Sunday 1 December 2013

Winter beauty essentials: Maintaining Moisture

Living in the UK, I've had to endure 17 long, cold winters, and during that time I've often struggled to adapt to the sudden change from it being fairly mild to absolutely freezing in a matter of days. Year after year I seem to make the same mistakes, and end up with chapped lips, dry skin and a horrendous cold without fail, so this time I've made a point of trying to combat these. I'm thinking of making this into a little mini series, so this first post will be loosely based around maintaining moisture, which is probably one of my biggest struggles during the winter months.

The first product I found and that I've been loving are the Maybelline Baby Lips line. I bought Pink Punch and Peach Kiss on a splurge in Superdrug last month. I know I'm quite late on discovering these, and I'd seen great reviews for them but the main reason I purchased these gems were because they were buy one get one free (I'm aware that to most people £2.99 isn't a lot, but I'm a big believer that every penny counts). I had high expectations for this product, and it certainly didn't disappoint. I've been carrying these around in my handbag for the past month and can tell this will be the case for the considerable future, as these lip balms are great if I need a top up on moisture or colour on my lips. The only slight criticism I have of this product is on the claim that they provide 8 hours of moisture, which I don't think is true for ANY lip product I've tried, especially after eating/ drinking, although after a week I could definitely see improvements as my lips feel softer and so far (touch wood) no chapped lips in sight.

My next winter essential is moisturiser. Because of the lack of moisture in the air during the winter, unlike summer which is usually more humid there is no moisture in the air to keep your skin from drying out (ooh look at me getting all technical), which makes using moisturiser at least once a day essential. The first moisturiser I've been loving is the Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating light moisturiser, which I purchased from Boots for £3.79. I have quite sensitive skin, and I've always struggled with products being too harsh, but like the rest of the Simple range, I find this moisturiser super delicate but just as effective as other products. This product does exactly what it says on the tin (or bottle) and leaves my skin feeling soft and fresh. On the slightly more expensive end, I'm also a big fan of the Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions Clearing Moisturiser, which retails for £18.50. I've been using the anti blemish solutions trio for a few years now, and although as I've progressed into my late teens my skin isn't half as bad, I know I can always rely on this product not to break me out.

Photo from soapandglory.com
Last, but by no means least, is Soap and Glory's Hand Food hand cream. I purchased this for £5, and I can safely say it's worth every penny. I have t-rex hands (they're so small and out of proportion to the rest of my body) which are super susceptible to chapping and cracking and all sorts of pain, and I'm always hopping between hand creams to find exactly what I'm looking for, and this could well be the end of my search. It smells light and fresh, and it leaves my hands feeling like the offspring of a marsh mellow and a cloud. A little goes a long way with this product and it absorbs super quickly and isn't greasy so I don't have to worry about leaving marks on my keyboard or phone after applying. I would highly recommend this product to everyone because keeping your hands moisturised is a must, especially in this cold weather!


So what are your essentials for maintaining moisture during the Winter? I'd love to hear what you guys think as I'm perpetually on the hunt for new, better products! Thank you for reading, til next time...
Kate x



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