I must admit, I’m very minimalistic when it comes to skin care. My rules are simple: take care of the skin from within before turning all the attention to the army of beauty helpers and pick the ones containing no parabens, not a single drop.
Still, I do enjoy trying and discovering new things as well as keeping the old favourites nearby and since I now have a list different from the one I posted back in January, it’s time to write a post and share.
1. Korres Wild Rose 24-hour moisturiser for brightening and illuminating, SPF 6. This cream contains wild rose oil known for its ability to tone the skin, prevent wrinkles, heal scars and reduce or prevent inflammations. I absolutely love the rich texture that somehow feels really light on the skin and the fact that this cream comes in a glass jar and is free from parabens, mineral oils, silicone and propylene glycol. Priced at £19 for 40g jar that lasts for at least 2 months, it’s cost budget friendly. I use this cream at night and this one, also by Korres, in the morning.
2. Korres Evening Primrose Oil eye cream contains primrose oil, vitamin C and zinc that help to prevent and reduce first wrinkles as well as illuminate the skin around the eyes. The tub is HUGE for an eye cream and I only use a rice-size amount that’s enough for both eyes. RRP £22.50 for 30ml.
3. Korres Milk Proteins 3-in-1 cleanser. I bought this one to try and see how I get on with a creamy cleanser as I don’t often go for this texture and prefer gels. However, I’ve been very happy with it so far – it removes daily dirt, make-up (including eye make-up) and tones at the same time. It’s also a good product for those who prefer not to use water on their face as the cleanser can be left on. Personally, I remove the excess with a cotton wool and then rinse my face with warm water. RRP £14.00 for 200ml.
4. My Nuxe Masque Doux aux 3 Roses white clay mask also contains rose oil as well as 17 other active ingredients that purify the skin. Although I wasn’t too keen on its fragrance to begin with, the texture was incredibly delicate and creamy. It didn’t dry my skin out either, so I could use it all over my face, not just the T-zone. Frankly, I can’t fault any of the Nuxe products. I’ve used them for ages and am likely to switch back to the creams and cleansers at some point.
5. Margaret Dabbs Exfoliating Food Mousse scrub is one of the two products you would ever need to keep your feet baby soft and beautiful. I bought it back in spring and fell in love after the first use. You need a very small amount of the product that you massage into your feet before jumping in a shower. Use it once every few days and you’ll be the happiest (and pretties) girl ever. RRP £15.00 for 100ml.
6. Margaret Dabbs Hydrating food treatment is a delicate cream that you can use after the scrub or on its own on a daily basis. You need 1 pump to work on both feet, so the bottle lasts ages. I really love the light citronella fragrance, too. RRP £25.00 for 200ml. The best of the best of the best foot cream ever.
7. Balance Me Rose Otto body wash was a freebie that came with a September issue of Red magazine last week. It’s just lovely… It smells like a mixture of sweets and rose petals and feels really moisturising on the skin. RRP £8.00 for 125ml or just buy the magazine this month.
8. Sanctuary Body Scrub is gentle enough to be used daily. I bought it because it was affordable (£5.10 for 200ml), paraben-free and contained neroli oil that I adore. I was more than pleased with the product because not only it left my skin feeling really soft as if it was actually moisturised, but also because of its fragrance. It smells pretty much the same as Dune by Christian Dior, so if you use this perfume, you can easily combine the two.
9. Once everything was polished and moisturised, I prettify my tootsies with a touch of OPI Clubbing Til Sunrise – one of the varnishes I use on a regular basis. It’s a beautiful orange shade that shimmers and looks absolutely beautiful with tan sandals.
10. My hair routine remained the same for months now. I got back to my Kevin Murphy Balancing Wash Shampoo as this one can be used daily (it smells of lavender, by the way), followed by Kevin Murphy Hydrate-Me Rinse Conditioner. I honestly cannot recommend Kevin Murphy products highly enough – they work, contain natural oils and extract and smell heavenly. I love every single one of them and buy professional size bottles these days, which ensures that I have plenty available and also saves some money.
And this is pretty much it. The only item I haven’t mentioned is the oil I use instead of a body moisturiser, but since I’ve talked about it in my January post, I decided not to include it here.
What about you? Any beauty discoveries or old favourites that you would never get tired of? Please do share.
Photo source: Elle Russia March 2008, personal
