Let’s talk new beauty I’ve been using. Because it’s been a minute. Mostly as I spent a good few months there with the same handful of products on rotation. My attitude is, when you’re onto a good thing, why change it up? But over the last six weeks I’ve been craving that newness; well-timed with the shift in temperatures. Winter has well and truly arrived.
NEW IN SKINCARE
We’re quite moisturiser heavy in the skincare department. Mostly as I have oily/combination but dehydrated skin. So I put a lot of focus on that last element, and try to balance out what I’m applying to my skin from am to pm.
Antipodes Culture Probiotic Night Recovery Water Cream | Have I told you how much I love Antipodes skincare yet? There has yet to be a product that I’ve tried which hasn’t ended up in regular rotation. This is one for thirsty skin. Loaded with hyaluronic acid and good probiotics (Kalibiome AGE Probiotic) this works to restore the skins lipid barrier and boost hydration. Texture wise, this feels a bit thicker or “heavier” than their Baptiste Water Gel, but sinks into the skin just as effortlessly. I like to use this at night. My application is usually quite generous, as I use it a little like a sleeping mask.
Origins Ginzing Oil-Free Energy Boosting Moisturiser | I made the most of pre-Christmas beauty bundles and picked out a little trio from Origins. A brand I’d had on my radar to try for some time. The GinZing range appealed to me. I loved that this has ginseng in it, which is a natural skin balancer. Great if you’re trying to combat skin concerns like fine lines and wrinkles, dullness, fight hyperpigmentation, want to balance oil production, or have sensitive skin. I love this. It’s cooling and fresh so perfect for use in the AM. The texture is a lightweight gel; doesn’t feel heavy but it’s instantly moisturising. You just get a little bit of a glow when using this. Plus it’s imbued with squalene – one of my favourite skincare ingredients.
Pure Zero 24hr Facial Moisturiser | Made entirely from natural ingredients, and free from fragrance, essential oils, silicones, parabens, and SLSes, Pure Zero immediately piqued my interest. It’s a new brand launch out of Australia, and I love their ethos and commitment to natural skincare. The thing that makes this moisturiser unique, is the lack of water or “aqua” in the ingredients list. Instead, the base ingredient is aloe vera, a natural moisturising element with anti-inflammatory benefits. My skin loves this. I primarily use this as my day moisturiser of choice. It sinks into the skin effortlessly, feels nourishing, and is a great base for makeup. A ten out of ten from me.
Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator | Moisture Surge. What’s in a name, right? Well, think a big drink of water for your skin. I’ve been a long-time lover of the moisture surge range. And in particular, the gel moisturiser. It does a great job of balancing out hydration levels in my skin, and is one I often choose to use in the warmer months because of the lightweight, cooling gel texture. This has been re-formulated – … again! Love the constant innovation – to now deliver 100 hours of hydration to your skin from a single application. A great option if you suffer from dryness but find heavy creams don’t get on with your skin type.
Clarins Total Eye Lift | I’m very selective about eye creams. Anything too heavy or rich in fats can cause small milia to pop up on the eye contour. But this is a good staple, and one that I’ve recently returned back to. For one, 94% of the ingredients are of natural origin – which I love. Plus it contains active ingredients Harungana extract and Cassie Wax which promote collagen synthesis, sooth and nourish the skin, and restore its radiance. It’s also so lush to apply – has a very silky texture which smooths onto the skin beautifully. Definitely feel like this helps out with the darkness under my eyes when using it.
Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment (available in the US here) | Chemical exfoliants are where it’s at for me. And lactic acid in particular, I find to be incredibly effective and sloughing away those surface dead skin cells. Essentially, just giving me an overall brighter and fresher looking complexion. I like to use this as part of my night time routine, and really feel like this delivers. Given I have sensitive skin, I’ll use this every other night, just to be on the safe side.
Antipodes Hallelujah Lime & Patchouli Cleanser and Makeup Remover | Let’s talk cleansers for a minute. A good cat eye flick tends to make up a good portion of my daily makeup “uniform”. So a cleanser that is both gentle and incredibly effective at removing makeup is a must for me. This is both. The cream formulation feels nourishing and soft on my skin. I’ll apply it straight to my (dry) face, and work it into the skin, focusing on the eye area. It’s non-irritating on the eyes, and does an incredible job of breaking down makeup for phase one of my cleanse. I’ll usually follow it up with a gel cleanser, also from Antipodes, just to remove those final traces of liner and mascara from under the eyes.
Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil (also here) | It’s very rare that I’ll use a product, and notice almost instantaneous effects. This was one of those unicorn skincare products which really blew me away. My complexion looked brighter, and there was a noticeable reduction in redness around my nose. A potent retinoid, it fights against the noticeable signs of ageing; wrinkles, loss of elasticity, dryness. As someone with sensitive skin, I have to admit I wasn’t too sure how this would work for me. But it’s since become a staple in my skincare menu. Two days on, two days off, used in tandem with Good Genes. Also contains some good oils like avocado, chia and grape seed; all great for adding a bit of extra hydration back into the skin.
Saturday Skin Yuzu Vitamin C Sleep Mask | Finally, we have this Yuzu overnight gel cream from Saturday Skin. Citrus have some remarkable benefits; Vitamin C in particular is great for brightening the complexion. So this sounded right up my alley. What I didn’t know? Is that yuzu contains three times more Vitamin C than any other citrus fruit. If you take a peek at the ingredients list, you might also notice that there’s a little bit of retinol in there too. So I’d say use this on alternate nights if you have other retinoid elements in your skincare routine. The thing that continues to intrigue me is the texture. It has this jelly like consistency in the tub, but on the skin it transforms into a water. Sadly I have to say, this is just a little too rich for me and my combination/oily skin. Best for those with either extremely dry or mature skin types.
NEW IN MAKEUP
A handful of makeup products, as I tend to rotate through old favourites. Plus, I don’t know about you, but it takes me what feels like a lifetime just to finish up one product. Unless it’s mascara or eyeliner, that is.
Clarins Twist to Glow 2-in-1 Eyes & Cheeks | This is such a fun product. Featuring a twist up applicator, I’ll wind it up and dip my brush in before applying straight to my face. The colour is bright and punchy, so a little goes a long way. Despite my love of cream face products, I really love the way this looks on the skin. Not powdery at all, and blends in nicely with my base for a natural finish.
Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner | Eyeliner is one of those high volume beauty products where I’m always looking for something better. And this eyeliner, I love. It has the same fine bristle brush tip with a sharp point; ideal for creating a sharp cat eye flick. Where I’d usually go with a classic black liner, I opted for brown, and I love how it adds a touch of softness to my eyes. Easy to use, and stays put all day. 100% would recommend if you’re on the lookout for a new liner.
Laura Mercier Caviar Volume Mascara (also here) | Love the volume that this adds to my lashes with just one coat. They look full and fluttery, and leave my lashes feeling soft (not crunchy, like you can get with some mascaras). It’s not waterproof, but I’d go so far as to say it’s water resistant. I’ve had little to no smudging on my brow bone on warm days (zero when it’s cold!) – a huge plus from me as it’s rare that I’ll find a non-waterproof mascara which delivers that kind of staying power.
Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Colour in Cabana & Sazan Nude | I love so much about these Lipsticks. They apply almost like a balm. Soft and creamy on the lips, they’re incredibly comfortable to wear. I suspect this is down to the beeswax included in the formulation. Colour is buildable and the bullet doesn’t drag on the lips; one swipe gives a soft focus stain, or you can go a little heavier for more intense colour.
NEW IN HAIR & BODY
To wrap things up I wanted to talk through some hair and body staples which have really wowed me. I’d say this is the part of my beauty routine that sees the least amount of change, as I tend to stick to my favourites and repurchase the second they run out.
Sunday Riley Clean Rinse Clarifying Scalp Serum | I was recently told that our face doesn’t stop at our hairline. And that really got me thinking; why don’t we care for our scalps more? So I was excited to get this in the mix as part of my regular hair wash routine. I get quite a bit of product build up due to #mumlife (dry shampoo becomes your best friend). So I often find my roots still feel laden with product even after a cleanser. This has completely changed the game. My hair truly feels clean when using this ahead of my shampoo and conditioner (Aveda, for anyone curious). Key ingredients include some serious skincare heroes; glycolic acid, salicylic acid and niacinamide to exfoliate, remove oily build up, and encourage growth.
Nécessaire The Body Wash | My skin can be quite reactive. I get dermatitis on my hands, so as much as I love my L’Occitane Almond Oil, I tend to favour options which are a little kinder to my sensitive skin. This does the trick every single time. It’s my second bottle, after using up the Eucalyptus (which is delightful, FYI). Unisex, and fragrance-free. It foams up really well, and is ingredient rich, including Vitamin B3, Vitamin C (great for hydrating), Vitamin E, Omega-6 and Omega-9. My skin doesn’t feel dry, but during winter I do like to follow up with either the Body Serum (hyaluronic acid for your body – YES!) or the Body Lotion.
Nécessaire The Hand Cream | Also on my hit list from Necessaire is The Hand Cream. Another fragrance-free product, I just love how nourishing gentle this is on my hands. My eczema outbreaks are often limited to my palms, which can be very painful. It’s not sticky at all, and feels very luxurious and silky when applied.
Saya Nourishing Hair Oil | You’ve probably noticed that I’m trying to put a focus not just on nourishing my skin, but my hair too. One thing missing from my post-wash haircare routine was a nourishing oil. I like to use this oil from Saya before blow-drying. I’ll apply two pumps worked primarily into my ends, which can get a bit dry from using hot tools on my hair. The key ingredient here is Argan Oil, which contains Vitamin E – great for taming unruly or dry hair. Things I’ve noticed since using this after each wash? My hair looks and feels softer, it’s shinier, and has less flyaways. I’ve been using this in combination with their Vegan Brush – which side note, is gorgeous!
