Showing posts with label Winter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Winter. Show all posts

Monday, 17 February 2014

SKIN | KIKO Winter







As well as being a nightmare to drive in, walk in and live in, winter also wrecks havoc on our skin. Despite having combination skin and suffering with oily skin throughout my teenage years, I'd much rather my face look like an oil slick midday than the Sahara Desert. My favourite brand, KIKO, brought out a winter skin care range towards the end of 2013 and for the past few months, I've been using a couple of the products from the range religiously.

Hydrating Mousse* - £11.10
If you think back to my latest skin care routine post then you'll probably know that I'm obsessed with the H2O Plus Face Oasis Hydration Treatment. However, it's pretty expensive and on its way out. Not wanting to use it up and keeping it for special occasions has meant that I've been trying out this alternative for a few months now. The mousse is light on the skin, although it does take a couple of minutes to sink in, and instantly leaves a cooling and gentle feeling on the face. Like the H2O Plus Treatment, this gets rid of any dry patches on the face and ensures that they remain hydrated and nourished throughout the day; leaving behind scale-free skin. I don't like it as much as the H2O Plus Treatment, however it is a lovely alternative and one that I'll be repurchasing for day-to-day use.

This is one product that sadly, I haven't got much use out of. I love the idea and it's perfect for those of you who love skiing or snowboarding but for me, you won't catch me near any slopes with snow on them. I have tried it out though, of course, as despite the awful weather, Lincoln has been bright and the sun has been shining a lot. Rich in active ingredients, this sunscreen guarantees full protection at high altitudes and protection against UVA and UVB rays. I found the sunscreen cream easy to apply and it didn't leave the skin sticky or interfere with other base products. There is also a handy sunscreen stick inside the lid which makes applying sun protection to the lips easily. However, I found the sunscreen stick to be a little bit thick - although if you are at high altitudes, that's probably what you're after.

My favourite of the bunch. This godsend has occupied my handbag since the day I received it. It's incredibly handy having two products in one and it's even better that both of them are high quality and wonderful. The hand cream in particular is like no other; relief is instant and when using it, you won't experience any discomfort or dryness of the hands. The lip balm resembles most of the lip balms in my collection; it provides moisture and sinks into the lips pretty quickly. KIKO say that "the bio-technological formula includes special ingredients with repairing action able to restore hydration and strengthen the skin's natural protective barrier." The texture of both products is light and they're quickly absorbed into the skin leaving the hands and lips feeling comfortable, smooth and hydrated. 

Have you tried any of KIKO's skin care?
*PR Sample
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Tuesday, 24 December 2013

4 Tips For Winter Beauty Efforts

For most of the year, our beauty efforts tend to be relatively constant. People generally fall into routines that stay fairly unaffected by changing seasons and atmospheres, at least for the simple stuff. But the winter can often be the one exception, where the changing weather and cooling temperatures can have a fairly noticeable effect on our bodies, and, by extension, our everyday beauty efforts! So, with this in mind, here are 4 helpful tips for your winter beautification.

1. Find A Strong Conditioner
Perhaps the main side effect of winter weather on beauty and image is that the cold, windy weather can make hair dull, uninteresting, and haphazard. This is a particularly aggravating image issue, but fortunately it's also one of the easiest ones to avoid! Women's Health notes that a simple conditioner, ideally including silicones to retain moisture, can do the trick when applied regularly. The same article recommends Dove's "Intensive Repair Daily Treatment."

2. Keep Your Skin Moist
If anything is more bothersome than dull hair in the winter, it's dry, colourless skin. Not only does the dry winter cold lead to skin issues, but even the hot air flowing through the average home has a drying effect, which compounds the issue. There are plenty of ways to combat this problem, however, from staying hydrated, to using lotions, and even installing a humidifier. It's not normally a source one turns to for beauty, but Web MD actually has a very helpful list of skincare tips.

3. Keep Your Eyes Moist
Eyes, too, will dry out more frequently during the winter, and particularly if you wear contacts this can lead to some visible irritation, and get you rubbing your eyes a bit more than you'd like to. Acuvue has some helpful tips for which kinds of lenses can keep your eyes moist, as well as tips for lens comfort in general, and many of these can help you to be more comfortable - and therefore keep your eyes feeling best - during the winter.

4. Keep Your Skin Glowing
This goes hand in hand with dry skin, but the fact is dryness isn't the only factor that can make your skin a bit pale during the winter months. Simply being cold - or even being a bit sick - can give you a paler complexion than you'd like, but fortunately there are easy fixes. In fact, you may as well kill two birds with one stone by picking up a tinted moisturiser, to add some colour even as you keep your skin healthy and moist.

Beyond these issues that can arise from coldness and dryness, most of your everyday beauty efforts should remain relatively unchanged. And if you sufficiently battle the cold where your hair, skin and eyes are concerned, you'll be sure to look stunning no matter how harsh the season is!

What are your top tips for surviving the cold winter months?
This is a guest post
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Saturday, 2 November 2013

WISHLIST | Winter Boots




As much as I hate the cold, I sure do love winter fashion. Cosy coats, beautiful boots and snug scarves certainly do it for me. I absolutely adore layering up and feeling comfortable and safe. Recently, I bought a pair of boots from Primark for just £10. They're brown and lovely and they've made me want even more. So above, I've compiled a "winter boots wishlist" much to the dismay of my bank balance. I've never owned a pair of high leg boots before (that I'm aware of) but since spotting the ones above from New Look and Equestrian Clearance, I'm really lusting after some. The heeled boots from New Look are must-haves for me - after all, I'm a student who goes out quite a lot and on the dreaded walk to the nightclub and home, I don't want my feet getting cold. I certainly will be investing in another pair of boots and I've already been sending images of ones I'd like for Christmas to my mother.

What boots are you currently lusting after?
PR Collaboration
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