Collosol, the hydrating milk that flight attendants stock up on in Paris (and Karl Lagerfeld bathes in) is here – and it's less than a tenner
As a flight attendant for three years, I travelled the world. It was amazing to be paid to lie on a beach in Rio De Janeiro but the best thing about flying was that in my downtime in foreign cities, I could buy all the skincare and makeup I wanted that was never available in the UK. Milk Makeup ? Already tried it years ago in a Sephora in downtown Chicago (it's only just launched in the UK). Jaclyn Hill's Becca highlighter? I bought it in a Miami mall and hit pan before any of my friends had even heard about it.
While I purchased all the makeup in the world (literally) I hadn't found a decent cleanser to take it off with, something gentle, effective and calming for my parched and suffering flight attendant skin.
Enter Collosol Eau De Lait.
During a trip to Paris, I got to talking with a passenger about our Parisian sister's skincare and told her how dehydrated my face was from up to 15 flights a month. She recommended Collosol as the ultimate in cleansing without stripping the skin. I'd never look back, she said. Out went my abrasive cleansing scrubs and in their place came this balmy milk. I'd regularly fly to the French capital with work and stocking up wasn't a problem, but since my flying career ended, I couldn't quite justify a trip to Paris for a cleanser...could I?
But now the cult-status skincare saviour that French women swear by has finally reached the UK. It's a 'water milk' face and body cleanser that can be used in a number of ways. Dilute a few capfuls in the bath for skin softening waves or apply to a cotton pad and smooth over the face, neck and decolletage without rinsing for soft, clean skin. Containing key ingredients for hydration such as glycerin and castor oil, the paraben-free formula is suitable for all skin types and was initially created to be used on babies.
MORE GLOSS: Should you hydrate with oil or cream?
It can also be used as a makeup remover, though I would steer clear of using it around the eye area, as the fragrance could lead to irritation. The liquid is a milky white and once applied to the skin, soaks in to give comfort, softness and hydration. Chanel's powerhouse Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld told Elle how he enjoys a whole bottle a day for his bath. "My bathtub is very big, so I use a full bottle of Collosol every day...The maids pour it in crystal bottles so I don't have the plastic out."
While we just recover from that vision of Karl in a bathtub ministered to by maids with crystal bottles, we can also relish the fact that this product is a mere £9.50. Interestingly, Eau De Lait is the only product that Collosol actually makes.
My personal favourite way to use this product is to apply a few drops to a cotton round and slather all over face, neck and decolletage as a second cleanse. A little goes a long way too, so you can easily get a few months' use from a single bottle, unless you are Karl and bathe in the stuff daily. It's great because it's so many products in one, a great space saver while travelling and effective but affordable.
Although I love this product, it won't suit everyone. It contains a hefty dose of fragrance and if you react to added 'parfum' in your skincare, avoid this. But if you like a powdery, floral scent during your cleanse then you may love this as much as I do.
Collosol is available NOW at John Bell & Croyden and thefrenchpharmacy.co