Winter Skin Fixers

Leaving the house with plump glowing skin and returning that evening with skin that resembles the Sahara Desert. Sound familiar? With Winter quickly approaching it's time for me to get involved with nourrishing creams, body oils and hydrating sptirz;s to give dry skin a kick up the backside...

Legs are the first thing to look a bit chapped, for everyday use I've been slapping on Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Vitalising Body Gel Oil, which, if the name didn't give it away, has a gel to oil texture that leaves skin glowing and moisturised. If my skin is in need of an extra boost I'll reach for luxurious Aesop Intense Rejuvinating Body Balm, which coats the skin, hydrated and leaves it smelling of vanilla and orange. Heaven! (I seriously need this in candle form) This intensive moisture routine extends to my shower, using the only shower gel I will ever purchase L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil, which I've raved about countless times before, it's an oil that lathers up in the shower, leaving skin feeling nourished and smooth.

After hearing Miranda Kerr was a fan of Coconut Cream I recently jumped on the bandwagon, I've been using this RMS Raw Coconut Cream as a do-it-all cream, body moisturiser, knees, elbows, cuticles you name it. It's a solid formula but when warmed up in hands becomes an oil. I'll use it once a week for a skin boost only to later discover it's labelled as a cleanser!

The cold weather takes it's toll on my hands and lips the most, I've been using L'Occitane Magical Leaves Hand Cream which is part of their Christmas Collection, according to L'Occitane one hand cream is sold every three seconds worldwide! I can see why - rich, nourishing and easily absorbed. For lips, it's Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm For Lips, a thick cream I use as an overnight treatment to bring dry lips back to smooth. 

There are a couple of new face items I've added, firstly Darphin Purifying Balm, (post here) which has got to be one of my favourite product discoveries of 2012, is an absolute godsent it hydrates calms redness, blemishes, I absolutely adore this stuff and couldnt be without it!

Ingredient of the moment Hylaronic Acid, which is said to hydrate and support the skin is cropping up everywhere at the moment. I've been using a combination of two products to help add and lock in moisture. Firstly is Hydraluron, a gel texture that's applied before moisturiser or serum, Caroline describes it as a magnet for moisture. So far so good! Less blemishes, less dehydration lines and doesn't interfere with my makeup longevity. 

Next up from one of my favourite brands, Balance Me, is their latest release, Skin Brightening Hydrating Face Mist. Like all face spritz's should this smells incredible, a mixture of rose and orange but more importantly aims to focus on hydrating skin. Despite it being a large and hefty bottle I haven't let that stop me carrying it around on the go for a pick me up spritz.

I think it's fair to say I'm getting my daily dose of moisture! Anything I need to add to my routine?

The Miracle Workers

More often than not I'm a little disappointed with products, there will always be something I don't like or something that can be improved but this is all about the products I absolute adore, ones that produce results and work magic.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Extreme

I'll be forever grateful for this hair mask as it saved my hair when it was in its worst condition, so dry and damaged I could hardly style it and after a couple months of weekly treatments it looked less straw-like and much more bouncy. I'll keep this in damp hair overnight and wash my hair the next morning for super soft manageable locks. 

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil (post here) 

I'm not usually too fussed about what's in my shower but this is the one product I will actually hunt down. I've never tried a shower oil like it, it's an oil that emulsifies with water and turns into a moisturising paste. Perfect for winter where it leaves skin so moisturised and nourished! 

Darphin Aromatic Purifying Balm

Something new in my stash of favourites is this balm, which I've been religiously using on dehydrated skin overnight and awake stroking my plump, smooth and soft face. It's been working absolute miracles on those pesky blemishes by keeping redness at bay and speeding up healing time. More on this later... stay tuned!

Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm For Lips (post here)

A thick layer of this will solve even the driest of lips. Even though this isn't running out anytime soon I already have a back up, just so I'm never without it!

Xen Tan Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe (post here)

Applied just before bed and washed off in the morning, produces the most beautiful colour around. Not too orange and has the perfect olive undertone that will last just under a week before it starts to fade or go patchy.

Dior Lash Serum & Primer (post here)

A couple coats of this before mascara helps lashes appear longer and thicker and lengthened (without clumping!) Love!

Bliss Lid and Lash Wash Makeup Remover (post here) 

When you're a smokey eye wearer like I am removing all that heavy eye makeup can become quite the chore. Something that makes it a little easier is Bliss Lid + Lash Wash Eye Make Up Remover which melts eye makeup off in one swipe, without pulling or tugging at my lashes or leaving an oily residue. 

Before Dr Lewinns ReNunail (left) After Dr Lewinns ReNunail (right)

Dr LeWinns ReNunail Nail Strengthener (post here)

I've never managed to find a nail treatment that's actually done wonders for my nails but this totally saved them. My nails wouldn't grow past a certain (stumpy) point without breaking or chipping and after two uses of this treatment (as recommended) I ended up with total claws! 

Loves Of The Month: May

I've discovered and rediscovered so many great items this month! So I'll talk briefly about each one I've been loving...

Firstly I know it's a bit over dramatic to say a hair mask has changed your life but that's the love I'm feeling for Fekkai Advanced Technician Colour Care Mask - works in three minutes and leaves hair SO soft and manageable, smelling amazing and prolongs colour! Full review here

Chanel Summer 2012 Collection Nail Polish in 617 Holiday & 607 Delight. I love these colours they are the perfect combination for summer, especially putting Delight on my ring fingers! You can see the whole Chanel range here

L'Occitane Almond Range - Using the body oil and shower gel have really made me a happy bunny this month, both smell divine, leave my skin so hydrated, smooth and moisturised! Read more here 

As it's exam time I've had a fair few blemishes due to stress so out come the stop zappers! I've discovered two great ones, Aesop Chamomile Concentrate Anti Blemish Mask which I just pop over the blemish overnight and during the day I apply Dr Nick Lowe Spot Gel four times (and even over makeup!) full post here

As well as blemish stress exam time brings about dry lips for me too! I've rediscovered my Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm which I apply before bed and it's still on my lips the next morning! Smells lovely too...you can read a more in-depth review here

Something that has made changing polish a lot easier, the Bourjois 1 Second Nail Polish Remover which is a pot of sponge infused nail polish remover. Just swish your finger around the hole in the sponge and your polish comes off! This isn't a new invention but compared to others it isn't so drying and leaves nails really moisturised, also smells lovely.

In this heat my bottom lash mascara tends to slide around and transfer onto my skin but not anymore thanks to Anastasia Lash Genius which is basically a coat of clear mascara that makes it waterproof! See how here

The eyeshadow I've been reaching for most is Burberry Pale Barley Sheer Eyeshadow which is the most gorgeous colour ever! I'm totally obsessed with Burberry eyeshadows, they are really blendable, very well colour pigmented and so creamy!

I've tried out a couple of new fake tans this month and all they did was remind my how much I love my Xen Tan Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe and I should not have strayed from it! They others just didn't compare! Full post all about it here

After recently recommending Oribe Dry Texturising Spray to a friend and getting her addicted to it too my love for it was reinforced! Its literally like backcombing in a bottle...perfect for girls with heavy hair that want some volume! Trish McEvoy told me it was her hair volume secret a couple of months ago too!  Full post about here

An entire range I love... the Guerlain and Pucci Collaboration! Some of the most beautifully packaged bronzers I've ever seem! As well as amazing products including a blue lipgloss. This is definitely going to sell out soon! Full post about the range here

Currently Loving: Almonds

The L'Occitane range have really been doing amazingly well in my good books recently! It's very rare that I love a skincare item thats based on food as well as the actual food itself, but hello almonds! L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil, which I raved about fully here, is definitely my favourite skin oil (and I have tried my fair few) along with the amazing smell comes a moisturising, soft oil that leaves me waking up to the most lovely skin ever. Paired together with another item in the range I love, the Almond Shower Oil, to give the dream team of achieving soft skin. The shower oil is really buttery soft but lathers really easily which is why I love it.

On to the actual food these are based on, Almonds. One of my friends, whose Mom is actually a nutritionist, would always have a little pot of almonds next to her bed to snack on. Probably because they are a really healthy snack with tons of benefits       . What many would describe as 'brain food', as well as boosting energy and helping aid weight loss. The most important for me is the skincare and haircare benefits, being a good source of protein almonds can aid hair and nail strength and growth as well as being heigh in antioxidants! 

Skin Saviour: L'Occitane Supple Skin Oil

Body oils  are one of those things that you either love or hate and I am one of those that absolutely loves them! I've been through countless bottles from thisWorks to Nuxe to Omorovicza and the L'Occitane Supple Skin Almond Body Oil is high up at the top of the list!

The scent is probably what drew me to it the most, the first time I sampled this was on a brief walk by in Selfridges and I literally could not stop smelling my hands! Think a mix of marzipan, oil and almonds, but trust me it's good. Made & perfect for dry skin as oils help sink into the skin and penetrate into the layers rather than just sitting on top of it.  Compared to other oils like thisWorks Dry Leg Oil it's a lot thicker making the spreading a little harder and sinks in the quickest (yep I tested!) Of course it does leave that residue that oil does so before sleeping is probably the best time to apply this. I've consulted a couple of my fellow beauty obsessors too and apparently it's fantastic for people with ecxzma and psoriasis too!         

Event: L'Occitane & Top Sante Magazine

At L'Occitane recently I was very fortunate to meet the lovely beauty editor of Top Sante Magazine, Fiona Embleton. We had a lovely chat about what she recommended from the store & her favourite products & I thought I would share her top three products from L'Occitane!

- Perfect scrub is the Immortel Brightening Instant Exfoliator, as the beads are not too harsh that you feel like you're rubbing and tugging your skin but just perfect amount that you feel you're getting off dead skin

- In the morning Fiona loves to use the Citrus Verbena Shower Gel as it's really refreshing and awakening (I actually bought this myself as it smelt divine!)

- For an evening bath Fiona uses the Lavender Shower Gel as the scent is really calming & relaxing at the end of a long day!

At the end of the evening I was given a goodybag packed with tons of lovely L'Occitane goodies and an issue of Top Sante Magazine that had not been released yet! If you haven't been to a L'Occitane store before I highly recommend you do! They have some of the most gorgeous products (posts about them coming soon!) and the staff are really friendly :)

Thank you L'Occitane, Top Sante Magazine & Fiona Embleton for hosting a lovely event!

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