I'm normally a window-shopper when it comes to Sephora. Just wandering around the store browsing the plethora of makeup and beauty products is more than enough for me. With the UK beauty scene having exploded like it has in recent years – and Boots earning its place in the beauty industry–, the beauty supply store is no longer the haven it once was. That won't stop me from looking though.
When I was in Paris earlier this year, I stopped off at the Champs-Élysées store and picked up a couple of items. I was also fortunate enough to go on a work trip to Las Vegas so I snuck in some time at one of their stores for some US luxuries.
On both occasions, I went in with the idea of picking up some skincare and makeup goodies that were not available in the UK. Since my visits, Sephora announced it was launching in the UK with its first physical store hitting the streets next year. Needless to say, I've been entirely unsuccessful in my mission.
One item on my US Wishlist was the Topicals Faded Serum. Unfortunately, being on roaccutane has meant I'm restricted in using acids on my skin so I couldn't pick it up. I was tempted to buy the brands Like Butter cream but I have enough barrier repair creams to last me the next few years so I left that behind too.
Here are all the beauty and makeup products I bought in Sephora this year:
Sheer Skin Tint in Shade 2, £40, Summer Fridays |
I am all for minimal makeup looks and this Sheer Skin Tint from Summer Fridays fits perfectly into that category. I hadn't come across Summer Fridays before so I was keen to try it. I matched with shade 2 and the lightweight silky formula blended in effortlessly. I have a couple of angry breakouts on my face at the moment but once my skin clears, I'm looking forward to testing it out.
Green Clean, £32, Farmacy |
There is something really satisfying about removing makeup and watching it dissolve. Anyone else? I have never tried a makeup cleansing balm before so I'm excited to try this one out. The balm contains moringa extract which is said to help purify the skin by removing impurities and pollution residue. It comes with a small spatula making it easier to get the product out and to saves you adding dirty fingers into the pot when you need a little more product.
Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, £20, Sol de Janiero |
Sol de Janiero's famous Brazilian Bum Bum cream has been on my beauty wishlist for the last few years. Now, I know I can buy it in SpaceNK, Boots and many other British retailers but when I was walking around the store in Paris, I caved. The body butter comes highly recommended and from what I can remember, it smells absolutely divine.
Ultra Repair Cream, £32, First Aid Beauty |
I have an unhealthy obsession with barrier repair creams. As an acne sufferer, who's now on month 2 into a roaccutane course, I am focused on keeping a healthy moisture barrier. Most creams that are similar help to reduce the redness in my complexion which is perfect when my skin is looking quite angry. This staple from First Aid Beauty contains ingredients like shea butter, oatmeal, eucalyptus and ceramides.
Papaya Vitamin mask and Caffeine eye mask, Sephora |
Is it just me or does Sephora have the best face masks? I've tried plenty of sheet masks in my time and nothing feels as relaxing or as good as Sephora's ones - aside from these K-beauty ones. My go-to is the pomegranate face mask which is meant to help with energising and toning. This time I decided to try the papaya vitamin C mask to help give my complexion a much-needed boost.
I also added the caffeine eye mask to my basket on the basis I felt a little tired that day. As you can see, I still have yet to use it. I've heard mixed reviews of the effectiveness of using eye masks but I'm all for a little pampering.
Rainwater power mist, touchland |
This purchase was 99.9% for the aesthetic and 0.01% because I actually needed a new hand sanitiser. I had seen quite a few influencers and TikTok babes with their neat touchland hand sanitisers that fit perfectly into their tiny bags and I wanted to be part of that lifestyle too. Disclaimer: I did spend a stupid amount of money on it.
Love, Aoife xo
I'm normally a window-shopper when it comes to Sephora. Just wandering around the store browsing the plethora of makeup and beauty products is more than enough for me. With the UK beauty scene having exploded like it has in recent years – and Boots earning its place in the beauty industry–, the beauty supply store is no longer the haven it once was. That won't stop me from looking though.
When I was in Paris earlier this year, I stopped off at the Champs-Élysées store and picked up a couple of items. I was also fortunate enough to go on a work trip to Las Vegas so I snuck in some time at one of their stores for some US luxuries.
On both occasions, I went in with the idea of picking up some skincare and makeup goodies that were not available in the UK. Since my visits, Sephora announced it was launching in the UK with its first physical store hitting the streets next year. Needless to say, I've been entirely unsuccessful in my mission.
One item on my US Wishlist was the Topicals Faded Serum. Unfortunately, being on roaccutane has meant I'm restricted in using acids on my skin so I couldn't pick it up. I was tempted to buy the brands Like Butter cream but I have enough barrier repair creams to last me the next few years so I left that behind too.
Here are all the beauty and makeup products I bought in Sephora this year:
Sheer Skin Tint in Shade 2, £40, Summer Fridays |
I am all for minimal makeup looks and this Sheer Skin Tint from Summer Fridays fits perfectly into that category. I hadn't come across Summer Fridays before so I was keen to try it. I matched with shade 2 and the lightweight silky formula blended in effortlessly. I have a couple of angry breakouts on my face at the moment but once my skin clears, I'm looking forward to testing it out.
Green Clean, £32, Farmacy |
There is something really satisfying about removing makeup and watching it dissolve. Anyone else? I have never tried a makeup cleansing balm before so I'm excited to try this one out. The balm contains moringa extract which is said to help purify the skin by removing impurities and pollution residue. It comes with a small spatula making it easier to get the product out and to saves you adding dirty fingers into the pot when you need a little more product.
Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, £20, Sol de Janiero |
Sol de Janiero's famous Brazilian Bum Bum cream has been on my beauty wishlist for the last few years. Now, I know I can buy it in SpaceNK, Boots and many other British retailers but when I was walking around the store in Paris, I caved. The body butter comes highly recommended and from what I can remember, it smells absolutely divine.
Ultra Repair Cream, £32, First Aid Beauty |
I have an unhealthy obsession with barrier repair creams. As an acne sufferer, who's now on month 2 into a roaccutane course, I am focused on keeping a healthy moisture barrier. Most creams that are similar help to reduce the redness in my complexion which is perfect when my skin is looking quite angry. This staple from First Aid Beauty contains ingredients like shea butter, oatmeal, eucalyptus and ceramides.
Papaya Vitamin mask and Caffeine eye mask, Sephora |
Is it just me or does Sephora have the best face masks? I've tried plenty of sheet masks in my time and nothing feels as relaxing or as good as Sephora's ones - aside from these K-beauty ones. My go-to is the pomegranate face mask which is meant to help with energising and toning. This time I decided to try the papaya vitamin C mask to help give my complexion a much-needed boost.
I also added the caffeine eye mask to my basket on the basis I felt a little tired that day. As you can see, I still have yet to use it. I've heard mixed reviews of the effectiveness of using eye masks but I'm all for a little pampering.
Rainwater power mist, touchland |
This purchase was 99.9% for the aesthetic and 0.01% because I actually needed a new hand sanitiser. I had seen quite a few influencers and TikTok babes with their neat touchland hand sanitisers that fit perfectly into their tiny bags and I wanted to be part of that lifestyle too. Disclaimer: I did spend a stupid amount of money on it.
Love, Aoife xo
Brand: Alterna My Hair My Canvas
Product: Me Time Everyday Shampoo and Conditioner
Category: Haircare
Price: £££
Rating: 9/10
Haircare might not be on my 2022 vision board but it is something I'd like to improve on this year. In the lead up to Christmas, I had quite a few rounds with various questionable bottles of shampoo and conditioner. In fact, it all started to go wrong sometime in August when my beloved bottles of Percy & Reed Shampoo and Conditioner ran out. Since then, it’s been a downward hill. But it’s okay, I’ve found an even more expensive solution.
The Alterna Me Time Everyday Shampoo and Conditioner set was a Christmas gift from my mum who was also on her own downward spiral and thought we both needed to embark on a hair journey. The products can be bought separately (shampoo £26.49, conditioner £26.49) or together in a set.
They are a little on the pricey side but a little goes a long way with this product. For best results, I’d definitely recommend double cleansing. A couple of pumps to remove the grease and oil buildup and a couple more to clean the scalp properly. I use the same amount of pumps to condition my hair — to help keep the bottle levels equal (and because my hair is quite long). At first, my hair did feel a little dry even with leaving the conditioner in for a couple of minutes but that could be a winter thing as it feels a lot more softer and hydrated recently matched with the slightly warmer we're seeing.
Final Thoughts
Love, Aoife xo
Brand: Alterna My Hair My Canvas
Product: Me Time Everyday Shampoo and Conditioner
Category: Haircare
Price: £££
Rating: 9/10
Haircare might not be on my 2022 vision board but it is something I'd like to improve on this year. In the lead up to Christmas, I had quite a few rounds with various questionable bottles of shampoo and conditioner. In fact, it all started to go wrong sometime in August when my beloved bottles of Percy & Reed Shampoo and Conditioner ran out. Since then, it’s been a downward hill. But it’s okay, I’ve found an even more expensive solution.
The Alterna Me Time Everyday Shampoo and Conditioner set was a Christmas gift from my mum who was also on her own downward spiral and thought we both needed to embark on a hair journey. The products can be bought separately (shampoo £26.49, conditioner £26.49) or together in a set.
They are a little on the pricey side but a little goes a long way with this product. For best results, I’d definitely recommend double cleansing. A couple of pumps to remove the grease and oil buildup and a couple more to clean the scalp properly. I use the same amount of pumps to condition my hair — to help keep the bottle levels equal (and because my hair is quite long). At first, my hair did feel a little dry even with leaving the conditioner in for a couple of minutes but that could be a winter thing as it feels a lot more softer and hydrated recently matched with the slightly warmer we're seeing.
Final Thoughts
Love, Aoife xo
We’ve all read the Glamour, Marie Claire, Vogue, and Refinery29 articles on the best products for self care and top tips on how to love yourself. I’ve read them all and to be honest, the older I get, the more some of feel like they're all just repeating the same things. There are so many different ways and opinions on how someone can practice self care. So, with that, what does self care mean to you, and how do you know which works best for you?
A couple of years ago, I was really fascinated by love languages and looked into what mine were. I took a quiz and found my primary love language is acts of service and my second is physical touch. This year, another year of being gloriously single, got me thinking about ways we can practice self love based on our love language. After all, what better way to practice self care when it's perfectly suited to our love language...
Ways to practice self care based on your love language
One // Acts of Service | I LOVE to cook. I love those occasions when you have a relaxing evening and can take your time with making a delicious meal. The other night, I decided to make homemade pasta with homemade pesto and lightly fried tenderstem broccoli with warm ciabatta and olive oil on the side. I shared it over on my Instagram (@aoifecaitrionaxo) and it was a heavenly meal made even better knowing I had taken the time to make it.
Two // Receiving Gifts | Regardless of whether you have someone there to give you a gift or not, buy yourself something. That thing you’ve been eyeing up for a while? It’s Valentine’s Day, you deserve it. Treat yourself to some flowers or sexy lingerie or a new bag, or even a sauté pan. Trust me, it doesn’t even have to be what mainstream considers “sexy”, a Le Creuset cast iron casserole dish has my heart pounding. You can tell I really like cooking!
Three // Quality Time | Apple has either upgraded it’s do not disturb feature or I have been blind to the settings on my phone, but you can now customise the names of do not disturb. Why not create another setting dedicated to 'Me time', 'Mindfulness' or 'Alone time'. This Valentine’s why not spend some quality time for yourself. You could run a bath, read a book, or watch that series or film that’s been on your list for ages but you’ve never had the time to sit down.
Four // Physical touch | If physical touch is your love language, how can you express and receive it without someone else? There is the obvious sexual touch that can release endorphins (feel-good) hormones. But —and partly linked— is the feel element to touch. How does your skin feel? I love a full-on a 'detox' shower. Mine consists of a hair mask, shaving and exfoliating until every inch of my skin is super smooth. Then applying a body oil or moisturiser with a heavenly scent; all to get me feeling sexier.
Five // Words of affirmation | This usually requires a third party to help build you up. If that’s not an option, why not create your own affirmations. I used them a lot at university to help motivate me and get keep me going when I was having skin issues. I'd have notes stuck around my mirror and above my desk. You can journal them too, which is a great way to express your feelings and thought processes. Alternatively, there’s are podcasts (Affirmation Babe, Habits of a Goddess- there are tons!) that whisper affirmations in your ear. Stand in front of your mirror and repeat after me: I am beautiful. I am smart. I am sexy. I attract what I desire.
Love, Aoife xo
We’ve all read the Glamour, Marie Claire, Vogue, and Refinery29 articles on the best products for self care and top tips on how to love yourself. I’ve read them all and to be honest, the older I get, the more some of feel like they're all just repeating the same things. There are so many different ways and opinions on how someone can practice self care. So, with that, what does self care mean to you, and how do you know which works best for you?
A couple of years ago, I was really fascinated by love languages and looked into what mine were. I took a quiz and found my primary love language is acts of service and my second is physical touch. This year, another year of being gloriously single, got me thinking about ways we can practice self love based on our love language. After all, what better way to practice self care when it's perfectly suited to our love language...
Ways to practice self care based on your love language
One // Acts of Service | I LOVE to cook. I love those occasions when you have a relaxing evening and can take your time with making a delicious meal. The other night, I decided to make homemade pasta with homemade pesto and lightly fried tenderstem broccoli with warm ciabatta and olive oil on the side. I shared it over on my Instagram (@aoifecaitrionaxo) and it was a heavenly meal made even better knowing I had taken the time to make it.
Two // Receiving Gifts | Regardless of whether you have someone there to give you a gift or not, buy yourself something. That thing you’ve been eyeing up for a while? It’s Valentine’s Day, you deserve it. Treat yourself to some flowers or sexy lingerie or a new bag, or even a sauté pan. Trust me, it doesn’t even have to be what mainstream considers “sexy”, a Le Creuset cast iron casserole dish has my heart pounding. You can tell I really like cooking!
Three // Quality Time | Apple has either upgraded it’s do not disturb feature or I have been blind to the settings on my phone, but you can now customise the names of do not disturb. Why not create another setting dedicated to 'Me time', 'Mindfulness' or 'Alone time'. This Valentine’s why not spend some quality time for yourself. You could run a bath, read a book, or watch that series or film that’s been on your list for ages but you’ve never had the time to sit down.
Four // Physical touch | If physical touch is your love language, how can you express and receive it without someone else? There is the obvious sexual touch that can release endorphins (feel-good) hormones. But —and partly linked— is the feel element to touch. How does your skin feel? I love a full-on a 'detox' shower. Mine consists of a hair mask, shaving and exfoliating until every inch of my skin is super smooth. Then applying a body oil or moisturiser with a heavenly scent; all to get me feeling sexier.
Five // Words of affirmation | This usually requires a third party to help build you up. If that’s not an option, why not create your own affirmations. I used them a lot at university to help motivate me and get keep me going when I was having skin issues. I'd have notes stuck around my mirror and above my desk. You can journal them too, which is a great way to express your feelings and thought processes. Alternatively, there’s are podcasts (Affirmation Babe, Habits of a Goddess- there are tons!) that whisper affirmations in your ear. Stand in front of your mirror and repeat after me: I am beautiful. I am smart. I am sexy. I attract what I desire.
Love, Aoife xo
Are you a morning or an evening person when it comes to showers? Or, are you both? I'm a morning person through and through. There is no greater way to wake up and get ready for the day than standing in the shower and feeling the water rain down on you. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the odd shower in the evening but it's a rare occasion. The only times I tend to shower in the evening is after the gym (as I go to evening classes), I'm feeling sweaty, or I just feel like having one.
I can see the attraction of evening showers. There is something nice about slipping between the sheets freshly washed but there is no way I'm washing my hair in the evening. Firstly, it'll take forever to dry; secondly, when I wake up I'll have a very flat patch on one side of my head from where I've slept; and thirdly, I have a fringe. And that's reason enough; they're hard work!
With that said, here are some of my favourite shower products lately...
ONE // Alterna Every Day shampoo & conditioner.
One of my New Years resolutions is to rescue my hair. It’s been looking a little sad as of late, a little limp, especially as it’s getting longer and the weight is pulling it down. I also have quite an oily scalp which means by about 36 hours later I look like I've poured oil on my roots - and not a good kind of oil. Or as my Mum likes to refer to it as, chip fat. I’ve been using this duo for a little while now and I’ve been enjoying the fresh salon feel my hair has. I don't use that phrase lightly. I double cleanse my scalp and gently massage my head, which is kind of difficult to do yourself. My hair feels a lot cleaner, lighter and importantly, healthier.
TWO // Dehlicious Black Tea body scrub.
Love, Aoife xo
Are you a morning or an evening person when it comes to showers? Or, are you both? I'm a morning person through and through. There is no greater way to wake up and get ready for the day than standing in the shower and feeling the water rain down on you. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the odd shower in the evening but it's a rare occasion. The only times I tend to shower in the evening is after the gym (as I go to evening classes), I'm feeling sweaty, or I just feel like having one.
I can see the attraction of evening showers. There is something nice about slipping between the sheets freshly washed but there is no way I'm washing my hair in the evening. Firstly, it'll take forever to dry; secondly, when I wake up I'll have a very flat patch on one side of my head from where I've slept; and thirdly, I have a fringe. And that's reason enough; they're hard work!
With that said, here are some of my favourite shower products lately...
ONE // Alterna Every Day shampoo & conditioner.
One of my New Years resolutions is to rescue my hair. It’s been looking a little sad as of late, a little limp, especially as it’s getting longer and the weight is pulling it down. I also have quite an oily scalp which means by about 36 hours later I look like I've poured oil on my roots - and not a good kind of oil. Or as my Mum likes to refer to it as, chip fat. I’ve been using this duo for a little while now and I’ve been enjoying the fresh salon feel my hair has. I don't use that phrase lightly. I double cleanse my scalp and gently massage my head, which is kind of difficult to do yourself. My hair feels a lot cleaner, lighter and importantly, healthier.
TWO // Dehlicious Black Tea body scrub.
Love, Aoife xo
Peter Carl Fabergé is renowned for his collection of Imperial Easter Eggs. A collection of 50 stunning eggs made with incredible craftsmanship that can fetch an eye wateringly obscene amount when sold. But there’s more to the goldsmith than his collection of egg-shaped gifts made for Russian royalty.
Inside the exhibition
Items made by Fabergé combined fiercely expensive jewels and stones with less expensive materials such as enamel (a technique fusing metal and glass).
Fabergé was a brand clearly designed and catering for the wealthiest who could afford the simplest of items but had plenty of money to afford an extravagant version. A lot of his clientele were royalty in some form- you’d have to be to afford the price in that era. A crystal Coronation vase was purchased for £430 which is worth about £4.8 million today. Similarly, a collection of silver bowls indented with a design cost the owner £250 but it now worth about £3.8 million today.
Fabergé also made a lot of animal figurines for the royal family. The placard explained some of them had been made purely for its artistic value than anything else. While I’m not entirely sure I can appreciate the value of a French bulldog made from Bowenite with diamond eyes, the level of detail was impeccable. You could pick out every hair and wrinkle on the dog, something that is not easy to do when you're carving stone. My favourite figurine on display was a snail. It was smaller than my fingernail but my oh my was the level of detail outstanding.
Final Thoughts
Peter Carl Fabergé is renowned for his collection of Imperial Easter Eggs. A collection of 50 stunning eggs made with incredible craftsmanship that can fetch an eye wateringly obscene amount when sold. But there’s more to the goldsmith than his collection of egg-shaped gifts made for Russian royalty.
Inside the exhibition
Items made by Fabergé combined fiercely expensive jewels and stones with less expensive materials such as enamel (a technique fusing metal and glass).
Fabergé was a brand clearly designed and catering for the wealthiest who could afford the simplest of items but had plenty of money to afford an extravagant version. A lot of his clientele were royalty in some form- you’d have to be to afford the price in that era. A crystal Coronation vase was purchased for £430 which is worth about £4.8 million today. Similarly, a collection of silver bowls indented with a design cost the owner £250 but it now worth about £3.8 million today.
Fabergé also made a lot of animal figurines for the royal family. The placard explained some of them had been made purely for its artistic value than anything else. While I’m not entirely sure I can appreciate the value of a French bulldog made from Bowenite with diamond eyes, the level of detail was impeccable. You could pick out every hair and wrinkle on the dog, something that is not easy to do when you're carving stone. My favourite figurine on display was a snail. It was smaller than my fingernail but my oh my was the level of detail outstanding.
Final Thoughts
What do your beauty products say about you? I know we’re a couple of weeks into the new year but I thought it would be fun to break down the last year into beauty products, highlighting which beauty products defined the months for me. To be honest, it was a bit of a tough one trying to remember some of the highlights of the 2021. A year is a long time!
I suffer with persistent acne so I started the year on antibiotics and prescription cream. I managed to have relatively clear skin up until August when it came back, only worse. By October, I was feeling really self conscious, my mental health was deteriorating rapidly and I went back on antibiotics which is where I am now. Back to square one. I have a dermatology referral in the summer (annoying but going private could turn out to be really expensive). I wrote an acne update back in 2020 but I think another one is due soon!
So, after spending an embarrassing amount of time trying to remember my year, here is a breakdown of my 2021 in beauty products:
January, Epiduo // New year, new set of skin care issues. I had a really bad acne flareup January and had to go back on medication again. I tend to phone my doctor when it gets to the point I can't manage it at home and it's affecting my mental health. Alongside the antibiotics I was on, the doctor also prescribed me EpiDuo, a benzoyl peroxide and adapeline cream. My skin doesn't agree with Benzoyl Peroxide and so my start to the year didn't quite go off with a bang. You can read about my experience with acne so far, here!
February, Avène Cicalfate // Back to basics and barrier repair for me. Cicalfate contains calming ingredients which help to soothe the skin and reduce redness. I was still using the EpiDuo cream in February which made my skin quite red so I gravitated towards calming skincare products.
March, Bondi Sands SPF50 // This sunscreen absorbs like an absolute babe. No, seriously, it absorbs very well into the skin without a white cast. The only issue I have is that it can sting your eyes if it gets too close.
April, Cerave SA Smoothing Cleanser // My acne isn't just contained on my face. I also suffer with body acne which had flared up at the same time as my face. I wasn't applying the EpiDuo cream to my chest as I was not about to risk my pyjamas having the same fate as half the towels in my house— covered in bleach marks. Per some recommendations on Instagram, I decided to try out the SA smoothing cleanser by Cerave. I still use it today, applying it in the shower with about 30-60 seconds contact time before I wash it off. I also apply iD care Barrier Cream to my chest after when I've dried off. This combination helped to clear my chest and back acne— something I need to get back into now I'm going to the gym.
May, Garnier Anti dark spots and anti pollution super UV SPF50 // Summer time arrived, well it popped up to say hi, and I picked up this suncream from Garnier which is perfect for wearing under makeup. It dries matte so your makeup can sit perfectly on top. I use this sunscreen exclusively for when I wear any form of coverage. I also picked up its sister SPF spray for suncream top ups.
June, GOW Alpha Arbutin 2% & Kojic Acid 1% Serum // My friend bought this to me for my birthday as it had been on my beauty Wish List for a little while. Kojic acid is meant to be really good for reducing hyperpigmentation and lighten skin discolouration. The product also comes highly recommended by my favourite skincare Twitter accounts. Check out them out here!
July, Chanel Vitalumíere Aqua foundation // For my graduation ceremony, I decided to treat myself to a little bit of luxury and splurge on a Chanel foundation. I prefer water-based foundations as it allows my skin to breathe and is so much easier to apply. You can check out my full review here!
August, Altruist SPF50 // If it isn't broke, don't fix it. Yeah, I didn't listen to that. My beloved Bondi Sands ran out and since it's such a pain to find in store, I switched to Altruist which my friend gifted me back in June. I have very strong mixed views on this SPF. Let me break it down for you: Pro’s: contains Zinc, doesn’t sting my eyes, high SPF. Cons: absolutely useless when applied to slightly damp skin, mostly absorbs (but wouldn't recommend to anyone with a darker skin tone), beads up and transfers onto everyone's clothing.
September, Nivea Irresistible Smooth Dry Skin body lotion // I love the smell of Nivea products! The smell reminds me of my first ever skincare routine which was made up of their cleanser, toner and moisturiser. I used to love their primer but I think that was discontinued. Anyway, I picked up the body lotion for typical body lotion purposes.
October, Eucerin Urea repair (with 5% Urea and ceramides) // This is my favourite ever intense moisturiser for super dry skin. The Urea repair normally comes with 5% urea which isn't quite as rich as the one with ceramides. It makes a wonderful night moisturiser too.
November, Differin // Following a severe acne flare up in August, I reached out to my doctor again to try and get some medication. My mental health was suffering really bad and my skin was the worst it had ever been. I asked for Differin cream instead of EpiDuo to avoid causing my skin further irritation.
December, Rituals foaming shower gel // It’s like magic! I have so much fun in the shower using this foaming gel. I love the way it comes out as a gel and you can watch it foam up. It’s really gentle and hydrating on the skin. I even picked up a couple of bottles for my friends and now I have lots of free samples of the stuff!
And that's my year in beauty products.
Love, Aoife xo
What do your beauty products say about you? I know we’re a couple of weeks into the new year but I thought it would be fun to break down the last year into beauty products, highlighting which beauty products defined the months for me. To be honest, it was a bit of a tough one trying to remember some of the highlights of the 2021. A year is a long time!
I suffer with persistent acne so I started the year on antibiotics and prescription cream. I managed to have relatively clear skin up until August when it came back, only worse. By October, I was feeling really self conscious, my mental health was deteriorating rapidly and I went back on antibiotics which is where I am now. Back to square one. I have a dermatology referral in the summer (annoying but going private could turn out to be really expensive). I wrote an acne update back in 2020 but I think another one is due soon!
So, after spending an embarrassing amount of time trying to remember my year, here is a breakdown of my 2021 in beauty products:
January, Epiduo // New year, new set of skin care issues. I had a really bad acne flareup January and had to go back on medication again. I tend to phone my doctor when it gets to the point I can't manage it at home and it's affecting my mental health. Alongside the antibiotics I was on, the doctor also prescribed me EpiDuo, a benzoyl peroxide and adapeline cream. My skin doesn't agree with Benzoyl Peroxide and so my start to the year didn't quite go off with a bang. You can read about my experience with acne so far, here!
February, Avène Cicalfate // Back to basics and barrier repair for me. Cicalfate contains calming ingredients which help to soothe the skin and reduce redness. I was still using the EpiDuo cream in February which made my skin quite red so I gravitated towards calming skincare products.
March, Bondi Sands SPF50 // This sunscreen absorbs like an absolute babe. No, seriously, it absorbs very well into the skin without a white cast. The only issue I have is that it can sting your eyes if it gets too close.
April, Cerave SA Smoothing Cleanser // My acne isn't just contained on my face. I also suffer with body acne which had flared up at the same time as my face. I wasn't applying the EpiDuo cream to my chest as I was not about to risk my pyjamas having the same fate as half the towels in my house— covered in bleach marks. Per some recommendations on Instagram, I decided to try out the SA smoothing cleanser by Cerave. I still use it today, applying it in the shower with about 30-60 seconds contact time before I wash it off. I also apply iD care Barrier Cream to my chest after when I've dried off. This combination helped to clear my chest and back acne— something I need to get back into now I'm going to the gym.
May, Garnier Anti dark spots and anti pollution super UV SPF50 // Summer time arrived, well it popped up to say hi, and I picked up this suncream from Garnier which is perfect for wearing under makeup. It dries matte so your makeup can sit perfectly on top. I use this sunscreen exclusively for when I wear any form of coverage. I also picked up its sister SPF spray for suncream top ups.
June, GOW Alpha Arbutin 2% & Kojic Acid 1% Serum // My friend bought this to me for my birthday as it had been on my beauty Wish List for a little while. Kojic acid is meant to be really good for reducing hyperpigmentation and lighten skin discolouration. The product also comes highly recommended by my favourite skincare Twitter accounts. Check out them out here!
July, Chanel Vitalumíere Aqua foundation // For my graduation ceremony, I decided to treat myself to a little bit of luxury and splurge on a Chanel foundation. I prefer water-based foundations as it allows my skin to breathe and is so much easier to apply. You can check out my full review here!
August, Altruist SPF50 // If it isn't broke, don't fix it. Yeah, I didn't listen to that. My beloved Bondi Sands ran out and since it's such a pain to find in store, I switched to Altruist which my friend gifted me back in June. I have very strong mixed views on this SPF. Let me break it down for you: Pro’s: contains Zinc, doesn’t sting my eyes, high SPF. Cons: absolutely useless when applied to slightly damp skin, mostly absorbs (but wouldn't recommend to anyone with a darker skin tone), beads up and transfers onto everyone's clothing.
September, Nivea Irresistible Smooth Dry Skin body lotion // I love the smell of Nivea products! The smell reminds me of my first ever skincare routine which was made up of their cleanser, toner and moisturiser. I used to love their primer but I think that was discontinued. Anyway, I picked up the body lotion for typical body lotion purposes.
October, Eucerin Urea repair (with 5% Urea and ceramides) // This is my favourite ever intense moisturiser for super dry skin. The Urea repair normally comes with 5% urea which isn't quite as rich as the one with ceramides. It makes a wonderful night moisturiser too.
November, Differin // Following a severe acne flare up in August, I reached out to my doctor again to try and get some medication. My mental health was suffering really bad and my skin was the worst it had ever been. I asked for Differin cream instead of EpiDuo to avoid causing my skin further irritation.
December, Rituals foaming shower gel // It’s like magic! I have so much fun in the shower using this foaming gel. I love the way it comes out as a gel and you can watch it foam up. It’s really gentle and hydrating on the skin. I even picked up a couple of bottles for my friends and now I have lots of free samples of the stuff!
And that's my year in beauty products.
Love, Aoife xo
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