Next up in my lil’ overview of my best beauty products for 2018 is all things skincare.
It was a very strange year for me in terms of skincare because my skin went crazy…like never before, with being pregnant. I had sensitivities and a lot of rashes appearing after using my usual anti-ageing regime and I had to pare it back and keep it relatively simple.
During my house move I was living off travel sizes and samples and I found a small bottle of the Aurelia Cell Repair Night Oil. I have never tried this particular product before, although I have tried lots of other things from this BioOrganic brand. I was really impressed by it – so much so that when I run out of a few other face oils I have on-the-go at the moment, I’m going to purchase the full-size. It contains a blend of Kalahari, Baobab & Mongongo oils which are rich in essential fatty acids, omegas and antioxidants to give your skin multiple benefits. I really looked forward to using it every night also because of how aromatic and wonderful it smelt : it contains a blend of neroli, lavender, rose & mandarin which encourages mindfulness and relaxation.
Not new for 2018, but new for me : Tata Harper Clarifying Cleanser. LOVE Tata Harper so much : wish I could afford the entire range so much. I tend to dip in and out of her products as and when I can afford. It’s one of my favourite skincare brands for sure but it is hella pricey. This was the first time I had tried this particular cleanser and it’s my favourite AM in-shower face wash. Great for balancing and normalising oily/breakout skin without the harsh chemicals or skin-stripping ingredients that can be associated with clarifying face washes.
Balm cleansers are my main thang and I go through so many but the one that really stood out for me was the Evolve Organic Beauty Gentle Cleansing Melt*. I love everything about this organic skincare brand and this nourishing PM cleansing balm is sumptuous, luxurious and is an absolute treat to use. It is a thick baobab oil-based cleansing balm, so perfect as step 1 of a 2-step cleanse, to remove makeup, grime and SPF. A lot of organic cleansing balms can leave the skin still feeling an little oily but this one emulsifies with sugar extract so it rinses off the skin really well.
Fancy a pamper but have reactive skin ? Look no further than the Mario Badesccu Flower & Tonic Mask : I picked this up in America a while ago….as I have been a fan of his skincare for many years (started off way-back-when with the infamous by the spot lotion). It’s just a slightly different mask to the norm that I tend to have (stonger acid-based / brightening or heavy clay-based) and it’s just a simple all-rounder that isn’t too strong, astringent or overly active ; again perfect for my pregnancy skin. It is a clarifying mask, but contains a wealth of gentle flower extracts to counteract the clay-deep-cleanse and designed for sensitive skin : no dry, crackling, statue-of-liberty-face feeling.
Moisturiser-wise I stepped away from the usual suspects and reached for the SVR Topialyse Barrier Cream*. This is a really unusual addition into my skincare regime ; It’s a super cheap, simple, fuss-free moisturiser that calms redness, irritation and soothes. I never usually have a need for this type of face cream except for in my makeup kit BUT pregnancy did crazy things to my skin and I spent a lot of time with reactions and rashes on my face that I have never had before in my life! In steps this SVR cream : it just felt really lovely, gave me the right amount of moisture without breaking me out and calmed irritation. Contains omegas 3,6,9 and a hit of hyaluronic acid. It’s not going to make you look 12678 years younger, with no claims to, but a winner for gentle hydration.
One of my absolute favourite launches of 2018 was the much-hyped FOREO UFO*: A gadget like no other. It’s a unique and super clever masking device that uses heat, light & cryo technologies to improve your skin and enhance the effects of the accompanying face masks. Definitely have a read of my full review to get all the info and lowdown.
Ahhhh Retinol, we cannot forget you. So during pregnancy you are advised not to do A LOT of things. Amongst the list as long as my arm is to avoid the use of strong Retinols. I chose to use gentle ones in place of my more heavy-duty high % ones to still get my anti-ageing skincare hit. The Clarks’ Botanicals Retinol Rescue Eye Serum* was new for 2018 and something I wanted to try immediately as I don’t *think* I have any eye creams with retinol in. The texture is nice and light (I get quite sensitive around my eyes, and often Milia) and it didn’t break me out or irritate my eye area at all. This is still the eye cream I am using daily.
Another new launch for 2018 and something I only started using post-Margot was the long-awaited PIXI Retinol Tonic*. I knew this had been on the cards for a while and it’s a great addition to their already formidable range of tonics. It contains a time-release retinol, that helps smooth the skin and soften fine lines and also jasmine flower to heal and balance the skin. This is a retinol treatment that can be used both AM/PM although definitely slap on an SPF if you are using it in the AM. I have only been using this a couple of weeks but I can see a noticeable improvement in my skin tone.
Can you spot any of your favourites here? What new skincare has been garnering your attention lately?
For transparency ; any product marked with an ‘*’ has been gifted to me by a PR. It does not and never will influence my reviews.
