Hello hello! So today I thought it would be nice to do a little okay, BIG round up of my top products to get you through the winter months. I feel like it got seriously cold in the UK and actually, the weather is constantly changing so goodness knows if it’ll be snowing or 40 degrees next week. I'm currently in NYC (see more on my Instagram: www.instagram.com/emshelx) I can’t decide which season I like the best, I try to embrace them all but January/Feb always seem pretty bleak weather wise. Ever changing temperatures make my skin dry, dull and just a little unhappy plus, dark mornings make me feel so tired so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to run through some of my top products for winter skin, the things I’m loving right now. Public warning: I absolutely LOVE all things skincare so yeah, I have a fair few favourites... it really is my passion.
OILS - I’m a crazy skincare lover so I must talk about oils and balms. First things first, Guerlain’s Abeille Royale range (USA shop here) is just pure luxury. Not only does it look beautiful, it feels so special to apply too. I love the watery oil, one drop and it completely hydrates my skin. The science in Guerlain products hooks me right from the start and that packaging. Oh, can my whole life be Guerlain, please? The range repairs the skin using honey in order to maintain it's usefulness, then they use Black Bee concentrate to help firm. I've been buying Guerlain for years and I don't plan on stopping now. You’ve then got Vichy Mineral 89 which is basically a watery, hydrating serum, powered by natural hyaluronic acid and Vichy thermal water.and it’s perfect to put on first thing in the morning, particularly in winter when the skin needs a drench of hydration. My skin instantly drinks it up. I can’t talk about serums and not talk about Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery either, I’ve been using this oil for probably the last 5 years most evenings. One drop and my skin always looks as if I’ve had 8 hours sleep. There's Elemis superfood oil which has been one of my favourites for the last year, perfect to throw in my gtravel bag and packed with good ingridients. Not photographed as I’ve finished using it but Clarins Double Serum is also epic, it contains 21 active plant extracts and is designed to be an age control concentrate. It feels a little richer and thicker on my skin so feels as if it’s softening whilst having the benefits of a serum too. Last but not least, let’s talk about the best multitasking balm around, Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream. Whether you have a dry patch on your face, need to use it as a heavy duty balm, an overnight mask or even use it on the ends of your hair, this is the ultimate winter skincare savior as it does everything in one.
LIP BALMS - I mean, a lip balm is just a complete essential handbag item isn’t it? Let’s be honest. I cannot cope without them in winter. I have a few favourites….Vaseline because their tinted balms give me a nice little flush of colour on my lips without too much colour plus, they keep my lips hydrated all day. I feel like Vaseline are the originals when it comes to handy little balms that have a lasting effect and, they're affordable too. I've put Vaseline on my lips, brows and lashes. I’ve also been using Fresh lip balms (USA shop here) for a long time which give off the nicest natural colours. Next, Bobbi Brown lip balm because it’s iridescent, compact, light-weight and just glides onto my lips, the little stain colour is my favourite. It’s perfect for throwing in my handbag. It’s not too balmy and I kinda like that. Dior Glow balms are probably the least ‘balmy’ and I feel like they’re just incredibly smooth on the lips, they almost feel dry to touch but when you rub on your lips, they instantly soften. They last all day and have the nicest tints to them. I’m a sucker for a natural flush of colour, perfect for a barely there make up look and their new shade ranges are beautiful for a subtle glow to the lips. I’ve also used Lanolips before, not photographed but it’s so good as a multipurpose balm in cold weather. Last but not least, I couldn’t write about balms and ignore Carmex, for heavy duty, seriously dry lip days. I find that applying loads of lip balm before bed (usually a heavy duty one such as Carmex, Jo Malone Lip Conditioner or Lanolips are best) and then I wake up with incredibly soft lips. Before applying lipstick, I’ll then apply a Bobbi Brown or Dior for a gorgeous, ‘kissable’ pout and it means my lipsticks look a lot nicer too. You can also apply alone or over a lipstick if you know you’re going to have dry lips. Yup, I’m a serious lip balm lover.
HYDRATING MASKS - Oh give me all the face masks. I know I use a lot of skincare but it’s because it’s one of my biggest passions and shock, face masks are one of them too. I basically have this huge wire container in my bathroom and I have it filled with different categories, one is for my cleansers, one is for my serums and one is for my face masks, it’s great because I can grab for the ones my skin fancies there and then. I just adore skincare and I really really love a good face mask, I find using a face mask such an easy way to get a little bit of relaxation after a hectic day. Ever since I was introduced to Glamglow years ago, I’ve been hooked to high quality masks and let’s be honest, Glamglow truly lead the way. When it comes to hydration, I’m all about Clarins SOS, they’ve changed the packaging but I’ve been using this product since it was their original Hydraquench mask years ago. On incredibly dry skin days, I’d sleep in this mask and I’d always wake up with soft skin. It’s quite cream like and my skin loves it. It’s the best for getting rid of any dryness. I use a similar one from Origins too (I actually first found Origins because of their incredible masks), it’s their hydrating mask and it’s epic to put on just as you’re about to take off on a flight, my skin drinks the whole mask up like water and I wake up with the happiest skin, ever. It’s my absolute flight essential. When it comes to budget beauty, I’m all about L’Oreal pure clay. These masks revolutionized my life when they were invented a few years back and they continue to be staples in my skincare routine. I love the Pure Clay bright mask specifically for winter, it’s great because you can multitask and just use it on the dull areas for example. Darphin’s aromatic care oil is a really good one for stressed or incredibly dry skin. It’s like an oil and I have started lathering this on my skin when I need a seriously oily treat. People tend to be scared of oils but it’s a myth that oily products make you skin more oily apparently. There’s something so luxurious about Darphin and I urge you to try this product if you struggle with really oily skin. Last but not least, Fresh. I couldn’t not talk about Fresh’s Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy Boosting mask. It basically does everything your skin needs in winter with one quick step. It has a vitamin fruit complex which means it boosts the vibrancy and gets rid of that lacklustre skin I seem to suffer with in winter. I try to use a facemask at least once a week and I really do mix them up depending on how my skin is feeling. I couldn’t possibly just choose one. If it’s super dry, I’m all about the Darphin aromatic care oil mask, if I’m going on a flight or needing something to sleep in, it’s all about the Clarins or Origins and if I need my vibrancy boosting, even before a night out, Fresh Vitamin Nectar is the best. Remember, face masks aren’t just for before bed, I use mine as brightening primers pre-night out/date night or I use them before important meetings to make sure my skin is glowing through even in the coldest months.
HYDRATING CLEANSER - I feel like a good cleanser really is an essential when it comes to a good winter skincare routine. I tend to change my cleansers to more hydrating ones in winter so obviously, it would be wrong for me not to tell you about some of my favourite ones at the moment. I acknowledge I use a lot of skincare, but there are just so many incredible products on the market. Firstly, a good cleansing balm is the one for me. If you read my favourite beauty products of 2017 blog post you’ll know that I swear by a few cleansing balms: Clinique Take The Day Off Hydrating balm and Erborian cleansing balm, both of them turn into oils and you get hydration like never before. They’re also perfect if you’re a little lazy with your skincare and just want a really deep cleanse, without all the steps and the faff. I swear by them because they literally melt your make up off (even the heavy duty stuff) and leave so much hydration afterward. Elemis also do an incredible cleansing balm, I’ve gone through so many tubs of it and also have so many friends who swear by this too. Next up… Kiehl’s Cucumber Herbal cleanser, this is designed for dry skin and wowza, it makes my skin feel so creamy and soft. I’m a sucker for any Kiehl’s products because they’re natural, so easy to use, no faff, no-nonsense and they just work. Then we’ve got Aveda, I didn’t even know they did skincare but their Radiant Skin Refiner has revolutionised my skincare routine this winter. I love using my normal cleanser first and then moving to an exfoliator, this is one of the few exfoliators I’ve found that doesn’t dry my skin out. If you’re after a budget cleanser, I can’t recommend Simple Micellar cleanser enough, it’s so affordable and feels like you’re just letting a thick water soak into your face. It’s definitely one of the best budget cleansers. Last but certainly not least, IT Cosmetics Confidence in a cleanser, an exciting new addition to my skincare world, so more on this soon when I’ve properly trialed it. I love the idea behind it because this is a skin transforming treatment. I’ve never come across a cleanser like it. It’s a cleansing serum with anti-aging armor in it so it really is a multi-tasker. I swear by IT Cosmetics makeup so it’s incredible to see how epic their skincare is.
PRIMERS - Last but not least, primers. I’m obsessed with primers, along with foundation, I think primers have to be one of my favourite beauty products, ever. I’ve always spent a lot of money on primers because I just love how much they transform my skin. 15 year old Em used to spend all her money on Shu Uemura UV Mousse (this is apparently discontinued in the UK now?!) and Smashbox Photoready primers, the creme de la creme of primers and actually, one of the first primers to make it ‘big’. I’m all about a flawless base and if you read my blog post about my top products for a flawless base I’m sure you’re aware of this by now. I’m just such a sucker for a product that makes my make up stay on all day, smooths the skin and also creates a barrier between my skin and the make up. So, which primers am I loving at the moment for winter skin? Firstly, Clarins SOS Primer, oh my goodness, look at the packaging. This is the ultimate winter primer. The reason I love these because Clarins get that one primer doesn’t always fit all and we have different needs. The SOS primers come ready for different skin types, for example, one for brightening the skin, one for getting rid of redness, one for blurring imperfections. It means you can mix it up depending on how your skin is feeling. I am a sucker for ‘blurring’ primers. Not photographed but there is a new primer coming out from YSL beauty, it’s their original blur primer but in colour correcting shades and oh my goodness, I cannot explain how soft and smooth it makes my skin feel. Perfect for on the go glowing skin. Next, not necessarily a primer but I’ve been using it as one anyway, Charlotte Tilbury’s Brightening Youth Glow. This is an anti-ageing, colour correcting glow booster so it pretty much does everything you need for tired skin, in one quick squeeze. I can be lazy when it comes to skincare or often, I just don’t have the time so it is nice to have a product which makes the make up sit nicely whilst having skincare benefits too. I’m all about those multi-tasking products. I was introduced to Lancer recently and have to say, I’m incredibly impressed with their Studio Filter pore perfecting primer. This one is designed to minimise pores but I love that it instantly makes my skin look really even and fresh, there's so much goodness inside this little tube. Onmakeupe up days it’s perfect to just wear alone as it just makes your base look flawless.
Phew, so there we have it. I didn’t mean to write about so many products and wanted to stick to my 5 key categories for winter (lip balm, serum, cleanser, masks and primers) but typical me, when it comes to skincare well, it’s something I can’t get enough of and I could sit and recommend products forever. I feel like I’ve been buying skincare for years and I love researching why the products I use are so good so yeh, I’m a bit of a skincare geek. I hope this helped you if you’re into your winter skincare.
Do let me know if you’ve used any of these products? Do you like the sound of any of them? What’s your skin like in winter?
You might also like:
The best autumn beauty products
Lots of love, Em x
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