Friday 5 February 2016

Favourite Beauty Products Of 2015 - Skincare


Hello Lovelies 

Today I have the next category in my 2015 beauty favourites and it is skin care, I am asked a lot about skin care and asked a lot if I can post my skin care routine and I am going to do that soon but for today I am going to share with you my skin care favourites of 2015, for reference my skin type is extremely dry and dehydrated and is sensitive and eczema prone. 

Cleansers & Make Up Removers


The Vichy Purete Thermale Beautifying Cleansing Micellar Oil is a product I wouldn't ever have picked up but from the first time I tried it, I loved it. My eldest daughter describes it as "the make up remover of life" which is a pretty good way of describing it. I am not a huge fan of oil based products but I really like this, I apply a small amount of this to my face and rub it in and then remove with a flannel (face cloth) which I run under hand hot water and wring out. The cleansing micellar oil removes all my make up effortlessly and is a great product, it doesn't leave any residue at all and leaves my skin feeling soft and fresh and it smells incredible too. I use this purely as a make up remover and then use a separate cleanser afterwards. I do have a full review of it on my blog which you can read here if you would like to and if you would like to purchase the Vichy Purete Thermale Beautifying Cleansing Micellar Oil you can find it on the Escentual website HERE.


The Eucerin 3 In 1 Micellar Cleansing Fluid is a 3 in 1 make up remover, cleanser and toner and again is a product I would most likely have overlooked but I really like it, I don't like micellar water cleansers as a rule and when I received this one I thought I would hate it and it would dry my skin out but it doesn't at all. When I use the micellar cleansing fluid I use it both morning and evenings, it removes all my make up including waterproof mascara effortlessly and leaves my skin feeling lovely and fresh, I do still use an acid toner after using this as I would use 2 toners anyway but I don't use my separate hydrating toner, I use this and then an acid tone and then my usual routine. I don't use the Eucerin every day but it is brilliant for mornings and evenings when I'm not up to washing my face and I can rest easy in the knowledge that my skin is clean and fresh. You only need a small amount, a little goes a long way, it really is a fantastic product. I do have a full review of this on my blog which you can check out here if you would like to or you can purchase the Eucerin 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Fluid on the Look Fantastic website HERE for £6.75 (was £9.00) including delivery. 


The Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter is a lovely product and is my go to cleansing balm, my all time favourite cleansing balm is the Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm but at £38 per 100ml it is too expensive and when I saw the Body Shop camomile cleansing butter I wondered if it would do the same job as the Emma Hardie for a much more affordable price, I had a 40% off code and picked my 1st tub up for just over £7.00 and the first time I used it I loved it. It smells lovely and melts into my skin wonderfully, I rub it into my skin and remove it with a flannel (face cloth) which I have ran under hand hot water and wrung out, it removes well and does remove all traces of my make up, however I use it as a cleanser and not as a make up remover, but it can be used for both. I do have a review of the cleansing butter on my blog here which goes into more depth and shows the cleansing butter itself. It's a lovely product and a great price at £13.00, I have re purchased it many times but have yet to pay full price as I buy it when it is on offer but I would pay full price for it in a heartbeat. If you would like to try the Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter, you can find it on the Body Shop website HERE for £13.00. 

Toners/Toning Products


I like to use an acid toner after cleansing and then a hydrating toner after the acid tone and my go to acid toner of choice throughout 2015 has been the Nip And Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads they are amazing! I had used the Pixi Glow Tonic for years and I originally bought the Nip and Fab pads to try as a cheaper alternative to the Pixi Glow, the first time I used them I loved them. I get great results from them, they leave my skin feeling soft and smooth and looking bright, they help with my dry skin and fine lines and I highly recommend them especially if you have been using a more expensive acid tone, I would say to give them a try, you won't be disappointed. Again I do have a full post on the Nip And Fab pads here and if you would like to purchase them they are currently on offer on the Superdrug website for a fantastic price of £6.45 HERE they were originally £12.95 so it really is an amazing offer. 


I use the La Roche Posay Serozinc as my hydrating toner after using the Nip and Fab pads, it is a spray toner and leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed. It is also really good for blemish prone skin and has always been really helpful when I've had breakouts, Serozinc doesn't have a scent and is a fine mist which dries quite quickly and prepares my skin nicely for my serum which I use after it. I have been using Serozinc for a few years now, being a blogger I do try other products but I always go back to Serozinc, it is suitable for oily skin too and is aimed at oily and blemish prone skin but I find it great for my very dry and dehydrated skin too, it is soothing and refreshing and leaves my skin feeling lovely. If you would like to try Serozinc, you can find it on the Feel Unique website HERE for £8.50. 

Serum


I love a good serum and in 2015 I discovered the brand Ole Henriksen after being sent some of their products for review, I had always wanted to try the brand and was excited to try the serum since serums are something I find make a difference to my skin, I feel if you have a good serum you don't necessarily need to use an eye cream and I take my serum and then my moisturiser around my eye area, it works for me and is something I started to do after never being able to find a decent eye cream and I have found it works better for me but you do need a good serum. The Ole Henriksen Truth Serum is a lovely product, I use it in a morning,  it sinks into my skin beautifully and leaves it feeling soft and plumped and looking bright and I noticed a difference in my skin from the first time of using it, the truth serum has a light orange scent to it that doesn't linger. If you would like to try the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum, you can find it on the Escentual website HERE for £12.75 - £55.25 depending on size.


Whilst I do love the Ole Henriksen serum, my ultimate favourite serum is the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum, it is an incredible product and one I will continue to re purchase, it isn't the most affordable serum I have tried but it certainly isn't the most expensive either and a little product goes a long way meaning it will last a good amount of time. I absolutely adore this serum, it is light but fantastic and if you have dry and or dehydrated skin this is a product you should definitely try. The first time I used it my skin drank it up and felt incredible immediately, as I said I take this around my eyes too, it feels extremely soothing on the skin, sinks in effortlessly and leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth and hydrated. It has a light fresh scent which doesn't linger and is all in all an incredible product. I do have a full review of this on my blog here and if you would like to try the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum, you can find it on the Feel Unique website HERE for £22.50. 

Moisturiser



I have used the Darphin Hydraskin Rich moisturiser for many years now and it still remains a favourite, I have tried many different moisturisers over the years but I always go back to the hydraskin rich. My skin is extremely dry and dehydrated and this moisturiser never lets me down when my skin is at its worst, over the last 7 or 8 months my skin has changed and I'm having a lot of problems with it being extremely dry but the hydraskin rich has been fantastic in keeping my skin hydrated and moisturised. It is as the name suggests a rich moisturising cream but it does sink into my skin well and and I am not waiting for it to dry as I am with some rich moisturisers, although it is a very rich texture it sinks into my skin nicely, it has a light fresh scent that doesn't linger at all. If your skin is dry but not extremely dry, try the Darphin Hydraskin Light moisturiser, I also love the light and use it when my skin is less dry, both are wonderful products and I have recommended them so many times and so far everyone who I have recommended them to, loves them too. I do have a blog post on the hydraskin rich here if you would like to check that out and if you would like to purchase the Darphin Hydraskin Rich, you can find it on the Look Fantastic website HERE for £35.00.



The Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Cream is a lovely night cream, it has a light gel texture but is extremely hydrating, it sinks into my skin with ease and leaves it feeling soft, smooth and very hydrated, the night cream works overnight leaving my skin looking much brighter in the morning and feeling very soft. Before receiving the night cream I used my Darphin moisturiser as my morning and evening moisturiser which worked well and still does and does a fantastic job both in the morning and evening but after using the Ole Henriksen night cream for the first time I loved it and now use it as my night cream around 3 times a week, I limit the times I use it as it is expensive. It is a lovely product and I get fantastic results from it, my skin is softer and smoother and my fine lines aren't as obvious which is brilliant. I have a full review of the night cream, if you would like to read it please click on this link. If you would like to purchase the Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Cream you can find it on the Escentual website HERE for £39.95 (was £47.00) 

Overnight Treatments


I have been using the Estee Lauder Advance Night Repair 2 for 2 years and cannot believe I haven't ever written a blog post on it, I use the advance night repair 2 or 3 times a week as the last step in my skin care routine, it sinks into my skin well and works over night, it leaves my skin looking brighter and feeling smooth and hydrated and also helps with my fine lines. I really like the advance night repair, it is a very expensive product and I received mine as a gift but I would purchase it as I feel it is worth the money and it does what it says on the tin, it doesn't have a particularly nice scent and I can't put my finger on what the scent is but it isn't over powering or off putting at all. I only need to use a tiny amount of the advance night repair and use it around 2 or 3 times a week, I've had my bottle for 2 years and am still using it so although it is expensive it lasts a long time, I am coming to the end of my bottle now but it has lasted me for 2 years which is great. It's a lovely product and really makes a difference to my skin. If you would like to try it, you can find it on the House Of Fraser website HERE for £50.00. 


I received the Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Treatment as part of the 3 Little Wonders Set, a set containing 3 large sample size products. As soon as I tried it I liked it and I noticed a difference to my skin immediately, my skin looked brighter, felt softer and I noticed a visible difference in my pores. The pot I received was only a 7g pot but it lasted really well as I used it sparingly, used with the Ole Henriksen night cream I spoke about earlier in the post, it delivers incredible results and although I have now ran out of the night treatment I will be re purchasing it. The night treatment is a fantastic product and if you are looking for a product to use over night to help with fine lines, skin renewal, hydration and balancing skin tone I would highly recommend trying it. You can find the Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Treatment on the Escentual website HERE for £35.70.  

So those are my favourite skincare products of 2015, I haven't included face masks in this post, I tried quite a lot of masks throughout 2015 and some I loved but had only started to use at the end of the year and couldn't form an opinion but my most used and favourite masks will be in my skincare routine post.

It was hard to choose products for this post as I try so many different products being a blogger and have tried some amazing products over 2015 but I chose the products that I either always go back to or that wowed me from the first time I used them and I have continued to use. Do you use any of the same products? Or would you like to try any of the skincare products that made my favourites?

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x


 ✿ Post contains PR samples or gifted products 




















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