A little while ago I was thinking how I needed a booster product to work a bit harder at spot-fighting; something I could just add to existing products to make them a little more effective at treating my tricky skin, then I remembered the amazing Actives from Etat Pur. When I was first introduced to the Etat Pur range – almost exactly four years ago – I found their products totally enticing; sensible formulations, targeted treatments, decent prices and, after trying the products for a while, I could confidently say, effective products too; so I thought it was time to treat myself to a couple of old favourites from the range and revisit Etat Pur.
The Etat Pur range is vast, and if I’m honest, a little complicated. I’ve tried quite a few products from the range over the years, and whilst some have been quite good, none have stuck around in my kit long enough to become cult favourites. Having said that, the Actives are products that I will definitely be restocking, especially the two I went for, which are Salicylic Acid 2% and Citric Acid. The idea of the actives is that they are literally exactly what they state; Salicylic Acid is just Salicylic Acid, and Citric Acid is just Citric Acid. This means you can totally tailor-make your routine and add a little Active here and there to fine-tune it all. When you place an order, you get the option of a few free samples, so I went for the Micellar and a couple of moisturisers.
The Actives come in bottles with a small spout that allows single drops of product out. To dispense, you press the base of the bottle (something I completely forgot and spent a long time shaking the bottle to try and get it out!) and each press releases one drop. I remember being absolutely obsessed with Citric Acid the last time around, but this time the winner out of the duo is the Salicylic Acid 2%, which is a potent, spot-dryer that can be a little drying generally, but it works so well on spots that I’m happy to allow the additional dryness. I like using this under masks as an extra spot-fighting boost, but also, when I have a lot of breakouts, just applying a couple of drops when I get home in the evening makes the world of difference. The 2% is £11.50 here – link – however, if you want something a little more gentle 0.5% for £7 here – link.
Citric Acid is seriously potent! I used this for the first time a couple of weeks ago and boy did it sting! My skin didn’t go red or look like it was reacting, but to put it into perspective, I’d say it’s a bit like a peel; my skin looked a lot smoother, spots reduced and the overall appearance was impressive after one use. I would tread very carefully with this one and only use it a couple of times a week, much like an exfoliating mask, as it really is a powerful product. It’s £12 here – link. There we have it – a BHA in the form of Salicylic Acid for spots and an AHA for overall exfoliation. I’m really happy I remembered Etat Pur as the products are brilliant and reasonably priced. Find out more about the range here – link.
*Purchased by me