Cold Weather Skin Saviours

If ever there's a time when my skin feels a bit dry, dehydrated and lacklustre it's at this time of year. The bitingly cold weather and central heating are recking havoc on my skin not to mention the after effects of one too many late nights in December. My skin has a tendency to get very sensitive in the cold but over the last few years I've managed to come up with an arsenal of products to keep it in tip top condition. 

Cleansing is so important in the cold, anything foaming will just strip the small amount of moisture there is in the skin. I've been using the Nude Perfect Cleansing Oil in the evenings and the Aurelia Miracle Cleanser in the mornings and as a second cleanse at night. The combination of the two have left my skin feeling fresh and clean but still plumped up, nourished and soft. 

The Clarins Special Eye Contour Balm is one I seem to come back to every winter, I spoke about it more in my Morning Skincare Routine Video which you can see here. It's rich and moisturising but still sinks in easily and sits well under makeup. I've also upped my usage of Time Bomb's Youth Juice Secret Oil from a couple of times a week to 3 or 4, I've also been piling it on on at-home, no makeup days. It too sinks in easily and the lovely scent makes it such a pleasure to use. 

I generally moisturise my body all year round but in winter I love an oil or a super rich body butter. The Bliss Lemon+Sage Body Butter is so thick it's almost solid, it takes a bit of rubbing in to get it to sink in but boy is it worth it! I've been quickly working my way through this deluxe sample tube but a full size purchase may be in order! 

Two things I definitely couldn't forgo are hand cream and lip balm, Soap & Glory Hand Food is everyones favourite for a reason, it smells lovely, is lastingly moisturising and most importantly doesn't leave a reside on the hands. The Body Shop's Coconut Lip Butter is thick and moisturising enough to heal even the most cracked lips but unfortunately does leave a bit of a pale cast on the lips. For that reason, I reserve it for overnight use and I always have super soft lips come morning!

What are your favourite cold weather products?

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Time Bomb Youth Juice Secret Oil

I've always loved using facial oils, they balance combination and oily skin and add much needed moisture to dry skins while being such a pleasure to use. The Time Bomb Youth Juice Secret Oil is no exception, it boasts great ingredients, a blend of 10 natural oils such as olive, avocado and jojoba which have been blended to closely replicate the skin's natural sebum. 

I've been using it for about 6 weeks now and it's managed to keep dry, sensitive, winter skin at bay. My skin feels soft and healthy, which is very unusual for me at this time of year! I've been using it 2-3 times a week and I don't ever feel like it's too greasy or that it just sits on the skin. It always sinks right in and smells of lavender which makes it very relaxing to use last thing at night. 

If I was being really fussy I'd have to say that my one issue with it is the packaging. There is no pump or pipette dispenser like other oils, just an open 'pour' top which almost always means product ends up getting wasted. The thin plastic bottle and lid also feels a little disappointing compared to other oils in this price range which would usually come in a glass bottle. That said you do get a whopping 60ml of product rather than the usual 30ml so I guess you win some, you lose some! All in all it's a great product, definitely worth a try!

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REN Clarimatte Clarifying Toner

I've been using the REN Clarimatte Clarifying Toner for about a month and a half now and as I mentioned in my August Favourites, I love it. Of all the exfoliating toners I've tried (so far) this is my favourite. It's gentle enough to use everyday, I use it in the evenings, but it's still strong enough to actually make a noticeable difference. 

It contains a combination of exfoliating acids which break down and remove surface dead skin cells and increase cell turnover. This means any pigmentation or uneven skin tone fades quicker than it otherwise would. In the relatively short time I've been using it I've definitely noticed an improvement in dark spots and skin tone, plus I've still got just over half the bottle left! 

I've been using Indeed Labs Pepta-Bright for the last few weeks which has helped too, I think the combination of the two are working really well for my skin. I also think this toner would work well for all skin types (apart from maybe super sensitive skin), rather than just for combination to oily skin. It doesn't strip the skin or leave it feeling tight and contains lavender so it smells lovely and relaxing and is a pleasure to use. Definitely a product I'd recommend!

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The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Range

I'm a huge fan of products from The Body Shop as well as anything peach scented so it was a given that I'd end up purchasing, and loving their Vineyard Peach Range. The scent is absolutely amazing, not at all artificial smelling or sickly sweet, it really does smell like just bitten into, fresh and juicy peaches.  I picked up the Body Butter, Shower Gel and Body Mist. The range also contains a Body Lotion, Body Scrub, Lip Gloss and Sponge. 

The Shower Gel is great, it foams up well and does what it needs to do. The Body Mist is a bit stronger than I expected so I tend to use it sparingly, I love the scent of peaches but don't necessarily want to smell very strongly of one all the time! 

The stand out product of the three is by far the Body Butter, I've always loved TBS's body butters and over the years I've tried quite a lot of them, this one is by far my favourite! Amazing scent aside, the formula is great too, it's definitely one of their thicker, richer ones with the consistency being almost solid. This means is nourishes and moisturises the skin amazingly well, it doesn't sink in that easily but it's definitely worth the extra effort. I usually apply it after a nice hot bath to help it along and come the next morning my skin feels really soft and still subtly scented! I'll be very sad when this runs out as I believe it's a limited edition collection!

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Rodial Dragon's Blood Hyaluronic Night Cream

Moisturisers are a bit of a difficult one for me, I usually find them to be either not moisturising enough or far too heavy and clog my skin. I've found a few exceptions over the years that I like, but never one I've loved, until now. I've been using the Rodial Dragon's Blood Hyaluronic Night Cream for just over a month now and I can honestly say it's the best I've ever tried. 

Why do I like it so much? The main reason is the formula. It feels like a thick, rich cream but the moment you start massaging it into the skin it sinks in. It doesn't disappear immediately leaving you feeling like you need to apply more but it doesn't just sit on the skin either. I often find that when night creams do that they mostly end up on my pillow! Rodial describe it as a 'plumping' moisturiser, and it definitely delivers on that account, I've been waking up every morning to cushiony soft skin. My moisturising skin serums and oils have been going untouched for the last month as I haven't felt like I've needed them, this cream has been giving my skin all the moisture it needs.  

It contains Dragon's Blood (resin from the Dragon's Blood Tree) which smooths and hydrates the skin, wonder ingredient hyaluronic acid which has the ability to hold 1000 times it's weight in water meaning your skin holds onto the moisture it already has a well as that of any products you're using. Retinol, an ingredient proven to even skin tone and pigmentation and Niacinamide which calms down  irritated skin. It also contains Shea butter which leaves skin feeling soft and nourished but is an ingredient that's best avoided if you have acne or very oily skin, for everyone else, it's fine!

I can't comment on the claim to visibly reduce fine lines in 4 weeks as I don't have any, but as I said it definitely does give a plumping effect. I have however definitely noticed my skin looking brighter and more even toned, thanks to the retinol I'm sure.

   

There is one thing I feel I need to address with this and that's the price, at £58.00 it's not exactly cheap but I do genuinely feel it's worth every penny. As I said before I've not needed to use any serums/oils along side it which is something I'd normally do, so for me this is a 3 in 1 product. As well as that I've been using it every single night for just over a month and as you can see from the picture I've only just scraped the surface, a little really does go a long way with this as it spreads so well. I've already decided that I'll be repurchasing this when it runs out but luckily for my wallet that won't be for a long time! 

Avialable at Space NK

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The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

When it comes to cleansers I tend to pass on the foaming ones and stick to cream, oil and balm formulas. I made the switch a few years ago now and my skin is definitely thanking me for it. I found foaming formulas left my skin feeling tight and uncomfortable whereas creams/oils/balms leave my skin feeling soft and nourished. 

I've been using The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil for a while now and I'm loving it. It's a really lightweight oil that you massage onto your dry, fully made up face and it completely dissolves makeup, including stubborn mascara. When it comes into contact with water the whole lot turns into a milky liquid and just rinses off making makeup removal incredibly quick and easy. You can also remove it with a damp flannel/washcloth which I sometimes do and this gives the skin a slight exfoliation, leaving it feeling even softer. 

I find one pump of product is plenty to do my whole face and as I only use it in the evening this bottle will last me a long time. I tend to follow it with another cleanse, just to make sure all my makeup is definitely gone and my skin in super clean, for this I prefer a balm cleanser or coconut oil as it's richer and leaves my skin feeling plumped up. I've heard great things about The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter too so that one's next on my list to try! 

May Favourites

May has been a bit of a horrible month for me as I've been ill for the last 2 weeks. When I'm ill anything even vaguely resembling a beauty or skincare routine goes out the window. Instead, I've been reaching for Lemsip, Strepsils and lots and lots of tea! That said, there are a few products that I was loving before I was ill as well as some really quick and easy to use ones!

First up is the Avon Ideal Flawless CC Cream, I've recently switched from wearing foundation to something a bit lighter on a day to day basis and I'm loving it. It's incredibly lightweight, blends really easily and has SPF50 as an added bonus! Expect a full review coming soon!

I have fallen head over heels for the formula of the Barry M Gelly Shine Nail Paints, particularly the shade Blueberry which I've been wearing on my toes non stop for the last couple of months as well as on my fingers for most of that time too!

I've been wearing my hair au naturel as of late thanks to a combo of 2 products, both from Lee Stafford. The first is the Argan Oil Curl Creme (full review here) which I've been working into just washed hair while its still wet. I then leave it to air dry and it's leaves me with perfectly formed curls. For next day frizz touch ups I've been spraying in some Argan oil Anti-Frizz Serum Spray which revives curls and leaves everything looking a bit smoother and glossier. 

Having a cold meant dry skin and lots of hot baths! I added a small scoop of coconut oil to my baths, not only is the fragrance amazing but it also meant I didn't have to faff around with body lotion afterwards. 

Aside from cleansing, the only thing I've been putting on my skin for the last 2 weeks is the Botanics 100% Organic Facial Oil (full review here). I've been using it in the mornings and evenings and it's done my skin a world of good. I actually think my skin looks better now than before I was ill!

The last thing I've been loving is The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Lip Butter, it's been helping to moisturise my dry lips and it tastes smells delicious!

What products have you been loving this month?

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I've never been particularly interested in makeup removers as I've always used a cleanser that removes makeup and I hardly ever wear waterproof mascara. However, since I started reading beauty blogs and writing my own I've been hearing about Micellar Waters constantly, everyone seems to use them! The most popular is of course Bioderma but as it's not particularly cheap or readily available in this county I never got round to trying it. 

When wandering around Boots recently I spotted the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, an obvious Bioderma copy, even down to the bottle. As it was on offer for a mere £3.33 (regular price £4.99) I thought I'd give it a go, and I'm so glad I did, it really is amazing! It manages to remove an entire face  of makeup, including eyes, with just 2 cotton pads. No rubbing required, at all. I just soak 2 pads, hold one over each eye, press down for a few seconds and wipe away. I then turn the pads over to remove the rest of the makeup on my face. 

The bottle claims that it will last 200 uses, which I'm not entirely sure about, I'll have to get back to you on that on in one of my empties posts. I do however think it will last a really long time, I've been using mine for more than a month and as you can see from the picture I not that far through it!

Have you tried any Cleansing Waters?

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Range

Those of you who keep up with The Body Shop's Limited Edition ranges will know that this one's an oldie! I got it a while ago but because I have a tendency to hoard bath and body products I've only just got round to opening them. They're so lovely and smell so delicious that I just couldn't help reviewing them, they're no longer available but who knows, maybe The Body Shop will bring them back one day! 

The scent of this range really is delicious, like fresh, sweet lemonade. Very uplifting during a miserable spring! 

I never have much to say about shower gels, this one lathers well and gets the job done, what more do you need? The body butter on the other hand I could go on and on about, it doesn't have quite as strong a scent as the shower gel and scrub but what it lacks in that department it more than makes up for in formula. As with all of The Body Shop Body Butters it has a rich formula which sinks into the skin well, and leaves the skin feeling lastingly nourished and moisturised. 

The Body Scrub is by far the most delicious smelling one of the lot, I often find using scrubs a bit of a chore but this one is such a pleasure to use. I just rub it into damp skin using circular motions and rinse it off. It leaves skin feeling lovely and smooth and perfectly prepped to soak in lots of moisturiser. 

Which Limited Edition range do you wish The Body Shop would bring back? 

REVIEW: Soap & Glory Hand Food

As you've probably guessed from the above image, I absolutely love Soap & Glory Hand Food Hand Cream. In fact it's my favourite all time hand cream by a long, long way. I first tried it a  while ago when it came it a christmas gift set and I've never looked back. It comes in 3 different sizes, a mini handbag sized tube(50ml), a medium tube(125ml) and a large pump top bottle(250ml). As it's currently on 3 for 2 and the big bottles are the best value, I decided to stock up! You don't need too much either so this stash will last me a long time!

So why do I love it so much? Well the main reason is that the formula is extremely rich and nourishing but still manages to sink into the skin really quickly without leaving any greasy residue. Usually I find with hand creams, it's one or the other. It contains some great ingredients like shea butter, macadamia oil, grape seed oil and sweet almond oil so it leaves hands feeling lastingly moisturised rather than just tiding you over till the next hand wash! 

As if that isn't enough it also has the loveliest scent, it's a slightly sweet and very delicate floral fragrance that's quite subtle. If the like the fragrance of some of their other products such as Flake Away Body Scrub, Clean On Me Shower Gel and The Righteous Butter Body Butter then you'll love this because it's the same scent!

What is you favourite hand cream? 

REVIEW: Botanics Ionic Clay Mask

I feel like I've been raving non stop about the Boots Botanics skincare range as of late, but hear me out, I promise it's worth it! Their products are really well thought out and made with good ingredients so they're great value for money. Their Ionic Clay Mask is no exception, I've been using it for the last few weeks now and it's great for congested and clogged up skin that just feels like it needs a good clean. 

The consistency is a lot thinner than other clay masks I've tried, which means it dries a lot faster so there isn't so much waiting around. It rinses off really well without dragging or pulling the skin and leaves it feeling cleaner and fresher but not completely stripped and screaming out for  moisture. 

I've been using it anywhere between once a week, as a skin maintenance product, to every other day during times when my skin is oilier or more congested than usual. It's really great and speeding up the lifecycle of spots or just getting skin back to normal.

What are your favourite face masks?

REVIEW: The Body Shop Mango Lip Butter

I'm a big fan of The Body Shop Lip Butters, I spoke about the richer Shea Butter one here. In the last few weeks I've switched over to the Mango one, it has a much lighter consistency which is great now that the weather isn't bitterly cold and lip chapping.

It's a great lip balm which doesn't leave any kind of cast on the lips (unlike the Shea one if applied heavy handedly) and it smells absolutely delicious, any mango fan is guaranteed to love this! It also leaves the lips feeling nice and soft and not at all like you need to reapply immediately. 

Have you tried any of The Body Shop Lip Butters?

REVIEW: The Body Shop Extra Virgin Minerals Liquid Foundation

When I think of foundations, The Body Shop are definitely not the first brand to come to mind, but a while ago, when my skin was feeling particularly sensitive I thought I'd give one a go. I went for their Extra Virgin Minerals Liquid Foundation in the hope that it would be more sensitive skin friendly as I've had a lot of luck with other products of theirs.

I found that it didn't react to my skin when almost every other foundation did, which was a massive plus point. Now that my skin is back to normal it doesn't get used very much. Even though the colour match is spot on for me I find the formula a bit difficult to work with. It's quite rich so it tends to sit on top of the skin looking very visible, I prefer formulas that sink into the skin and look as undetectable as possible. As well as that I found it very difficult to blend in, even with my trusty Real Techniques Buffing Brush. 

I usually tend to prefer more buildable foundations, and this one definitely isn't. With just one layer being so visible on the skin any more would definitely lead to the dreaded cake face! That said I will still probably try to use it up by mixing it with a lightweight moisturiser in the hope that it blends better and looks more natural!

Have you tried any foundations that you didn't like?

REVIEW: The Body Shop Shea Lip Butter

No thanks to the cold weather, cranked up central heating and the cold I had for most of last week, my lips have been feeling dry, sore and generally a bit worse for wear. After trying quite a few lip balms, none of which did much, I tried The Body Shop Shea Lip Butter. It completely brought my lips back to life in the space of about a day and a half.

Obviously I was seriously impressed and have been using it non stop ever since. It has an extremely thick formula, so you only need a tiny amount. I spread a thin layer over the lips and top it up when ever I feel like I need a bit more. It has a sweet, nutty fragrance that makes it lovely to use, and I think it's really good value considering how long this pot will last me. The only slight downside to it is if you're a bit heavy handed with the application it can leave a slight white cast but as you only need a tiny amount that isn't too much of a problem. 

Have you tried any of The Body Shop's Lip Butters? 

REVIEW: Anatomicals Spray Misty for Me Facial Spritz

I've spoken about facial sprays before, I particularly love the Caudalie ones (read more here) but I recently tried the Anatomicals Spray Misty for Me Facial Spritz and I quite like it!

It doesn't overtake my love of the Caudalie ones, but then it's quite a bit cheaper. Enriched with peppermint, rose and aloe, it soothes and refreshes the skin. I personally love the fragrance, the peppermint makes it really reviving while the rose and aloe tone it down a notch and give it a softer edge. 

The only real disadvantage with this product is the spray top, where the Caudalie ones give out a really fine mist that leaves a light veil over the skin, this is a bit heavier. Once I've spritzed it onto my face I find my the top of my hair and half of my T shirt is covered too, not great if your hair is prone to a bit of frizz! I also find it leaves skin almost wet rather that just ever so slightly damp, so if you're using it over makeup to perk up the skin you could find your mascara on the run!

I've be using mine as a toner which works really well, over all I really like it and I think I'll love it even more in the summer because of its refreshing properties!  

REVIEW: Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in 56 Imaginaire

If ever I had to pick just one lip gloss to wear for the rest of all time, obviously such a situation will never occur so we're talking hypothetical here, I would definitely choose the Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in 56 Imaginaire. Described as 'a gloss with the colour intensity of a lipstick' the formula is great, it isn't sticky and doesn't cling to any dry patches on the lips, in fact, it hydrates them leaving them feeling a lot softer than they were before, thanks to the added shea butter, canola oil and vitamin E.

It comes in super sleek black packaging with the gold Chanel logo at the top, it just feels so luxe! It has a traditional doe foot applicator, as with most glosses, and I find the formula lasts really well, about 3 - 4 hours which I think is pretty good for a gloss.

My choice of shade is a lovely sheer pinky peach with warm undertones, it's very flattering and is definitely the old cliche 'my lips but better shade'. I find it completes any makeup look from minimal to a full blown smokey eye. It's such an easy to wear shade that I can quite happily swipe it on without a mirror. 

I could quite happily wear this gloss everyday, but at the cost of £25.00, I don't want to go through it too quickly! So I'm on the hunt for a cheaper alternative (suggestions welcome!). When I do run this tube dry I'll definitely be repurchasing it and I also have my eye on a couple of the other shades in the range.  

In fact, I love this lip gloss so much, I wore it on my wedding day! What's your favourite lip gloss?

REVIEW: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup

When I think of Benefit, their boxed blushers and quirky packaging come to mind. I've never really paid much attention to their base products. A while ago, I spent a long time at a counter, chatting away with a lovely sales assistant and walked away with a few purchases, a couple of which are are some of my absolute favourites. Seeing as I was buying so much, she very kindly gave me a few samples of the Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup to try!

I first used this in the summer when I took it away with me on holiday. I used it a couple of times but didn't really get on with it very well, I found it looked a bit too dewy on me, almost sweaty! It was then stashed away and forgotten about until recently. 

My skin is completely different in the winter so I thought I'd give it another go, and I'm so glad I did! I now find I need the extra moisture and this foundation sits really well on my skin. It has a medium build able coverage that never cakes up or looks overdone. It's the only foundation I've been using for the last couple of months and I've only got through one little 5ml sample, so it lasts ages. Once I've used up the second one I'll definitely consider buying the full size as a 'winter foundation'. It even has an SPF of 25 which is an added bonus!

Have you tried this foundation?

REVIEW: The Body Shop Aloe Eye Defence

When it comes to good quality skincare with no added nasties on a budget, I think The Body Shop is one of the best. I particularly love their Vitamin E and Aloe ranges.

I thought it would be a good time to review their Aloe Eye Defence as it's been designed for sensitive skin and my eyes are feeling particularly sensitive at the moment, are you fed up of hearing about that yet?

It has a really light texture and the formula is the mildest I've ever found. A tiny dot of it patted into the eye are immediately cools, soothes and moisturises skin. It also contains prebiotics which are supposed to 'reinforce the skin's natural barrier', I'm not sue if it does this long term but I can definitely say that skin feels a bit more resilient while it's on.

All in all it's a great budget eye cream for sensitive skin, or any skin for that matter! It's light texture makes it sink in really quickly so it creates a great base for eye makeup, because I've been using it mainly in the day time, I find it's also a good shield against the elements. In the evenings I've been using Clarins 'Special' Eye Contour Balm (full review here) which much is richer and creamier. 

Do you use an eye cream?

January Favourites

The miserable weather as of late has meant one thing, more hot baths to soothe dry winter skin and cold toes! Here are some of the products I've been loving this month.

The Boots Extracts range has been a brilliant discovery I've been using the Cocoa Butter Sugar Scrub (full review here) and Body Butter (full review here) non stop since I got them, in fact I'm already nearly halfway through both! The Scrub has a really tightly packed consistency that really gives skin a good scrub leaving it feeling super smooth. The body butter somehow manages to be really thick and creamy but still sinks in really quickly leaving skin feeling supple and nourished.

I've been burning my Milk Bath Remedy Candle in Coconut Milk constantly in the evenings, it fills the room with a lovely relaxing scent and it a cozy ambience. Full review here.

Boots Coconut Body Oil has been an absolute life saver this month with my skin being in the condition it's in. My eyelids have been dry and sore and my skin has been feeling super sensitive. I've been using this to remove makeup, as a facial oil, a hair treatment and adding a scoop into the bath! I wrote a post all about different ways to use it here.

I fallen back in love with my favourite lipgloss lately, it's the Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait De Gloss in 56 Imaginaire. It's just the easies colour to wear, I even apply it without a mirror. A flatters all warm toned peachy pink. 

REVIEW: Sephora Gentle Exfoliator Cleansing Cream

Yesterday I spoke about a cleanser I really dislike so I thought it was about time I turned the tables and spoke about one that I love. It's the Sephora Gentle Exfoliator Cleansing Cream which I brought in Sephora when I went to France last summer.

It has a thick creamy consistancy which you massage into the skin and wipe away with a warm damp flannel. I contains exfoliating fruit acids (AHAs) which gently rid skin of dull surface skin cells without the need for using harsh grainular products that can often irritate sensative skin. 

I tend to use it as a mask rather than a cleanser, I just smooth it on and leave it for about 10 minutes, that way all the ingredience have a chance to work for a bit longer. When I remove it my skin feels really soft and smoother and looks a lot brighter. I'll definitely be repurchasing this next time I'm in France!