Food, Fashion, History, and Romance are just a couple of the classic things we think of when we think of the French. But the French are also famous for their beauty and skin care. Specifically known for their flawless skin, natural beauty, and youthful radiance, the French Woman is one of the many Western Beauty idols of all time. Caudalie Beauty and Skincare is one of the leading French companies sweeping America and other countries. They are known for having all natural, “award winning” elixir’s, serums, and creams in addition to many other products, that are designed to give you that French Woman look. But how well do these products work and are they worth the price?
To figure that out, I got sent a tester package from Sephora Beauty in partnership with Caudalie and their 5 Step French Skincare Routine. Here is the routine below, just so you are familiar with it:
Caudalie’s 5 Step French Skincare Routine [as promoted by Sephora]
-
Cleanse- Instant Foaming Cleanser/Mousse
-
Brighten- Vinoperfect Concentrated Brightening Essence
-
Treat- Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum
-
Hydrate- Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet
-
Eye- Vine[Activ] Energizing and Soothing Eye Cream
The instructions were to do these steps every morning and every evening. And to test them, I did this for roughly about a week.
Background Information:
Before I began the tester I wanted to do a little background on the products and company itself. On the products, I found that all of them are made in France; so they are not mass produced somewhere else. They are all natural. By this I mean, they were all plant based or originated from fruit or flowers instead of being mainly chemicals. This definitely made an immediate difference from other products I have used.
Initial thoughts from Night #1:
My immediate feelings about the products were really good. I was super excited to try the products because I had heard so many good reviews and a lot of youtubers were campaigning with their products. The main things I noticed about the products right off the bat was how amazing they smelled. As the ingredients said, the products truly smelt like the plants they originated from. I felt like this made a big difference because it made me feel like I was putting something natural and not harmful on my skin. It also added a very refreshing touch. A lot of it made me not only feel moisturized or healthy but also made me feel like I was doing the right thing for my skin. It definitely left my skin feeling clean and smooth. However, I did have one initial problem with the products and that was with the “Vine[Activ] Energizing and Soothing Eye Cream”. I am not completely sure if I just have sensitive eyes but the cream actually burned my eyes and dried them out. Now I originally believed this to be a first night incident because there was the possibility that I simply wasn’t used to the product but then the eye cream continued to be a problem to the point where I stopped putting it on. Like I mentioned before, it could completely be on my end. Not all products work the same for everyone but it is important to note that the eye cream was the problematic and have knowledge of it when making a purchase.
Overall thoughts:
I want to make something very clear. Like almost any kind of “significant change” to occur you need time. Trying these products for about a week is definitely not enough time but that’s how long the tester products lasted. I definitely believe that if I were to use these products over the course of a month or so I would see a much bigger difference.
In my personal opinion, for the short amount of time I had the products, I did not really understand the hype surrounding the products. At best they made my skin feel smoother and softer. And at first I thought they were also hydrating my face but the eye cream ended up drying out the skin surrounding my eyes and gave me flaky skin which was not the best reaction. [Disclaimer: the reaction could 100% be me or my skin adjusting]
Don’t get me wrong, I love that the products are all natural, made in France, and truly do seem like they are refreshing, clean and healthy. However, at the end of the day my skin didn’t feel or look much different. Additionally, I find it important to note that it does absolutely nothing for acne or any kind of pimples. It doesn’t irritate it, it simply has no affect. And finally, I think the most important thing to mention is that for such a little first reaction the actual products would end up costing far more than they deliver.
Cost of Each Item:
-
Cleanse- Instant Foaming Cleanser/Mousse– $28
-
Brighten- Vinoperfect Concentrated Brightening Essence– $42
-
Treat- Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum–$50
-
Hydrate- Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet–$40
-
Eye- Vine[Activ] Energizing and Soothing Eye Cream–$40
Total Cost: $200
In addition to the costly price of this 5 Step Routine, most of the other products by Caudalie especially the heavy creams can range from $30-$150 dollars. The outcome, in my opinion, simply doesn’t seem worth it. Not to mention how many other products work perfectly. I’m not saying use drug-store products but even other higher-end products are not that expensive and give much better results.
Ultimately, I had a lot of faith and hope in Caudalie because of all the hype surrounding their products but I am honestly disappointed. I won’t promise that I won’t ever revisit them or work their products into my own routine but at this point in time it doesn’t seem likely.
I do want to end on a little advice. I always recommend thoroughly researching products, trying products for yourself, and figuring out what is best for you and your skin type! But remember, you don’t need any specific product to be beautiful. Each person is uniquely beautiful in their own way!