Winter Skincare Saviour Routine | Beauty

winter skincareMy Winter Skincare Saviour Routine

Ok, so it may officially be autumn, but I’m already thinking about my winter skincare routine. Winter can be tough on all of us. The combination of lack of sunlight, harsh wind and rain, and cold weather is not ideal. It’s fair to say that we all suffer a little at this time of year. As someone with sensitive skin, I’m always cautious about taking extra care. So I’ve put together my My Winter Skincare Saviour Routine.

Winter Skincare for… Eyes

  • FaceD – Instant Effect Depuffing Eye Mask | Buy
    • One of my favourite eye masks for reviving tired, puffy eyes.
  • Trilogy – Age-Proof CoQ10 Eye Recovery Concentrate* | Buy
    • This caffeine eye roll brightens, lifts and refreshes. It also keeps me going during the day when my eyes need a pick-me-up. A saviour for someone who works in front of a screen full-time.
  • Ren – Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift* | Buy
    • I love eye creams, and I’m always after the next wonder product. This gel-serum not only lifts, but dramatically brightens the delicate eye area too.

winter skincare

Winter Skincare for… Face

  • Sephora – Precision Pore Cleansing Pad | Buy
    • I use this in my daily routine. It works to invigorate the skin and clean pores, helping to exfoliate and soften the skin.
  • Caudalie – Grape Water | Buy
    • I use this as a toner, to set my make-up, and to sooth my skin. Wonder product!
  • Omorovicza – Oxygen Booster* | Buy
    • This oxygen-rich serum works to revitalise, replenish and hydrate lack-lustre skin. This is one high quality product.
  • Elemis – Biotec Skin Energising Cleanser | Buy
    • A gentle, deep-cleansing wash, for refreshed looking skin. This smells amazing, and treats my skin good.

Winter Skincare for… Body

  • Balance Me – Rose Otto Body Cream* | Buy
    • My skin tends to get dry around Winter, and sometimes I suffer from eczema. So this ultra soothing cream for dry skin is perfect.
  • Pai – Rosehip Bioregenrate Oil* | Buy
    • This is the ultimate multi-tacker. Perfect for the body, or face. Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil can be used to improve: dry patches, flaky patches, blemishes, dull skin tone, fine lines, scars, and sun damage.

winter skincare

Winter Skincare for… Hair

  • Aesop – Nurturing Shampoo  | Buy
    • Great for dry or damaged hair. I haven’t been let down by an Aesop product yet!
  • Aesop – Colour Protection Conditoner | Buy
    • This conditioner contains UV-protective Sunflower Seed to prolong colour retention and Hydrolyzed Oats to hydrate and soften chemically treated or damaged hair.
  • Grow Gorgeous – Cleansing Conditioner* | Buy
    • Forget shampoo. Forget conditioner. This does it all in one…make that 11-in-1. It combines foamless cleansing and deep conditioning in one step to rebalance the scalp and restore hair. I like to use it once a week.

winter skincare

Leave your winter skincare recommendations in the comments.
Don’t forget to check out more of my Beauty posts.

Review: Trilogy Age Proof Line Smoothing Day Cream


Just as my current moisturiser was running low, this fell through my letterbox. Trilogy is a brand I have known of/been using for the past few years, and I trust it. This particular product is a cream that claims to hydrate skin and help restore natural elasticity. It can also help combat those fine lines by smoothing them out, hence the ‘Age Proof’ label. I figured I might as well get a head start on the ageing process, so I tried it out for myself.
Pros:
+ Hydrating
+ Absorbs quickly
+ Nice subtle scent to the product
+ Non-greasy texture to the cream
+ Leaves my skin smooth and supple
+ Packaging is simple yet sleek
Cons:
– Thin cream
– Product is a bit big for travelling
Notes:
I like Trilogy’s products and this cream has only cemented that feeling. I have been applying this in the morning, as part of my usual skincare routine (I use a different moisturiser at night). The cream itself is slightly thinner than the usual moisturisers I use, but thankfully that doesn’t detract from the quality of the product. I like the texture of the cream, it’s not greasy and it doesn’t sit heavy on my skin. It actually absorbs pretty quickly into my skin, leaving it feeling thoroughly moisturised. It has a nice subtle scent to it, and although I can’t pin it down exactly, I still like it. After using this my skin feels smooth and supple, and whereas I can’t credit it purely to this product, my skin has been in great condition lately. This is a nicely packaged item, with plenty of product. However I do find that it’s a bit big to pop in my handbag, or to take with me when I’m travelling. At £30.50 this is high end skincare that is certainly worth the investment.
You can buy Trilogy’s Line Smoothing Day Cream at Boots.

Pegasus Beauty Showcase

Snaps from Pegasus Beauty Showcase, and the contents of my goodie bag*

Yesterday I attended Pegasus PR’s Beauty Showcase at One Marylebone.
The ladies (are there any gents? I’ve not met one yet) at Pegasus PR are always so lovely.
I am always happy to meet and chat with them as they genuinely love what they’re doing.
They also represent so many wonderful brands, a lot of whom I own and buy regularly.
So I knew there would be some amazing brands at the showcase and I couldn’t wait.
I was literally one of the first to arrive – that’s how eager I was to check it out!
The showcase itself was set out very nicely, making it easy to notice (and chat) with each brand.
Some of the brands I know and have worked with thanks to Pegasus were there: Trilogy, Avène, Klorane, Dr Organic Australian Bodycare, and Holland & Barrett. It’s always nice to see tried and tested favourites. I was also happy to see a few new brands being represented such as Collection (formerly Collection 2000) and Witch. Even though I was impressed by pretty much all the brands there were several that really stood out to me. What were they?
+ Trilogy Sensitive Range – sfor those with sensitive skin. The serum was as light as a feather.
+ Dr Organics Snail Gel – sounded weird enough for me to try it, and smelt heavenly, like lemon sherbet.
+ Holland & Barrett Aromatherapy Oils – over 35+ oils in the range, each with its own purpose & properties.
SHOWCASE WINNER: Collection Gothic Glam Lipstick & Polish
I will be investing in literally all of these when they’re released later this year (apart from #1 Dramatic polish as that was in my goodie bag). The lipsticks are the exact colours I love and I know I would wear them everyday. The polishes also came in 4 brilliant shades that remind me a bit of crushed velvet – love it!
Thanks for such an amazing showcase Pegasus!
I can’t wait to try out the goodies in my bag and review some on the blog.

Review: Trilogy Daily Defence Moisturiser


Trilogy is not a new brand to the beauty market, some of you may even remember the review I did earlier in the year of their facial exfoliant. I am a fan of the brand, so I was excited to try out their daily defence moisturiser.
What does it do?
Trilogy say; “This lightweight formula contains a new generation SPF to provide effective UV protection from the sun’s harsh rays, while 100% pure plant oils offer long-lasting hydration for soft, supple skin. Provides the perfect base for make-up.” They also boast that it is used by Strictly Come Dancing’s latest edition, Denise Van Outen.
Does it do it?
Well obviously I can’t comment on the UV protection as Winter has now hit and we barely ever see the sun. However I will take Trilogy’s word for this as I’m always happy to see a moisturiser/foundation that contains an SPF – especially for my pale complexion. As for the perfect base for make-up, I would have to disagree. It goes on slightly dry and needs to be worked in. I didn’t find it much of a base but that may be down to my skin type.
As for my skin, well it is soft & supple.
What is it like?
The texture of the product is quite dry to be honest, and a little like putty. Trilogy have suggested adding a little rose hip oil to the product (with good results). That’s fine if you have some handy, but it’s not ideal for most people.
That aside, for my combination – sensitive skin type this is a wonderful moisturiser. It’s not too rich or creamy and it doesn’t weigh my skin down. I was really impressed as it didn’t cause me to get dry patches or break out, which is always a possibility for me when trying a new moisturiser.
Would I buy it?
The price tag is a bit hefty for me at £28.50 so I don’t think so.
I would consider it if it were slightly cheaper…or I had more money.
You can buy Trilogy’s Daily Defence Moisturiser in Boots stores and online here.

Review: Trilogy Exfoliant & Apricot Face Mask

Trilogy Gentle Facial Exfoliant & My Beauty Diary Southern France Apricot Mask

I decided to review these two items together, as they are both new additions to my skin care routine and 
are also two products that compliment each other well.
Trilogy Gentle Facial Exfoliant 
Purchase it here

I use this twice a week, in the evening after my skin care routine.
I love the texture of the product; it feels a little grainy to touch, but when applied it’s quite satisfying to feel the Jojoba wax spheres work their magic on your skin, as you massage the treatment in. 
It leaves a pleasant smell on your skin, which reminds me a bit of oats.
After several weeks of use, I would definitely say my skin is feeling smoother and more radiant. A little goes a long way with this product, so I think it will last me for quite a while. My only criticism would be that it dried my skin out a little, but I wouldn’t suggest using an exfoliant without a moisturiser of some kind anyway. 
My Beauty Diary Southern France Apricot Mask 
Purchase it here 

I’ve only been using these for a week, but so far so good.
These are sheet masks that cover your whole face. You leave the mask on for about 20-30mins, and just sit back and relax. The masks are incredibly cool and really are relaxing to wear, and smell amazing! Afterwards it’s best to massage in any remaining serum. I use this after I have exfoliated and I must say the moisturising effect is amazing. My skin felt so supple and soft after only the first use, which surprised me as I don’t usually expect to see a difference straight away with most skin care products. This mask is suitable for normal to dry / combination skin.
No criticisms really, except that the mask is pretty big so you will need to make sure it is securely on.
Finally, here’s a scary picture of me in my mask after exfoliating:


Your Choice: Winter Skin Saviours

I was recently sent a variety of skin care products to try out, all of which are aimed at helping fight against the harsh effects of Winter. I will need to use them for a little while before I hopefully start to see any effects, so whilst I am testing the above three items, I’d like to know which item you would like to see reviewed first?


Bio-Oil (Boots)
“You can use Bio-Oil all over, including on the face, to provide daily protection and to perfect your skin. Or, use it as an intense treatment for delicate areas that are most at risk from damage caused by exposure to the elements, such as hands, nails and cuticles, face, neck and décolletage.” – Bio-Oil skincare expert Kirsty Mawhinney

Bio-Oil’s concentrated formula is enriched with Vitamin E to protect against dehydration and Vitamin A to keep skin supple and smooth. These essential skincare ingredients are important on their own, but in Bio-Oil they are combined with PurCellin Oil™ to take them deep into the second layer of the skin for gold-standard targeted treatment.

Manuka Doctor Apinourish Repairing Skin Cream (Holland and Barrett)
This lightweight non-greasy cream delivers a perfect balance of intense hydration and purified nutrients that accelerate skin regeneration. In turn, repairing the skin’s natural balance and assisting in the reduction of the appearance of fine lines and scarring.

Trilogy Gentle Facial Exfoliant (Boots)
“It’s even more important to exfoliate once or twice per week during colder winter months. Especially with a non-abrasive treatment such as Trilogy Gentle Facial Exfoliant. When the winter comes the skin produces less natural oils due to the cooler temperatures and central heating so the skin can lose some of its natural moisture. Regular exfoliation will remove the build up of dead skin cells and allow the skin to absorb extra moisture, as well as ensuring that skin retains radiance and vitality.” – Catherine de Groot, co-founder of Trilogy

Which product would you like to see reviewed first?
Bio-Oil
Manuka Doctor
Trilogy
Results