If you have followed our blog for some time, you know that I am a huge fan of Paula’s Choice beauty products. When we left for Europe, I had a few of my essentials from Paula’s Choice and I knew I could always order more if needed. One thing I recently started to run low on is moisturizer (I brought two bottles of PC moisturizer with me). Instead of ordering more moisturizer from PC, I decided to try a French moisturizer here in France that I’ve heard so much about: Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré.
The Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré is not only a moisturizer, it is also a primer and a makeup remover. This all seemed too good to be true because I am also running low on makeup remover.
For my review, I will say I have normal to dry skin. I used to be prone to breakouts but that has gone away with time thankfully.
This Embryolisse moisturizer is very heavy. I like that – especially during this cold, dry, European winter! I was worried it would be TOO heavy for daytime use so the first few times I used it, I only used it at night. My skin was nice and soft in the morning. Then I decided to try it during the day under my makeup. It actually wasn’t too heavy. I still love my PC moisturizer just a little better – it feels lighter and not so heavy. I could use my heavier Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer in the summer and although it would be heavy, I could still use it. I think the Embryolisse moisturizer would be too heavy for summer use and I would feel sweaty under such a heavy moisturizer. Same goes for my PC summer moisturizer – I use the Paula’s Choice Hydralight Moisture Infusing Lotion and although it is light, I could still use it in the winter if needed. Paula’s stuff is very versatile!
Then the odd feature of the Embryolisse is the makeup remover. I decided to try it one night. It does work – it even removes eye makeup! But after I rinsed my face, it still felt like I had a film on my skin. I like my face to wash clean. The good thing about this “film” is that I gently patted my face dry with a towel instead of rubbing it dry it so the leftover moisture wouldn’t end up all over my towel and no longer on my face.
Here is where it gets weird though – I felt like after removing my makeup I didn’t need a moisturizer. So I didn’t put any more on my face. After about 30 minutes my skin just felt weird – like it hadn’t been properly washed. I didn’t love the feel and I went back and rewashed my face with oil face wash (my usual night time makeup remover and face wash routine). Then I applied the Embryolisse as moisturizer. So I wouldn’t recommend this as your makeup remover on a regular basis. But I suppose if you were in a pinch, it would do the trick.
Since I am talking about makeup remover and night time face cleansing, I will say I love using an oil cleanser. Paula’s Choice does make an oil cleanser (it actually was released after we left for Europe so I haven’t tried it yet but I will soon). I was using the Estee Edit oil cleanser (discontinued) and before that one I was using the Shu Uemura and before that I used Erno Laszlo. But my Estee Edit ran out on this trip and I’ve switched to the Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm. This cleanser melts in your hands and turns into an oil cleanser. It is much easier for travel and I don’t have to worry about an oil cleanser spilling into my suitcase (even though I do double wrap it in ziplock baggies, it tends to always leak a little with the airplane pressure).
*edited to add I ordered more tried and true Paula’s Choice moisturizer and this Embryolisse ended up as a hand cream. It is a great cream – just not my top choice.
*also edited to add I tried the Paula’s Choice Perfect Cleansing Oil when we were back in the US and it is one of the rare Paula’s Choice items I don’t like. Something in the oil cleanser burned my eyes and I needed something to remove eye makeup. I am now back on the Clinique Take The Day Off Balm – it is amazing!