I discovered Yves Rocher products when I was on assignment with a cosmetics company in Germany. I was doing research and came across Yves Rocher (one of our biggest competitors in Germany). Yves Rocher is a direct seller, much like Avon, Jafra, and Mary Kay, but also has its own retail stores and beauty spas (in Europe), much like Elizabeth Arden or Bath and Body Works. I had to find our more about this line.

Yves Rocher is a botanically based line with great packaging and unique products (lavender effervescent foot soak tablets, toxin eliminating herbal teas, and bath products in pretty bottles). The line is very comprehensive, including makeup, fragrance, body products, anti-aging products, acne products, and even a skin care line for those with plain old normal skin! The prices range from $4.95 for hand creme to $23.95 for cellulite smoothing products. Like I said, the packaging is very nice and very European in style. This very popular line is based out of France and is sold all over the world. Yves Rocher is now penetrating the US market (headquarters in Champlain, NY) and is really doing it right! When you place an order, you receive a personal customer number and almost always receive a free gift of some sort and tons of samples when your order arrives. Yves Rocher also sends you a free gift on your birthday! They know that Americans like free stuff and lots of it!

I am currently doing research on their products and have just started out with one of their skin care lines. As I test out more products, you'll be the first to hear about it! I encourage you to check out the Yves Rocher web site and request a free catalog. The initial catalog you receive contains introductory prices on everything-you can try out products for next to nothing and all of the products are 100% guaranteed. Request their "Green Book of Natural Beauty" catalog to check out all of their products for 1998.

Bio Calmille

Bio Calmille is Yves Rocher's skin care line for sensitive skin. I would not say that my skin falls into the "sensitive" category all the time, however, I have had my share of red blotches on my face and products that sting when applied. This line would definitely work for those with sensitive skin, whether dry, combination, or oily. The products contain chamomile and betaine, two elements known for their calming effects. This line is fairly comprehensive, with eye makeup remover, eye cream, and masks (for dry and oily skin) made especially for sensitive skin.

Gentle Cleansing Lotion (6.7 oz for $9.95)
This creamy cleansing lotion is very gentle and removes makeup thoroughly and leaves the skin soft and smooth. I would not recommend it for the eye area-it burned just a bit. You can either tissue or rinse the product off. I preferred to tissue and then rinse as the product left a bit of residue on my face if I didn't tissue it off first. The fragrance is very light and should not be bothersome to the skin. YR also makes a gel cleanser for those with normal to oily type skin.

Soothing Alcohol Free Toner (6.7 oz for $9.95)
This toner is alcohol free (yeah!) and works very well to remove any remaining traces of makeup or cleanser. It is very cooling and should feel soothing to the skin. Again, it contains a light fragrance, but that should not cause a problem.

Long-Lasting Day Cream (1.7 oz for $12.00)
This day cream is rather nice and did not make my skin oily (I have combination skin and this surprised me a bit). It smooths on well (feels like it will be heavy at first) and then absorbs well into the skin. The fragrance is very light and pleasant. The only drawback is that it contains no sunscreen-you would have to wear foundation with an SPF to get any protection. I would also say that this product is more for those with dry skin-it might be too heavy for oilier skins.

Other Products Tried So Far…

Bioptimale Intensive 24 Hour Moisture Lotion (for body) (6.7 oz for $9.95)
This product is supposed to be time-released moisture for the body. I used it right after shaving and it absorbed well into my skin and felt nice. However, I did not especially care for the fragrance and my legs didn't necessarily feel hydrated all day. I think that the Nivea lotion for extra dry skin (pink flower on bottle) works better, is cheaper, and has a much more pleasant fragrance. I just purchased the YR Firming Body Lotion, so we'll see how that one works.

Soin Beauté Revitalizing Hand Cream (with Almond Oil) (1.7 oz tube for $8.95)
I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of this product (Soin Beauté is a whole line dedicated to hand and nail care) and was a bit disappointed when I actually used it. The fragrance does not smell like almonds, but more like powder. It did go on well, but seemed to exfoliate my skin when applied. After rubbing my hands together with the product, some of my skin seemed to "slough off" in little pieces. I don't know if this is supposed to happen, but I will probably not use the product again because of the strong fragrance.

Riche Creme Age Defense for Hands with SPF 6 (3.4 oz tube for $16.00)
This hand creme is designed to diminish age spots and protect with an SPF of 6. This would be a much better hand creme than the one listed above since it protects as well as hydrates, but I don't know if it is actually worth $16.00. You could probably use a less expensive sunscreen on your hands and achieve the same results. Even though sunscreen is important, my favorite hand cream will always be Nivea Creme (the really thick stuff) in the round blue case (or tube). This is the best stuff and everyone in Europe uses it-it smells great too.

True Colors Lengthening Mascara ($9.95)
I got this as a sample in my first order and really like it. It is hypoallergenic, comes in four colors (black, brown, black-brown, and granite), and did not clump (and I apply 3 coats!). It is basically fragrance free, easy to apply and easy to remove. Mascara also comes in thickening and waterproof formulas. Definitely worth a try!