Following on from my recent current cleansers post a couple of months ago, I thought it was about time to talk about
my current toners too!
First up, the Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner RRP $24.36 and this was part of a large K Beauty
order I did just as I got back to Canada last year! It’s enriched with
fermented black rice and bamboo shoot extracts as well as hyaluronic acid and
beta glucan so its anti-oxidising as well as hydrating. The texture is watery
and I find it very calming. It hydrates my skin well but I do prefer the
Pyunkang Yul Essence toner which I will talk about later in this post!
I got the full size Fenty Skincare Fat Water RRP $46 after enjoying the mini so much! This one contains niacinamide
which helps reduce the appearance of dark spots, even skin tone, and fight
excess shine, Barbados cherry which is full of vitamin C and witch hazel to
reduce oil. The texture really is that of “fat water” and it’s also nicely
hydrating. With consistent use it’s helped the overall tone of my skin but the
packaging is not my favourite! It’s hard to get the product out and the lid can
get a little messy!
I’ve just finished the Charlotte Tilbury Glow Toner RRP $66* and I really enjoyed it. It won’t be a
repurchase as the price point is a little high for me but it’s a lovely, thick,
milky formula. It’s acid free and contains niacinamide, hyaluronic acid,
peptides and trademark ingredients Exfolactive to exfoliate and Poretight to
help minimise the look of pores. Overall, my skin has been looking smoother,
plumper, and generally more radiant!
Next, I have the Versed Weekend Glow Brightening Solution RRP $25* and this one contains a four-acid complex
with lactic, glycolic, azelaic, and kojic acids plus Vitamin C. It’s gentle
enough to use every day and helps brighten uneven skin tone and fade hyperpigmentation.
It also has a fun push down mechanism to get the product on your face pad. This
is one of the newer toners to my collection but I am enjoying it so far!
Now onto two repeat offenders when it
comes to toners in my collection! Pixi Glow Tonic RRP $20* is a cult
classic for a reason and is a staple in my collection! It contains 5% glycolic
acid as well as ginseng and aloe vera for hydration. As well as dissolving dead
skin cells, it diminishes signs of sun damage, fine lines and scarring, smooths
uneven texture and never dries my skin out. It’s popular for a reason and one
of my favourite toners! Can we also take a minute for the personalised label –
a real pinch me moment for me with beauty PR!
Finally, the Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner RRP $15.95 which contains just seven ingredients including Astragalus
Membranaceus Root Extract and Arginine, filling it with vitamins, minerals and
antioxidants to moisturise and replenish the skin barrier. It’s thicker than a
normal toner, feels very gel like and is so gentle and hydrating. It is perfect
for when my skin is feeling sensitive and dry and my skin just drinks this up!
That’s my current roundup! Let me know if
you have tried any of these and what you thought! If you want to read about
more toners the other posts in this series are here – One, Two, Three, Four!
Happy New Year! I have a quick little
series on my best beauty discoveries from last year coming so will get makeup
and haircare up soon but first, my skincare picks! I usually also have body
care but I didn’t try many new things this year so my old favourites are the
same! As always, these aren’t necessarily all new releases but they were new to
me this year!
Starting with cleansers, and I have
really been enjoying the Dear Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil RRP $30
as a first cleanse. It spreads easily, removes makeup with ease, emulsifies,
doesn’t sting my eyes and is affordable! I don’t get any scent from it and it
leaves my skin feeling clean and hydrated with no film left behind! For my
second cleanse or morning cleanse, I have been reaching for the Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser RRP £43*. This one lightly lathers and feels
gentle despite containing physical as well as chemical exfoliants and has
really been helping to keep my skin smooth and give me a good base for the rest
of my skincare and makeup application!
Toner wise, the Charlotte Tilbury Glow Toner RRP £40* really stood out to me. It’s a lovely, thick, milky formula
that my skin has been drinking up! It is acid free and contains niacinamide,
hyaluronic acid, peptides and ingredients to exfoliate and help minimise the
look of pores. My skin looks smooth and plump while using this and it’s
definitely made me want to try more CT skincare! See more in my Summer Standouts post here!
Moving onto serums and the Bondi Sands
Skincare Thirsty Skin Hyaluronic Acid RRP £8.99*was my favourite HA this
year. It’s a gel formula so a little thicker than a standard serum and it
spreads easily over my skin leaving it feeling soft and supple, locking in
moisture and plumping and filling out my fine lines! As well as HA, it also
contains glycerin and it has a great price and cute packaging, definitely one
to try! See my full review here!
I’ve also really enjoyed the COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence RRP £24 for hydration as well. Since
moving back to Canada that’s been top of my skincare needs list! This has an
interesting texture that looks like it’s going to be sticky but it’s not at
all. While I wouldn’t quite put it into the cult status as a lot of people
have, it is a great hydrator and smoother and I have really appreciated having
it in my routine this winter!
The Theramid Ceramide Treatment RRP $52*is a thick serum that contains ceramides, antioxidants, cica and
glycerin and has been a perfect buffer for me under retinol keeping my skin
hydrated and protected! It provides extra comfort to my skin in winter and I am
so impressed with this brand, I will do a full review on the products I was
sent soon but this one is the standout!
The Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum RRP £82* is probably my favourite skincare find of this year!
Initially, I was worried about the addition of glycolic acid in case it caused
irritation but I’m happy to say it hasn’t. This is a powerhouse antioxidant
serum and after struggling with Vitamin C formulas that help brighten but don’t
do much for specific areas of pigmentation, this worked better than I thought
possible. The inclusion of glycolic acid gently exfoliates, making my skin
smoother and helping ensure effective Vitamin C delivery. The Vitamin C in
question is L-ascorbic acid, known for being the most effective as well! The
serum itself has a light citrus scent and absorbs quickly and I have noticed stubborn
pigmentation really lifting with consistent use! My skin is also much brighter
and more even and despite being the priciest of the items I am featuring today
it really has made a difference and my first bottle lasted months, so I think
it’s worth the investment! Read more here!
Onto moisturisers and The Inkey List Omega Water Cream RRP $14.49* was my summer moisturiser of choice! It’s a
lightweight, water-based gel that contains three omegas to help prevent water
loss as well as glycerin and niacinamide. It sinks in quickly leaving no white
residue behind (I’m looking at you Vitmain B, C and E moisturiser), works well
under makeup and my skin feels hydrated all day long. Definitely the best
moisturiser The Inkey List do!Read moreabout it here!
Something a bit heavier now and the Murad Intense Recovery Cream RRP £78*is my nightly moisturiser of choice this
year! It is the ultimate comfort blanket for stressed out, dehydrated,
sensitive skin and contains shea better, macadamia oil and microalgae extract
to provide deep moisturisation and smooth the look of stress lines as well as
reducing redness and irritation. My skin was really playing up at the start of last
year and was red, inflamed, itchy and flaky and this came to the rescue! It
feels instantly soothing on stressed skin and is so comforting! It reduced my
redness as well as hydrating my skin and getting it back to normal. It feels
like more of a balm than a cream and it melts into skin keeping it hydrated and
protected overnight, a must have for sensitive skin!
Finally, my favourite SPF of last year
was the Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 RRP £66*. This
is a mineral sunscreen that shields against UVA, UVB, pollution and digital
blue light damage. The formula is lightweight and has a peachy tint that is
easily worked into the skin leaving no white cast (I have pale skin for
reference). It sits well over the rest of my skincare as well as under makeup
and I love that its SPF 50, my skin feels protected and the formula is
beautiful, I haven’t found any difficulty rubbing in or pilling issues either!
Read more here!
So that brings us to the end of my best
skincare discoveries of this year! Did you see any of your favoruites? Let me
know what products you loved this year!
Long-time no
speak! I took a little extended break from posting as I just moved back to
Canada for another working holiday but I’m keen to get my last batch of empties
before I moved up on the blog! I’ll also hopefully get back to more regular
posting in the next few months when I settle into my new place!
Haircare
Living Proof PhD
Dry Shampoo
Now I’ve finally
tried this I completely get the hype! Definitely the best dry shampoo I’ve
used, this claims to actually clean hair and absorbs oil, sweat and odour! It’s
much pricier than my normal go to dry shampoo so I reserve this for days when
my hair will be seen but it’s so good I have already repurchased!
Frank Body
Caffeinated Scalp Scrub
Really enjoyed
this, felt nice and scrubby and worked into my scalp easily leaving it feeling
clean and invigorated! Will repurchase in the future!
Olaplex No. 3
This needs no introduction;
I go through these on the regular so this supersize was a good investment for
me! I use weekly and find my hair to be in much better condition and stronger while
using regularly! Read more here! Already repurchased!
ESPA Pink Hair
and Scalp Mud*
Only a sample
size and I didn’t notice much difference with this when I used it so not a
repurchase for me! See my post on ESPA here!
Bodycare
Lush Rose Jam
Shower Gel
Love this, it
smells incredible and makes my skin feel so nourished and the bottle lasts
forever! Will repurchase soon!
So impressed with
this treatment from Good Molecules! I already love their skincare so I hope
they add more to the bodycare line! This worked so well on darker pigmentation
from old acne marks on my chest and back! It felt lightweight and hydrating too
and as it’s a targeted treatment it will last a while too! Read more here! Would
repurchase!
Elemental
Herbology Zest Bath & Body Oil*
My second one of
these and probably my favourite body oil! It’s absolutely beautiful, I love the
uplifting scent and it doesn’t feel greasy at all. The bottle lasted me ages
too and I love how it has a pump! Read more here! Would repurchase!
Ameliorate Intensive
Foot Therapy
This was a really
great overnight foot cream, it felt super rich and made my feet so smooth!
Another one I would repurchase!
Prai Beauty
Ageless Upper Arm Cream
Nice cooling
cream but nothing special for me! Not a repurchase!
Sol de Janeiro
Bom Dia Bright Cream
Smoothing but not
my favourite scent from SDJ so not a repurchase! I’ll stick to Bum Bum cream!
A classic K
Beauty toner I have talked about many times! It works great for my skin and
feels hydrating and soothing! Would repurchase!
CosRX Cica
Cleanser*
Really enjoyed
this cleanser, it had a creamy lather and was perfect as a morning or second
cleanser for me. It didn’t feel drying and lasted a long time! Read more here!
Would repurchase!
Paula’s Choice 2%
BHA Liquid Exfoliant
A bit of a cult
product and for a reason! This worked great for me when my skin was more problematic. I haven’t been reaching for it as much since I finished Accutane
but it’s still nice to have as it works so well with acne! Would repurchase!
The Inkey List
Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser*
Not my favourite
cleanser from The Inkey List, I found this a little more drying than I was
expecting for a HA cleanser and I much prefer their Fulvic Acid cleanser. Read my full review here! Not a
repurchase for me!
Murad Vita-C
Glycolic Brightening Serum*
One of my
favoruite recent skincare discoveries, I absolutely love this serum and saw a
dramatic difference in my skin brightness when using it! It’s the best Vitamin
C formulation I have used and worked wonders on pigmentation. Full details here
but it’s well worth the money and I was kindly sent a top up from the brand but
I would repurchase with my own money also!
Dermalogica
Biolumin-C Gel Moisturiser*
Another brilliant
Vitamin C products, this was the perfect summer moisturiser for me! Lightweight
and brightening and it sat well under makeup. Not quite hydrating enough for
winter for me but I would repurchase for summer! Read more here!
NIOD Copper Amino
Isolate Serum3 1:1*
Probably my most
repurchased serum, I love this stuff! My skin just feels and looks better and healthier
when I use it and I hate being without! My full review is here but I already
have a backup in use!
NIOD Copper Amino
Isolate Lipid 1%
Finally got my
hands on the lipid version too and while it doesn’t quite beat the serum for me
it’s a gorgeous overnight treatment with added hydration. Enjoyed but not a
repurchase!
Dermalogica
Pre-Cleanse*
A beautiful cleansing
oil though I sometimes tend to avoid my eyes with this as I can find the
essential oils a little strong for them! It smells lovely and citrusy and removes
makeup with ease! Already using a full size!
The Inkey List
Omega Water Cream*
So impressed with
this moisturiser from The Inkey List! It’s lightweight but hydrating and sits
well under makeup. One of the best budget buys I have found this year! Full review here and I already have a backup ready to go!
The Inkey List
Madecassoside Mask*
This felt very
cooling and invigorating on my skin so I think it would be perfect after a
workout etc when you want to cool down! It’s not the most calming mask I have tried
which is what it is billed as though so not a repurchase for me! See my full review here!
Hello Sunday The
Everyday One SPF 30
Sadly, not a fan
of this one, I have never had a product pill on me as much as this. No matter
what I tried it with and how long I left between layers of skincare I had the
same problem. It did feel lightweight and left no white cast on me but the pump
was also awful and I ended up having to open the bottle to get the product out.
See my full review here! Not a repurchase!
Vichy Mineral 89
Probiotic Fractions*
Great little
serum that is hydrating and calming so perfect for stressed out skin! See my full review here! Already have a backup!
Dermalogica Daily
Microfoliant*
One of my
favourite exfoliants! You can control how gentle you want this to be with water
and it leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth and it’s not harsh at all! Love! A
bottle lasts forever too. See my full review here and I have a full size of
this!
Kate Somerville
Exfolikate Cleanser
Used this
cleanser mostly on trips away and enjoyed it, not drying and made my skin feel
smooth. Not a fan of the scent though, smells a bit like bathroom cleaner so
not a repurchase!
Supergoop Unseen
Sunscreen SPF 30
I was surprised
by this one as I expected to hate it, but I actually didn’t mind it! It’s very
dimethicone-y so I felt like I used less of this than a standard SPF but it sat
well under makeup. Not my favourite SPF though so not a repurchase!
The Inkey List
Caffeine Eye Cream*
A great budget
eye cream that feels lightweight and de puffing. I have others I prefer though
so not a repurchase for me at the minute!
Avene Cleanance
SPF 50
This had a bit of
a yellow tinge but worked well and didn’t pill. Again, I have others I prefer,
so not a repurchase!
Makeup
Charlotte Tilbury
Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray
Love this stuff!
The trick is to spray before makeup as well as after and it really helps with
the staying power! Already repurchased and using!
Becca Backlight
Priming Filter
Still gutted
Becca is no more! This was one of my favourite radiance giving primers that I
used to mix with foundation! Let me know if you have a dupe! I have a mini left
to use then I will need to find something new – maybe the ELF Halo Glow?
RCMA No Colour
Powder
A little on the
drying side but a good budget mattifying option. Willmaybe repurchase in the future!
Essence Lash
Princess Waterproof Mascara
So disappointed
with this – not waterproof and I had black marks under my eyes after a few
hours. Awful! Not a repurchase!
Maybelline Great
Lash Mascara
Another
disappointment, transfers after a few hours and the wand is tiny so takes ages
to coat lashes! Not a repurchase!
Benefit They’re
Real Mascara
I was impressed
by this, took it on a trip to Prague earlier in the year and no running or
transferring even though it isn’t marketed as waterproof etc. Gave good volume
and separation too! Will potentially make a full size purchase in the future!
By Terry Terrybly
Lash Growth Mascara
Quite a dry
formula and I found it to be a bit flaky. Not a repurchase.
Too Faced Better
Than Sex Mascara
Again, a little
flaky but nice volume. Not a repurchase!
Anastasia Lash
Brag Mascara
Another flaky one
but again good volume/separation! Not a repurchase though!
Miscellaneous
Frank Body In
Your Dreams Sleep Scrub and Soak
Nice bath soak
and it dissolved well – worked better as a soak than scrub, I prefer their
actual scrubs! Not a repurchase!
Sanctuary Spa
Sleep Mist*
Really relaxing sleep
mist that I came to associate with bedtime/relaxing! Full review here! Would repurchase!
Sanctuary Spa
Calming CBD Oil*
Perfect to add to
your bath or as another extra in your wind down routine. I preferred the other
products in this range but it’s affordable so would possibly repurchase!
As you can see, I
was on a mission to get things finished off! I took mosty new/ very full products with me so I think it will be a while before my next empties instalment!
Let me know your thoughts if you have tried any of these!
