Best from Pharmacy Brands

My first experience with pharmacy brands happened many years ago with one of the dandruff shampoos and in these years I've tried a fair share of other products as well - from the famous Avene's Cleanance K and La Roche Posay's Effaclair Duo to the luxurious Nuxe Baume Prodigieux Lip Gloss - and I've found a nice amount of favourites and staples. I have a lot of faith in products from the pharmacy being a lot better than those from the drugstore and are probably as good as some high-end ones just for a more reasonable price. They are easy to get a hold of where I live, since we have a lot of pharmacies nearby and quite a few online shops (by the way, my favourite pharmacy is Leposana (E. Leclerck Ljubljana), where things are quite a lot cheaper than in my local pharmacy, especially if you have their loyalty card). 

 Phyto Phytheol Intense 

Dandruff treatment shampoo (100ml)

This has the weirdest texture of a shampoo ever. It's very thin and runny, also the packaging is beyond annoying because it's metal and you can't squeeze it resulting in having to pour the product out, which is particularity irritating when it's on its last legs. So why am I including it here? It's simple - because out of mountains of anti-dandruff products I've tried, this with combination of Phytopolleine had the best effect so far. It didn't cure it (I've actually lost hope for that, it's been going strong for 13 bloody years and I've tried everything, even went to a dermatologist), but it was the only product that actually removed that stubborn layer of dandruff that is stuck on my scalp and I finally felt like my scalp could breathe again. I'm sure that on someone whose scalp isn't so persistently dry that it flakes, rather has more "normal" dandruff problems this should solve it.

La Roche-Posay Kerium 

cream-shampoo anti-dandruff (250 ml)

Again another anti-dandruff shampoo, but this is not the intensive treatment rather a maintainer with salicylic acid that chemically exfoliates the scalp. But why I love it is because it's super gentle, yet really creamy and perfect for my mega dry hair. Most shampoos leave my scalp itchy after use because they dry it out, but with this I never had those problems at all. I've gone through a half a dozen tubes and though I'm trying other treatments for dandruff, I keep coming back to this. This and Kerastase Oleo-Relax are my absolute favourite shampoos. 

 Alpecin Medicinal Forte Intensive Scalp & Hair Tonic 

(200ml)

Technically I didn't buy this in a pharmacy, I buy them in Müller, but it is a healing type of product so I'm including it here. Again I bought this originally as a dandruff treatment, but it didn't yield much results in that department, however, this is a miracle for itchy scalp. Whenever my scalp feels itchy this soothes it instantly. I have to warn you that is has a very powerful, herbal schnapps scent so beware of any comments about reeking of alcohol, but hey at least your scalp will feel great. Another thing is the packaging which is rubbish since it lacks some sort of a nozzle with which you could apply this directly on the scalp, rather it's just pouring out uncontrollably and that's why (please don't laugh at me for this) I use a syringe (without the needle, obviously) so I can get the product directly and evenly on the scalp. I'm currently using my eighth bottle.

Phyto Phytopolleine 

Botanical Scalp Stimulant (25ml)

As I already said in the Pytherol review, this is a little miracle product that completely purified my scalp. It's eye-wateringly expensive at 29 € for a stingy 25 ml, but I bought two in a row. Sadly, it seems that it stopped working on me as all anti-dandruff products do (please tell me I'm not alone in this), so I'm having a bit of a break from it and I'm hoping a fresh bottle in a few months will be effective again. This really was the only product that came close to getting rid of my stubborn dandruff and because it's an oil, it also leaves the hair feeling really nourished .

 Bioderma Sensibio H2O micelle solution 

(100ml, 250 ml and 500 ml) 

It wouldn't be a best from pharmacies post without this. I've been a fan of it for about three years and I've gone though countless bottles. Sure there are drugstore dupes nowadays, but I don't find them as effective in completely and quickly removing all the makeup even though they are really good.

La Roche-Posay Nutritic Intense In-depth Nutri-Reconstituting Cream 

(30 ml)

This is a saviour for very dry, flaky skin. It actually feels relatively light, but it's intensely moisturising and it transforms the flaky skin literally overnight. Sadly, it breaks me out, which breaks my heart, but my mother adores this. She's not the one to pay more than 5 € for a moisturiser, but since I gave her this one, she bought four in a row and says it's absolutely worth the money and even puts an effort into tracking it down, would you believe it. If you're suffering from dry, flaky skin, do yourself a favour and grab this next time you're in a pharmacy.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum 

(30 ml)

When I first tried to seriously deal with my dehydrated, flaky skin years ago, this was like a little miracle in a bottle. It's fantastic for such skin, even for one that has a greasy T-zone. It balances the skin out by intensely moisturising it, but its super light texture doesn't cause problems for oily skin. It is a serum, so it should be used with a moisturiser on top, personally I love the combination of this with Nuxe dry oil. 

Eucerin Aquaporin Active Light 

(30 ml)

My second favourite moisturiser right behind L'Occitane's Angelica Hydrating Cream. It's based on aquaporins, which are a sort of plumbing system for cells and it moisturises the skin while still being light enough to be used under make up. I actually got this based on a few samples the sales lady gave me and I was so impressed I ran to the pharmacy as soon as I finished the samples and I've repurchased it three times so far. 

 Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse 

Multi-purpose Dry Oil (50 and 100 ml)

If you're an old follower on my blog, you'll know that I've been using this every day for three, yes three, years already. This is a staple in my skincare, much has changed, but this stayed. This is one of those products I can hardly imagine being without. It keeps my skin super soft, radiant and healthy looking. It's a dry oil, so it actually doesn't feel that oily and it sinks in in minutes. It's a multi-purpose oil, so I use what's left on my hair and it keeps it in good condition. It can also be used as a body moisturiser and it gives that great glow in the summer. The scent of it is fantastic as well. By the way, I would recommend the 100 ml version because it comes with a spray pump, while the 50 ml size just has a hole and it's irritating to get the product out because you have to shake it vigorously.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or

Multi-purpose Dry Oil (50 and 100 ml)

The shimmer infused sister or the original. This gives that amazing Victoria Secret glow on the body (best on legs and collarbone) as well as that glowy, summery look if used under a foundation. I love using this on my hair, because it's not too greasy even though it's silicone free and it gives a lovely shine to the hair.

Bio Beauté by Nuxe Lip Balm 

with apricot butter (15 ml)

I've been loving this more and more since I got it. I have a favourite lip balm, Palmer's Swivel stick and for years I haven't used anything else (I bough a few, but hated them), and this Nuxe one is getting just as much use as Palmer's. It's a lip balm-lip gloss hybrid that moisturises the lips and gives a nice glossy finish that is not super shiny, which I really like. It smells amazing, exactly like home-grown pears. It costs 10€, but there is a massive amount of 15ml in the tube, which should last a long time.

Avene Cicalfate

Antibacterial Repair Cream (40 ml)

A staple in any household. This is just one of those panthenol (provitamin of B5) treatments I've tried and they are all about the same, but this one is the one I have currently. Cicalfate is very similar in texture to Bepathenol (from Bayern, the Aspirin company) in a sense that it's a very thick cream that doesn't spread that easy. But these are little saviours for any type of wound or that blemish you squeezed just a bit too hard. It's antibacterial and it helps the wound to heal faster.
Another panthenol treatment that is actually very different is La Roche Posay's Cicaplast (original one, not the new B5 version). That one feels like a silicone primer, so some may like it more to use it on the face. 

What are your favourites from the pharmacy? Have a great day!

My Current Hair Care - Part 1

My hair is not the easiest to deal with. I have naturally very dry, curly, frizzy, coarse hair that needs a lot of heavy-duty conditioners and oils. Also I have very thick and long hair with lots of volume. It's in my genes, in fact everyone in my family has hair like that. When I was in my early teens my hair dried up like a sponge and got really hard to work with. So I do use a lot of products on my hair and most drugstore products just don't work well for me, I learned that the hard way. I used to be just-Fructis/Dove/L'Oreal/Gliss-girl, but my hair and scalp was in horrible condition. I tried a lot of different products in the past decade and in the last two years I finally found what works best for me. For my hair more is better. Most of the products mentioned I've repurchased numerous times and are some of my favourites so far. This will be in two parts. I'll talk about serums, styling products and tools in the second part.

I use a lot of oils on my hair. A few times a month use oil as a pre-wash treatment. I use anything I have at hand, regular olive oil will do, I even use whatever body oil is lying around (such as Weleda lavender one), but the best oils for dry hair are macadamia and coconut oil. I get them at the supermarket. I apply it all over the hair, including the scalp, focusing on the ends and leave it on for at least an hour (the more the better). So far I've never been left with greasy, limp hair no matter how much I used, but keep in mind that my hair is very dry and it just soaks up everything. If your hair is not as dry, use just a few drops mainly on the ends. Alverde mandel and argan oil as a pre-wash treatment is light enough for someone with hair like that. I then proceed with shampoo and conditioner.

Another oil I use is Phyto Phytopolléine universal elixir. I've already raved about it in one of my monthly favourites post, so I'll just copy my review. It is my mini super expensive miracle worker. I've been suffering from dandruff for more than 10 years, used almost every shampoo on the planet and nothing really worked (dry hair and scalp, fantastic combination). This completely purifies my scalp, no other product I've tried was that effective. It's a heavily scented oil (it smells of rosemary and lavender, beware that the entire room you're in will smell like it) that you massage on your scalp before washing your hair. The instructions say to keep it on for 20 minutes, but I leave it on for a lot longer. It costs an arm an a leg - over 20€ for a small 25ml bottle, but one did last me about 8 treatments. I've repurchased it already and I got mine from eBay, because it's a lot cheaper than in our pharmacies.

The shampoo I've been using for a year now is La Roche Posay Kerium for dry hair. It's one of the rare dandruff shampoos that does not dry out my hair. I can even comb through it with ease. It's very creamy and thick and has a pleasant medicinal scent. I've used a least a half of dozen bottles so far. I buy it in pharmacies for around 11€.

Alpecin Medicinal Forte is a clear liquid that smells very strongly of herbal schnapps, but it works. It's great for relieving an itchy scalp. I used to use it every day, but now I use it only when my scalp is acting up. I bought my seventh bottle in a row last week. They need to change the bottle though. The application system is really bad because there is no nozzle, just a hole. I buy it in Müller for 5-6€.

Currently I have four different conditioner/masks/treatments in rotation because I use gallons of this stuff and I don't want to buy new ones every 3-4 weeks. Most drugstore conditioners are not moisturising enough for my hair, so I do prefer saloon brands. The main difference between them is that if I use a drugstore conditioner, my hair gets really dry the second day, even though the conditioner might seem really moisturising. I then have to resort to Alverde Mandel and Argan oil to get some moisture back into my hair. I also always leave the conditioner on my hair for a lot longer than it says on the packaging. I honestly can't imagine the product working it's magic in just a few minutes and I notice a massive difference if I leave it on for longer. I leave it on for at least 10 minutes, often for more than an hour (I always wash my hair in the evening).

Joico Moisture Recovery Treatment Balm for thick and coarse hair is some heavy-duty stuff. It's probably the most moisturising treatment I ever had. If my hair is feeling particularly dry, then I resort to it. Even I have to use a moderate amount and I'm always very generous when applying conditioner. It smells really nice, fresh but a bit sweet and it's super thick. This is my first tube. Another fantastic product from Joico is their K-Pack Intense Hydrator Treatment for dry, damaged hair, which I had before this one. The only gripe I have is the scent which is a bit odd. These two are the best treatments I ever had and trust me I tried a lot of them. I buy Joico from feelunique.com, it's also a sold in selected saloons.

Tigi S Factor ''Serious'' Conditioner is another seriously moisturising stuff. I've already reviewed it here and I remain impressed. I bought my 750ml pot last September and I still have some left. It's so thick you don't need much. Earlier this year I tried the vinegar treatment which is so highly recommended on MUA. It completely wrecked my hair. Nothing has ever dried up my hair like it. This mask worked like magic and completely transformed it into normality. It does contain a lot of silicone, hence the very silky feeling afterwards, but it's still one of my favourite treatments. Read my original review if you want to know more.

Dove Nourishing Oil Care also known under lots of other names, but the important thing is that it's a tube with gold writing. It's one of the two drugstore treatments I use and I've repurchased it a half of dozen times. This is the most moisturising drugstore product I've tried to date. It's very thick and smells very nice (''Dove like''). I buy it in Müller for 4-5€. I did a short review here.

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration mask was an unexpected and pleasant surprise from the drugstore range. I honestly didn't expect much because it feels quite light, but it is moisturising enough even for my hair. However, the best feature is the heavenly scent. It's smells like tropical paradise, something like sweet tropical fruit with coconut. I adore it! I'm currently using my second pot. This is light enough for someone whose hair is not as dry as mine. I also really like the shampoo from this line.

Some other conditioners I liked are Redken All Soft, John Frieda Brilliant Brunette and Fructis masks. I repurchased the latter two numerous times.

This completes the first part of my hair care. I'll talk about other hair care products I use in the next post (it'll be up soon). Thanks for reading my long rambling! There is more to come.