Hello spring!
Still remember last year's Easter was freezing and it snowed in April.
Global warming alert!
I love everything about spring: perfect weather (warm enough to ditch the puffer yet somewhat cold that requires layerings), flowers starting to bloom across St. James' Park, and more sunny days!
Anyhow, the seasonal transition has been drying up my skin, badly.
Background story: I was born with very dry and scaly skin = snake skin. So I've been best friends with moisturisers since I was 4. My skin looks all right now (16 years of dedication, beauty doesn't come cheap/easy) but whenever I skipped the routine for a day or two, especially in London where the weather is horrible, it started to become scaly again and sometimes hurt.
So, I'd like to share my daily moisturising routine from top to bottom which I personally think works well so far.
FACE
1. La Roche-Posay Hydraphase UV Intense Rich
My all time favourite in London. It is a long lasting moisturiser that has SPF 20, which is perfect for London weather. It rehydrates my skin while protects it from UVA rays that harms and accelerates skin aging. UVA rays is everywhere, even when you're indoor. It has a creamy texture like other moisturiser but it's so light and smooth you wouldn't realized it contains sun protection (normal sun screen is usually cakey and clogs pores, sometimes it feels like you're tiger-balming your face with that little icy burning sensation). It is made for sensitive skins (paraben-free) so it won't cause any irritation to your skin even if yours was ultra sensitive. It worked well on my skin. I would have used it as my body moisturiser if I wasn't on student budget.
LIPS
2. Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm & Burt's Bees Pink Blossom Tinted Lip Balm
A recommendation from a friend. My lips tend to chap quite easily and sometimes bleeds in cold and windy condition. The beeswax lip balm is loaded with coconut and sunflower oils, rich in vitamins and essential fatty acids. It is 100% natural and helps nourish, condition and soften lips. I literally saw and felt the difference in seconds after applying it on my lips. It first gave a peppermint tingle (more like a bee stinging kind of feel I would say), which might be discomforting for first time user, took me a while to get used to it. The Pink Blossom Tinted Balm is an alternative when I want to have a more complete look. It gives a soft sheer pink to my lips that enhances my rather dark lips colour besides conditioning and moisturizing. The downside is, like any lipsticks, it stains my teeth.
HAIR
3. Moroccan Oil
A very good treatment oil for all hair types that makes my hair looks healthier and less tangles. Usually use it after blow drying my hair but sometimes I use before blow drying as heat protector. It absorbs pretty quickly and one pump is enough for mid length to long hair, more would feel/look a tad too oily. If you're someone who doesn't like greasy texture, this is not for you. Try something lighter like hair serum.
BODY
4. E45 Dermatological Moisturising Lotion & Yves Rocher Organic Oats Lotion
E45 is my latest obsession. Dermatological tested body lotion that is perfume free so it doesn't clash with the smell of my body shampoo (and you can moisturize your bf too if he thought lotioning smells/feels girly), which is great for hypersensitive skins. I always apply it right after bath so it can be more effectively absorbed, though its hypoallergenic formulation has already accelerated the process. The best thing about it is that it is ultra light and doesn't leave my skin greasy like other dry skin conditioning lotions do while giving amazing results. Similar to E45 but with a lovely oat scent, Yves Rocher Organic Oats Body Lotion was a surprise scored in Paris for 5 euros (400ml is a lot of lotion) when I forgot my lotion and my skin was peeling horribly. For this price, IT IS GREAT I MUST SAY. Its light texture (it literally slipped off my palm when my palm was just slightly moved downwards) works surprisingly well on my skin and gives an unpretentious smell (very organic, like good organic smell if you get what I mean).
So, start moisturising today (guys included!)!
Goodbye and be beautiful,
Py.
