A few weeks ago I was introduced to G.M. Collin, a skincare company from France that sells their products through authorized licensed treatment professionals at G.M. Collin authorized clinics and spas. While I own many beauty products that can be bought at salons, I don’t believe I ever tried anything from a brand whose products are sold at salons only.
The company representative let me pick a beauty regimen that suits my skin’s current needs, which I appreciate immensely. It’s very often that I receive products I have zero use for, and then feel guilty later because I’m not able to cover them.
In case you’re wondering, my current skin situation is as follows:
- combination with oily T-zone
- dehydrated
- enlarged pores
- post-acne hyper-pigmentation
- red, sensitive areas on the sides of the nose and between the tip of my chin and bottom lip
My skin looks pretty good with makeup on, but that is quite an array of things to deal with when I take it all off in the evening. Lucky for me, G.M. Collin has a line developed specifically for dehydrated skin with products that can be used even for someone with oilier complexions. To address all of my skincare needs listed above I chose Sensiderm Cleansing Milk, Intensive Exfoliating Gel, Hydramucine Optimal Serum, and Hydramucine Optimal Gel. I showed them to you on Periscope, remember?
But before I get into more detail about the products, let’s talk about the company first. G.M. Collin was founded 1957 in France as a joined collaboration of a dermatologist and a renowned aesthetician. The company’s philosophy is to combine the best nature has to offer with the latest scientific innovations in skincare to reveal your best skin yet. In their formulas G.M. Collin uses the most effective natural plant and marine extracts to achieve visible results. The products are never tested on animals.
G.M. Collin Sensiderm Cleansing Milk was developed as a gentle cleanser suitable for all skin types. Formulated with Royal Jelly, this pH-neutral cleansing milk is free of most common irritants and can be used in the immediate eye area. While a milky no-suds cleanser is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about a skincare regimen for combination skin, I actually found it to be very effective at removing any leftover makeup and debris that might still be present after using an oil cleanser. And yes, I pretty much don’t consider my routine complete without at least 2 cleansers [oil or balm plus any other type] and a micellar water.
G.M. Collin Intensive Exfoliating Gel is an innovative dual-action weekly exfoliant enriched with oligo-elements and Subtilisin enzyme, identical to one found in the skin. The fragrance was a bit too strong for my my liking [actually, I even found it unpleasant], but I loved the results. Unlike most enzymatic peels, this one didn’t sting my skin or left it looking red. Instead, I got the glowing complexion I normally get from high potency AHAs without the common negative side effects that often accompany such products.
And finally, to address my currently most annoying skin issue I selected G.M. Collin Hydramucine Optimal Serum and Hydramucine Optimal Gel. Both of them were developed to treat dehydrated skin [which is different from dry skin, oily skin can be dehydrated too] and help it hold more water for a plumper, more youthful appearance.
Hydramucine Optimal Serum provides an immediate boost of hydration and at the same time seals in the moisture that you have on top of the skin. I usually apply several watery essences prior to serum and cream, so it helps make them even more effective. This serum looks like a slightly murky gel that spreads over the skin’s surface with ease, giving it smooth velvety finish.
Hydramucine Optimal Gel is a lightweight moisturizer that helps oily and combination skin retain moisture without overloading it with oils and occlusives. I love applying this gel-cream: the cooling sensation instantly soothes tired skin and fresh floral fragrance provides a relaxing olfactory experience. In this particular oil-free and alcohol-free formulation, G.M. Collin combined the power of Bamboo, Pomegranate, Lotus Flower, and Waterlily extracts to improve the skin’s water retention.
I can’t help but mention one con to you guys. Right before I switched out some of my products for G.M. Collin, I went through a BHA peel phase, and that must have made my skin extra sensitive. Every time I applied Hydramucine Optimal Serum and Hydramucine Optimal Gel a few spots on my face would flare up and sting for about a minute. I am guessing that my skin might be reacting to something present in both of these, but I need to test it further.
Long story short, if your skin is finicky but you still want to try something from this brand, you have to take a closer look at their Sensiderm line. The cleanser I tried is fantastic, and I imagine that the rest of the products are, too.
MY THOUGHTS:
Everything except for the peel was packaged in bottles with pump dispensers, which is my idea of the perfect way of using skincare. A+ for that! By choosing this particular regimen I wasn’t going for anti-aging benefits and instead focused on hydration, which G.M. Collin delivered tenfold. The cleanser is absolutely heavenly and didn’t irritate the skin in the slightest. The peel seems to be gentle and effective, albeit the strong fragrance. Both the serum and the gel were lightweight and delivered a powerful punch of moisture deep into the skin without clogging the pores or leaving my face feeling greasy. Admittedly, I did experience some stinging and redness, and I’m not sure what the cause of that was. For now I decided to set the duo aside and come back to it after some time, because I still don’t know for sure if my skin doesn’t like certain ingredients in these or it was just a random sensitivity.
You can purchase G.M. Collin skincare from licensed treatment professionals at G.M. Collin authorized clinics and SPAs. To find the nearest point of sale, please contact the company’s Customer Service department.
Have you tried beauty products that are sold exclusively at salons? Have you heard of G.M. Collin? What is your biggest skincare concern these days? Let me know in the comments below!
Disclosure: This post features products received for editorial consideration and may contain affiliate or referral links. For more details about my product review policy, copyright, and information about affiliate links, please refer to Disclosures & Content Use page.
Looks promising to me. I’ll be checking these out
I know you appreciate high quality skincare, Kath. You might like these!
My combo skin could use this in places, lol. My face is so weird, haha.
Likewise, my skin is just all over the place, especially when seasons change 🙂
I’ve never heard of this brand. I like that you pointed out that oily skin can also be dehydrated because there are people who don’t know that.
They are a salon brand that is not normally sold at stores, and they don’t really advertise. They are worth checking out though!
I’m always looking for the best products for hydration. The serum sounds especially wonderful.
I passed on this serum to my mom and she is super excited about it 🙂
The cleansing milk sounds nice. Too bad about the fragrance in the gel.
I love the cleansing milk, it’s actually one of my current favorite skincare products.
The cleanser sounds perfect as the serum.
That cleansing milk is the bomb! It’s currently one of my favorite skincare products.
My skin issues sound very similar to yours so this might work for me.
It’s always nice to read a review from a person with a similar skin type. I got to try some amazing products as a result!
I looked into this brand but worried about it having fragrance. It sounds like a winner other than that.
I’m with you, I would much prefer a product if it was fragrance-free, but sometimes the fragrance is necessary, otherwise the product smells pretty bad. Like those unscented natural lip glosses that can smell pretty rancid.
My biggest issues continues to be my acne and trying to incorporate anti-aging products without being too much for my oily skin
I hear you, it is a tough task battling breakouts and trying to keep fine lines at bay.
I really like this brand. I have a sensitive lotion from them that works really well for my combo skin. My Mom also has found some of their products that work really well for her rosacea. The facial spa we use has this line, and I definitely want to try more. I like the sound of the moisture gel you tried.
I forgot to mention the facial spray is fantastic if you like sprays!
Thanks for the recommendation, I will look into it!
I’ve never used a salon-only brand, either. So luxe! I like the gel consistency, and fragrance usually isn’t a big deal for me. I like that you explained that oily skin can get dehydrated, too! So true.
Right? I hear it left and right when people claim that they don’t need a moisturizer because their skin is already oily. Ugh!
I’ve never heard of this brand, but it sounds really nice! My skin is so finicky it’s hard to find a good routine
They hardly ever advertise, and their products are sold at salons, so this brand is basically known just by word of mouth. They are worth checking out though!
I had some GM Collin stuff in the past and it was perfection.
Awesome! Glad to hear you enjoyed their products as well. Which one was your favorite?