is that it evens out my skintone and covers up my pores while brightening up my complexion. I still need to use concealer over my acne scars, but at least I can let my skin breathe a little more than if I used a proper foundation; also, I find that it works great as a base for my two go-to foundations, Chanel Vitalumière Aqua and Make Up For Ever HD. 

Have you ever tried the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer? Let me know what you think about it!

Gipsy Dharma