A little while ago, Rubybox contacted me and asked if I would be interested in receiving some Nimue skincare products to try out. They would all be tester sizes and would be suited to my skin type. I’m always keen to try new products and so I jumped at the chance!
To make sure that I received the correct products, I needed to download the Nimue app that acts as a diagnostic tool. Basically, you answer some questions, and at the end of it, the app will tell you what your skin type is. Very nifty and I haven’t seen other skincare brands doing this. But to be honest, I’m not a massive fan.
Coming from a skincare therapy background, I know how important it is for a skin type to be diagnosed correctly and that it isn’t just a matter of answering a few questions. You actually have to look, touch and analyze the skin under a magnifying lamp. Besides looking at and touching the skin, there are so many other factors to consider when it comes to determining skin types.
You may have skin that at first glance is sensitive – but what is causing that sensitivity? Is it environmental factors? Could it be a food allergy? Or perhaps your skin is genuinely just sensitive and/or reactive. All of these things play a huge role when determining what products would be best suited to someone’s specific needs, and so I really don’t know if an app can tell you exactly what you need.
My other gripe with the app is that you cannot input any medication you may be on. If for instance you are on Roaccutane, there are definitely some ingredients you should stay clear of that could most definitely be in some products, especially active ones. Leaving it in the consumers’ hands to diagnose their skin type just seems a bit risky to me. But let’s move on to the actual products that I tested out shall we?
I received products for environmentally damaged and dehydrated skin. There were 6 products in total and I definitely put them through the wringer over the past 3 odd weeks.
Nimue Skincare products review for environmentally damaged and dehydrated skin.
Nimue Cleansing Gel
I love the smell of this soap-free cleanser. It smells clean and fresh and reminds me of being in a skin care center. For me, the name is slightly misleading – I always assume that a gel cleanser is going to foam up but this is more of a creamy gel. I wouldn’t suggest using this cleanser without doing a double cleanse, using an oil-based cleaner first to remove your makeup. I found that if I didn’t double cleanse, I would need to use the product twice to remove my day-to-day makeup, and three times to remove more heavy makeup. A nice added bonus is that this cleanser does have a light exfoliation effect as it contains a small percent of glycolic, citric as well as lactic acid.
Nimue Conditioner
Don’t mistake this for a toner, it’s a lot more powerful than that! So much so, that the first few times I used it, it actually stung a bit and so I only use it twice or three times a week. It contains the same exfoliating trio as the cleanser but a bit more intense. To use this product, you spritz some onto gauze and then wipe your face. This does take a bit of getting used to as of course, the gauze is more coarse than a cotton pad. But I have to say, I have seen a difference in my skin’s texture since using the Conditioner a few times a week. In saying that however, I feel like the Conditioner Lite would have been a better product to include in the environmentally damaged/dehydrated skin kit. As it is specifically formulated to heal and hydrate as opposed to the Conditioner which helps to degrease the skin.
Nimue Exfoliating Enzyme
If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you’ll know that I love exfoliators – facial and body. This particular exfoliator works with papaya and pineapple enzymes to gently dislodge the dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. While I appreciate that you only need to leave it on for 2-4 minutes, it wasn’t as powerful as I had hoped. I initially used it three times a week like I do with most of my other enzymatic exfoliators and didn’t really see or feel a huge difference. The next week I used it every day (a bit of a risk for someone that has sensitive skin) but that’s when I finally saw my skin looking more radiant and skin texture more refined.
Nimue Day
I like that so many of the Nimue products that aren’t exfoliators still have mild exfoliation properties. Nimue Day for example has 0.5% Triple AHA Complex (lactic, citric, and glycolic acid). It also has 3% Lacto complex which helps balance out sebaceous activity. Although I didn’t find this moisturizer mind-blowing, it was still hydrating enough for during the day and my makeup applied well over it.
Nimue Moisturiser Plus
This thick night treatment has encapsulated vitamin A, C, and E which are great anti-oxidants – perfect for protecting the skin against the free radicals that we encounter in our day-to-day life. It also has 5% Triple Amphoteric AHA Complex which means your skin will be exfoliated and renewed while you are in dreamland. It took me a while to get used to the consistency of this moisturizer but I still cannot get used to how tacky my skin feels for a while after application. I have tried to use a little bit more and a little bit less but it still feels tacky. That aside, my skin feels hydrated and plump the next morning.
Nimue Professional SPF 40
It was a bit odd to me that a professional product was included in the pack. It means that as a consumer I cannot repurchase this product should I enjoy it. Nevertheless, I used it. Finding a sun protection product that suits your needs and skin type is like finding the perfect pair of jeans – darn near impossible! This specific sunblock from Nimue has an SPF of 40 which is great. It’s endorsed by CANSA and protects against both UVA and UVB rays. I like that it doesn’t apply white as snow, in fact, once you start spreading it, it loses its initial light yellow color. I did find it to be quite thick and so I think I would save this for days spent at the pool or on the beach as opposed to everyday use. Once I applied it, it did tingle quite a bit on my cheeks and so I will keep an eye on that.
This was such a difficult review to write – I didn’t enjoy how some of the products felt on my skin and others didn’t make a huge impression. In saying that though, my skin didn’t break out, it’s definitely hasn’t been stripped of its hydration and the texture is slightly more refined.
Would I purchase any of these products that I tried out? To be honest, probably not. But there are some products that I think would suit my skin better like the Conditioner Lite, Collagen Eye Film, Vita Boost and the Super Hydrating Serum.
I will always write honest reviews but please remember that our skins are all so different and so what works on my skin might not work on your skin and vice versa. Another thing to remember is that because I am pregnant, my skin could be slightly more sensitive. I haven’t experienced any sort of sensitivity on my face, but I have been noticing it on other areas on my body.
Have you used any Nimue skincare products? What was your experience?
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Always SO interesting to read a completely honest review, even if it is a product I am completely addicted to! The thing is about Nimue it does take a while to really make a difference – for me, it is quite honestly the best product system I have used on my skin and keep coming back to even after 6 years! That said, I have mixed and matched the products across the range (Conditioner Lite FTW) to find what really works for my skin depending on the season. Sad thing is the exfoliating enzyme make-up has been changed: it used to be so much better!
Great review Sarah, I love that you’re so honest about it 🙂 Just goes to show how important it is to NOT self-medicate when it comes to skincare. I’ve been there and am still struggling with some of the consequences and aftermath of uneducated decisions I made.
Best to consult with a skincare professional (like yourself) every once in a while, even if it’s just two or three times a year at least, we know it can get expensive. Just to know you’re still on track with what you’re using on your face xx
PS, I have the exfoliating enzyme you mentioned above, and I love it, it works for me. But only if I activate it with heat after a few minutes, otherwise it doesn’t do much
Thanks Marne, I’m so glad you enjoyed this post – it’s always so difficult to write an honest review when it’s not all positive. I am such a huge believer in getting your skin professionally analysed, like you said, if you don’t, it can cause absolute chaos! Always best to go see someone who knows what’s what when it comes to skin. I’m going to keep going with the Exfoliating Enzyme, maybe I will fall in love with it after all – thanks for the tip! x
I have been using the exact same range for a year now. At first I was also struggling with the product but persisted. My mother is also using the same range and we have totally different skin types which confuses me. How are we even the same range with a dry skin compared to a oily/ combination skin ?
Besides that this product really kicks into gear after a month. Being prone to break outs my skin has never been as smooth as with this product. I think the problem is people want immediate improvements but I say stick it out. Its worth it in the long haul.
Thanks so much for an honest review!
Hi Charlene, thanks so much for reading and taking time to comment! I completely agree, often people don’t realise that if they just stuck it out a little longer, they would see incredible results. My issue wasn’t so much that I didn’t see results (although I do feel that I should have seen a bit more of a difference in 3 weeks), it was more that I didn’t enjoy using the product itself. I have used other Nimue products before (quite a while back though) and they were great! I am so glad that the products are working for you – there is nothing better than your skin being in tip top shape. x