Wednesday, August 14, 2013

The Royal Treatment

When I bought the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask and then tweeted, "Is this the beginning of the end?", the answer was yes. Unequivocally. Since then, I don't care to think about how much money I've spent on skin care. My most indulgent purchase to date has been Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist. There should just be a general warning against buying anything from a brand that you can barely pronounce or spell. Omo-what? I love me a good mist, and this seemed to be the crème de la crème of mists. Repeated exposure to it from Caroline Hirons, Vivianna Does Makeup and Liana Beauty gradually swayed me. It transformed from something completely out of the question to something I spontaneously bought from Look Fantastic (the 15% discount helped) after a particularly long, boring day at work.





Ingredients: Aqua (Hungarian Thermal Water), Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Flower Water, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Water, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Saccharomyces (Hungarian Thermal Water) Ferment Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Mannitol, Malpighia Punicifolia (Acerola) Fruit Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris/Lupinus Albus Protein Ferment, Pectin, Phospholipids, Yeast Extract



I was on the lookout for a hydrating toner per Caroline Hirons's recommendation to use two toners after cleansing: one to exfoliate and one to put the moisture back in. I'm still undecided about the need for an exfoliating toner (mainly because I'm using Alpha-H Micro Cleanse, Alpha-H Liquid Gold and Trilogy Age Proof Active Enzyme Cleansing Cream with my Olay face brush and I don't want to go overboard with the exfoliation), but a hydrating toner seemed vitally missing from my routine (Avene Thermal Spray doesn't quite cut it since it's basically just water, and La Roche-Posay Serozinc isn't around). I was contemplating the super affordable Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner (simple but effective ingredients), REN Tonic Moisture Mist or Balance Me Skin Bright Hydrating Mist, but in the end, I thought I might as well go straight for what I really wanted. The Omorovicza isn't vastly more expensive on a cost per millilitre basis compared with the Balance Me (£0.33/ml vs. £0.46/ml), especially after the 15% discount I redeemed.

Is this stuff worth it? Not really. I bought it blind, having never seen it or tried it in person, and the first thing that struck me was how different the smell was to what I was expecting. I was anticipating something rose-scented but also a little juicy and fruity, kind of like a cross between Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist and if the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask was formulated into a spray. But it's more like fragranced sea water that dries down to a mellow apple scent. I don't dislike it, but I don't love it either.

I find the best way to apply it is after cleansing in the evening, spraying two pumps into my palm, rubbing my hands together, then pressing my hands onto my face. I don't like spritzing directly onto the face, as I find that really wasteful (I usually need a ridiculous number of sprays to feel anything). I've been using this consistently for a couple of weeks, and I can't say I've seen any noticeable effect or difference in that time. I feel it's basically the same as my DIY toner of Caudalie Divine Oil and water. It gives the skin slightly more moisture and refines the appearance of skin very subtly after it's used, but I don't see it performing any miracles or being an indispensable product to my routine. Apparently a key ingredient is apple pectin (though it's third last on the list) which "provides long lasting hydration and restores suppleness".

At the end of the day, this toner is a little bit of luxury that's pleasant to use, but hardly a necessity. I like it because of the glamorous, evocative name, the gorgeous packaging and the fact it has no alcohol. I remember reading this clearly biased review on MakeupAlley and having a chuckle, because it sums up any objections to this mist in quite a tongue-in-cheek manner. Yes, it's expensive — I probably wouldn't have purchased at full price — and there are much more affordable alternatives that likely would produce similar results. But wanting it primarily because it seems nice to have is in my eyes still a perfectly valid reason.

28 comments:

  1. ahhhh I was tempted to get this too - I may later (read: when I have a real job) but for right now I think I can hold off :D

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  2. This product sounds really nice. And everyone needs that luxurious product that makes them feel so glamorous ! xoxo

    Madeline | Its a Mads Mads World

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  3. Good to know. I don't have an extra money to spend on things that don't work or change things that much, thanks for your reviews!! :)

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  4. Hahah love the linked review. I really am glad that I haven't hopped on the toner-water-mist-magic bandwagon yet; they're something that sound nice to have but keeping my wallet fat is a much nicer sounding thing to me. Now if they somehow managed to turn money into a mist, then I might purchase just for the novelty of spraying myself with money... then again that would be a terrible waste and probably be illegal haha. Thanks for the great review as always :)

    ♥Cassie
    thriftthick.blogspot.com

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  5. Oooh I remember reading the foundation review of this brand on Mostly Sunny's blog and I wonder why the products from the brand are so expensive, kind of 'ByTerry syndrome' I'd say..
    Too bad it doesn't live up to the expectations, but sometimes it is nice to have a luxurious thing that we don't really need :P

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  6. I believe I'm way too in love with my The Body Shop toner to switch him.
    Although this one looks really nice! I'll try to look into it.
    Lovely review as always!
    Please have a nice day!
    Kissu*

    http://www.beauty-with-love.blogspot.com

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  7. I don't find hydrating mists all that helpful for my skin... or I just don't know how to use them property. How much did this one cost?

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    1. I don't either, to be honest the most 'hydrating' one is my Avene and that's literally just water :p It was £46.00 but I bought it with 15% discount, worked out to be around $AU66.

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  8. such a shame that i didn't work good for you :( i love the name of the product being such a history nerd [come on, 'queen of hungary?' that's adorable to say the least]. i've been doing a lot of research on skincare itens cause i want to try a chemical exfoliator/peel and a face spritz and i kind of want to check out the things from the brand just because of how much i liked the packaging and the name, but i must admit i'm a bit afraid to be let down like you were with this product

    from isabela at fusels.com | bloglovin

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  9. Have you tried the Avene Cleanance purifying toner? It's not a spray, but I have been using it everyday this month for a hydrating toner. I really enjoy it!

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    1. Nope I haven't. Is that the one in the green bottle? I do love their Thermal Spring Water spray!

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  10. Great review THANKYOU! I used to use many of jurilque's products, love them but sadly my current budget doesn't like them as much. I went into my local Juriliqie's store to have a spray of one of their hydrating mists and saw they currently have a limited edition rose water hydrating mist that has super extra special ingrediants. It sure smelt beautiful and soaked into my makeup covered face and left a beautiful scent and my face felt more hydrated. I wished it hadn't as now I can't get it out of my brain!! It was double the normal size, 200 mls for $65.00 Australian. After using several hydrating mists over the years, jurilque still reigns supreme in my eyes, well on my skin!! I did try the more purse friendly Sukin one (and probably will purchase it because of the price) but after using Juriliqie's it's hard to compare. Would love the limited edition jurilque one, on the wishlist!! One can dream! Have a great day :)

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    1. I do like the Jurlique rosewater one - it definitely smells better than this one :) I like to I use it with my Avene water spray and pat both into my skin and follow up with some kind of face oil or moisturiser. I have seen the large limited edition bottle and it's very pretty! Quite pricey though, but 200ml would last forever at least.

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  11. Love that review you linked to, very cute! I love the aesthetic of this, indeed very luxurious and swish. I have not for a moment felt regret for my Origins Drink Up Intensive purchase (it is my heaven in a tube) but I have a few waters I want gone from my collection before I indulge in something like this.

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  12. LOL that MUA review is eloquent! I can see the merit in mists but personally I don't see how it would benefit my skin. I've tried the Sukin but it's mostly rose and water and it's uber perfumed, which I'm slightly wary of because my skin doesn't exactly need it. Avene Thermal Spray is lovely but since Australian water isn't akin to the 'hard' water of the US and Paris, thermal water sprayed after cleansing doesn't exactly 'neutralise' the surface of the skin. Best to leave that sort of thing to the Into the Gloss models and Top Shelves.

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  13. The bottle is beautiful, but I hardly want to spray brine and apple juice on my face. The unpronounceable name too, I feel this Queen is laughing at us. Great link to MUA review. (:

    Sigh, I want there to be a product that is the cross between Origins Drink Up and Jurlique Rose Mist.

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  14. OMG you got this

    Pretty sure that I can never purchase any Omo-whatsits given that they're all like $100 minimum here. It's one of those brands that I sort of tossed out of my mind and don't really feel curious about.

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    1. LOL well this was the cheapest thing in their range :p Yeah, I don't think I'll be venturing much further into their offerings mainly because the price range is prohibitive.

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  15. The packaging sure is sleek so I understand why you were drawn to it. Too bad it's nothing spectacular : / I really don't get toners but I have 3 or 4... I should really seek therapy! LOL

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  16. Thank you for writing this review. I've been considering buying this for a while and was again taken in by the luxury of it but I think I'll save my pennies for now and put them towards something like the Pai toners. :)

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  17. I will not even try to attempt to pronounce the name! The bottle looks beautiful but what a shame that it wasn't something amazing. I definitely agree with you how it can never hurt to have something luxuriously pretty and a pleasure to use, even though it might not be a necessity. I love the Avene and La Roche Posay thermal spring water sprays, but I'm not entirely sure if they do anything- but they feel amazing to mist on!

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  18. Never heard of this toner mist but damn that packaging is beautiful and i would totally understand how it is a valid reason to get hahaha. I'm in need a new toner but I don't know what to get. I was thinking of the La Roche Posay one and I just did a quick search on REN and Balance Me toner/mists you named in which both seems quite good but I'm not sure if I've seen them available in Canada. The Dermalogica multi-active toner that i have seems to do nothing at all for me but just to make my face feel refreshing lol.

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  19. Great review of this, I've seen so many people raving about it so it's interesting to read your take on it. The packaging is gorgeous, so it's disappointing that the product itself isn't amazing x

    Evelyn @ We Were Raised By Wolves

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  20. wow, the name itself does sound pretty luxury and I have never tried a product that is made in Hungary...thanks for sharing this royal treatment but would definitely skip this since its not worth it at all >_<"

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  21. I think this is another case of "the product itself can't be faulted but the hype ruined it for me"! It does what it says on the tin, doesn't it? But we always expect so much more, especially when it been recommended by Caroline. haha Happens to me to! The moisturizing toner I really like is the clear one by Elizabeth Arden. It works really well and it's not that expensive! xx

    http://ferdies-place.blogspot.co.uk/

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  22. Seems that there are a lot of these facial sprays on the market! Havent tried this - it sounds and looks so luxurious! Great post, very helpful :)
    erinandkatherine.blogspot.ca

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  23. The price puts me off trying this because I know there are others, much more affordable, that do the same kind of job. That said, I'm sure i'll cave and try this eventually just because!

    Jennie xo | sailorjennie.com

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  24. Skincare is so addictive!!!!!!

    xoxo

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