Review: Caudalie Beauty Elixir

There is something about reading about beauty products that are promoted in a non-hard sell way that makes me want to try them even more. Especially when the products are listed on websites I absolutely love visiting.

This Caudalie Beauty Elixir boasts smoothing properties while providing you with a glowing complexion. As much as I would love to love this product, I don't. Maybe I just haven't been using this often enough (more on why I don't later) or maybe my skin isn't as bad as I think it is to be seeing a significant improvement on my complexion.

What prompted me to purchase this product in the first place was this Caudalie x wine article. This beauty elixir does not have any wine in it at all (although it does contain alcohol which can be pretty irritating) but the brief mention of this product got me all excited. I am so easily amused! On Sephora.com itself, they've even list all the bad stuff that this beauty elixir is formulated without:

- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-Chemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

Just looking at this list made me feel like I would be providing my skin with so much goodness! The name "beauty elixir" does more good than harm in instilling ideas in your head as well.

According to the glass bottle, this beauty elixir (sounds so magical, doesn't it?!) is "inspired by the 'elixir of youth' used by Queen Isabelle of Hungary." ROYALTY, PLEASE. It "visibly smoothes features, tightens the appearance of pores and provides a burst of radiance to the complexion."

You spritz this onto your face before you apply your moisturizer or even at any time of the day to refresh your face or set your make up.

The first time I used this I thought I got it in my eyes, even though I DID close my eyes prior to spritzing this wonder liquid onto my skin. I found out later on that like many products filled with alcohol, just it being on your skin irritates your eyes. I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about. It's when you apply certain products that you KNOW have intense levels of alcohol in them and they get near your eyes and even without direct contact they just make you feel uncomfortable. And that was how it was for me. I even started splashing tap water onto the areas surrounding my eyes but to no avail, I still felt the same way. And throughout the night, the smell of the beauty elixir (which I can only describe as overwhelming levels of alcohol with a tinge of fragrance) stayed with me.

I know this product is part-toner, part-serum but I am never a big fan of toners.
I use toners, especially after I've worn make up for the entire day and I want to make sure I get those pores extra cleansed and tightened after my using my Clarisonic, but the way it tingles on my skin makes me not want to use them everyday. 

This beauty elixir seems to encourage consistent usage for beautiful looking skin, but I hate that "burning" feeling even though it is slight and manageable. The scent that stays on with me throughout the day is also why I deviate from the everyday usage of this beauty elixir. 

As for whether this does help set my make up, I really can't tell the difference. 

I just realized how inaccurate this review might be since I haven't used this much. So, for review's sake, I will be impartial and spritz this on every morning before my moisturizer. It hasn't given me any breakouts yet, so I guess the formulation of it is fine. I've read about people who have said the chemicals in it are really bad for you, so I definitely do not intend to keep this if I see no difference.

Stay tuned for an update! And let me know about your take on this beauty elixir if you've used it. Maybe I've been using it wrong or maybe you just want to suggest a better way for me to use it. In any case, let me know!

xx

-Day One-

My experience today with this beauty elixir was better than the previous times I've used it. I managed to cover all sections of my face with this alcoholic mist while keeping my the bottle at arm's length. Was afraid to open my eyes and feel the sting after spritzing it, but it wasn't too bad! It didn't irritate my eyes at all. One thing that I do have to note though, is that I would have preferred to be able to pat the mist for better absorption and so as to be able to cover every part of my face. But either the product absorbs really quick, or the mist just evaporates really fast due to the alcohol in it. So, theres that. My face does look clearer compared to the days before this when I would apply my moisturizer WITHOUT using this beauty elixir beforehand. This product is growing on me. So as long as it doesn't start breaking me 
out, I should be keeping it!

-Day Two-

My verdict today: same old, same old. Again, I was still afraid to open my eyes today after spritzing it onto my face...I guess as the saying goes, "once bitten, twice shy"..but it was, surprisingly, not irritating at all. Keeping the bottle at arm's length while I spritz was definitely the right move I discovered! No drastic changes in my complexion. Might just return it. It was $49 after all. /: but I promised to do five days worth of a review. So, three more days to go! Shout out to my mom who just started reading my blog as well! :D

-Day Three-

NOT GONNA WAIT. Returning this product. It's not worth the money (for me) and as the weather becomes more humid by the day, I think it only acts as a catalyst for my oily/combination skin.