All posts tagged: Skincare

3:3:1 – Simplified Skin Care

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Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been on a mission to simplify. I began by examining parts of my life that I felt were overcomplicated, and skincare was one of these areas. I was spending too much money, effort, and time on my regime – and I was constantly buying things I didn’t finish – always on the lookout for the next miracle product that would be ‘the one’. After a final clear out, I’ve settled on a system which uses a few carefully curated products. I’m not longer layering loads of products on my face and am instead using one product at a time to achieve smooth, clear skin that doesn’t need much makeup (another money/effort/time saver). My system works like this: I alternate three nights of retinol treatment with three nights of alpha hydroxy treatment and then follow up with one night of skin nutrition, hence the 3:3:1. It’s simple, easy, and I don’t need to spend a lot of money to get great results. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights, I …

DIY Cushion Compact Foundation

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I’ve been on the hunt for a holy grail foundation for awhile. A couple have come close – It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream and Perricone No Foundation Serum Foundation, but neither are perfect. I like them both because they look like skin once applied, but the colours on offer are limited, and I can’t quite get a perfect match. I did find a perfect colour match in Armani’s Power Fabric foundation, but the coverage is much heavier than I like for everyday wear, so I decided to try to modify it to suit my skin. If you haven’t tried Armani Power Fabric foundation, £36, I do recommend it. While it’s very full coverage, it doesn’t look cakey or unnatural on mature skin. It is slightly matte, so I like to use it with a glowy primer. It’s the perfect foundation for a special occasion or a night out because it looks amazing and does not budge. I do find it too heavy for daily wear, though, so I decided to thin it out …

Summer Skincare Routine for Dehydrated Skin

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Summer often brings a vast improvement to my mature, sensitive, dehydrated skin, but it still needs a lot of hydration this time of year.  I’ve developed a foolproof routine that adds moisture without feeling heavy or greasy.  And it’s just four steps. After cleansing, I apply Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Facial Serum.  While I wouldn’t classify it as a typical serum, it is one of the best I’ve found for quick hydration.  What it doesn’t contain is any oil or silicone (or fragrance – hurrah!), so I do find I need a separate serum over the top of it. For this, I use Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum.  It glides over skin, leaving it hydrated, soft, and balanced.  I find it also seals in the moisture benefits of the Hydraluron and preps the skin for the next stage. Even in summer, I find it beneficial to use a facial oil every day, but it does need to be a light one.  At the moment, I’m trialling my own blend, but I can recommend Nude …

Liz Earle Superskin Face Serum

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As a completely self-aware beauty junkie, I’m used to reading a lot of bold claims.  Certain products promise to decrease wrinkles, add glow, or take years off the complexion.  It’s easy to get drawn in because I do want to believe all of this is possible, but experience has taught me to be wary.  Products may be good, but they are rarely all they promise. I approached  Superskin Face Serum with only moderate expectations.  I suppose I do expect a lot from Liz Earle.  I’ve been a fan of Cleanse & Polish for years, and her Skin Repair Moisturiser is one of the best around.  So I expected this serum to be good, and I’m happy to say that it didn’t disappoint.  In fact, it blew me away. After one use, my skin appeared less tired and dull.  After a week, I noticed a lovely glow.  Three weeks in, my skin appeared a lot smoother and nicely plumped.  And by the time I finished the bottle, I couldn’t believe how well this serum had performed.  It …

Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cleanser

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Having inflamed skin is upsetting.  It looks awful because it’s red and scaly, and it feels awful because red, scaly skin is sore.  When my skin gets like this, it stresses me, which I think makes the problem worse.  I have to be super-careful about what I use on my skin during these episodes, but not cleaning my face isn’t an option.  I need a gentle cleanser that will clean as well as comfort.  Thankfully, one exists. Skin Iceland Pure Cloud Cleanser is wonderfully mild.  It goes onto dry skin like a lotion and quickly lifts away excess oils, dead skin, and other grime.  Simply wipe it away with a hot muslin cloth and skin is clean, conditioned and calmed. This cleanser boasts an impressive list of ingredients including cocoa butter, cranberry seed oil and meadowfoam oil.  Also impressive is what it doesn’t contain: parabens, petrochemicals and synthetic fragrance, so it’s perfect for soothing irritated, angry skin. Effectiveness: 5 – this is a gentle-yet-thorough cleanser.  It removes makeup well. User Experience: 5 – creamy and it …

Oskia Super 16 Serum, Restoration Oil & Renaissance Cleansing Gel

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I tend to be fairly agnostic with it comes to skincare brands.  A brand can excel at one product, and completely fail with another.  Just because someone makes a great cleanser doesn’t mean their facial oil is just as good.  But sometimes, it is.  In fact, sometimes a brand gets a lot of products just right. British skincare maker Oskia is trying hard to tempt me into brand loyalty.  So far, I’ve been impressed with every product I’ve tried, and their Super 16 Anti-Ageing Super Serum (£80) is no exception.  It boasts sixteen different nutrients and bio-actives, including hyaluronic acid and vitamin A palmitate.  There are exotic ingredients, too, such as bakuchiol and seaweed extract, all working together to deliver a nutrient boost to the skin.  With regular use, my skin is noticeably smoother, brighter, and soothed. It’s also a pleasure to use.  It sinks in quickly, relieves any dryness or tightness and is brilliant at calming upset skin.  It reduces redness and irritation better than any I’ve tried, which is amazing when you consider its anti-ageing properties. Effectiveness: …

Outstanding Skincare for under £7

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It’s possible to spend thousands of pounds a year on skincare.  A jar of face cream from a famous Swiss skincare brand can set you back a shade under £300, and while I’m sure it’s wonderful, not everyone has that kind of cash to splash about.  The good news is that you don’t need to spend a lot for great results.  There is perfectly affordable luxurious skincare available, and I’ve come across three that are sure to impress. Lacura Caviar Illumination Day Cream is phenomenally good.  It contains vitamin B5, caviar extract, stem cells, snow algae extract, and hyaluronic acid – ingredients often found in high-end skincare.  Together, this potent cocktail of nutrients helps to firm skin, stimulate collagen production, brighten, tighten and guard against free-radical damage.  It also contains an SPF of 15. This cream glides onto the skin and feels lovely.  It keeps my skin feeling soft and supple from morning until bedtime and sits nicely over all of my other skincare.  I can use it around my sensitive eyes without irritation as it isn’t …

Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist

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There are days I feel my skin has become a husk of its former self.  It’s dehydrated, tight, red, and uncomfortable – especially after cleansing.  When it’s like this, I can’t seem to get from the sink to my serum fast enough.  I need hydration. Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist combines hyaluronic acid, glycerine and oat extract to instantly soothe and hydrate the skin.  Just a couple of spritzes on clean skin takes away that awful tight feeling and leaves skin feeling plumped with moisture.  It can also be used over skincare or makeup for a hydration top up during the day.  I use it twice a day as part of my skincare routine, and I feel it adds an extra layer of hydration that I wouldn’t get otherwise.  If you have dry, dehydrated or sensitive skin, I think you’d benefit as much as I have. Effectiveness: 5 – hydrates and reduces irritation immediately. User Experience: 5 – the spray nozzle produces a super-fine mist to evenly coat skin. Comfort: 5 – instant hydration and relief. Repurchase: Yes.  I …

Winter Skin Facial Oil Recipe

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It’s been very, very cold in Scotland for the last few days.  The central heating is working overtime, and the air both inside and out is harsh on the skin.  The area around my nose is red and sore.  Time for some intensive treatment. This facial oil is wonderful for dry, aggravated, red winter skin.  It’s easy to mix and bottle, and it should last a good 18 months if stored away from heat and sunlight.  Simply blend the following ingredients together and apply as needed. 1 Part Camelina Oil – This oil offers wonderful soothing properties, as well as being incredibly mild on the skin.   It’s rich in vitamin E which will help repair winter damage. 1 Part Prickly Pear Oil – This oil has unbeatable hydrating abilities.  It penetrates the skin quickly to immediately relieve dry, irritated skin.  It’s full of antioxidants which help speed up recovery. 1 Part Oat Lipid Oil – When it comes to reducing redness and irritation, oat lipid oil is hard to beat. It soothes and protects the skin with its high beta glucan content. I hope you enjoy this …

8 Steps to Fabulous Skin

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Layering skincare has been a revelation for me.  Without really noticing, I’d been slowly adding steps to my routine for the past few years.  I started with cleansers and SPF day creams.  Then I added serums and night creams. Soon after came essences and chemical exfoliants.  Early last year, I discovered the joys of facial oils, and more recently, facial mists. If I’d started with all eight steps at once, I don’t think I’d be able to appreciate how each new step/product benefitted my skin.  To be honest, I probably didn’t need all of this skincare a few years ago, but it’s become essential since I’d been edging ever closer to the big five-o.  I’ll take you through the routine that works for me.  Feel free to pick and choose the bits you feel will benefit you. Cleanser – I think I’ve mentioned before that this is my favourite type of skincare.  There are few things I love more than taking off my makeup at the end of the day and treating my skin to some much-needed care and …

Skyn Iceland Fresh Start Mask

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Someone once said that February is the cruelest month.  As far as my skin goes, that’s certainly true. Cold weather, central heating and a lack of sunshine turn my skin dull, flaky and almost as grey as the skies, and it takes a potent product to put some life and colour back in. When my skin is super-dull and my day-to-day routine doesn’t seem to help, I often turn to masks.  And Skyn Iceland’s Fresh Start Mask is outstanding.  Ten minutes with this concoction and my skin is restored.  I can’t think of many other masks that work this well. The Fresh Start Mask comes in two parts.  Step one is a blue clay mask which is applied to the face (avoiding eyes).  Step two – a special activating gel – goes over the top of this and then the two are massaged together to form the mask.  The mask does produce a pleasant tingling sensation that sensitive types might consider a little nippy.  It does pass quickly, though. After ten minutes, the mask is rinsed away and you can …