Dry Skin Heroes

Following my post a few days ago on my new obsession with the M&S Coconut Body Butter, I got to thinking about the other products I rely on to help battle my dry and dehydrated skin. Here is a little compilation of my favourite products to use!

 

Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub Body Scrub - £8.00 - Boots.

 

One of my favourite Soap & Glory products and favourite scents to boot, I nearly had a meltdown when I couldn't find this in Boots last year, only to discover that it had been re-packaged and re-branded as part of their Smoothie Star range. This scrub packed with oats, shea butter, banana and almonds is the perfect thing to tackle dryness. It's not harsh at all and it perfect for sensitive skin(although I recommend skipping the chest area if you are sensitive as the skin is delicate). Using this once a week leaves my skin feeling refreshed and soft.

 

Lush Butterball Bath Bomb - £2.50 - Lush.

 

A firm favourite of mine and a repurchase, the Lush Butterball Bath Bomb is filled with moisturising cocoa nibs that dissolve into the bath and leave your skin coated in a gorgeous non-oily film that sinks into skin quickly and comfortably. I adore chucking this into the bath when I'm feeling a little too lazy to moisturise afterwards as it does the job for you!

 

Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser - £2.85 - Sainsburys.

 

I've had this product for a while now and always reach for it during a last-minute shower. It kind of work like a conditioner for your body - after washing, you apply this much like you would a hair conditioner and then simply rinse off for nourished, moisturised skin. For my full thoughts on this product, click here.

 

M&S Naturals Shea Body Butter - £5 - M&S

 

This is the shea variation of my much beloved Coconut body butter. The thick but light-weight cream is perfect for slathering onto dry patches and flaky bits without being heavy or tacky at all. Despite it's thickness it takes mere moments to sink in and leave you with beautifully soft skin. To read my thoughts on the coconut version, click here.

 

xx

 

Review: Johnson's Daily Essentials Gentle Exfoliating Wash



My skin and I, we don't always see eye to eye.

I have dryness that requires exfoliating and oiliness that requires a good clay face mask, but my sensitivity leaves these requirements as wishes. I've experimented before with a few different products to fit these needs but they've always left my skin red and sore, meaning I've had an exfoliator-sized space in my skin care routine for quite a long time.

So following my renewed love with my Johnson's Daily Essentials Day Cream, I decided to branch out with the Johnson's brand and try their Daily Essentials Gentle Exfoliating Wash. Following my own advice given in one of my very first posts, my Sensitive Skincare Guide, the key words for me with this product were 'daily' and 'gentle'. Something suitable for daily use is always a lot less harsh than something that isn't and of course, 'gentle'  properties is a must have for someone with sensitive skin. Also, the fact that it is a exfoliating wash rather than a straight-up exfoliator was a plus as this lessens the harshness, too.

Moving onto the product itself. This face wash is a sort of creamy lotion that's enriched with tiny little exfoliating beads to help buff away dull, lifeless skin. You simply dampen your face with warm water, apply a little to your fingertips and work over the skin in a circular motion to really buff it into those flaky bits. Remove with more warm water, paying attention to those little beads to make sure all product has been removed. It does have a scent to it - it's quite a pleasant scent but it's certainly powerful. It's very similar to the smell of the Day Cream, just in a more concentrated form.

After using this wash last night, my skin feels lovely. There's a little redness afterwards but that's completely normal when exfoliating as it just means that you've invigorated the skin. I follow up with my Day Cream and my skin feels soft and smooth and looks fresher. I only needed the tiniest amount of moisturiser this morning when applying my foundation and I have hardly any flaky bits.

Overall I'm very happy to welcome this scrub into my skincare routine! I'm only planning on using it once or twice a week just to be on the safe side, but for someone with oily or really dry skin it'd be suitable for daily use.

Prices vary between £3 - £4 from places such as Superdrug or Sainsburys.

xx

Review: Johnson's Daily Essentials Nourishing Day Cream

 

 

Following a recent summer-winter swap in my skincare routine, I've re-discovered this little beauty: Johnson's Daily Essentials Nourishing Day Cream for Dry Skin. I'd found that my usual Boots Simply Sensitive Moisturiser just wasn't up to scratch for the colder months and the tight, flaky skin that comes with it and was looking for a thicker, more nourishing cream to replace it with. During my earlier teenage years I'd been a big fan of this moisturiser and had forgotten about it once I'd used it all, but scouring the shelves in my local Sainsbury's I found this again - and also on offer for just £2 (normal price £4)!

 

 

 

This day cream has a thick, luxurious consistency that isn't at all heavy and greasy or long drying - I simply apply a light covering all over my face following my cleansing and toning routine, leave it to sink in for a few moments and apply my foundation right on top. It creates the perfect base for my make-up and helps fight against flakiness through-out the day. You don't even need a lot of it - I just tap my finger gently onto the surface and gain enough to cover at least half of my face.

 

It's also very aesthetically pleasing, too. It comes in a little glass jar with a pink screw-top lid that rests inside of it's own little cardboard box. I think it's really cute and makes it seem a lot more luxurious and expensive than if it was in a squirty bottle like most other moisturisers. The cream itself looks so deliciously buttery and smooth and is literally packed to the brim of the jar. 

 

The SPF 15 that this cream contains is an essential all year round and paired with my Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation, keeps my skin protected from the suns rays (even if they are behind the clouds). It's also packed with nourishing nutrients which leaves your skin super soft without a heavy greasy residue.

 

Overall Thoughts:

 

This is the perfect winter moisturiser - it's nourishing properties keeps flaky skin at bay whilst still containing SPF to keep your skin protected. The price is so perfect - just £4 for a cream that will last you forever due to the fact you only need a tiny dab at a time. The packaging in itself is lovely and makes me think of more high-end products.

 

xx



A Guide To Skincare: Dry Skin

Hellooooo!

I started off this series of posts right at the end of April but shamefully have only published the Oily (here) and the Sensitive (here) editions! *slap on the wrist*

However, I'm here today with the Dry Skin edition (at last). 

My own personal skin type is sensitive/dry, which basically means I use cleansers, toners, exfoliators ect designed for sensitive skin but I tend to go for moisturizers developed for dry skin as they're normally a lot more nourishing. 

'Diagnosing' a dry skin is generally a visual thing. The skin is obviously flaky either all over the face or on specific areas (eg the nose or cheeks) due to insufficient oil and moisture production. Most of the time these flakes can become detached from the face at gentle stimulus's very easily. This skin type is prone to premature aging (boo!), meaning wrinkles develop early, especially around the eyes. However blackheads and open pores are less likely after puberty. 

So, what products do you use? The 'superhero' products for dry skins are definitely a luxurious, thick moisturising cream and a gentle exfoliator. In my next point I'll explain what to look out for in cleansers, toners and face masks including the types of products and essential ingredients.

Essential Words: When purchasing a cleanser, learn towards lotions, milks or balms. These are a lot more nourishing than other cleansers. Avoid the use of foam cleansers as these are designed to suck the moisture out of the skin and are used when treating oily skin. Essential oils (I like to use coconut) are always good to lock in extra moisture, and can be mixed with a moisturiser. Moisturising creams that come in a pot are a lot thicker than lotions that come in a bottle and are more 'heavy duty' when it comes to treating dryness. Aloe Vera is also good to look out for - it's nourishing and soothing without irritating the skin. 

Personally, my all time favourite brand to use on my dryness is Johnsons, but I've also included a few others that have come highly recommended! 

1. Johnson's Daily Essentials Nourishing Cleansing Lotion - £3.29, Boots.

2. Nivea Double Effect Eye Make Up Remover - £3.59, Boots

3. LUSH Skin Drink Moisurising Cream - £11.95, LUSH

4. Montagne Jeunesse Dry Skin Mask - 90p, Primark

5. Nivea Facial Cleansing Wipes - £2.99, Boots

6. Johnsons Daily Essentials Nourishing 24 Hour Day Cream (with SPF 15) - £4.09, Boots

Now, I know I've said this a million times, but investing in monthly facials will significantly help with the look and feel of your skin. Check out college salons for great treatments at bargain prices, or perhaps have a birthday treat and go to a spa or salon? 

So I hope that helped! If you have any recommendations of products to put into this list leave a comment and I'll add it in.

What products do you use on your dry skin?