The Roommate Review #2: AVÈNE THERMAL SPRING WATER-THE NEW MAC FIX PLUS?

So I'm going to grab your attention by saying this water has been suggested to me as a great dupe for Mac Fix+

And now I'm going to say something that might make me a little unpopular. After trying Mac fix+ I have to hand on heart say that I didn't really take to it. It's not that I didn't like it; yes it does everything it says it does technically- refreshes the face and acts as a finishing mist for make-up. But from all the hype which this product creates, I had built expectations that it was going to be some sort of magical spray that forces make-up to STAY PUT. Sadly, not so much. 

I have since been recommended various products by friends, fellow bloggers and a few experts on the make-up stands, including Lush's 'A breath of fresh air' and Urban Decay's 'All Nighter Makeup setting spray'. I am yet to try this one, but it does look pretty good. But £19.50....NINETEEN FIFTY? A bit of a gamble to fork out so much money on a product which could easily let you down. 

So that's why when my flatmate Sophie told me about a new cheaper product on the market, I got a little excited and decided I had to feature it in my 'Roommate review' monthly post. Sophie purchased the Avène Thermal Spring water in Boots for a nifty £6.50 (they also do a smaller version for half the price) after a lady on the Estee Lauder counter highly recommended it to her. Now, like me, Sophie is a bit of an impulse shopper who buys ALOT when it comes to beauty products (even once or twice buying a product then getting home and realising she had already bought a few weeks prior- oh, soph) but it really sounds like she's found a winner here. 

She has even gone as far to say that she has sprayed this over her makeup at the start of the day, gone to the gym, and found her makeup hasn't budged afterwards...pretty impressive. The consistency sounds like a dream; non-sticky and refreshing as it sprays onto the skin, with no-drip and a quick drying time. It also says it is great for sensitive skin and can be used just as a refreshing spray rather than a makeup setter. I am yet to try it, but Sophie's got me pretty sold, and trust me when I say she KNOWS HER STUFF beauty wise ;)

B. 

The Roommate review: #1 PALMER’S COCOA BUTTER FORMULA ‘SKIN THERAPY OIL’.

Palmer’s ‘Skin therapy oil’ has been a product close to my heart for a while now. After reading about it online, I went straight out and bought a bottle (and managed to get there just on time as Boots were promoting a half price deal for a limited time only!). The oil is best applied after a shower or bath, into towel-dried skin. I had actually never been a fan of body oils and would always have called myself a body lotion girl, as I had always found oils a bit greasy and slow to absorb into the skin. If, like me, you have these worries about body oils but want to try them out, I would definitely recommend giving this one a whirl. In my experience, it absorbs quickly into the skin in a non-greasy formula and smells like cocoa butter and Christmas :) It also says on the bottle that it is great for scars and stretch marks, so would be good to check out if you suffer from either. 

I asked my roomies to give it a try and let me know what they thought, as I wanted to see how the product fared for others. The general consensus about the consistency of the formula was that it was indeed non-greasy and absorbed into the skin well. One of my flatmates Shelley is not so keen on oils in general, so was not a huge fan of the formula, but adored the smell. My other flatmate Judith found the opposite; she liked the oil but detested the smell, even claiming she had to open the window to air out the smell (a little dramatic if you ask me ;) ). My other friend who tried the oil, Mimi, said that it can be slightly greasy, but this soon goes away when the product is absorbed. This is one thing they all agreed on: it was excellent for dry skin and is a great substitute for highly intensive moisturiser.

After hearing their views on the oil, I decided it was a sort of ‘game of preferences’. If you hate oils, this is probably not for you. BUT, if you are willing to give them a try, this is a great place to start, especially if you have dry skin, and I suggest trying it just for the delectable smell…mmmm.

B.