Several weeks ago, I attended an event where I learned about all things Vichy. I had heard of Vichy in the various skincare circles I make myself twirl around in on a frequent basis because I’m such a hound for knowledge. My husband calls me nosey, where I’d like to call myself “well-informed”! Since beauty products are so subjective due to their nature, I try very hard to be as objective as I can– but it’s a subjective-objective if there could be such a thing. That line or two that I think has diminished may actually look larger to your eyes when I point it out. We’re all looking at different things and interpreting a product’s success on different levels. But in my opinion, there was no denying the success I witnessed in the first two weeks with the Vichy Normaderm products I tested, and how big of an impact they had on the visible appearance of my pores and how shiny I become over the course of any given day.
But first, what’s Vichy– and how do you even pronounce it? Vichy (vee-she) the place itself, is better known as a location in Central France that’s famous for it’s naturally occurring spring waters. These waters are thought to be healing to the skin and for over 2,000 years people have sought out treatments using actual Vichy Thermal Spa Waters. Vichy Laboratories the brand, was created in 1931 by Dr. Haller who believed strongly in implementing these powerful healing waters into the skincare products he found particularly effective for the four basic skintypes he proposed. And here we are with today’s Vichy Laboratories, a French dermatological skincare brand which is the #1 brand in both European and Canadian pharmacies.
While I’m absolutely fascinated with the science behind the products and I’d love to go more in depth, I’ll save it for another day! I’ve tried a few things from the line with major success and I wanted to share two of them that really stick out like sore thumbs, especially because I have enlarged pores and I’ll try just about anything I can get my hands on that promises to help them. Vichy uses a Zincadone (oil absorbing & antibacterial) and Intrapore Technology (allows ingredients to penetrate) in their Normaderm line specifically for my skincare concern that provides the right balance of hydration, reduces enlarged pores, minimizes redness, encourages smooth skin texture and more! It almost seems too good to be true. In Vichy’s studies, the results were miraculous. What about mine?
• NORMADERM Night Daily Correcctive Care for Oily Skin — The first night I used this mattifying moisturizer before bed, I knew I had stumbled upon something special. The technology behind this product actually allowed it to prove it’s efficacy DURING THE DAY even though I had used it at night. I stayed more matte longer during the day than before when I wasn’t using it and my skin felt smoother. Believe it or not, after 2 weeks I thought my pores didn’t look as enlarged as usual. Studies by Vichy actually show improvement at 4 weeks, but I promise for me it was only 2!
• NORMADERM Pro Mat Ultra Mattifying Oil-Free Lotion SPF 15 — This lightweight daytime lotion knocked me out immediately. Most mattifiers are thick, this one is very thin and didn’t feel like I was wearing a mask. It dried down baby-skin smooth– almost with a cooling sensation, and my skin instantly was less oily. Even though it didn’t control 100% of my oil (nothing EVER has), it kept a majority of it at bay for the bulk of the day. It didn’t bead up and roll off under my foundation (huge score!), and I felt like it optically diffused the look of the size of my pores.
My first experiences with Vichy were more than favorable and I really hope everyone has the opportunity to visit a CVS pharmacy with a trained beauty advisor. Not all of the locations are equipped, so please check ahead– but several have the ability to give a quick in-depth analysis where you can actually determine what your skincare needs are via a great tool. I had one performed and I was amazed at everything I could see on the screen in front of me. I also learned that my skin is slightly dehydrated, I scored a 30.1 on the hydration scale, where optimal would have been a 40. Looks like I’ve got some work to do! Expect to hear more from me on this affordable brand in the future because I’m definitely a fan! This is something I will be falling back on every chance I get when I’m not testing another brand.
