b•liv by Cellnique Skin Care Products

Part of being a beauty blogger involves having a constantly changing skin care regime. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean that my skin would behave the way the products claim it would. Recently though, I’ve had minimal problems with my skin despite not putting my best effort into taking care of it. Could it be that I’ve found a skin care routine that works?

My current skin care regime includes several products from b.liv by Cellnique:
• Drench Me
• Off With Those Heads
• Submerge Me
• Glow and Shine

Let’s go through them and perhaps by the end of this post, I’d be convinced that they’ve been the cause of my skin’s good behaviour. There’s a little giveaway at the end of the post too!

When Cellnique launched b.liv as a reflection of its already well-received salon brand, it probably did not catch on as well as they’d expected. Not long after, b.liv went through a brand image facelift, developing products with brightly-coloured packaging and witty names. In spite of the fact that b.liv is a drugstore brand, it is priced comparably with department store brands. I’m probably still on the fence with this brand as I am with most brands that stand between the drugstore and department store border line, especially when the products do not particularly stand out on their own.

Drench Me
(RM69.90/120ml)

A hydrating gel cleanser containing green tree, aloe vera and seaweed extracts.

Half a pump will give you lots of bubbles enough for the whole face, which is odd because most hydrating cleansers that I’ve used produce little to no bubbles. The sweet herbal scent was pleasant and the cleanser itself was slippery, making cleansing enjoyable. Although it’s not as drying as regular foam and gel cleansers, it’s also not as moisturizing as lotion cleansers or gentle cleansers that I’m used to. It didn’t cleanse particularly well either on its own so I’ve only been using this in the morning when I don’t require a strong cleanser. It’s just enough to remove my night skin care and freshen up my skin.

Off With Those Heads

(RM139/30ml)

This blackhead and whitehead remover gel is most likely b.liv’s bestseller. Just like its salon version, the Cellnique Pro Sebum Gel, many users swear by this product and I’ve always wondered why. Now that I’ve used it for a couple of months, I’m still wondering why.

The clear gel when pumped out has a menthol scent, which comes from the peppermint oil. I only apply onto areas where I’m prone to getting blackheads and whiteheads. The gel gave a cool tingling sensation and helped to tighten the pores upon drying. While it did not remove my blackheads, it did to a certain extent prevent more blackheads from forming. Also, my blackheads were becoming less stubborn therefore, easier to remove with deep cleansing masks. I’ve also had significantly less pimples forming on my pimple prone areas but it does squat in helping to treat the actual pimple.

Submerge Me
(RM139/45ml)

Think of this as a moisture boosting serum that increases skin hydration while calming skin irritations and brightening dull complexions. The serum has the texture of a lotion but it absorbs readily so you’d still have to follow up with a moisturizer. Initially, I didn’t think much of it but I’ve noticed several improvements to my skin and I think I have Submerge Me to thank for them. Immediately after applying the serum, I could feel my skin actually plumping up and feeling firmer. The next morning, my skin doesn’t feel parched and I’ve hardly had problems with dry flaking skin since using Submerge Me. Additionally, the lines on my forehead have smoothened out a bit.

This would be my favourite product from b*liv thus far and one that I’m inclined to use more often as compared to the other products. If you’re looking for a good hydrating serum at a reasonable price, you may want to consider Submerge Me.

Glow and Shine
(RM69.90/50g)

It’s a 2-in-1 exfoliating and deep cleansing clay mask. You apply a thin layer onto dry skin, let it dry and then scrub with wet hands. I’ve had my fair share of 2-in-1 masks and this one didn’t quite make it into my top picks.

The pale lilac-coloured cream smells of artificial grape flavouring and while I’m not exactly bothered by it, I’m not a big fan of it either. As the mask dries, it irritated and burned my eczema patches (teaches me not to apply mask on those areas!) but if I don’t have them, the mask wouldn’t burn. The scrub is average and a tad too abrasive for my preference. After washing the mask off, I could feel my skin crinkling and begging for moisturizer. Nevertheless, it did smoothen and brighten my skin overall but did little to remove blackheads.
It’s hard to go wrong with a mask but I just couldn’t find myself to like this one. Maybe oilier skins would appreciate this mask more.


Overall

Although not dramatic, my skin has been showing some improvements. My overall complexion is now more even and smoother. My lines have reduced and I love the added glow.

As mentioned before, my forehead is now smoother with less lines.

However, from the b.liv team, I can only really give credit to Off With Those Heads and Submerge Me for improving my skin.

I highly recommend checking out the comprehensive b.liv website for more information on other products as well as their ingredients. You can also purchase b.liv products from their website and they ship internationally too, for FREE!

Giveaway

If you'd like to give Off With Those Heads a try, redeem a 3ml sample by emailing your full name and shipping address to fbfreesample@blivskin.com with the subject www.skindeco.net. Include your blog address and you may also stand a chance to review some b.liv products! This offer is valid until 18/09/2010 or limited to the first 50 entries.

(Feel free to share this offer with your friends but please do not republish the requirements. Linking is fine. Do allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of sample by representatives of b.liv)