BOTANICS SKIN CALMING NIGHT CREAM

This winter saw me a dramatic change in my skin, where I has dry flaky patches under my eyes, around my nose, in between my brows and my chin a little bit. For someone with generally combination skin all year round it came as a bit of a shock and found myself with no other alternative in my skincare cupboard. I spoke to Megan who recently had a similar issue and recommended me the Botanics Skin Calming Ultra Calm Night Cream.

I actually use this day and night, because the Day Cream alternatives have some SPF in them and from past experience they have made my face look paler than it already is. It's thick, but absorbent so when you wear it in the day it actually makes makeup sit on it really well, and this is all I've been using day and night for the past two weeks or so. The 'soothing marshmallow' claims to leave the skin less reactive and more calm, due to its natural sugars and polyphenols. Not that I understand that. 

It cleared my skin up dramatically, with in about 2 days all the dry patches were gone and everything felt soft, replenished and soothed - basically, really calm. I couldn't believe how quickly it had worked, and now I'm really intrigued to try the serum from the same line. The best thing is, the range doesn't even break the bank, and there are usually offers on anyway.

How has your skin been this winter?

IN FLIGHT BEAUTY ESSENTIALS

In a matter of days (upon writing this post) I will be jetting off to Florida, and while you read this, I will be there, hopefully enjoying the sun as well as the beauty and fashion out there. In flight beauty is something I take quite seriously because my skin does get the worst of it when I'm on a plane.

It's a morning flight, so I will have recently done my whole skincare routine, which is why you only see the Balance Me Radiance Facial Oil* and Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask*, as I plan to slap these on to ensure for no dry skin issues, as we all hear of how much flights dry out your skin from video upon video of travel makeup bags.

I've also taken the Anatomicals Puffy the Eye Bag Slayer* gel pads because I think that popping these on half an hour before landing could do me well, relieve the stress (nervous flyer problems) and also make me look a little more awake after the 8 hour journey. To use afterwards, I have the Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener, as this is really lightweight but just seems to cover with a bit of tint any dark or tired-ness under the eyes.

I also have my Nivea Milk & Honey Lip Balm because we all know the pains of chapped lips, so I'll be topping my pout up with this very regularly. I put in the Burts Bees Hand Salve too because my hands are pretty dry at the moment, and once again, I don't want them to get any dryer from the plane.

Finally I have my Blink Contact Lenses eye drops, and although I am most definitely NOT wearing my contact lenses during the long haul flight, they come in handy for a refresh or just when I need them incase I put my lenses in upon landing.

So there you have it, everything that I will be using for some in-flight pamper. Expect to see numerous haul posts when I return...

URBANVEDA SOOTHING FACIAL POLISH

I don't tend to use physical scrubs very regularly since the likes of Caroline Hirons steered us blemish-prone folk away from them, but every now and then I need a little something something to leave my skin polished, which is where the UrbanVeda Soothing Exfoliating Facial Polish* comes in.

It's a natural brand I believe, and the scent definitely smells quite herbal which I always think is nice in a face product. Whilst claiming to exfoliate it definitely isn't harsh product, its more of a creamy cleanser with some fine sand like grains put it, really nothing vigorous.

Although a short but sweet review, there's not a great deal more to this cleanser, and to be fair, I think simple is the best way forward with a scrub, and I look forward to using this more in the future, and perhaps even trying more from the range.

SEPHORA SOFTENING FACIAL MIST

During my recent trip to Madrid in a local Sephora, I spotted what could possibly be a summer essential, and for a few euros I couldn't pass it up, and so decided to give it a whirl.

Generally I don't tend to buy into the 'cooling face mist' concept as it is just water in a spray can, but the Sephora Softening Facial Mist has Lotus Extract included so it made the purchase more justifiable as there was a little more added to it. In the heat of Madrid this really did come in handy to spray on my face and sometimes even chest when I was getting a little flustered.

There isn't any alcohol in this so it doesn't dry out the skin, and has a light fresh scent which is quite comforting when you spray it. The spray nozzle dispenses just the right amount of product as a light fine mist - nothing too vigorous or heavy, and absorbs into the skin in a matter of seconds making it perfect for on the go.

I have been using this occasionally when the heat picks up in the UK, but sparingly of course because once again I have found a product I can't purchase here and at the moment as I'm saving for a trip to the US, a Sephora order is just not on the cards...