If you saw my What's In My Travel Makeup Bag post the other week, you'll know that I travel (reasonably) light when it comes to the makeup I take away with me on holiday. Well, the same is true for skincare. While I like to make sure I have everything I need to keep my skin cleansed, moisturised and protected from the sun while I'm away, I tend not to bother with masks, serums, exfoliators or any of the "extras" that form part of my weekly routine when I'm at home. As a result, while I don't return from my holidays with terrible skin, I definitely feel as though it's in need of a bit of a pamper when I do get home.
My recent travels were no exception. With my skin feeling a little congested, dull and dry from my two weeks in the sunshine, I was excited to get back to my stash and give myself a mini facial. I loved the way my skin looked and felt afterwards, so I thought I would share what I used. So here it is - my post holiday skincare routine.
Step 1: Garnier Micellar Water
What did we do before Micellar Water was a thing? Seriously, how did we ever manage to get our skin clean enough?! Whether I'm at home or away, I'm never without this product, and it's always the first step of my evening routine to make sure I've swept away every last trace of makeup before moving on to actually cleansing my face. My favourite Micellar Water is the original Garnier one. I find it so effective at removing makeup, even waterproof mascara, but it doesn't dry out or irritate my skin in the slightest. I like to soak a large cotton pad or two in the product and gently wipe them over my face until it's completely makeup free.
I have a couple of cleansers on the go at the moment. The one I took with me on holiday was the Jurlique Radiant Skin Foaming Cleanser, so purely in the interests of giving my skin a break, I decided to switch back to the Image Skincare one for my post holiday skincare routine. I wrote in more detail about this product a while back, but essentially it is a gentle yet effective product, leaving my face feeling thoroughly cleansed, yet still soft. Exactly what I wanted for my slightly stressed, post holiday skin!
With my skin thoroughly cleansed, it was time to start giving it that little bit of TLC it had been missing during my holiday. Just before I went away, I was sent the Manuka Doctor 24k Gold & Manuka Honey facial peel to try, and now seemed like the perfect time. Housed in a very pretty white and gold tube, there is an addictive smell to this product that I can't quite put my finger on - sweet yet fresh. It's also lots of fun to use, applying as a pure golden mask that's perfect for face mask selfies, if those are your thing!
The product contains Kaolin Clay to draw impurities out of the skin, Hyaluronic Acid to moisturise, Vitamin E for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, Manuka Honey to boost moisturisation and elastin, and Purified Bee Venom to nurture natural collagen formation and increase skin's elasticity. As per the instructions, I applied a thin layer of the mask and allowed it to dry, and I found that this took a little less time than the 20 minutes indicated.
When I peeled the mask away - again, fun to do! - I was impressed with how much brighter my skin looked, and by how smooth it felt. Having neglected exfoliation during my holiday, it had been a little dull and somewhat rough in texture, and this sorted it out straight away. I love this product and will definitely be incorporating it into my regular routine as a one or twice weekly treat.
Another product I had recently been sent was this luxurious looking face oil from Antipodes. Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, it feels incredibly nourishing on the skin yet still absorbs quickly without leaving any stickiness behind. The Organic Avocado Oil in this can apparently boost collagen production by up to 51%, while also reducing the appearance of fine lines, age spots and scars and nurturing the skin with essential fatty acids and key vitamins. In addition to this, the Rosehip Oil adds moisture and helps to repair parched and damaged skin - definitely what I needed post holiday!
Having only used this product a handful of times so far, I can't say anything about its long term benefits, but it feels wonderful to use - so much so that I find myself looking forward to getting ready for bed at night just so that I can put this on! My face is lapping this stuff up, and because it's suitable for all complexions, it's not upsetting the balance of my combination skin. Again, a product I've fallen in love with at first use and one which will be incorporated into my routine for the foreseeable future - nightly, in this case.
No night time routine is complete without eye cream! The No 7 Protect & Perfect eye cream is one I always go back to - in fact, you could say the same for the whole range. Eye creams can be tricky as it is the one area where fine lines tend to show the most for a lot of people, and it can be difficult to find an eye cream that really makes a huge difference. This one is no miracle worker, but it does a decent job at keeping my under eye area hydrated and fine lines softened. I don't suffer from puffiness or bad dark circles, but it's designed to target those as well, with its combination of peptides, antioxidants and pro-retinol Retinyl Palmitate.
The final step in my post holiday skincare routine was to apply a moisturiser before snuggling up in bed, and I chose an old favourite. I reviewed this Vitamin E mask almost a year ago when I first tried it, and I still love it now. Containing a blend of ingredients designed to both brighten and hydrate, including Vitamin E, Niacinamide and Adenosine, this product always seems to make me look fresh and awake in the morning after applying it the night before. The perfect finishing touch!
Do you keep up your full skincare routine on holiday, or do you opt for a good old pamper session once you get back? Or both?!
Kate x
Step 2: Image Skincare Ormedic Balancing Facial Cleanser*
I have a couple of cleansers on the go at the moment. The one I took with me on holiday was the Jurlique Radiant Skin Foaming Cleanser, so purely in the interests of giving my skin a break, I decided to switch back to the Image Skincare one for my post holiday skincare routine. I wrote in more detail about this product a while back, but essentially it is a gentle yet effective product, leaving my face feeling thoroughly cleansed, yet still soft. Exactly what I wanted for my slightly stressed, post holiday skin!
Step 3: Manuka Doctor 24k Gold & Manuka Honey Facial Peel*
With my skin thoroughly cleansed, it was time to start giving it that little bit of TLC it had been missing during my holiday. Just before I went away, I was sent the Manuka Doctor 24k Gold & Manuka Honey facial peel to try, and now seemed like the perfect time. Housed in a very pretty white and gold tube, there is an addictive smell to this product that I can't quite put my finger on - sweet yet fresh. It's also lots of fun to use, applying as a pure golden mask that's perfect for face mask selfies, if those are your thing!
The product contains Kaolin Clay to draw impurities out of the skin, Hyaluronic Acid to moisturise, Vitamin E for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, Manuka Honey to boost moisturisation and elastin, and Purified Bee Venom to nurture natural collagen formation and increase skin's elasticity. As per the instructions, I applied a thin layer of the mask and allowed it to dry, and I found that this took a little less time than the 20 minutes indicated.
When I peeled the mask away - again, fun to do! - I was impressed with how much brighter my skin looked, and by how smooth it felt. Having neglected exfoliation during my holiday, it had been a little dull and somewhat rough in texture, and this sorted it out straight away. I love this product and will definitely be incorporating it into my regular routine as a one or twice weekly treat.
Step 4: Antipodes Divine Avocado And Rosehip Face Oil*
Another product I had recently been sent was this luxurious looking face oil from Antipodes. Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, it feels incredibly nourishing on the skin yet still absorbs quickly without leaving any stickiness behind. The Organic Avocado Oil in this can apparently boost collagen production by up to 51%, while also reducing the appearance of fine lines, age spots and scars and nurturing the skin with essential fatty acids and key vitamins. In addition to this, the Rosehip Oil adds moisture and helps to repair parched and damaged skin - definitely what I needed post holiday!
Step 5: No 7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Eye Cream
No night time routine is complete without eye cream! The No 7 Protect & Perfect eye cream is one I always go back to - in fact, you could say the same for the whole range. Eye creams can be tricky as it is the one area where fine lines tend to show the most for a lot of people, and it can be difficult to find an eye cream that really makes a huge difference. This one is no miracle worker, but it does a decent job at keeping my under eye area hydrated and fine lines softened. I don't suffer from puffiness or bad dark circles, but it's designed to target those as well, with its combination of peptides, antioxidants and pro-retinol Retinyl Palmitate.
Step 6: Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask
The final step in my post holiday skincare routine was to apply a moisturiser before snuggling up in bed, and I chose an old favourite. I reviewed this Vitamin E mask almost a year ago when I first tried it, and I still love it now. Containing a blend of ingredients designed to both brighten and hydrate, including Vitamin E, Niacinamide and Adenosine, this product always seems to make me look fresh and awake in the morning after applying it the night before. The perfect finishing touch!
Do you keep up your full skincare routine on holiday, or do you opt for a good old pamper session once you get back? Or both?!
Kate x
*Gifted product. Some links may be affiliate links. This poses no extra cost to you, the customer. All opinions, as always, are my own.
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Image Skincare isn't a brand I was familiar with, until I discovered it through the magic of Instagram, that is. I commented on a post by another blogger, mentioning that the moisturiser they were recommending looked interesting, and the next thing I knew, the brand in question had got in touch with me asking if I would like to try some products. Naturally, I said yes!
Image Skincare is a US based brand. Developed 14 years ago by aesthetician Janna Ronert, the products are created from smart botanicals and high percentages of safe, proven active ingredients, free from parabens and designed to deliver healthy, radiant, younger looking skin. After a brief discussion with the PR about my skin type and current concerns, I was sent over a cleanser and moisturiser to try, together with a couple of sample sized products, which was a nice surprise.
Ormedic Balancing Facial Cleanser*
I am quite picky about cleansers. As long term readers of my blog will know, I have quite temperamental combination skin, and at times it can be difficult to walk the line between getting it clean enough to avoid congestion and breakouts, and drying it out. The cleanser I always go back to - my trusted favourite for many years - is the Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel, and it's rare for me to find one that works as well for me as that. This one comes very close indeed, and I think that anyone with a similar skin type to me, or indeed anyone who appreciates a cleanser that's effective yet gentle at the same time, would enjoy this.
Like the Clarins product, the Ormedic cleanser is a gel consistency, perfect for using on its own as a morning cleanse and in the evenings after removing makeup with a micellar water. This is how I've been using it for the past few weeks. Containing organic chamomile, green tea and oat kernel extract, it has a beautiful, subtle fragrance and feels very pleasant to use, lathering slightly as you massage it into your skin. It leaves my face feeling clean and refreshed yet also soft, which is essentially everything I want in a cleanser.
Vital C Hydrating Repair Creme*
This beautiful moisturiser is anti-oxidant rich and contains Vitamins A, C and E to nourish the skin and provide anti-ageing benefits. I have been loving using this as my night cream for the past month or so. It's super hydrating without leaving my skin greasy in the slightest, and also smells very subtly of oranges, which I love. Best of all, my skin looks plumped and refreshed when I wake up in the morning.
Although I've been careful to wear my SPF throughout the heatwave we've been having in the UK recently, the Vital C Hydrating Repair Creme feels very soothing to apply and is suitable for sensitive and sun burned skin, so it's a lovely one to use after a long day spent in the summer heat.
Prevention+ Daily Ultimate Protection Moisturiser SPF 50*
Speaking of SPF, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a couple of bonus samples along with the full sized products, one of which was this Ultimate Protection Moisturiser with SPF 50. Thanks to this amazing hot weather, it was the perfect time to test it, and I can honestly say it is one of the best facial sun creams I have ever tried. It's hydrating, so there is no need for an additional moisturiser - I just used this in place of my usual day cream and then applied my makeup over the top. Despite offering such high sun protection, it behaved no differently from a normal moisturiser. It didn't feel heavy, and didn't interfere with my makeup. Like the other products, it smells beautiful - the scent of this one reminds me a little of pineapples for some reason!
Vital C Hydrating Enzyme Mask*
The second sample I was sent is part of the Vital C range and has the same delicious orange fragrance as the Hydrating Repair Creme. Like the Creme, the Enzyme Mask contains Vitamins A, C and E, and it provides the dual benefit of gently exfoliating away the build up of dull, dry skin while at the same time nourishing and hydrating the complexion. You can apply this to cleansed skin for 5 to 30 minutes, depending on what your skin needs. I found mine was drinking this up, so I left it on for the full 30 minutes. Afterwards, it was radiant and glowing.
I've been so impressed with all the products I've tried from Image Skincare. And very thankful to Instagram for introducing me to this brand in the first place!
Have you tried anything from Image Skincare?
Kate x
*Gifted item. All opinions, as always, are my own.
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