It has been a while since I last posted here, let’s just say that life got the better of me. But I am glad to be back, in time to post one of my favourite types of posts, Gift Guides. I have a couple lined up, for all budgets, and today I will share my Christmas Gift Guide for the skincare fanatics. Skincare is a difficult gift to buy, but there are some products that I think any skincare lover would be happy to receive.
Starting with cleansers, since that is the first step in any routine.
I have two cleansers to share today, the first is the Heimish All Clean Balm (R315). I love a good cleansing balm to remove makeup and sunscreen before doing a second cleanse with a hydrating or foaming cleanser, depending on my skins needs. The All Clean Balm melts into an oil when massaged into the skin and when water is added it rinses off into a milky cleanser. I like to remove it with a warm damp facecloth, but it does rinse off well too. It comes with a cute little spatula, so you don’t have to dig in with your fingers. It is suitable for all skin types, and is a cult-favourite for a reason.
Next up I have the ZO Skin Health Hydrating Cleanser (R1010). This is such a lovely cleanser, it is suitable for most skin types and hydrates and soothes the skin with its creamy formula. It cleanses well without leaving the skin feeling dry and stripped, and the best part is that it doesn’t leave any greasy residue either. I have been doing a couple of skin treatments and when my skin is feeling sensitive this really helps to soothe and reduce the irritation.
Serums and treatments are so important to target specific skin concerns and I believe it is the one part of your routine to invest as much as possible into.
I love a peeling product, I am all about bright, glowing skin, so when I received the newly relaunched *Filorga Sleep & Peel 4.5 (R830) I couldn’t wait to try it out. It contains a cocktail of AHAs and BHAs concentrated at 4.5% as well as soothing brown algae and should be used every evening for a month for smoother, brighter, more refined skin. What I love the most about this product is that it does not irritate the skin at all, but you can still see the effects.
Next up I have the *Endocare Expert Drops Hydrating Protocol (R735.37), a two step protocol for hydrated, refined and brightened skin. The first step for day is the Hydrating Serum with hyaluronic acid for hydration and EDAFENCE® to reinforce the skin barrier and protect against pollution and other environmental aggressors. For night we have the Soft Peel Serum with retinol to increase cell renewal and a combination of niacinamide, peeling enzymes and vitamin B5 to improve texture, tone while strengthening the skin barrier. FYI Endocare is brought to us by Cantabria Labs, the same company that brings us Heliocare, so you know it’s good!
Because I have been going for a bunch of skin treatments I need a moisuriser that hydrates and soothes my skin, and the PCA Skin ReBalance (R925) does just that. It is so light-weight, almost cloud like but hydrates and calms my skin really well. It contains niacinamide, vitamin E and skin calming ingredients to soothe, repair and protect the skin from everyday stress and environmental aggressors. It is perfect for summer as it can easily be layered over serums and under SPF without feeling too rich and heavy.
Sun protection is one of the most important steps in a skincare routine, and Heliocare make some of the best products out there! I have been using the *Heliocare Ultra 90 Cream SPF 50+ (R430) and I am obsessed. It has the most beautiful finish and leaves my skin looking even, radiant and non-greasy with no white cast. It is hydrating too, so I sometimes skip moisturiser and just wear this over my serum. This sun cream was designed to neutralise, protect and repair sensitive, fragile skin and is perfect after skin treatments. I find that some SPFs dry out my skin, especially after chemical peels and micro-needling, but this one doesn’t. It would work best for normal to dry skin types, however there is a gel for oilier skin types. It has a bit of a weird scent when just applied, but I can overlook it for how this looks and feels on my skin.
Who doesn’t love a face mask???
Sheet masks make great stocking fillers, and there are so many to choose from for all budgets! Here I have the NMF Intensive Hydrating Mask from Mediheal, a hydrating mask with amino acids to hydrate and plump up the skin.
I have had the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask on my wishlist for quite a while. It soothes and hydrates the skin and can be used as a quick 15 minute treatment or can be left on overnight for a nourishing hydrating treatment. It has a lovely calm scent and leaves my skin nourished, calm and happy.
I hope you enjoyed this Christmas Gift Guide, you can check out my last years one here.
*Press Sample
