Winter is coming. Truly it is lurking just around the corner! I have put together a list of my ‘dream team’ must-haves to help prep skin for the change in seasons. So let’s go…
This is a fantastic mask to use for congested and acne-prone skin. Its detoxifying properties will draw out impurities and help reduce the chance for spots. I thought my skin tone looked clearer after using it and imperfections had diminished. The mask’s active ingredients include activated charcoal and ground volcanic ash, along with purifying kaolin and bentonite. The interesting thing about the mask is that it also contains nourishing oils which help your skin not to feel so stripped afterwards, as some clay/mud masks do. The dark colour allows you to see exactly how much you have put on and where you need more or less. It dries quickly and washes off easily as well. I noticed that this also did not ‘stain’ my face as some dark clay masks do. Use twice a week for the best results. Spot control here we come!
Aromatherapy Associates Clear Mind Bath & Shower Oil
Wow – I really love Aromatherapy Associates oils and the Clear Mind Bath & Shower Oil is no different. This one is an exclusive collaboration between Liberty and Aromatherapy Associates and the focus is on being mindful. The oil contains chamomile and lavender to help relax and de-stress, whilst frankincense and bergamot revives and focuses the mind. You can really tell that these are the finest oils in town and they have been carefully sourced and produced. Don’t let the size in relation to the price put you off because a little goes a long way – you only need one capful per bath. This one is an absolute dream – literally. Simply pour a capful into the bath (as it is super concentrated) and be sure to inhale the scent in as this will help you clear your mind, relax and be in the moment. Sweet dreams are sure to come your way!
The thing I like best about this serum is that it is velvet soft and feels almost like a primer. In fact, you can actually use this as your serum and moisturiser if you wish due to the texture. It’s perfect to use under make-up and doesn’t clump up into little balls or irritate your make-up. My skin often breaks out into spots when I change up my skincare but it didn’t with this serum which is a good sign! So it’s very gentle on skin as well. The Iconic Youth Serum targets lines & wrinkles, elasticity, radiance, hydration, dark spots and volume. It contains Hyaluronic Acid as well as Echium Oil, a plant source of Omega 3, 6 and 9 which is both anti-inflammatory and soothing. It goes on like a dream and leaves skin feeling soft and smooth.
Merumaya Skin Brilliance Supplements
I’ve been taking these supplements for nearly 30 days now – one 2x per day. Once can be taken in the morning and one in the evening. The bottle lasts for 45 days and you should start seeing results after 30 days of using these. My skin looks brighter and I wonder if it is because I am taking these now in conjunction with the Iconic Youth Serum. The supplements contain Echium Oil which is exceptionally high in the anti-inflammatory Stearidonic Acid (x3-6 that of fish oils) as well as Vitamin C which is important for collagen synthesis. I am a huge fan of skin supplements and this one is great due to the rare addition of the Echium Oil which I haven’t seen elsewhere.
Merumaya Concentrated Spot Treatment
Merumaya’s products are great for those who are concerned about both ageing and adult acne. I suffer from hormonal spots and had gotten a massive spot at that time of the month and was so grateful that I had this Spot Treatment on hand! It’s drying but not too drying and I used it on top of my skincare. It helped with the redness and ‘angriness’ of the spot as well. It also doesn’t dry into a crusty white mess like some spot treatments so you can use this under make-up as well and you won’t see a thing!
Caudalie Make-up Removing Cleansing Oil
Oh I do love cleansing oil. This one smells amazing and does the job really well. Some oils I have found just end up smearing around my make-up on my face but this one actually dissolves it. And it doesn’t strip skin either. I do a double cleanse with this just to make sure everything is removed. Simply pump a few drops into hands, massage over face with a bit of water, rinse and then repeat the whole process. Your skin will feel cleansed without feeling tight and dry. And it’s 100% natural! Smells amazing too!
This is an absolutely gorgeous fragrance! I love this for fall/winter because there is a sexiness to the smell of it. It’s perfect for night because of its more serious tones but I spray this during the day too because when you wear it you mean business! This fragrance has quickly become one of my favourites and now has a coveted spot on my shelf.
BOSS NUIT pour femme was inspired by the Little Black Dress and what it stands for. So in essence this fragrance really does suit everyone. It balances feminine with sexy – with florals mixed in with sandalwood and more warming tones. It’s pretty much perfect. The top notes are white peach and wet aldehydes, which after settling on the skin will change to white violet and jasmine (uber feminine) and then round out to a warmer and deeper tone with crystal moss, warm woods and creamy sandalwood. This is feminine but bossy. Think #GirlBoss.
F.O.Y. Revitalising Eye Contour Gel
F.O.Y. stands for Fountain of Youth and it’s a brand that is relatively new to the scene in the UK. The great thing about this Eye Contour Gel is that it is really lightweight and soothing. So it would be great for someone who has sensitive eyes (like me). It is quickly absorbed and I like to use this in the morning straight from the fridge because it will de-puff your eyes quickly. It contains echinacea extract which is really interesting (haven’t seen this previously) which is a 100% natural concentrate with excellent anti-ageing, anti-irritant and antioxidant properties. It also contains the hero ingredient Hyaluronic Acid as well as sea chamomile, which has a relaxing effect on the eye.
This is a great moisturising cream for those who are concerned about hydration. The key ingredient, hyaluronic acid, works to holds and retain water in our skin’s dermis which will give you a plumper look. The cream also helps to achieve a soft-focus look by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This is a good one for winter as it contains shea butter – rich in vitamins A, E and F which are highly nourishing, conditioning and protecting. Sinks in well and works great under make-up too.
F.O.Y. Rejuvenating Night Cream
This again tackles hydration and the actual density of the skin with an interesting mix of Ginseng Root, Gotu-Cola and Symphytum. We lose volume in our faces as we age so it’s great to tackle this early on so we can keep on looking as plump as possible! Also when you use all of these products in conjunction with each other it makes a big difference.
F.O.Y. Double Action Anti-Cellulite Gel
This is helps reduce the “orange peel” appearance of cellulite and fights the formation of “trapped fat” below the skin’s surface. I have used cellulite creams before and what makes this one different is that it stings the skin and makes it red and warm so I feel like it is actually doing something! But be prepared for the tingling and slightly stinging feeling associated with this. As long as you are prepared for it it’s okay!
I LOVE LOVE this truly exceptional product. I have fine hair and I find this doesn’t make my hair greasy at all. I would highly recommend this for fine hair. I even use it to refresh my waves on a non-wash day as a styling cream as well. Again, it doesn’t even leave dry hair greasy looking. It’s best to think of this as a hair lotion that absorbs into strands with no trace left behind. This product works to regenerate and protect hair. It acts as a thermal protector for up to 430°F which is fabulous. This is a silent guard – you won’t see it in your hair but you will see the results. I use about four pumps of it on towel-dried hair and about 2 pumps on the ends of my dry ends on non-wash days. With key ingredients of Sapote Butter, Baobab Oil and Botanical Keratin, this is one brilliant product.
By Terry Light Expert Click Brush
I love this By Terry Light Expert Click Brush. It blends fabulously and I got so many compliments on how great my skin looked when I wore it. The great thing about this product is that you can actually see how much product remains so you know just how much you have left. You can also use it to contour if you are using a slightly darker colour. So forget the foundation brush, you have it all with this. I found the formula to be really smooth as well and it blends easily. You can also use this on days you don’t want to wear much make-up at all as you can dab on foundation onto areas that you need it and just blend in. This makes for a fantastic natural look.
We all know that when it comes to mascara it’s all about the brush. This NARS Audacious Mascara has over 200 molded bristles and lengthening hooks! It really and truly grabs onto lashes and separates them. It also lifts them and gives lashes a very fluttery effect with no clumps. The brush grabs from roots to tips and stretches the lashes upwards, making you look more awake and alert. I found this worked even better and had more lasting power when I combined it with my Manna Kadar Lash Primer – this meant that there were no smudges at the end of the day and the mascara didn’t run at all. You can also build this mascara up to be more dramatic or just sweep through once if you are going for a more natural look.
The perfect pairing to the Audacious Mascara is the Audacious Khol Liner. This is a creamy, matte-black liner that is great for creating a smoky eye or a defined cat-eye –whatever you want. I sometimes have a hard time drawing a perfectly straight line so I find that if I apply this and then go over it with a lip brush (yes a lip brush) very slowly that it melts into a perfect line as the brush is heated by the warmth of the skin.
Dermalogica doesn’t disappoint with this Sheer Tint. The thing I like about this is that because this is actually a moisturiser, it means you are not actually wearing make-up! So it allows you to go make-up free – literally. This is great for the weekends for me as I tend to go for a lighter, more natural look. The fact that it also contains an SPF20 means I don’t have to worry about using any additional SPF creams. This is very lightly-tinted so don’t see this as actual make-up but as what it says – a tinted moisturiser. It contains light-diffusing Iron Oxides, Hyrdrolized Pearl amino acids, Hyaluronic Acid and walnut seed extract – all which help illuminate the skin and improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of fine dehydration lines.
Amazing Cosmetics Anti-Ageing Face Primer
Have you ever tried Amazing Cosmetics Concealer? Well, if you haven’t read the reviews – it truly is amazing. So imagine my excitement when the Face Primer (above image with the Dermalogica Sheer Tint) launched! These people really know how to make make-up that doesn’t sit on the face, but melds into the face. That’s why the products are so seamless and natural – it’s their ability to actually melt! Also, not only does this primer melt into your skin and provide an amazing canvass for further make-up application, it also hydrates your skin with Cassia Angustifolia, which is an all-natural ingredient that keeps skin moisturised for up to a full 24 hours! It contains no oil so shouldn’t irritate skin or cause spots either.
If you are spot-prone but don’t want to take any sort of medicine to control your spots and are looking for a more natural solution I would recommend Accumax Skin Supplements. These supplements are great for targeting acne in a natural way. No Accutane here! Accumax is an all-natural supplement that contains a specific ingredient called DIM which works from the inside out. DIM comes from broccoli and is great for the skin – I take two tablets twice a day for maximum results and I have noticed a reduction in hormonal spots which come at the time of my period so that’s really great news!
Magnitone Barefaced Cleansing Brush
I love this Magnitone Barefaced Cleansing Brush because it is gentle! I have used cleansing brushes in the past but some of them have been too harsh for my skin. This one however, has incredibly soft bristles. It also has Vibra-Sonic technology so it gives your skin a very nice massage as well. I am a big fan of face massage and stimulation to get the circulation moving on my face. This is great for toning and keeping the muscles nice and perky! Volume loss is a big concern for me as I am in my thirties and so toning and massaging my face daily is really important to me and I have noticed a big difference in the tone of my face since I’ve started doing it.
The cleansing brush also deep cleans pores so great if you live in a polluted city. The brush vibrates with a combo of sonic oscillations + electromagnetic vibrations which helps to give the skin an energising workout. Because of the vibrations, this essentially ‘wobbles’ out impurities. And it also makes skin glow! I really love the size of this device as well as it is easy to travel with. It comes with a wireless USB charger (so convenient!) and travel bag. And drum roll…it’s waterproof! So you can use it in the shower! This is also mistake-proof to use because it has a built in timer that beeps after 20 seconds so you can use this for one minute – 20 seconds on the cheeks, 20 seconds on the T-zone and 20 seconds on the neck. It’s brilliant. If you are looking for a cleansing brush I would highly recommend this one.
