I’ve developed quite a love for the Vichy brand recently as I’ve been getting on really well with both their Aqualia Thermal Moisturiser and their Thermal Spa Water Spray, the latter of which I seem to keep finding new uses for on a daily basis (I don’t know what it is with me and water sprays) so I was keen to try their newest addition to their Normaderm range, which is the 3 in 1 Cleanser + Scrub + Masque.
Normaderm is a range aimed at problem/combination skins like mine, but it’s also formulated for sensitive skins making it a great, budget-friendly choice for those of of us with older-than-teen skin that’s still spot-prone. It’s also particularly good for nightmare skin like mine that tends to cover all the different skin types such as oily, spot-prone and combination with dry patches as it contains ingredients that tends to keep severely combination skin happy such as Zinc Gluconate, Kaolin and Salicylic Acid.
I’m always a bit wary of products that too eagerly claim to multi-task as I fear there’s a chance they’ll be a jack of all trades rather than a master of one; meaning that they’ll probably do an alright job at the various claims rather than excel at treating one specific issue. I’ll start by saying that I think it would probably be better to call this a 2 in 1 rather than 3 in 1, as I think most scrubs by default act as cleansers too, as really any exfoliator is just a cleanser with grainy bits.
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| Straight from the tube. |
However, this product works brilliantly as both a scrub and a masque. As an exfoliator is gentle with fine scrubby bits contained in a cleanser with plenty of slip so you don’t feel like you’re scratching away at your face. As a masque, it’s effective, quick and convenient and easily rivals similar clay-finish masks aimed at my skin type. It dries quickly, leaves skin feeling smooth and treated and the fact that it only needs to be left on for up to five minutes means it’s really easy to work in to your skincare routine. At the moment, I apply this and leave it on whilst I’m brushing my teeth, then once it’s dried (you can tell as it looks matte) I use my dampened Clarisonic to work it off before removing any residual with a flannel. I then finish with a spray of the Thermal Spa Water Spray to reduce the slightly tight feeling I’m left with.
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| As a scrub. |
This is a great product for people with skin like mine or if you’re oily, but not a product I’d recommend for anyone who is prone to dryness (although combi types can get away with it) as it does leave skin feeling tight in a typical fashion of a clay mask.
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| As a masque. |
I’m definitely a fan of this product and I recommend giving it a whirl if you’re looking for a well-formulated, multi-tasking product that will last you well as you only need a tiny amount each time. It’s currently available in the independents and will launch in Boots in August, priced at £11.
Disclosure: product sent as a PR sample for the purpose of this review.
