I know we’re only ten days into January, but I thought I would post about the products I started using in December and am still reaching for every day to keep my skin pepped up. I took these photos at my parents’ house when we stayed there between Christmas and New Years’. They have this beautiful, light kitchen and a long white table that they eat at, and I discovered that a kitchen with lots of windows and a white dining table is pretty much a photographer’s dream!
I always think it’s interesting to see the products that people reach for when they go away for a few days – the staple items they really can’t live without. Although I took probably far too many beauty and skincare products with me (hey – we are away for 10 days, a huge make up case worth is totally acceptable), I still made sure that the ones I’m currently loving were brought with me so I didn’t have to miss my current faithfuls – especially at a time when not having the right skincare products with you can mean the difference between soothed and glowing skin and chapped dry skin.
Total transparency – only now when I’ve gone to link to the products have I realised that most of these were either gifted or freebies, but I promise these are all ones I’m legitimately loving at the moment, otherwise I wouldn’t have dragged them away with me and taken up space in my make up case! There’s several products in here that contain a dose of hyaluronic acid in them – seemingly the ingredient of the moment for skincare products, particularly anti-ageing products. This is because of its unique ability to retain a lot of moisture and repair the outer layers of your skin. This means it can deeply moisturise, reduce fine lines and create a healthier ‘skin barrier’. It’s an ideal ingredient for serums such as the one I’ve featured as it’s so lightweight. My thinking is that during winter when my skin gets dry and sore, products with hyaluronic acid in it will help retain that moisture, and it definitely seems to be working (watch out for products that also have lots of fragrancing ingredients or alcohols as they will reverse the good work of the hyaluronic acid).
Hylamide Booster Low Molecular HA Serum
My first tip is the Hylamide Booster Low Molecular HA Serum* {Deciem, £18 or at Boots}. Deciem have a really wide range of HA containing products and Hylamide make some great treatments and serums. The Hylamide Booster Low Molecular HA Serum (snappy title) basically wowed me from first use with the immediate effect it had on my skin. It has a really lightweight and silky feeling and sinks straight into my skin. My skin immediately feels tighter and firmer and over the course of a couple of weeks using it I can tell that my skin tone is more even and the dry patches of skin have totally disappeared. It comes with a dropper/pipette attachment so you can make sure you’re not using too much (a little goes a long way) and I’ll definitely be re-buying this (I think £18 is a blimmin’ good price for such a wonder product).
Vichy Idelia Skin Sleep
I featured the Vichy Idealia Life Serum in a Five Favourites post in 2014 so I was excited when they brought out a new addition to the range, the Idealia Skin Sleep* {Escentual, £17.66 – on offer}. This product is basically the equivalent of a great night’s sleep for your skin, in a pot. The idea is that you pop it on before bed, and wake up to a ‘well-rested, fresh and radiant complexion’. It has a gel-like texture, soft and light, easy to massage into skin and with a really nice, refreshing scent. I like to slowly massage it into my skin to help with circulation and make sure it’s all absorbed before plopping my head on the pillow, and it doesn’t take long to soak it all up. Come morning I can tell that my skin looks more radiant and feels softer.
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream
The moisturiser I’ve been using as a day cream is the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream {£24, }. I’ve bought this previously and found it to be a great product, again, especially during the winter months. I’ve always loved that it says on the side “Greenland First Ascent” as Kiehl’s gave the Ultra Facial Cream to the group that led the Greenland expedition in 2005. If it’s good enough for ice covered peaks, it’s good enough for chilly train platforms in Christchurch! I got this as a Klout Perk to help promote their campaign with the MTV Staying Alive foundation to help fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic – it has Tinie Tempah on the lid as he is the ambassador of the charity.
Hand Chemistry Hyaluronic Body Mist
I do tend to get patches of dry skin all over my body in the chillier temperatures, especially on my arms and legs. I’ve been liberally spritzing them with the Hand Chemistry Hyaluronic Body Mist* {£15.30, Amazon, or £17, Deciem}. Formulated with low molecular Hyaluronic Acid it’s a lightweight mist that you can spritz all over your body (it’s also non aerosol so it’s more like a fine mist and feels instantly moisturising). The scent is very fresh and citrus-y – my only complaint would be that I’ve used over half of it in only a couple of weeks so maybe I’m spritzing a little too liberally!
He-Shi Overnight Ageless Tanning Balm
My final favourite is the He-Shi Overnight Ageless Tanning Balm* {, £22.50}. You smooth this on overnight and in the morning you have not only dewy, glowing skin, but a hint of tan too. Nothing too noticeable (it has 3% active tanning ingredient), though you can build it up over time if you want a more obvious tan. The best part of this product is that it’s so much more than a tanning balm – when you put it on it has this lovely velvet-y texture, and the jojoba protein repairs and conditions the skin, whilst the hyaluronic acid – well, you know what that does by now! It’s perfect as a night cream as it really does make your skin feel softened and smoothed come morning, as well as giving it that hint of colour (an all round winner). I’ve been using this on and off for about a month now and I really love it.
Which skincare products are you reaching for this month to help keep the winter dryness at bay?
