Skin Care Favourites [Bonus Christmas Gift Guide 2020]
[Contains Affiliate Links]
Don’t worry, this blog is not about to change to a beauty blog, but I just couldn’t resist putting this little list together, as I’d been putting a lot of thought into my ‘hate being without’ skincare products in the run up to Christmas, because, you know, I’ve been a good girl and maybe santa might bring me one or two of them.
And if you can’t ask for some indulgent skin care products for Christmas (or birthdays, or Mother’s Day…), then when can you?!
These are the products that I just keep coming back to over and over, and not only does my skin seem to really like them, but I can see a noticeable difference when I’m using them. And also when I’m not!
So here goes…
My number one without a single doubt is Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment.
Sadly the original Lactic acid formula was taken off the shelves without notice a few years back due to the concentration of Lactic Acid being higher than allowed for UK regulations. Or something like that. Google it if you want the full low down on that. It was replaced a while later with a new Glycolic Acid version, and try as I might, I just don’t like it, though many do, and many like it more.
Thankfully you can still get the Lactic Acid version shipped from the US and it’s almost the same price even including taxes and shipping from Beautylish. Praise be.
I have been known to use Good Genes in the morning AND at night, but that’s probably overkill and I don’t often do that. I usually just use if after cleansing at night. It is the only product I’ve ever used that instantly makes my skin look and feel better, but with long term results too. I get sad every time I reach the end of a bottle - mostly as it’s so damn expensive, but I just know I need to keep it in my routine. Le sigh.
Speaking of cleansing, the cleanser I keep coming back to despite trying so many others, is Ren’s Rosa Centifolia No.1 Cleansing Balm. It’s a brilliant makeup remover so I would normally use this at night (makeup or no makeup) and in the morning too if my skin is feeling dry.
I’m not normally a double cleanse kind of person, and I find if you use a face cloth to remove the cleansing balm (which you absolutely need to), that it’s really not necessary.
That said I have been known to use Ceramic Slip by Sunday Riley as a second cleanse. It’s different to any other cleanser I’ve ever tried (and I’ve tried a lot), and I really love it. It’s a morning cleanse favourite. I wouldn’t use this to remove makeup, so save for makeup free days or just stick to using it as a morning one only.
Okay, this post is basically reading like an advertorial for Sunday Riley, but I promise you it’s not. I wish it was! I just really really love their products. That said, much as I wanted to love the balm cleanser I really didn’t (literally like washing your face with a Terry’s chocolate orange), and I didn’t love Tidal moisturiser either despite purchasing it twice. Though to be fair, It’s probably just suited to a much younger, or oily skin. I also don’t love A+ that I’m still working my way through. That was an expensive mistake.
Anyway, bear with me as I do have two more Sunday Riley favourites that I need to include in this list, because I’d be lying if I said they were’t absolute favourites.
Number one is Luna Sleeping Night Oil. This weird blue green oil almost ties with Good Genes as number one favourite. But together, well let’s just say that for me, the combination of the two products gives me my absolute best skin. A retinol product that is not in the slightest bit drying, in fact quite the opposite, it’s hydrating and just lovely. I can’t wait to start using this again. Do you hear me Santa?!
The great thing about Sunday Riley oils is that they come in two sizes so you can buy the small size if you’re not sure it’s right for you, or if you don’t want to spend quite so much money. Oh and I love the smell of Luna and Good Genes, so judge for yourself if you read any reviews of people saying they smell awful, as I couldn’t disagree more. Good Genes has a lemongrass kind of smell to it, and Luna smells kind of earthy and medicinal. Nothing wrong with either in my book.
And for my last Sunday Riley inclusion, C.E.O Glow. Now a while back I claimed that I wasn’t that taken with this product, and I re-purchased the Drunk Elephant C-Firma when I finished it - just as the weather turned cold, only to realise that actually both products are great, but I was using them the wrong way around.
C.E.O Glow really does give a great glow, but for it was too much in the summer, when my skin was more naturally glowy, in the winter however, and now that I’ve been using the not so glowy Drunk Elephant version, it would be brilliant. I actually can’t wait to get my hands on it again - definitely a winter winner for dryer / older skin, while the Drunk Elephant version will be great in the summer or if you have oily skin.
Next up, this little gem that has snuck onto my must haves list is the Hyaluronic Plumping Mist by Balance Me. I love it. It really does up the moisture level in my skin, and I never want to be without it. I use after cleansing morning and night, before anything else and you could also use throughout the day even on top of makeup. Balance Me also do some great little gift sets if you want to try a few different products before purchasing full size and I’ve also just reminded myself that I need to try their Rose Otto Face Oil.
Finally, my go to moisturiser is another Drunk Elephant product. I just love their Protini Polypeptide Cream. It’s such a great moisturiser and even though, I always tell myself it’s nothing special and I should try to stick to something more affordable for a moisturiser, there is something about it that is just too good and I keep going back for more. Maybe those peptides that I don’t even understand are doing more good work that I initially realised. All I know is that it’s great.
Space NK have some great Drunk Elephant discovery kits at the moment (I think they’re seasonal so grab one while you can) that are really great value (one has full size Protini, and the other has a full size C-Firma. A word of warning though if you do buy the Dewy Polypeptide Kit, be REALLY careful of the innocent looking tube of A-passioni Retinol Cream. I used it I think two days in a row (without buffering with moisturiser first), and it literally turned me into a skin shedding reptile for a week. My poor face. I was mortified. Chemical burns are not good news, so really do take heed and proceed with caution!
Because I get asked, this is the order I would use these products in…
Morning
Ceramic Slip Cleanser - Sunday Riley
Hyaluronic Plumping Mist - Balance Me
C.E.O Glow Oil - Sunday Riley (Winter)
C-Firma Day Serum - Drunk Elephant (Summer)
Protini Polypeptide Cream - Drunk Elephant (I would sometimes leave this out in the summer if really hot and skip to SPF before makeup)
Evening
Rosa Centifolia No.1 Cleansing Balm - REN
Hyaluronic Plumping Mist - Balance Me
Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment - Sunday Riley
Here’s the Glycolic version if you’d rather give that a whirl...
And that’s it. These are the products I hate being without. My Holy Grail products as they say in the beauty world. I’d love to know some of yours! I really should branch out and try some new brands next year. Maybe I will. Or maybe I won’t…