2017 Beauty Favourites: Skincare

Welcome back to the second installment of my 2017 Beauty Favourites. On Monday I shared with you my make up favourites of the past year and today I'll be sharing with you my skincare favourites from 2017.

Cleanser: It's always hard trying to decide what my favourite cleansers are. I try so many and love so many that it's nigh on impossible to whittle it down to one. So I went with three. The first is the Clinique Take The Day Off Balm. It's balm to oil formula is perfect for breaking down make up without leaving skin feeling greasy or weighed down. The same goes for the Loreal Extraordinary Facial Cleansing Oil.It breaks down make up with minimal effort whilst simultaneously nourishing the skin without clogging pores or leaving skin greasy. This has been the perfect Winter cleanser as it works to reduce the effects of skin flares up such as central heating, harsh wind and dropping temperatures. And the final cleanser I loved in 2017 is the Pixi Glow Mud Cleanser. Whilst it's texture is stranger than most cleansers, this has worked wonders at not only taking my make up off but for my skin aswell. Containing 5% Glycolic Acid, this works to give skin a gentle yet effective exfoliation whilst it cleanses your skin. It effectively removes make up but has seriously changed the feel of my skin which is why I now use it predominantly as my second cleanse.

Toner: Last year I made an effort to use more toner and I found two that I absolutely adore. The first is Alpha H's Liqiud Gold. With a Glycolic Acid and Liquorice Extract formula, this toner/treatment has changed my skin. And whilst it's pricey it's totally worth it. Any texture I had on my skin is dramtically reduced any and all texture I had on my skin as well as tightening and firming my skin. This is one that I can see myself sticking with this year aswell. And the other toner I've loved is more budget friendly, coming from Garnier. Their Rosewater Toner has been perfect for when my skin needs a little TLC or is feeling a little more sensitive. It soothes, nourishes and tones simultaneously and leaves skin feeling hydrated and soft to the touch. And coming in at £3.49 a bottle, it's not so bad if you go through a bottle or two of it.

 Facial Spray: Last year I raved about the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer and whilst I still love that there has been another facial spray I've also loved. The Botanics Rosewater Toning Spritz that contains nothing but Rosewater. It soothes, nourishes and hydrates whilst remaining lightweight and gentle on the skin. I love using this after I've taken my make up off as it takes away any tightness that cleansing may have caused. But as I said I still love the Liz Earle and will continue to do so in 2018.

Serum: Serum wise, 2017 was dominated by the Loreal Hydra Genius. Containing nothing but Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe, this water like serum gave skin a much needed hydration and a burst of refreshment during the Summer. Alongside that the Simple Water Boost Hydro Booster Drops have also changed how hydrated my skin feels. A couple of drops mixed into a serum or moisturiser or applied directly onto skin adds a boost of hydration that is slowly released over a longer period of time. And the last serum I've enjoyed is one I use in conjunction with the Simple Hydro Booster. The Botanics All Bright Serum Concentrate is a brightening AHA based serum that provides light and gentle exfoliation to brighen skin and reveal a glowing complexion. It's lightweight and doesn't irritate or strip skin even though it has a naturally occuring AHA.

 Moisturiser: There have been two moisturisers I've loved this year. The first is my go to daily moisturiser from Garnier. Their Moisture Bomb Glow Enhancer Water Cream has not only boosted my skins hydratoion levels but has also helped even out my skin and giving it healthy glow. Packed full of Hyaluronic Acid this slowly releases hydration into skin over a longer period of time meaning skin will feel less dry and tight as the hours go on. And it's water/gel formula is lightweight to layer under make up but also effective enough to give skin that boost. And the other is one that has comes in handy a lot during these Winter months. The Liz Earle Superskin Moisturiser with Natural Neroli has been a skin saviour on those days where my skin has been dry, stripped and irritated. It's richer than other moisturisers I own and worked deep into my skin to leave it feeling soft, supple and looking healthier than had. The only downfall to this product is that it's pricey for a full size tub and for the amount I've used it, it's not worth shelling out for one.

Eye Cream: Eye creams are the hardest product to buy correctly the first time. In fact I've brought three different eye creams this year in hopes of one working for longer than a month. And there has only been one that has. The Olay Total Effects Transforming Cream has really done what it says on the pot. My under eye area looks completely different than it did six months ago and it's all down to this product. It's lightweight yet nourishing formula helps reduce the signs of fatigue and dark circles whilst hydrating and plumping the skin which in turns reduces the appearence of any fine lines. I've never known my under eyes to look this good and it's all down to this little pot of magic. And the best bit, it doesn't break the bank like a few others I've tried do.

Facial Oil: Facial Oils are something I've been trying to incoporate into my routine for the last few months and one I've loved throughout that is the Naturally Radiant Moisturising Facial Oil. It's lightweight and doesn't leave skin feeling overly greasy or clogged. Yet it nourishes and moisturises amazingly and this has helped reduce the remaining signs of any breakouts I've had. It's budget friendly, suitable for the majority of skin types and has proven to me that facial oils can be added to an exsisting skincare routine without disrupting skin.

Face Mask: I'm a bit of a face mask fanatic so choosing just one that I hadn't already raved on about before was hard. But I managed it. The GlamGlow Thirstymud Treatment has been a skin saviour during some of my worst skin moments this year. This leave on mask has hydrated, soothed and softened my skin when nothing else has worked. It was a heaven scent to my skin when I had a throat infection, a pampering treat when I had toothache and a replenshing, nourishing moisturiser substitute during the sweltering Summer we had. And a little goes a long way so whilst this little tube looks like it wouldn't last long, it has in fact lasted longer than I expected.

Sheet Mask: There have been a few new sheet mask releases that I enjoyed in 2017 but none of them have been as loved as the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Masks. Yes I know I featured them in my 2016 Beauty Favourites but this year they released four new variations and I love them all more than the original. Out of the four releases of the year my favourites are the De-Tiring Mask and the Super-Glow Mask. Both boost my hydration levels but they also work to add a glow to my skin as well as reducing the signs of fatigue. They're inexpensive, easy to use and work within fifteen minutes. What's not to love about them. And I'm hoping that Garnier comes out with more variations in 2018

2016 Beauty Favourites: Skincare

 

On Monday I showed you my 2016 Make Up Favourites. Today I'm sharing with you my 2016 Skincare favourites. I'd suggest grabbing a cuppa, this could be a long post.

Cleanser:There have only been two cleansers I've really enjoyed this year. The first comes from Emma Hardie. The Moringa Cleansing Balm is a solid balm that melts easily into the skin and removes all traces of make up. I love how this leaves my skin feeling after every use and how whilst it has an oily feeling to it, it doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy. The other comes from Liz Earle and is the only cleanser I use on a daily basis. It contains so many natural ingredients that have helped reduce the appearence of my redness and given my skin a clearer finish. I've already gone through three bottles of this and plan on going through many more this year. The Emma Hardie is a brilliant first cleanse but I much prefer it as a second cleanse unlike the Liz Earle.

Toning: Toning isn't my strongest point and I'm terrible at remembering to do so but when I have remembered there's only been two I've really enjoyed. The first comes from Pixi in the form of their Glow Tonic. This not only tones but exfoliates, rejuvenates and soothes skin all at once. I thoroughly enjoy how it leaves my skin feeling and how easily the rest of my skincare applies afterwards. Another toner comes from the Nip and Fab Bee Sting Toning Fix Pads. I've loved these as part of my evening skincare routine. They leave my skin feeling refreshed and nourished withot feeling to dry or irritated. After I use one of these my serum and moisturiser sinks easily into my skin and makes my skin feel hydrated and supple to the touch.

Facial Mist: Facial mists are something that I've really gotten into this year. There is something about them that just leaves skin feeling and looking better than without them. B Beauty does one of my favourite sprays. It's nothing more than Hyaluronic Acid, Water and Glycerin so it just adds nothing but hydration to the skin. I've really enjoyed using this in the evening after I've taken my make up off as it refreshes my skin and takes away any tight feeling my skin might have. For mornings I've loved the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer, it contains the same ingredients as the Cleanse and Polish but in a spray form. This helps calm my skin and wakes me up at the same time. It helps reduce the appearence of my redness and gives my skin a hydration boost that sinks deeper than any serum or moisturiser.

Serum: I haven't changed serums a lot this year but two I have loved come straight from the high street. The first is an old favourite and comes from Clearly Youthful. It's an hydrating serum packed with AHA's and BHA's so it's a multi-purpose product. Plus it never fails to leave my skin feeling uber soft and supple. The other comes from Olay. Their Anti-Wrinkle Hydration Day Serum has a somewhat silicone feel to it that not only hydrates the face but smooths the skin and creates the perfect base for make up. I love this serum as it blurs the look of imperfections on the skin but doesn't leave a film of product on the skin. It just leaves everything feeling smooth, supple and hydrated. Plus because it sinks deeper into skin, my skin always feels softer for longer.

Day Moisturiser: This day moisturiser hasn't changed at all. The Garnier Wake Me Up Cream is still wowing me everytime I use it. It's blend of Hyaluronic Acid, Retinol and Rice Proteins never fail to make my skin feel soft, perfected, hydrated and refreshed. It's another product with that somewhat silicone feel but it doesn't ball on the skin or leave a tacky film on the skin. It works to keep skin hydrated for longer and is my best friend on days when I'm not wearing make up. It also gives that slightly perfected look to the skin whilst still looking natural and not like you're wearing a skin perfector.

Night Moisturiser: As with day cream, my night cream hasn't changed either. I'm still loving the Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream. It's bouncy, gel like consistency never fails to work overnight to give my skin the best look even after a bad night's sleep. I like how this helps reduce redness, dark circles and dull skin. This also contains Lavender Oil which not only benefits the skin but also helps soothes and ease you into sleep. I've gone through countless pots of this and can definitely say I'm going to go through countless more as well.

Eye Cream: My under eye area has been a big struggle this year but I've finally found something that works wonders. This Olay Regenerist Eye Serum not only helps reduce the appearence of fine lines and wrinkles but also helps to soothe the eye and make them look more awake. I've had trouble with dehydration lines and the only thing that has seemed to help is this. It's very cooling on the under eye area and works to depuff and hydrate the skin. It's pricier than most eye creams but the results are well worth the price tag.

Treatment: There's only been one treatment that I've seen the same results from time after time. And that comes in the form of the Nip and Fab Glycolic Extreme Fix Pads. These contains 5% Glycolic Acid and Salicylic Acid which work to exfoliate, rejuvenate and deep cleanse the skin. I love how these make my face tingle when I use them and how smooth and supple my skin feels afterwards. They're brilliant as a quick fix for anyone with texture problems. Plus I like the fact that they're not too harsh or drying on my occasionally sensitive skin.

Face Mask: This year has been the year of the face mask. I've discovered so many amazing face masks this year but have narrowed it down to three. Firstly there is the Loreal Pure Clay Detox Mask. It contains three different clays as well as charcoal to deep clean and purify the skin. It's brilliant for pulling all the crap out of your skin and leaving your skin looking glowing and clear. Another brilliant mask for detoxing skin comes from Origins. Their Clear Improvments mask is a lot more potent than the Loreal and will guarantee you a spot or two. However once they're gone my skin looks dewy, clear and healthy. A sheet mask I've adored this year is the new Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask. It contains Hyaluronic Acid and Pomergranite Extract and gives skin enough of an hydration boost you could probably forgo serum/moisturiser after this mask. I personally like this not just because it works well on my skin but the actually tissue mask fits to my face perfectly and doesn't fall off or drip like a lot of sheet masks do.