Best Of Beauty 2013: Skincare

For the first part of the Best Of Beauty series I thought I would concentrate on skincare. I have been fortunate enough to discover a few new brands last year, so lets see what made it onto the list.

Face Cleanser: Lush Aqua Marina

When all face cleansers were wrecking havoc on my skin, this was my saviour. It eliminated redness, got rid of dry patches and cleared up any acne I had going on - all without irritating my oily, sensitive skin. Have run out of it completely, but will definitely be repurchasing!

Face Cleanser: Antipodes Gentle Grace Cream Cleanser

I absolutely love using this at night to remove makeup! It is so soothing, yet deep cleansing enough to remove all traces of my face makeup. It leaves your skin feeling velvety soft, which is just perfect for at night. This, along with using Aqua Marina in the morning, ensured that my skin felt as clean and flawless as possible.

Face Mask: Lush Love Lettuce

Nothing will ever feel as refreshing and deep cleansing as this face mask, it is seriously amazing. Gentle enough to not irritate sensitive skin, yet exfoliating enough to make your skin unbelieveably soft and smooth. You won't stop touching your face after using this one!

Face Moisturiser: Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Day Cream

This is another product I have run out of completely - and seriously need to replace! This is by far the best Day Cream I have used. It looks perfect under makeup and didn't break me out at all. I love that it contains an SPF as well, which means I don't have to worry about applying an extra product.

Face Moisturiser: Trilogy Ultra Hydrating Face Cream

I swore by this in winter when my skin was getting excessively dry, and I still love to use it now and then when my skin feels dehydrated. Not as good as Olay for using as an everyday cream, but whenever my skin needed that extra moisture this was here to help. I love using it as a "treatment" and only applying it to the really dry areas of my face - works great!

Body Wash/Soap: Lush Honey I Washed The Kids Soap

I love this. Everytime I use it, I fall in love with it again. I love the smell, the way it lathers up so nicely and I love how clean it makes me feel! Lush just know what they're doing when it comes to soaps... and almost everything else it seems!

Body Lotion: Lush Dream Cream

So far, nothing comes close to this. It is the best stuff I have used, hands down. I get dermatitis on my legs, but I kid you not, this stuff has pretty much gotten rid of it! It completely calms and soothes the skin, while still being deeply moisturising. My skin has never felt so soft!

Well that sums up the skincare portion of my Best Of Beauty. You may notice that I haven't included a toner or eye cream - it's just that I haven't really discovered anything that's THAT good, there's always this year!

Stay tuned for Part 2 which will feature makeup. Exciting!
Thanks for viewing!
oxo

Review: Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Day Cream

Total Effects Daily Moisturiser provides the total anti aging power of hydration fused with vitamins and antioxidants for visibly younger-looking skin.

Total Effects fights 7 signs of aging by:
• Minimising the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• Moisturising to soothe and nourish dry skin
• Balancing color and tone while reducing the appearance of age spots
• Smoothing skin’s texture with gentle exfoliation
• Refining to minimise pore appearance
• Protecting skin’s surface from free radical damage with antioxidants
• Firming skin’s appearance with hydration

I was lucky enough to receive this Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Day Cream from the lovely Fleur at ImpactPR. I had never tried anything from the Olay range before, so I was quite excited to give it a go!

At 25, some of you may think I’m a little too young to be worrying about fighting the 7 signs of aging – but surely you all agree that preventing them for as long as possible is the best way to go right? So I think the sooner you get started, the better!

The first thing I noticed was the very gentle fragrance, which is awesome for someone like me who gets irritated by everything. I also didn’t realise how little you actually need to use. One pump was more than enough to moisturise my face, neck and chest!
Because it’s oil-free and fast-absorbing, it doesn’t leave that ‘shiny’ look on my skin that I tend to get from most moisturisers. And it’s non-comedogenic, so it won’t clog my pores!

The main winning point for me though, is that it has an SPF. When you live in a place like New Zealand where the UV rays are really harsh, it’s so important to protect your skin as much as possible.  We all know about the risks of skin cancer, but sun damage is also one of the worst signs of aging! 

Overall, I really enjoyed using this product and would recommend it to anyone who like me, wants to protect their skin while at the same time, fight those 7 signs of aging!

Another amazing thing Fleur sent me was the new Vicks Vaponaturals in the flavour Cherry Menthol. She also sent me this adorable little hot or cold pack, look at how cute it is!!

They honestly came at the most perfect time since I have been sick with this flu/infection for over two weeks now. Being the allergy kid that I am, Vicks lozenges are the only ones I’m not allergic to and these Vaponaturals not only taste great, but they have definitely helped soothe my throat.  She was also kind enough to send me some extras when she found out how sick I’ve been. How lovely is that?! 

Definitely check out these out if you’re unlucky enough to get sick like me! 

Thanks for viewing!
oxo