Saturday 21 July 2012

Dry, winter skin - My Heroes!


So I have had a very busy week without much time to think of what on earth I was going to blog about. As luck would have it, I was reading the forums on beautyheaven and someone posted about dry skin under the eyes. This problem has plagued me alllllll winter and I have finally solved it! On the basis of such success, I thought I would share with you how I try to keep my skin hydrated over the cold, dry months.

1. SHE Pure Lift Eye Cream
I have been using this eye cream day and night for the past couple of weeks and it is awesome for the following reasons:
* Hydrating, yet lightweight
* Sinks in quickly
* Works well under concealer
* Does not irritate my skin
* Does not cause milia

Nuff said.. and it's only $14.95 from Priceline.

2. Clinique Moisture Surge
Clinique moisture surge is a lighweight, watery gel moisturiser. I don't use this moisturiser on it's own as it's not moisturising enough for me. It's designed to be used to supplement your moisturiser, and I find it's fantastic for that. It also leaves your skin silky and prepped for makeup without the silicone feel. It does have dimethicone in it, but in such small quantities it's not really worth noting. I slather this on over my normal moisturiser and also have a travel size in my purse to pat on over my makeup during the day if there are any dry and flakies. As you can see by how far through this jar I am, I LOVE THIS STUFF. Oh and also harmless on my acne prone skin.

Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betula Alba (Birch) Bark Extract, Silybum Marianum (Lady's Thistle) Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Sucrose, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Trehalose, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Sorbitol, Oleth-10, Tromethamine, Caffeine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, PEG-8, Ammonium
Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Carbomer, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Red 4 , Yellow 5

Available at Clinique counters.

3. Avene Eau Thermale (Thermal Spring Water)
This is a must have for me. Yes, I hear you all saying "just put water in a spray bottle". But I really like the mist that comes out of the Avene can. It takes ages for me to go through one of these bottles, so I will suffer the cost. I use this every morning after I finish my makeup as it makes my skin feel fresh and hydrated. It's also great to cool and soother the skin. Ahhhh the miracle that is water.

Available at Priceline and selected pharmacies.

4. Paula's Choice RESIST Weekly Resurfacing Treatment (10% Glycolic Acid)
For me, keeping dry winter skin at bay means two things: Hydration and Exfoliation. I find it particularly hard not to have a bit of dry skin because my skin is acne prone so I can't slather it in rich oils or butter, and also because I use epiduo topical treatment (adapalene and benzoyl peroxide). In order to keep my skin smooth and soft I use glycolic acid.

What is glycolic acid?
Glycolic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) produced from sugar cane. AHAs in low concentrations loosen the bonds between cells on the outermost layer of your skin. Basically, they get in there and take the top layer of your skin off. This may sounds nasty but if you've ever used a physical exfoliator with ground seeds or little beads, that is doing more than just taking off the top layer of your skin! Ouch.

How I lived without glycolic acid I'll never know. My pores are now clear and my skin smooth. My treatment of the moment is this 10% glycolic resurfacing treatment from Paula's Choice. For my skin, there is no irritation. I put this on once a week after cleansing in the evening, let it sit for half an hour and if my skin is tight I'll use some Clinique Moisture Surge gel. I've found exfoliating treatments work better without a moisturiser.

Ingredients: Water, Methylpropanediol (slip agent/penetration enhancer), Glycolic Acid (alpha hydroxy acid/exfoliant), Butylene Glycol (slip agent), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice (water-binding agent), Sodium Hydroxide (pH adjuster), Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract (antioxidant), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (vitamin C/antioxidant), Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract (anti-irritants), Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract (antioxidant),Arctium Lappa (Burdock) Root Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract (anti-irritants), Borago Officinalis (Borage) Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract (antioxidants), Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract (anti-irritant), Lamium Album (White Nettle) Flower Extract (antioxidant), Salix Nigra (Willow) Bark Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Ulmus Fulva (Slippery Elm) Bark Extract (anti-irritants), Glycerin (skin-identical ingredient), Allantoin (anti-irritant) Propylene Glycol (solvent), Tetrasodium EDTA (chelating agent), Phenoxyethanol (preservative).

Paula's Choice has a range of great exfoliators and you can order samples and buy online here.

5. Haus of Gloi Sugar Exfoliant (Twice is Nice)
Exfoliating your body to keep it from getting dry and flaky is just as important as looking after your face. I've found these Haus of Gloi sugar scrubs to be amazing in winter. As you can see from the ingredients, it is choc-full of beneficial oils so it moisturises as well as scrubs. The scents are to die for. I'm using the Twice is Nice scent at the moment, I don't love it as much as some of the others, it's a bit sweet. I love the formulation though. My favorite scent is "depravity".. so decadent!

Haus of Gloi

6. Nuxe Reve de Miel Baume Levres (lip balm)
Ahhhhh Nuxe Reve de Miele lip balm, where were you all my life? This lip balm from the French skincare company, Nuxe, is amazing on my super dry lips. It is a super thick, waxy, putty like texture with a matt finish on your lips. For this reason I don't like using it during the day. I find my lipsticks don't spread well when I've applied this. I do however use it every evening. I use it after I've cleansed and then just before I turn the lights out to go to sleep. It is so hydrating and nothing moisturises quite like it. It also has a beautiful honey, beeswax scent. L.O.V.E.

I purchased mine from lifeandlooks here.


What is one product you can't live without in winter?

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