Reficis
10:57 PM
I have a review of 2 products from a Swiss brand, Reficis. Reficis is made at La Chaux-de-Fonds and is a vegan cosmetic brand. The brand wants to bring environmentally friendly products that are manufactured locally.
The 2 products that I have are a cleansing gel and a serum.
Purifying Cleansing Gel
I will start with my favorite product, i.e. the cleansing gel.
WHAT IT IS:
EE Crea
Reficis Efferv'essence Purifying Cleansing Gel is formulated to gently cleanse, purify and brighten the skin without drying it. It's suitable for all skin types.
A daily use of it is able to balance the skin and avoid excess sebum secretion. It is therefore perfect for oily or combination skin but it works also great for dry skin.
It claims to be 99% natural and vegan.
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| on the left: a clip to seal dispenser |
KEY INGREDIENTS:
Nettle extract, dandelion extract, grapefruit extract, lemon extract, and panthenol. Gentle surfactants to cleanse the skin.
Nettle has traditionally been known as a skin tonic improving skin condition. Although there isn't much published literature about it, nettle is considered an ally of choice against acne and eczema and successful results have been observed with it (1, 2). Nettle is also often used in shampoo because it is known to help treat dandruff.
Dandelion is a diuretic herbal remedy that promotes digestion and is often drunk as a tea or decoction. In cosmetics, it is reported as anti-acne.
Grapefruit and lemon have brightening properties. Note however that it can be irritating for the skin if it's too concentrated. This is especially true for people with very sensitive skin.
Panthenol is a vitamin B5 derivative. It is often touted as being effective for acne. It is moisturizing agent and can improve wound healing (3).
INGREDIENTS
Water, Taraxacum Officinale extract**, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate (gentle surfactant), Glycerin (humectant), Laury Glucoside (gentle surfactant), Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate (gentle surfactant), Sodium Lauryl Glucose (gentle surfactant), Carboxylate (not sure if a word is missing before carboxylate...), Glycerin (humectant), Decyl Glucoside (gentle surfactant), Urtica Dioica Leaf extract**, Fragrance, Xanthan Gum (thickener/emulsifier), DL Panthenol, Citrus Limonum**, Citrus Paradisii**, Mentha Piperita**, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroactic Acid, Limonene*, Citral*, Linalol*.
* Present in essential oils
** Organic
What I like about the composition: I love that there are only gentle surfactants!
I also measured the pH of this cleanser (I mixed it with water and measured the pH of the solution) and it is about 6. Such a pH respects the skin’s acid mantle. If the pH is too high, the skin gets easily damaged or infected. There are many scientific studies that showed that the best pH for cleansers is around 4-6 (same pH as the skin). It has been demonstrated that skin pH largely influences barrier homeostasis, stratum corneum integrity and cohesion, and antimicrobial defense mechanisms (4). Using cleansers with too high pH can trigger acne creatig a milieu favourable for P. acnes to grow. Therefore I was very happy to see that in addition of gentle surfactants it is also formulated at the right pH.
What I don't like about it: Fragrance increases the likelihood of irritation. So I would prefer if there wasn't any fragrance in it. Moreover, citrus and mint extracts can also be irritating to the skin. So if you have very sensitive skin you should be careful and patch test it before using it.
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| pH of about 6, perfectly skin-friendly |
HOW IT LOOKS/FEELS/SMELLS:
It's a yellowish gel that foams when you rub it. I think it's so cool :D
It has a very herbal smell and you can also detect the lemon extract. When I use it, my skin doesn't feel tight. Thank you, gentle surfactants!
It removes make up very well.
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| Click on the picture to see it in larger size. |
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Anti-imperfection Serum
WHAT IT IS:
EE Crea
Reficis Efferv'essence Anti-imperfection Serum fights imperfections, regenerates, brightens and tones skin. It is suitable for all skin types.
KEY INGREDIENTS:
Rosewood extract, geranium extract, tea tree extract, carrot extract, Neroli extract, sage extract.
Tea tree is well known in the treatment of acne and it has shown some success. The other ingredients are less common but I found a couple of patents (5, 6) that uses rosewood, geranium and/or carrot extracts to help promote healing, to prevent infection and inhibit inflammation. In that regard, they could be useful to fight imperfections. Neroli and sage extracts are antiseptic and bactericidal.
Note also that mint, Neroli and lemon extracts can be irritant so be careful if your skin is reactive and sensitive.
INGREDIENTS:
Taraxacum officinale L. extract**, Metha piperita water**, Citrus Aurantium Flower water, Melaleuca Alternifolia water**, Cetearyl olivate, Sorbitan olivate, Allantoin, Melaleuca Alternifolia, Citrus Paradisii**, Rosemarinus officinalis**, Pelargonium asperum B.**, Lavendula Angustifolia**, Daucus Carota, Aniba Rasaeodora, Salvia Sclarea, Styrax Tonkinensis**, Potassium Sorbate, Linaol*, Limonene*, Citral*, Geraniol*, Benzyl Benzoate*.
* Present in essential oils
** Organic
HOW IT LOOKS/FEELS/SMELLS:
It's a milky serum that spreads easily on the skin. It's not sticky and is absorbed quickly. It has a strong mint fragrance.
Final thoughts
In summary, I really like the cleansing gel because it's so gentle. It
doesn't irritate or makes my skin tight after washing it. It also
removes makeup very well.
I'm a bit less fan of the serum because of the strong mint fragrance and I patch tested it on my forehead and it gave me some pimples. I usually never break up on my forehead so I always test cosmetics there before using it on my whole face. Note that my skin is really sensitive and reactive and there are many ingredients that I cannot use (coconut oil, niacinamide, cetearyl alcohol for example). This is only my own little experience and as I said my skin reacts to many ingredients. That said, some of the natural extracts used in this serum can irritate very sensitive skin and that's probably what happened to me. But I'm pretty sure that others will like this serum very much ;)
If you like natural cosmetics, this brand might be for you and I recommend the cleansing gel happily!
Purchase info
Reficif cosmetics can be purchased directly via Reficis website HERE.
*PR Samples*
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