During a recent City trip where I spent a lot of time outdoors exploring, my skin and hair battled through the harsh elements. Wind, rain, cold, the bloody lot (typical British weather)! I ended wearing my hair in a top knot (hello dry ends!) and the coldness made my skin feel like a lizard. I needed a quick fix to dry hair and skin.
The first thing I did when I got home was sort myself out and gave myself a huge pamper session to repair both my dry hair and skin! Being a skincare junkie, I have a huge choice of products that I can pick from depending on the condition of my skin and what remedy it needs, and I put some of these things to the test in a time when I truly needed it!
Skincare
Vitamin C Peptide Peel
Philosophy came to my rescue with this at-home Microdelivery Peel which gave me back that healthy glow. It’s a two step process that transforms dry, dull skin in to a bright, buffed and rejuvenated. The two steps contains resurfacing crystals to exfoliate dead skin cells, and an activating gel that gets the Vitamin C and Peptides working it’s magic. The results are immediate and my skin felt smoother and healthier straight away.
Intensive Face Mask
Oh, I do love a good face mask! After the peel or an exfoliator – basically, anything that’s ‘scrubby’ – it’s essential to apply a face mask to prevent a breakout. As my skin was quite dry, I should have used a hydrating gel mask (I’m loving REN Gylcolactic Radiance Renewal Mask at the moment) but the first one I picked up was Liz Earle’s Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask. It’s not a mask that I use very often, but it was the word ‘Intensive’ on the packaging that did it for me. The creamy formula de-stressed and rehydrated my skin which was exactly what I needed.
Face Oil
After cleansing and toning, I use a face oil as part of my daily skincare routine. However, I didn’t take it with me on my trip because the lid on the bottle doesn’t screw on properly and it leaks, so I had to live without it for a couple of days. I took a small bottle of serum instead but but my skin suffered without oil, even if was only two days! I only use two drops twice a day but it appears that it has become an essential product in my routine. I recommend this Jurlique Skin Balancing Face Oil, and Dr. Jackson 03 Face Oil but Antonia Burrell’s Pure Therapy Face Oil Serum is also AMAZING too! It not only balances the oils on your face but it also protects you from the elements.
Rich Face Moisturiser
I haven’t been using the Organic Surge Radiance Recovery Night Cream on a regular basis because my skin doesn’t need anything so rich (until now). It is a really nice night cream for normal to dry skin (but more beneficial for dry skin) as it replenishes skin throughout the night while you sleep. It contains botanical extracts and essential oils including safflower, Argan and damask rose oil – all of which have extremely moisturising properties.
Eye Treatment
I recently started Benefit’s It’s Potent Eye Cream, an eye treatment that many people rave about and it deserves all the rave reviews! The technical talk is that It’s Potent Eye Cream contains ingredients that firms and lifts skin, and brightens dark circles around the eyes.
Hair Care
My hair has been an absolute nightmare lately, it’s so dry and brittle, and it has lost it’s shine. Washing has become more of a chore than usual as I have to use deep mask treatments which are left on for an hour. I don’t know how to repair the condition of my hair as it has never been this bad before, and the usual Morroconoil isn’t working! I probably just need a trip to the hairdressers (please don’t cut it all off!) but for now to keep my hair soft, here’s what I’ve been using:
Moisture Mist
Paul Mitchel Moisture Awapuhi Moisture Mist is for thirsty hair. I’ve had this spray in my drawer for ages and I don’t use it often, I never saw visible results from it but I’ve been adding it to make use of the product (and to use up the bottle before it goes off). Apparently, the Hawaiian Awapuhi provides deep moisture, enhances shine and it’s also suitable for dry skin too!. I’m not sure if the results are supposed to be visible – what does moisturised hair look like?! – But I’ll try whatever I can to revive and rescue my dry hair! As it’s Paul Mitchell, a brand that I consider reliable, I trust that it’s doing good to my hair.
Pre-Shampoo Conditioner
I’ve used a couple of tubes of Philip Kingsley Elastisizer in the past, and it was only the week that I realised I was using it wrong! (gutted!). I was watching QVC and they did a segment on how to use this product. To get the full benefits of the expensive Philip Kingsley Elastisizer, you need to dampen hair which I did by spraying cold water on it plus the Paul Mitchell’s Moisture Mist for good measure, and then applying a generous dollop of the Elastisizer. You can leave this in hair for hours and hours, even overnight. I left it in my hair for an hour before shampooing. It’s an absolute miracle worker!
Hair Mask
I probably didn’t need to use a hair mask since I used the Elastizier, but I massaged this Bumble&bumble Creme De Coco mask treatment in to my hair and left for further 20 minutes. Creme De Coco is formulated specifically for dry and dull hair as it has ingredients that softens, conditions and adds shine. Plus, it smells GREAT!
Finishing Oil
Schwarzkopf’s Essence Ultime Crystal Shine range has liquidised crystals and pearl essence that gives hair a luxury shiny finish. To give my hair the shine that it desperately misses (even if it is temporary) and control fly aways, I add one pump of the Finishing Oil to damp hair before blow-drying. My favourite thing about this range is the smell of it. I’ve had no luck trying to pin down what it is exactly but it’s got a sweet scent to it, like sweet, candy floss/raspberry.
Vinegar Rinse
This is possibly one of my favourite hair products. I reviewed this Yves Rocher Raspberry Vinegar Rinse in a recent blogpost but basically, this raspberry vinegar rinse makes my hair feel clean, light, shiny, and soft. The rinse removes mineral and product build up and leaves my hair clean for days! It smells really good too – like raspberry juice!
Body
Dry Oil:
REN Moroccan Rose Gold Glow Perfect Dry Oil helped my skin to feel less lizard-y! It’s a rich and luxurious dry oil that absorbs instantly so no lasting greasiness, and it helps your skin to feel hydrated again. It is made with Moroccan Argan Oil to nourish and moisturise and Arctic Cranberry Seed Oil to help reduce UV damage. It can also be used on hair too, but not too much as it makes your hair really greasy and heavy, as I found out the other day!
Body Souffle:
I love the sound of a body souffle, but in reality, this it a rich body cream. Laura Mercier products are such a treat to use, the body souffle smells really really good and is very moisturising. It doesn’t absorb as quickly as a dry oil, but anyone who has used a Laura Mercier lotion will know how awesome they are, I can’t praise the brand enough, it’s amazing! I’ve got it in golden honey musk and it smells delicious!
Have you used any of these beauty products before?
What beauty products do you reach for when your skin and hair needs a bit of TLC?
Share this post:
Thank you for writing this post! the Liz Earle Mask sounds interesting. I have dehydrated skin so I am going to look in too.
This post is so helpful! Dry skin is the bane of my life! X
Glossy Boutique
Love Benefits It's Potent eye cream, it's my go-to winter overnight eye moisturiser, it's so rich, it keeps my peepers bright and counter acts the harsh winter winds and cold! I also love the Intense Hydrating Moisturiser from the same line!
Sarah 🙂
Saloca in Wonderland
What a comprehensive post! The Philosophy microdelivery peel was an absolute lifesaver on my skin this winter. It really does enhance your skins natural glow immediately.
xoxo – Kelly
http://www.dreaminlace.com
The peel sounds amazing, I really want to try it out now!
Maddy, xo // UNSTITCHEDD
Battles with dry hair and skin are the worst! My biggest secret to bring my hair back to life is actually one of the easiest things – instead of a deep conditioning treatment, rinse with one part apple cider vinegar and four parts water after a wash. Instant shine, guaranteed! It's saved me so many times 🙂
xox,
Cee
http://www.cocoandvera.com
Great choices. Love that eyecream x
Katie Loves ~ A Fashion & Beauty Blog.
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Love reading what you have picked as I have never heard of most of them so I may look into trying a few new things x
Zoe Mountford x
I love the Benefit eye cream!
these products look great, I really want to try some liz earle products xx
cristynottingham.blogspot.co.uk
Great Tips!
kisses
I want everything you featured!
My nightmare is my dry scalp! Even the phrase sounds disgusting. Anyways, thanks for these recommendations! -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey's
I have dry skin and I definitely want to give the Philosophy microdermabrasion kit a go!
– Elodie x
http://www.elle-yeah.com
this is so going to help, i have been having such bad dry hair and skin lately. thank you 🙂
– Celest x
I have to admit that creme de coco is amazing it smells heavenly as well!
http://www.beautyandtheboy.com