product pimp!
so i'm in australia, and for us WINTER IS OVER! and since you guys on the other side of the world are heading into it, i thought i might share some of the products i've been using/loving over the last few months, this harsh, 10C weather ha ha ha.
as you can imagine our winters (or at least here in brisbane) are nowhere near as cold or dry as in other climates, but for subtropics it feels dire, okay. the basic hydration needs are the same though, i feel. to preface: i have combination/oily skin, on the sensitive side, and i'm super lazy so i tend to prefer quick and easy routines.
FACE
shu uemura cleansing oil. i've read all these things about the magic of oil cleansing etc etc, but when it comes down to it... i was still apprehensive about massaging oil into my face. i honestly haven't noticed a marked difference in my skin either way since i started using this, but it's SO gentle and it takes off makeup SO WELL that it may well be worth a repurchase when i'm through with my current bottle. my skin will usually come out of the shower very soft after using this. you rub a dollop onto your face (dry), then wet your face slightly to emulsify it before washing it off, so it feels (to me) like it's doing more cleansing than just mixing oils. there are different kinds of formulas for different skin types, so definitely pick one to match, and i still wouldn't use this every day or more than once a day.
tl;dr pros gentle, not drying, takes off makeup like BAM
kiehl's midnight recovery concentrate. i swear i had a moment of panic when my cousin was like, you're at that age when you need to start using serums. laughing weakly. anyway i heard good things about this so i picked one up duty free. my current moisturiser is clinique's moisturising gel from their 3-step thingy, which is nice, but sometimes at night you need that little extra something something, which is where this midnight recovery stuff comes in. it doesn't feel heavy at all when it goes on and my face doesn't feel dry when i wake up. i don't think i've been using it for long enough to feel the other purported properties just yet, but i do really like it so far.
tl;dr pros doesn't feel heavy but is super effective at overnight hydration. possibly good for skin in the long-term?? also it seems pricey but this one bottle will last forever. like i think literally forever.
banila co it radiant! cc cream. i've used this sooo much since i got it probably only 4-6 weeks ago. since it's been dry, my foundation will sometimes feel/look cakey only a while after i put it on, but i now use this cc cream either by itself, since i don't generally want/need that much coverage, or as a primer, and that's really taken care of that issue. (i know, i could probably use other primers but.... i haven't found one i like as much as this) the high spf is also great since sun is still pretty brutal here even in winter. one of the weaknesses of this cc cream is that it only comes in one shade, i think, and while they're supposed to ~blend into your skin~, i guess somehow magically match, it's pretty limiting for darker skin tones.
tl;dr pros moisturising makeup yeeeah
EYES
kiehl's creamy eye treatment with avocado. the title really doesn't lie, it's kiehl's, it's creamy, it's..... probably got avocado in it idk. i've actually been using this for a year, and almost finished my little tub of it, it's SO GOOD though, so moisturising and fantastic for sensitive skin/sensitive eye area in general. the benefit eye cream i was using prior to this has got nothing on it. i only use this at night but you can use it during the day too, apparently it makes eye makeup go on better.
tl;dr pros gentle, moisturising, just a great product all around.
LIPS
nivea vanilla & macadamia lip butter. i go to bed with some kind of lip balm on every day now, since i wear lipstick a lot. it just works out better for lip maintenance this way. not much to say about this other than it's really nice and again- gentle, so i've preferred to use this over other balms/lip butters. stays all night. some people might not like the scent?
tl;dr pros does what it's supposed to?? long staying power.
clinique chubby stick. for dry lips/winter months but when you still want some colour. i'm a glutton for punishment and i prefer the chubby stick intense, which has much better colour payoff at the sacrifice of moisture. tends to be pricey, though, and you could get similar products for less $$$.
tl;dr pros colourful but balmy!!
BODY
lush buffy body butter. in-shower body butter bar, soo moisturising and smells amahzing. has a tendency to melt everywhere though so definitely find a container for it in the shower. also exfoliates! idk it just feels really nice on my skin, and it saves a step of moisturising when i come out of the shower (and it's cold).
tl;dr pros exfoliates AND moisturises.
lush ro's argan body conditioner. god, i love love love this. when it first came out i thought it was a limited edition and was super tempted the stockpile it, it's just THAT GOOD. similar to the buffy bar, an in-shower moisturiser, without the exfoliation, but i think you can control the amount you use a little better? it's also lighter than buffy, so if your skin is particularly thirsty, go for the bar, if not, ro's argan all the way. and it smells fucking spectacular.
tl;dr pros drink up, skin. u will also smell like a rose bush being kissed by the first rays of morning sun.
northern hemispherers, what are your go-to winter products, and/or what products have you loved using over the summer? rec me something! southern hemispherers, share some of your favourite winter products and/or what you're looking forward to using in the warmer weather!