Emtalks: How To Hydrate The Skin All Day - Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Range Review

It's not often we stop to think about the stress that day to day life puts on our skin. If you've been reading EmTalks for quite some time you'll know that skincare is one of my favourite things. I get abnormally excited about new skincare, I guess I just love having hydrated, glowing skin. When was the last time you thought about your skin and how day to day life and stresses affect it? I was recently educated on thermic shocks, something Mrs skin-buff over here hadn't heard of until a few weeks ago. Our skin experiences up to 17 thermic shocks a day – Thermic shocks are the changes in humidity and temperature that can stress our skin out, they happen through the day and the smallest things can make them occur. For example going from a warm house to outside into the cold or going from sunbathing into a cool pool. Thermic shocks reduce the skin’s ability to create hyaluronic acid which is responsible for keeping skin hydrated at all levels. Let's talk about skincare and Barcelona...

Clarins new Hydra-Essentiel range contains Organic Leaf of Life extract which powers the skin’s natural hydration by boosting the production of water-retaining “sponge molecules” such as hyaluronic acid. Clarins Hydra-Essentiel range is truly divine and a welcome addition to my daily skincare routine. Clarins is a brand I have loved, cherished and trusted for a very long time, so it was only natural that this made its way into my routine. I'd love for you to join me in Barcelona where I show you some of the shocks our skin can go through on a day to day basis, but also, I'm going to show you how to combat this, and ensure you always have the most hydrated skin. You can thank me later, the Hydra-Essentiel range is pretty epic.

First it’s off to the airport! Obviously, flying is something that massively stresses your skin out, so first things first, I pile the moisturiser on pre-flight and mid-flight. I actually sometimes sleep in a hydrating face mask but the Hydra-Essentiel range is so soothing, it literally sinks into my skin when on a plane. I also make sure I take lots of water with me and sip it throughout the whole flight. Make sure you read my top long haul flight tips.

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I loved waking up in the W Hotel Barcelona (full blog post coming soon!), it's somewhere I've wanted to stay for a long time. The first thing I do when I wake up is wash my face and moisturise, I feel cleansed and ready to tackle the day ahead. Alongside my usual cleanser, I've been using the new Clarins Hydra-Essentiel range. I start out by using the Hydra-Essentiel Bi-Phase Serum and Cooling Gel to add an instant surge of moisture but also to protect it from the many thermic shocks that are to come throughout the day. The Hydra-Essentiel Bi-Phase Serum makes my skin feel instantly cool and quenched, I apply the Cooling Gel over the top, for extra thirst-quenching. It means my skin radiates through my make up all day, hydrated and dewy. I think this is great pre-make up application. One of the most important pieces of skincare advice (apart from drinking lots of water to hydrate from within!) I've received is that skincare should be used to prevent things, for example: don't start applying anti-wrinkle cream when you're 90, apply it as a preventative measure. I feel like the same applies when it comes to hydration, don't give your skin the chance to become dehydrated, keep it hydrated from the minute you wake up.

I absolutely love starting my day with a workout, particularly after a flight, those feel good endorphins make me so happy. If you've read any of my health and fitness blog posts you'll know I'm a bit of an active gym bunny. I currently go to David Lloyd and love throwing myself into new classes. The change in our body temperature when working out is one of the things that can dehydrate and cause a thermic shock which is exactly why I ensure I'm using the new range.

After my workout, it’s time to do emails. I don't usually do emails in this environment, but the W Hotel Barcelona certainly is the dreamiest of offices. Going from the air-conditioned hotel to outside is another thermic shock and the change in temperature and increase in humidity if you're abroad really causes stress to the skin. Do not fear though, be as active and out-doorsy as you like, just make sure you're looking after your skin.

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Barcelona is the most beautiful place and the public transport shouldn't be avoided, it's a really great way to see the city as much as possible (full, huge Barcelona city guide coming your way soon!). I highly recommend the tourist bus in Barcelona, you can hop on, hop off and it takes you around the whole city. My favourite thing to do in Barcelona is to 'get lost'. There's nothing better than ambling slowly around the beautiful, quaint streets. Pollution is another nasty that can take its toll on our skin but luckily the new Clarins Hydra-Essentiel range contains their Anti-Pollution Complex packed full of powerful anti-oxidants to protect my skin. Even after a whole day of public transport and walking around beautiful Barcelona, my skin still feels amazing!

If you read my 2017 beauty resolutions post, you'll know that this year, I want to take more time for me, me time is so important as it reduces your stress and it calms my mind after a busy day. I always treat myself to a long bath on holiday and hotel baths never disappoint, there's something special about stepping into a hotel dressing gown and slippers after a bath and then getting ready in a spotless bathroom for dinner.

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After a lot of tapas and sangria (a girl can never have too much and Barcelona is home to the most amazing food scene), I cleanse my face using Clarins Water Comfort One-Step Cleanser, my new Kiehl's Botanical oil (I like to double cleanse) and then finish with the Hydra-Essentiel Silky Cream.

There's nothing that relaxes me more than taking my make up off and getting into bed with squeaky clean, hydrated skin. The Hydra-Essentiel range comes in a few different textures, so there really is something for everyone, there's a Silky Cream SPF 15, a Milky-Lotion SPF15 and a Cooling Gel. I personally love the Cooling Gel to refresh and also the Silky-Cream for its rich texture. On spring mornings though, there's no beating the Milky-Lotion; soothing, calm and light-weight. It goes without saying that the Cooling Gel was my best friend on those warm Barcelona nights. Using one of them before bed helps to give my skin a boost of hydration and to help it recover from the temperature changes or thermic shocks that it has experienced throughout the day. The best bit? I always wake up glowing.

I love skincare, so you can imagine how happy I was when I heard about the new Hydra-Essentiel range. Imagine hydration in a jar, because this is what this range will do for your skin. Lather it on, let your skin drink it up and then, enjoy your day to day activities knowing that you're going to come out glowing.

Do you love skincare? Does your skin get dehydrated? Do you like Clarins?

You might also like:

Long Haul Flight Tips and Long Haul Beauty Products
Kiehl's Botanical Cleansing Oil Review
Easy Fake Tanning Tips
Charlotte Tilbury Valentine And Pillow Talk Review

*I worked with Clarins on this post and hope you love it as much as I do. As always, this is 100% my honest opinion and I adore the brand.

Lots of love, Em x

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