New Skincare Staples

For those who enjoy wearing make-up on a daily basis, a thorough skin routine is simply a must-have. As much as I love beauty products, it's no surprise that piling all these different products onto your skin can cause it a lot of distress if it's not taken care of properly. Adopting a great skin routine is great for tackling spots, redness, dullness and creates an amazing blank canvas that makes applying make-up an absolute dream. It's taken me a while to find a combination of products that work well for me as my skin doesn't react very well to change and it jumps between normal, combination and sensitive, but I think I may have finally found it! So here are my new skincare staples that I just can't stop raving about: 

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I've been using this for so long now and I am absolutely in love with it. It's a one-step make-up remover and cleanser that's amazing for removing almost every trace of product on your skin, including waterproof mascara. It's not irritating, heavily perfumed or dry in any way and makes removing your make-up an absolute breeze. It comes in such a big bottle (400ml, which is crazy!) but remember that you really only need a small drop to start breaking down the make-up. The only issue I have with this is that the bottle is just so big that I wish it came in a mini size for when I travel1 Other than that, I have absolutely no issue with this product and I know for certain I won't be looking for anything else. 

Origins A Perfect World Deep Cleanser

I've been using this foaming cleanser since the beginning of the year and i've been absolutely loving it. I was sceptical at first as it was described to me as a cleanser for all skin types, which I immediately interpret that it wouldn't actually focus on any specifics, but I was definitely proved wrong. Containing detoxifying White Tea, it's an amazing antioxidant that leaves the skin feeling squeaky clean and expertly cleansed. I use it morning and night before applying my moisturiser so it takes off any last trace of make-up and preps my skin for the rest of my skincare routine. 

Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado

This is my latest addition and is definitely the most luxurious. I decided to take the plunge and give it a try after hearing about it on various Zoella blogs. Containing cooling avocado, this moisturising eye cream is super thick and extremely hydrating. Sometimes I do struggle with the amount I need to put on as a little does go a long way, but i've only been using it for about a month and I already see a huge improvement. It's designed to reduce darkness underneath the eyes as well as reduce any puffiness, which it most certainly does. My eyes feel brighter and look more awake than they ever have done! I usually put on a slighter thicker layer at night and give it the whole night to sink in and then continue with my moisturiser. 

Origins GinZing Energy Boosting Moisturiser

I've gone through so many moisturisers i've lost count. I get really impatient that I don't see or feel the results straight away so I move onto the next one, but with this Origin's moisturiser I really feel like this could be the product. Enriched with energising GinZing and Coffee Bean, this light, oil-free moisturiser glides onto the skin and instantly brightens and refreshes. I notice especially in the morning after my evening application that my skin looks considerably more vibrant and effortlessly soft. It makes my skin look amazing underneath my make-up as it gives off just enough glow to shine through and make it look like i've had 12 hours sleep! It is quite expensive (Prices start from £23), but if your skin feels really dull, dark and in need of a boost, I would definitely recommend investing in this skin saviour. I've used it morning and night for around 6 weeks and i'm hooked! 

Garnier Moisture Match Moisturiser

I have such a love-hate relationship with my skin. There are days when I couldn't be happier with it, but on the days where my skin seems to hate me it couldn't get much worse. I've always had a mostly normal skin type, with the odd oily T-Zone and dry skin around my chin (Which is more recent.. beard rash is a total bitch!). However, my skin seems to be quite picky with moisturisers. If I switch to one it doesn't like, I wake up every morning with at least two new spots, and then they start bringing friends! So really I needed something that was just going to keep my skin balanced. 

Moisture Match is a range from Garnier containing five different moisturises specifically tailored for a certain skin type. This range caters for normal, normal/dry, dry/very dry, dull and combination/oily skin types, each boasting particular ingredients that normalise the skin and keep it looking at its best. I decided to go for the moisturiser for normal skin as I love anything with a bit of SPF into it, as well as its radiance-boosting formula enriched with lemon extract. 

I have to say, i've had no problems so far when using this moisturiser. I hate speaking so soon, which is why I waited a couple of weeks before reviewing incase I start gushing about it and then it completely backfires. This moisturiser is just as light as it claims and i've found you only need to tiniest pea-sized amount to cover the entire face. It's the first moisturiser that I feel comfortable massaging into my skin without fear of leaving it feeling greasy. So far no spots have emerged and my skin feels really soft and brighter, with no leftover residue after application.

I love the idea of tailoring a product to a certain skin type, there's something really personal about it that makes me feel that my skin's really being taken care of. However, I think next time i'll experiment with the moisturiser for combination skin so that my skin is always protected from the odd shiny T-zone day. For £5.99 this is such a bargain I feel like I can afford to experiment as it doesn't put too much strain on my bank balance as well as my complexion! Not sure what skintype you are? Head on over to the Moisture Match section of the Garnier website to see what moisturiser would be best for you! 

You can purchase the Moisture Match range from your local Boots, Superdrug or supermarket for £5.99.

Review: Garnier Body Intensive 7 days Soothing Lotion

I bought this product from my local Superdrug, after growing tired of waiting for what felt like forever for my Palmer's Cocoa Butter Massage Fomula to dry on my legs so I could put my jeans on! I was instantly drawn to the fact that it said: 'fast-absorbing' and was 'non-greasy'.



What first drew me to the product on the shelf was the shape of the bottle. It curves in in the middle so it makes it easier to grip when you're applying the product onto your skin. The mint green colouring also stood out for me on the shelf, and I spent a while looking through all of the different lotions that had infused different ingredients that varied for your skin type:

• Cocoa Butter - Dry and Rough Skin

• Shea Butter - Dry or Extra Dry Skin

• Mango - Dry Skin

• Aloe Vera - For extra soft skin

• Honey - Sensitive Skin

I went for the honey lotion, as it was described as a 'soothing lotion' (and for as long as I can remember i've had sensitive and itchy legs!). It also came in two sizes, 250ml and 400ml, but to be on the safe side I bought the smaller one just to try it out.

The one thing I would say about this product is that a little goes a long way! I made the mistake of squeezing the bottle too hard and having to try and find other places to rub in the lotion as I had far too much on my legs! I used it just after i'd had a bath, and within minutes I was able to put on my pyjamas without them sticking to my legs or leaving them feeling oily. I was literally amazed by how smooth my legs felt (I even called in my sister and my mum to feel my legs, as I could not believe how smooth they were!).




What makes this product different is that it claims to be so hydrated that it leaves your skin feeling moisturised seven days after your last application. However, the small print on the bottom of the bottle says that it is only after twice daily application for four weeks that this is apparant. Slightly misleading I must say, but the results were so good the first time round I have continued to use it day and night, and my skin feels smooth and healthy-looking. After about a week, I then realized that my legs were no longer itching and they were no longer red from scratching :) I have now finished the 250ml bottle and have moved on to the 400ml.

I bought the 250ml bottle for £2.99 from Superdrug, and the 400ml for £3.50 (RRP £4.50) from Boots. I think this is a reasonable price for the product, as it has definately soothed my legs and left them feeling so smooth I can't stop touching them!