I know, I know. It's another haul. But with winter coming on and my skin misbehaving in all sorts of new and annoying ways, I am bound and determined to come up with a winning skincare routine for everyday as well as to have skincare solutions on-hand to deal with flare ups as they arise.
Looking for advice on the matter, I found Caroline Hirons - a skincare guru extraordinaire. For those of you who haven't heard of Caroline, she's an industry insider, but doesn't rep or push any particular brand. She's a straight-talking expert who doles out sage advice and product recommendations on her online clinics. If you have skin issues, visit her site NOW. Well, finish reading this post and then you can find the fabulous Ms. Hirons HERE.
Thanks to Caroline (don't you just love how I throw her name out there like we're BFFs now?) and through reading other product reviews I bought a boatload of new things. Here's the rundown:
1. Cure Natural Aqua Gel - Exfoliator; $39.00 for 250 mL - This was making the rounds on the beauty blogs. It's the #1 exfoliator in Japan and has been getting rave reviews. I've only used this a couple of times now, so I can't give an in-depth review, but it's light, non-sticky and you can literally see what I assume is dead skin coming off, but my skin doesn't feel stripped of moisture afterwards.
2. Yonka Masque No. 1 - Moisturizing Mask; $58.00 for 1.7 oz (could be cheaper on Amazon) - This stuff is awesome. I have used it 2-3x per week for the last 3 weeks overnight and when I wake up in the morning, my skin is smoother, softer and moisturized. I can definitely see this as my go-to mask for the cold, dry winter months.
3. Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins - Night Moisturizer; $39.00 for 1.7oz - This stuff smells awesome - like a citrus grove. It's light and moisturizing, but I'm still not completely sold on it. I feel that my skin gets spotty when I use it more than 3 nights in a row...I'm not sure if I am sensitive to all the essential oils (Yes, I got this from reading Caroline Hirons' clinic answers) so I can't use it every night. Nonetheless, a good night moisturizer when you figure out how much your skin can tolerate.
4. Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cream - Moisturizers; $55.00 for 1.7oz - I have used this every day since I got it and I love this stuff. It melts into my skin without making it greasy and is perfect for use under makeup. LOVE!
5. REN Hydra Calm Cleansing Milk - Cleanser; $32.00 for 5.1oz - A great creamy cleanser without all the crap that can mess with your skin. It does what it's supposed to do, feels lovely and my skin doesn't feel dry or tight after rinsing off. There's no residue. You might need to double cleanse (which I do anyway) or use a makeup remover beforehand if you use SPF or heavier makeup.
6. Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask - Mask; $23.00 for 3.4oz - Another product that gets talked about a lot in Caroline Hirons' clinic. It's a bestseller on the Origins website and I know tons of people who swear by it. I've only used this a couple of times and my skin is more moisturized in the morning. It's a solid product at a great price point, but if I could only have one overnight mask product, Yonka edges out Origins in terms of glowing next-day results.
7. Neal's Yard Wild Rose Balm - Treatment; $70.00 for 1.76oz - You guessed it, this is a Caroline Hirons favorite. It can be used 3 ways - cleanser, nourishing balm or treatment. I prefer to use this as an overnight treatment when I'm broken out (generally around that time of the month when I get spots around my mouth and chin). It's heavy duty, so I would only use it when I'm super dehydrated or as above. It goes on almost like vaseline, but if you can stand the slick texture, the next morning you'll be rewarded with soft skin.
8. Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm - Cleanser; $48.00 for 3.38oz - This blogger favorite is an award winner and I can see why. The thick, emollient balm with good-for-you ingredients melts away makeup and leaves skin supple and fresh. I use it the traditional way - with a clean, hot cloth and it totally feels like an indulgent spa treatment. I used to use the Eve Lom cleanser but discontinued because it contains mineral oil and was so glad I switched to this. I actually look forward to washing my face just to use this stuff.
9. DHC Mild Touch Cleansing Oil - $17.90 for 5fl oz - I ran out of my usual DHC Deep Cleansing Oil and decided to purchase this instead. Like the original deep cleansing version, this one is also based on olive oil. I love to use oil-based cleansers for a first cleanse to help get off heavier makeup such as waterproof mascara. This one is ok, I prefer the original better - it's a good thing too, this is being discontinued.
10. LiLash - Lash growth enhancer; $140 for 0.2 fl oz - Ok, this isn't skincare, but it's not exactly makeup either. I just started using this and have my fingers crossed for long, lush lashes in my near future. Will keep you posted!
11. Decleor Aroma Night Ylang Ylang Purifying Night Balm - Treatment; $73.00 for 1 fl oz. - The scent of this balm is not for those sensitive to perfumes. Whenever I've used this, my guy tells me that my face "smells spicy". I personally like it and am always amazed that such a fragrant balm is non-clogging. Like Neal's Yard, it's deeply moisturizing. I don't think you need both of these products, but if you live in the US, Decleor is easier to get your hands on.
12. Dr. Perricone MD Hypoallergenic Firming Eye Cream - Eye Cream; $65.00 for 0.5 fl oz - I'm a newbie to eye cream so I can't really tell you if this is working or not as I'm using it more as a preventative measure than for an existing issue. I chose this particular cream based on the good reviews and the fact that it is one of the few creams that is gentle enough to use on the eyelid area (not just exclusively undereye, as with most other eyecreams). I have noticed some slight puffiness, but that could be from a range of other issues - such as poor sleep.
13. Sara Happ The Lip Scrub in Brown Sugar - Lip Exfoliating Treatment; $24.00 for 0.5 oz - I was totally wary of paying $24.00 for this product, but after a really bad day, I decided to treat myself to a little pick me up. It takes conscious effort for me not to eat this stuff when I use it. It really is sugar and some essential oils. It feels great and does what it is supposed to do - exfoliate and condition. But does it feel $24.00 great? I am still not totally convinced, but I love the idea of this so much that I intend on playing around with a few DIY recipes after I finish my little pot.
14. Origins Super Spot Remover - Acne Treatment; $14.50 for 0.3 fl oz - With my hormones wreaking havoc on my skin, I wanted to try out a spot treatment. I don't have acne, but I do get a few PMS pimples that I'd like to treat before they leave discoloration / pigmentation spots on my skin. I picked this up and used it on at the first sign of a few spots that were hovering just beneath the surface of the skin. 2 nights of this stuff and my spots never saw the light of day. And no discoloration either. The bottle is super tiny, but a little dab is all you need.
15. Qtica Intense Lip Repair Balm - Lip Balm; $12.00 for 0.5 fl oz - I LOVE this stuff. In the month that I've had it, it has achieved HG status. I did a full review of the product that you can read HERE. Used in conjunction with a lip exfoliant like Sara Happ's Lip Scrub, my lips have never been more kissable.
WHEW. I know that's a ton of stuff, but I figure putting my money into a solid skincare routine now saves me loads of money on future cosmetic procedures for sagging, wrinkly skin. I'll keep you posted as I work out my AM / PM routine. If you want to know how any specific products I mentioned are working out, just let me know in the comments.
And despite my best intentions to cut down on the makeup spending, I just have to warn the Sephora VIB 20% off sale was last weekend, so expect a makeup haul post in the near future :)
*All items were bought by me and no compensation was received for this review. As always, the opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own.
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