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12 SKIN HEROES FOR COLD WEATHER.

8 November 2018 3 comments

Winter-skincare-favourites-Barely-There-Beauty-blog


It's always a bit of a process, swapping out your skincare routine every change in season, in favour of something a little more fitting for the weather, but a process no less enjoyable in my eyes.

Personally, my skin seems to vary a lot with the seasons, and with it, the products I like to use.

I'm feeling in a bit of a chatty mood, so if you care to hear/see me ramble a bit about skincare then read on!



Winter-skincare-favourites-Barely-There-Beauty-blog


Products Mentioned


Lixirskin Soft Clay Rubber, Lixirskin Vitamin C Paste, Disciple Good Skin Oil, Troiareuke Skin Complex Formula, Skin & Lab Gently Vita, Hyggee Essence, Fresh Rose MaskAlpha-H Vitamin E, Caudalie Vinosource Serum, Instytutum Illuminating Moisturiser, Clinique Moisture Surge, EL ANR Eye.


Winter-skincare-favourites-Barely-There-Beauty-blog


Lixirskin Soft Clay Rubber // clay mask + exfoliant for clarifying.

It seems a bit bonkers that I first tried Lixirskin the best part of a year ago. Their Soft Clay Rubber is a favourite and has this sort of two-layer process of enzymes and white clay to really effectively exfoliate and clarify your skin but in a way that renders you almost completely unaware. If you've tried the Origins Rose Clay mask (another one I do still really like), it's very similar but without the grittiness - so house points for that.

Lixirskin Vitamin C Paste // non-greasy, quick, vitamin C treatment.

This was the first product I tried from Lixirskin, and I still think I probably started off with the best. I'm quite particular with vitamin C skincare, as many I've tried have a tendency to be oily, gritty, greasy or smell anything from peculiar to frankly unpleasant, but the Lixirskin is none of the above. I don't know whether 'paste' (I automatically typed 'pasta' there - food is clearly even on my subconscious) is the right word for this product because I'd say it's much more like a sticky gel but however you choose to describe it, it's quick, it's easy, it's gentle, it's effective, and you all must go and buy it now.

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Disciple Good Skin Oil // a nourishing facial oil for breakout-prone skin.

Not that I would entirely describe my skin as 'breakout-prone', but I am plagued with the hormonal blemish. Those god-forbidden under the skin mounds that tend not to come to a head. And in my mind, that makes facial oils a little tricky because I don't want to go clogging up any more pores than is necessary (so none ideally!). I've spoken about the Pestle + Mortar Retinol oil a little while ago, and I still like that, but I'm just rather enamoured with this line at the moment for how simple and clean it is. Very few ingredients in any of their products, everything feels delightful to use and this oil in particular I like very much.

Troiareuke Skin Complex Formula // hydrating and almost gel-essence like.

I've been having a big clear out of my vast skincare collection lately and remember quite how excellent I find this toner to be. It has a beautiful, light scent for a start and a viscosity that really feels like it's hydrating your skin. Another excellent item to layer in this cold weather. And if it doesn't look like it's filled all the way to the top, that's intentional, so you can add in their mix-and-match ampoules should you wish. Another must buy.

Skin & Lab Gently Vita Exfoliator // super gentle yet effective exfoliation.

As I feel my skin gets drier and more sensitive in winter, I take appropriate action with my exfoliants. Back the more punchy ones into the cabinet go, and out come the light exfoliating toners and peeling gels. Case in point the Skin & Lab - gentle enough to use everyday. This isn't a particularly 'hyped' or well-known Korean brand or product but rather a hidden gem I feel. I've tried many a peeling gel in my time and none really rally up any strong feelings from me but this one in particular, I can definitely back. A must buy.

Hyggee All-In-One Essence // for hydration.

I think this is one of the most hydrating serums I own. And the texture is just perfect, I can't speak about it more highly. A great layering item if your skin is particularly dry, or a standalone for daytime when you don't want to wear a lot under makeup. There's a surprising number of good ingredients in this too - I'd really like to get round to trying more from the brand already if I didn't have the very 'difficult job' of owning too much skincare ;) Four types of fermented ingredient, so if that's your kind of thing (and it probably ought to be, more on that here) then it's just another reason why you'll like this. I love it.

Fresh Rose Mask // for gentle soothing and hydration.

It took me a while to try this mask but since I have, I think I'll be repurchasing forever more. I love the gel texture, it just feels like it's nourishing and adding water to your skin. And all that rose, cucumber and algae is awfully soothing. I think this mask comes into it's own when the winter draws in - those brisk, bitter days that make your skin feel all tight when your come inside from the cold. The perfect time to take your makeup off and apply this mask. Actually the Summer Fridays Jetlag mask is wonderful for this purpose too - I'd like to try their new one soon.

Alpha-H Vitamin E // a protective antioxidant for calming and dry skin.

I recently spoke about some new pieces I was trying from Alpha-H, their Vitamin E serum being one of them. This is a great serum for winter as it's quite thick and rich - so much so that I tend to use it as a treatment in the evenings. Particularly great in fact for a lazy-beauty-girl as I, because it works rather like a mask, but one you need not wash or wipe off. A thin layer works well under makeup too, and it's quite protective against the elements.

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Caudalie Vinosource Serum // light, hydrating.

Whilst the Alpha-H serum above is viscous and occlusive, Caudalie's is thinner, finer and far better to layer. I like to wear this one specifically in the day and it always plays well with my makeup. Don't let it's milky texture fool you though, it'll plump your skin with the best of them.

Clinique Moisture Surge // for hydration.

If there's a theme of this post, it'll be hydration. You might note I've only mentioned one oil/rich cream versus several thinner, more serum or gel-like products, because frankly I think they do a better job at hydrating. And soothing the quite irritating dry patches that can become sore or flaky too. Especially on combination skin like mine, heavy creams can overwhelm too, so I turn to old favourites like the Clinique to hold my skin in good stead for the winter. She's a classic for a reason.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye // a steady favourite.

In all honesty, I don't think I've yet come across an HG eye cream. Or not one that makes my heart flutter like La Mer when it comes to foundations or Chanel for mascara. But I keep coming back to and repurchasing EL's ANR (abr. ;) so should I really be giving this segment a little more enthusiasm?? I think my hesitation is due to the fact it's a slow burner. It's not something like.. Blithe's Splashing mask that you need to allocate a mere 30 seconds to and witness instantaneous results, but I feel like things go downhill when I stop using it for a while so there's something to be said for that. The texture is perfect in my eyes too, and if you've also combination skin then I think you'll like it.

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Instytutum C-Illuminating Moisturiser // a great primer and illuminating moisturiser.

So many times I've tried an 'illuminating' moisturiser for it to be shimmery, glittery, or throw my skintone into a pallid shade of 'ghost', that I'd rather given up the hunt. But this one is something else. I first tried it a few months ago, not expecting much due to my past experiences but I wear this pretty much everyday now. The peachy tone and subtle luminescence (the type you really have to look closely for) makes your skin just look gorgeous and healthy for afar (and by afar I mean a distance suitable to retain your personal space!) It's balmy-sort-of texture means it's a great primer too.




xx