A recent bout of adult acne had me stressing out more than usual over what could be triggering the bright red blemishes. Was it hormones? Diet? Stress? Travel? Trying out too many sample goods? All the above? In my search for a “magic” cure, I picked up the Vichy Normaderm Triple Action Anti-Acne Hydrating Lotion, mainly because there were so many positive reviews, including the 2011 Allure Breakthrough Award. At one point on the Vichy USA website, there was a feature video showing three individuals using the product and their before-and-after results, along with the user’s feedback about the product’s 3-in-1 effectiveness of clearing acne, mattifying, and hydrating. I thought that since I have gotten good results from other Vichy products, I may get similar good results with Normaderm also.
Alas, my impulse purchase did little to appease my want for the break outs to go away.
normaderm
If I paid any attention to the ingredients listed, I would have noticed the breakdown between the active and inactive ingredients. For the former, the ingredient is 1% salicylic acid, which is a low concentration that has mild exfoliating properties to aid in removing clogging residue that may buildup in the pores. For the latter, water, glycerin, and alcohol are among the top three ingredients. Now alcohol has an overly drying effect on my skin, particularly on my T-zone area. When I pumped the bottle to dispense the lotion, I found that the formula was thick, but it also carried a very strong scent that I found overpowering. The scent reminded me of something you would use to clean the bathroom or kitchen, particularly when you want to remove heavy buildup or grease. This was rather disappointing since the other items I’ve used from Vichy have had such a pleasant scent.
After using the lotion for a month, I did notice that some areas of my acne did diminish while others did not; it was really a hit and miss. The break out pimples along my temple were noticeably reduced within a week’s use (applied once at night before sleep). Although I couldn’t quite see the blemishes any longer, I still felt tiny bumps along the skin when I washed my face, which signaled that not all of the bacteria deep in my skin is gone. And sure enough, just before That Time Of The Month, the breakout returned with a vengeance. The one big zit on the side of my cheek didn’t decrease at all and remained stubbornly bright red. In fact, since using the lotion, it has broken off and formed into three separate smaller blemishes. Hurrah?
Day one
Day seven
One month
As for hydration, the lotion goes on light and is not sticky, but at times continued application via rubbing motion would cause flaking like eraser shreds or similar to the peeling face masks I’ve used, only I don’t think the lotion is supposed peel! There was also a feeling of tightness along my forehead (see alcohol comment above), which really aggravated the pimples along my temples and made me want to pick and scratch at them, especially when I could see the nasty pus coming to the surface! (Popping pimples is a big no-no because of spreading the bacteria and scarring). On the upside, the lotion was very effective at mattifying and leaving my skin shine free.
If I had to rate the product on a five point scale with 0 being poor and 5 being great, the breakdown would be: Acne Clearing: 3, Mattifying: 4, Hydrating: 2. (Scent: 1.) I paid $23.50 for a 1.7 fl oz / 50 ml bottle direct from the Vichy USA website, but I think that the product has since been discontinued because I can’t find it listed on their website any longer. It may be offered at other websites, but I’m not in a rush to offer any recommendations.
