My Favourite Winter Products So Far

I'm not really one for posh skincare or having lots of different products that do the same job. Saying this, there have been three main products that I have been using non stop this season; the balanceme Pure Skin Face Wash, Burt's Bees conditioning lip balm and the Lush Sleepy body lotion. 

So the first product I'm going to talk about it the balanceme Pure Skin Face Wash, which I received in the October Birchbox. Admittedly it has taken me a while to test this product out, but I'm glad that I did in the end and I haven't stopped using it since. The temperatures have definitely dropped in the last few weeks and my skin has suffered as a result. From using this face wash, I've seen results from day one.

I usually dampen my face with cold water and then massage this is all over my face. I try and make sure that I really work the key areas of my face like my T-zone, the grooves around my nose, behind my ears and down my neck. These are the areas that get particularly battered by the weather and where I blend my foundation in the most whenever I wear it. I then rinse it off using warm water and a flannel.

Because of the amount of water you use in the process, I find that it can feel quite drying, especially around my nose, so I just pat it dry with a cotton pad and then put some moisturiser on top to make the skin feel a bit more supple. Nevertheless, the product itself makes your skin super soft and I've noticed that my face has a healthier glow about it.

The second product that I have been loving recently is Burt's Bees conditioning lip balm. Before I brought this I had been using either Vaseline or the Nivea lip balms and they just weren't doing anything. I've heard rumours that brands use it as a way to make money, because the more you're applying the product, the more frequently it runs out and you have to buy more. I did a quick Google search and Burt's Bees was being recommended repeatedly. 

It was about £3/4 in Boots, but I was willing to pay it if it genuinely did the job. At first I wasn't really seeing much of a difference, but over the last couple of days I've really noticed that my lips are feeling less chapped and I'm not having to put it on as many times throughout the day.

My last product is the Lush Sleepy body lotion. My mum brought this for me when I went back home the other week as I haven't been sleeping properly, and now I use it every night. It's a light moisturiser, which spreads quite easily, so I just cover my legs and arms with a small amount, as well as my chest, and it doesn't feel sticky like some body lotions can. It's got a lavender scent so it can be quite empowering a first, and you will be able to smell it on your sheets for days, but I've gotten used to it.

I couldn't recommend these products more, especially during this time of year when the weather is making you feel shit both mentally and physically.

Georgia.xo

Clarins Urban Oasis Minis

Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil - £33 - Boots

HydraQuench Cream - £35 - Boots

Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch - £26.50 - Boots

About a month ago now, I visited the Clarins Urban Oasis pop-up shop in Westfields, Shepherds Bush. Not usually being one for luxury skin care brands I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I was in for a treat and came out with a bag of mini goodies including the Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch, HydraQuench Cream and Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil. 

My usual skin care routine usually just includes taking off my eye make up with the Simple Eye Makeup Remover and cleansing my face with Garnier Micellar Water and after incorporating the Clarins products into my routine, I really feel like I should be making a bigger effort! Every other evening (to make it last) after I cleaned my face, I rubbed in some of the face treatment oil. It smelled like an absolute dream and left my face feeling lovely when I woke up the next morning. In the evenings in-between I used the HydraQuench cream, which left my face feeling equally as soft. My skin can get really dried out and I hate not having makeup on because it looks and feels disgusting, however using the Clarins products changed that completely. It also made my face feel like a lot better of a base for my makeup, especially through using the Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch, which acts as a primer. 

I'd quite like to purchase full sized versions of all of these products. On one hand, they are a bit pricey, although on the other hand they're definitely worth it! 

Georgia.xo