Hey Posse, Up north you are un the grip of summer and down here we are chilled by winter. Both the extreme months for temps and winds and dry skin. I’m not much of a cosmetics person, yeah even though my job is Drag Queen. I wash with soap and only use after shave balm after my shave. This year though I’m noticing some little dry patches on my face. Nothing awful or noticeable really but enough to make me look for something extra to sooth my skin.
Rose Face Elixir by Aftelier Perfumes
Mandy Aftel
A few weeks ago I made a perfume purchase with Aftelier and this beautiful face elixir came with it. Only US$70 for a 20ml container it seemed like unbelievably good value and worth a try. Especially compared to the prices I see on the beauty counters for similar products.
It’s on my bureau for when I get out of the shower and has become a weekly thing on Wednesdays. It smells so rich and glamorous. Roses and spices and honey all combine to create a beautiful starting point for any rose centric fragrance. It’s only been three weeks but Mohur by Neela Vermeire Creations and Wild Roses by Aftelier have been super choices. Even if rose is only a background note I think this will work beautifully. There are other fragrances in the line if rose doesn’t float your boat.
2019 is full of surprises. I was told as a youngster to only use water based moisturisers on my face. Something about it absorbing better and quicker. Well this puts paid to that bad advice. Rose Face Elixir is only on my face for seconds before my skin has drunk it up, leaving soft, pliable, refreshed skin and that heavenly fragrance.
Do you ever use oils to moisturise? What are some choices that have worked for you?
Portia xx
Portia also writes for Australian Perfume Junkies
I got a Drunken Elephant sample of their Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil from Sephora once, and loved it so much I ended up getting a bottle of it — a bit pricey, but you only use a tiny drop or two, so it lasts a long time. Also, it has “luxury” in the name so what’s not to love?
Thank you dearest Portia This makes me so happy to read!!! ??
Wonderful to see you Mandy,
Your Rase Face elixir is SO GOOD! Congratulations.
Portia xx
Gracious, this sounds lovely! I’ve recently discovered the benefits of oils on my dry, aging, sensitive skin, and I loved me some roses. Thanks for the review!
Hey MaggieCat,
Sounds like it might be a perfect fit for you too then. Not outrageously expensive either, another wonderful thing about it.
Portia xx
Oh that sounds GLORIOUS. I’m going to need to investigate. It’s been awhile since I plunged into Mandy Aftel….. Anita already mentioned the Skin Savior which I love and which lasts a long while. I have very dry skin. I actually double cleanse with jojoba oil. I don’t use coconut oil on my face because it clogs my pores. Also a big fan of Weleda Skin Food for small dry patches. Bonus: both products I mentioned smell fantastic.
Oh, yes! The SKIN FOOD! (which March also intro’d me to). That stuff is freakin’ AWESOME! Perfect for (our) Jan/Feb (aka your ‘now’) xoxoxo
I thought the Aftelier face oils would be really good.I want to try the honeysuckle one. I first tried facial oils when I was given samples of Suki Skincare years ago. They were wonderful and I still love Suki’s skincare line.. I have used/tried a lot of oils for face and body – jojoba, grapeseed, argon, rose hip (so-so), coconut, kukui nut (smells nutty :)), monoi……….. I will sometimes mix a few drops of oil into a cream moisturizer before I put it on my face.
PS Coconut oil is a great makeup remover.
Hey Maya,
I had a very tiny little sample of the Honeysuckle and gave it to a friend to try, she is crazy for it. I think she may even have purchased.
Coconut Oil? I’ve not seen it. Currently I have 1 litre of Almond Oil to get through after the Avocado is finished. Yeah, I always have a backup.
Portia xx
I use the Argan Oil from Trader Joe’s. Also on my hair!
Hey Violet,
Argan Oil is the current IT oil yeah? Why? Is it better or just better advertised?
Portia xx
I second Musette on her advice!
I enjoy facial oils when dry on an as needed basis, love them. I’ve been wanting to try Aftelier face elixir oils as well, they must smell fabulous as her perfumes do.
I use Le Mer and Sunday Riley facial oils at bedtime.
Hey Kathleen,
Oh yes. This smells utterly divine. It could be a perfume on its own.
Do you love your Le Mer and Sunday Riley facial oils?
Portia xx
this sounds amazing! I use the Chanel 5 dry oil and recently someone gifted me a bottle of Carnal Flower oil, and it’s spectacular. Off to check out Mandy’s site!
Hey Robert,
Is the No 5 oil for faces? How freaking gorgeous!! Now I REALLY want it.
Portia xx
Y’know, it says Dry Body Oil, but I use it on my face before I go to bed (careful around the eyes) and it’s great, and 200 ml. for $85. US??? oh HELL yeah! xoxo
OOOOH! Temptress!
omg, honey! Welcome to the Oil Side! lol! I LIVE in face oil – I’m old, my skin is cranky and it’s as necessary as air, now! (okay,maybe not quite THAT necessary – but then again…). I use Pai face oil (beautyhabit.com) followed by One Love Organics Skin Savior balm that Missy March intro’d me to. The combination is perfect for me! In Winter (because we have GFA heat, which is drying AF) I top that with Chanel Sublimage face cream.
Why only Wednesday? A drop of face oil daily is a GOOD thing!
xoxoxo
btw, sweets – do you do a weekly, post-drag steam? I would (you didn’t ask, but Meemaw here is just sayin’) – you put so. much. makeup. on your face – it would be FAB to get ALLADAT out of your pores, to keep your skin glowing and healthy. I steam 3x a week and my skin is SO happy when I do. Also helps to keep sinuses working well. xoxoxo
Heya Musette,
I do steam, but for my sinus, not my skin. It gets a steam too though. Also being in a boiling bath 3 or 4 times a week is a steam too.
Portia xx
Sinuses LOVE a steam, don’t they? I put jojoba oil on my face before I steam, which works wonders! xoxoxoxo
I use pure grapeseed oil (boring, inexpensive kind bought on Amazon) when my face feels rough, but that rose oil sounds heavenly. Grapeseed oil has good properties like antioxidant and rich in vitamin E which is healing. It’s said to be good for anti-aging, wrinkles, age spots, dry and itchy skin, etc.
Hey DinaC,
I sometimes use Grapeseed Oil to remove my stage make up. Yeah, the el cheapo stuff. I think I’m using Almond oil and L’Occitane Oil Remover mixed right now.
Portia xx
This sounds glorious, Portia.
I enjoy face oils as they feel so luxurious. My skin can be sensitive so I tend to use fragrance-free marula oil these days. I have the one from The Ordinary but would love to try the spendy version from Drunk Elephant some time.
As I understand it, if your skin is dehydrated you need water-based moisturisation but if it’s dry you need oil.
Hey Tara,
Good word. Glorious it is.
Ahhh, I didn’t know that. Makes sense, my face is definitely happy with this new lavish treatment.
Portia xx