Haul | Paris

I got this many things, threw it in a bag and took the Eurostar back to London~ 

Here's the exciting part-- the haul!

I went to CityPharma at 26 Rue du Four (the place to go for all skincare junkies), went into a trance and got a bunch of things.

I actually did research on what I wanted to get and things my relatives requested before going, but I still ended up this many things because everything is SO MUCH CHEAPER THAN SINGAPORE!!!(Even with the exchange rate, which was around 1.65:1)

I spent a ton and freaked out when I got to the cashier:

"€420 ?! WTH did I buy?" was the first thought in my head (even though I was the one who picked the items..)

I got some soap, Bioderma, moisturisers etc. French skincare is well known in the world and if you look at the French women in real life, you'd want to buy whatever they're using too. The good thing is, you can enjoy tax free shopping when you spend around  €175 and above, which can be easily done. 

Things that are super worth it to buy:

• Vichy Normaderm Gel. They sell it in 400 ml bottles for €8.50. In Singapore's Watsons, they only sell the 250ml version for around SGD30. Other Vichy products are also great buys.
• Bioderma-- €14.90  for 2 500ml bottles. Here in Singapore, it's around SGD39 for one 500ml bottle. 
• Phyto Labs shampoos. I got one bottle for €8.50 (~SGD14) when here it costs ~SGD26 during sales.
• La Roche Posay. Get everything that you've always wanted from this brand. Haha. The french pharmacies carry alot more things than you'll ever see in your local Watsons/ Guardian, including their Lipikar Baume AP+. Great moisturiser, feels like butter but moisturises very well without sticky feeling even while waiting for it to dry. 
• Nuxe Reve de Miel balm. I like the stick version and the jar one should be just as good. €6.90 in Paris, SGD32 in Singapore (I gifted one to Christine. Her most expensive lip balm ever. Lol)

Then there are things which you can't get in Singapore:

• Biafine: A huge tube cost €3.99 and it helps with healing abrasions, sunburns etc. Raved about online as a must-buy when you go to France.
• La Roche Posay's Serozinc: Another thing that is raved about. It's supposed to help with hydration, control oil, reduce acne....plus it's at €4.90 each, what's there not to like?
• Embryolisse Lait Creme: Another raved HG moisturiser/primer of makeup artists. (The French knows their skincare. So many people rave about it.) I got 2 pack for €21.50, which is not bad a price.

I've used some of the stuff since then and I'm in love with La Roche Posay ( and it's not cheap in Singapore either!) I've still yet to test other things but thanks to one trip to Paris, I've to go on a no buy skincare for the year for many things. 

Here are some close ups of the things I got for myself. I 'll add in comments for those that I've tried so far:

Caudalie Eau De Raisin; LRP Serozinc

Caudalie's: smells of raisins. Soothes and refreshes the skin like other face mists. I did not notice anything that made it stand out even after finishing whole bottle. Sprays out fine mist.

La Roche Posay's Serozinc: scentless. Ok, not much of a game changer for me. Sprays out fine mist too, so it won't affect makeup if you spray over it.

Left to Right: 1. LRP Toleriane Ultra Fluide; 2. Vichy Aqualia Thermal Roll on Eye;3. LRP Effaclar Duo; 4. LRP Anthelios Aquagel SPF 30

 1. It really does work on calming and reducing redness. I find that my face is significantly less red when I wake in the morning. The packaging is super hygienic. Texture wise, it's a cream and it absorbs well, but it will feel a little oily for those with oily skin. I still use it though.

2. Got this because Christine wanted one too, so I thought it'd be good. Helps with puffy eyes in the morning but I have not noticed anything that made it special. I like that it has a roller ball applicator though, it's really useful for reducing puffiness in the morning. (I also had Clinque's All About Eyes Serum which I mentioned in a post about looking fresh faced for school here.)

3. I love this moisturiser! It's €8.95 (around SGD 15 going by exchange rate then), but costs SGD 30+ here.  It has niacinamide high on the ingredient list which helps with fading scars and the texture is great! It controls oil really well, does not peel under makeup, and I really do believe this is one of the items that reduced my pimples. I would repurchase if I have not found a cheaper alternative by the time I used up all my other moisturisers, since it does run out fast.

4. Have not tried yet but I am looking forward to it! A good sunblock is a girl's best friend.

Left to right: 5. Avene TriAcneal; 6. Biafine; 7. Uriage AquaPRECIS Express Mask; 8. Uriage AquaPRECIS Moisturising Gel-Creme

 Out of these, I've only tried 6 and 7 so far.

6. Biafine: definitely found that it helped to speed up healing of the pimples that I picked on. Helped with speeding up the scabs' recovery time. Not oily, absorbs fast.

7. It's not as hydrating as a sleeping pack like the Bio-essence one which I reviewed here(link) but it dries fast and does an ok job at keeping my face hydrated. Might try putting it under makeup in the daytime. Currently only using it at night.

Left to Right: 9. Caudalie lip balm and mini hand cream set; 10. Nuxe Reve de Miel; 11. Auriga Flavo C forte; 12. Vichy Normaderm Pen Concealer

 11. Auriga's Flavo C forte smells really strong and it's not a fragrance that I enjoy. It takes a while to absorb. It's supposed to help with anti-aging but I wanted a vitamin C product in my routine to deal with lightening of scars. Works fine, got it based on the pharmacy lady's recommendation. Supposed to contain 15% vitamin C inside.
12. Does not really conceal well for pimples, be they red or fading. Don't notice much on whether it speeds up healing since I don't use it frequently. Hard to apply since it has a small tip.

Lastly, LRP Toleriane Teint Mineral

I've not tried this yet plus I eye-guessed my shade based on the testers in another pharmacy the previous day. Got it in shade 11, it's powder but smooth. Seems to have decent coverage but the important part is that it has spf for me. There's a sponge in the section under the powder.

That's the end of my Paris haul! I did buy some chocolates but mostly got skincare. "No branded bags?!" some of you might be thinking. Yep, none. Skincare is more practical in the sense that I would use it often whilst branded bags are not that practical for me most of the time unless I use them often. Plus I only brought  €500+ with me. I literally only ate snacks and macarons for meals there.  Paris is a great place and the french pharmacies are amazing wonderlands that every beauty junkie should visit! What are some of your favourite french skincare products? Would you like me to review any of the products? Comment below :)

Till next time,

Love 

El   xoxo