Dry Skin on Your Body? No Problem!

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Aromatherapy Associates Rose Indulgent Body Cream, body, body butter, body cream, body oil, CBD, CBD oil, cracked, cruelty free, Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Body Oil, dry, dry skin, eczema, Elemis Skin Nourishing Body Cream, glowing, hydrating, hydration, Korean skincare, leathery, nourishing, oil, painful, Psoriasis, REN Clean Skincare Neroli And Grapefruit Body Cream, rose, scaly, South Seas - Pineapple Express CBD Body Butter, tight, Vegan

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Dry skin can occur anywhere on the body, but the hands, face, elbows, legs, feet, scalp, and arms are the most common areas. Often, the dry skin patches occur in regions which are more uncovered than others, like areas which are exposed to cold air in winter. The skin’s ability to hydrate can be disrupted by both internal and external factors, resulting in extremely dry skin.

When the skin on the body becomes extremely dry, it may feel very tight, scaly, or leathery, and frequently itches or hurts, with some dry skin being bad enough to become cracked or even infected. That’s why we’ve gathered together some of our best products for dry skin so that your body can hydrate and heal:

South Seas – Pineapple Express CBD Body Butter

Although you may associate South Seas with being a tanning brand, this CBD-infused body butter is so rich and restorative that it’s well known for being popular amongst people with dry skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, not just the tanners amongst us! It’s packed with nature’s finest ingredients from around the world, and the unique formula assists with hydrating your skin to help improve damaged skin by moisturising and treating affected areas to restore your skin’s natural beauty. 

REN Clean Skincare Neroli And Grapefruit Body Cream

Although it’s suitable for all skin types, this vegan, cruelty-free body cream from REN Clean Skincare is so nourishing that even the driest skin will benefit from using it. Formulated with orange blossom and cold pressed grapefruit oil, this creamy moisturiser not only hydrates and softens skin, it leaves it with an invigorating fragrance, too. The cream has a silky-soft finish which makes skin feel comfortable with no annoying residue. 

Elemis Skin Nourishing Body Cream

This body cream from Elemis is formulated with “excessively dry skin conditions” in mind, harnessing the power of natural ingredients to offer deep nourishment. It contains concentrated milk protein and nourishing camellia, macadamia and jojoba oils, which combine to replenish dry skin, whilst softening and balancing the acid mantle. The soothing extracts of oat kernel and limnanthes alba, combined with the lipid rich sesame and shea butter base ensures skin is left silky soft and healthy looking.

Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Body Oil

This body oil from Dermalogica is not just rich in moisturising oils – it also contains high levels of antioxidants, which help to replenish, calm and moisturise the skin. The blend is made from French plum seed oil, avocado oil and sunflower seed oil, which are rich in omega fatty acids and vitamin E, and help protect skin’s lipid barrier. It’s also packed with calming fermented red ginseng, inspired by Korean skin care rituals, which calms and nourishes to deliver glowing skin.

Aromatherapy Associates Rose Indulgent Body Cream

Last on our list of body creams for dry skin, but by no means the least, is this rose-infused treat from Aromatherapy Associates. The cream is crafted using a pure expert oil blend of warm rose, geranium and palmarosa. Furthermore, Alpine rose from the Swiss Alps is blended with antioxidant rich almond and jojoba oils to hydrate and enrich your skin, leaving you with deeply nourished, hydrated and radiant skin beautifully scented to uplift you throughout the day.

Cloud Skin – The Newest Skincare Trend

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Aromatherapy Associates Mattifying Deep Cleanse Face Wash, balance, blurred, blurring, cloud, Cloud skin, complexion, Elemis Superfood Berry Boost Mask, Evolve Organic Beauty True Balance Lotion, influencers, lotion, make-up, matte, oil, oily, pores, Refinery Mattifying Moisturiser, skin, skincare, SkinCeuticals Oil Shield UV Defence Sunscreen SPF 50, smooth, soft, TikTok, viral

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*sigh*

Another day, another viral skincare trend. 

Last week, we were all trying to make ourselves look as though we had doughnut glaze on our faces, while this week, it’s ‘cloud skin’ we’re all striving for. 

So what is cloud skin and how can we achieve it? Cloud skin is all about a soft, matte finish on the skin which looks blurred, soft-focus and ethereal. Think of cherubs on a cloud and you get the idea. And surprisingly, it’s not as difficult to achieve as it might sound, providing you use the right combination of skincare and make-up. With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of products which should definitely be in your cloud-skin arsenal:

Aromatherapy Associates Mattifying Deep Cleanse Face Wash

Every good artist knows that the quality of the canvas is of utmost importance and the same can be said for our faces. Using a mattifying wash is essential in achieving cloud skin, and this one from Aromatherapy Associates is one of the best. It contains lavender and tea tree, which are natural antibacterial essential oils, whilst jojoba helps to balance the skin. It will remove makeup and leave skin feeling balanced, toned and deeply cleansed. 

Refinery Mattifying Moisturiser

Many people make the mistake of thinking that oily skin doesn’t need moisturiser, but that’s rarely the case, and moisturising oily skin can actually help to rebalance your complexion. This moisturiser from Refinery is a light and easily absorbed moisturiser to instantly reduce shine, resulting in matte looking skin. It contains pumpkin seed extract which reduces shine with special optical effects while oat kernel flour soothes and protects skin. 

SkinCeuticals Oil Shield UV Defence Sunscreen SPF 50

Even if you want your skin to look like a cloud, you still need protection from the sun! This SPF from SkinCeuticals offers broad-spectrum SPF50 protection while helping to mattify the skin. It’s an invisible lotion which offers a lightweight, residue-free formula with mattifying properties to help reduce skin oiliness. It contains silica silicate, which absorbs sebum for a light-scattering and blurring effect, perfect for use under make-up to achieve cloud skin. 

Elemis Superfood Berry Boost Mask

If you struggle with imbalanced skin, you’re going to find it difficult to maintain the cloud skin look throughout the day. This mask from Elemis helps to draw out skin impurities whilst gently exfoliating to leave the complexion looking balanced and smooth, and will help to soak up excess oil in 10 minutes. It contains omega-rich fatty acids derived from berries and a prebiotic, naturally derived from sugar, which helps to maintain balance in the skin’s microflora for a healthier looking complexion.

Evolve Organic Beauty True Balance Lotion

Cloud skin relies on looking smooth and soft, as well as having a matte finish, and this lotion from Evolve Organic Beauty can help you to achieve that. It contains ingredients which are clinically proven to tighten and reduce the appearance of pores as well as having a mattifying, firming and moisturising effect. Avocado extract helps to limit excessive oil production by inhibiting an oil producing enzyme (5 alpha-reductase) and therefore reducing the shiny appearance of the t-zone, while hyaluronic acid helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, making the skin look fresher with an improved skin tone, and reduces the appearance of pores.

How to Prep Dry Skin Before Applying Makeup

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ageing skin, antioxidant, balm, cleanser, complexion, dead skin cells, dehydrated, Dermalogica Hydro Masque Exfoliant, Dermalogica Skin Perfect Primer SPF30, drier skin, dry skin, dryness, Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm, Elemis Superfood Kefir-Tea Mist, Evolve Organic Beauty Daily Renew Facial Cream, fermented, flaky, kefir, make-up, makeup, mist, moisture, moisturising, oil-based, patchy, prep, prime, primer, rooibos tea, skin, spray, Vegan

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Unless you’re lucky enough to have the least problematic skin on the planet, every skin type will have it’s own issues when it comes to make-up application. Ageing skin can struggle with heavier formulas which weigh down the skin while those with oily skin may struggle to get their make-up to last the full day. Today, however, we’re focusing on dry skin and what you can do to prep your skin before applying make-up to ensure that you get the best covering with no patchiness or flaking. 

Choose the Correct Cleanser

If you already have dry skin, the last thing you want to do is choose a cleanser which has ingredients which will further dehydrate your face. We’d recommend using a cleansing oil oir balm, such as Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm, to start the cleansing process. Cleansers with an oil or balm texture will help to melt away daily dirt and make-up without stripping the skin’s natural oils and will leave your skin nourished and soothed, with a radiant glow. 

Gently Exfoliate

One of the main issues with applying base products such as foundation to dry skin is that the first place it will cling to is areas of dryness. This will leave your base looking patchy and uneven and it may even appear flaky. The most important thing that you can do to avoid this is gently exfoliating the skin with something like Dermalogica Hydro Masque Exfoliant. This will ensure that dead skin cells are sloughed away and your face is a clean canvas on which to paint. 

Properly Moisturise

If you have dry skin, there’s a good chance that you already have a moisturiser in your daily routine, but is it rich enough to properly nourish a dehydrated complexion? Opting for a moisturiser which is specifically formulated to deal with dry skin, such as Evolve Organic Beauty Daily Renew Facial Cream will ensure that your skin isn’t just drinking in the moisture but still remaining thirsty. 

Prime Your Skin

Many people are under the illusion that cleansing and moisturising is enough, but using a primer is especially important if you have dry skin and want your make-up to sit nicely. Dermalogica Skin Perfect Primer SPF30 will help to smooth away fine lines, brighten and prime for flawless skin and to prepare for make-up application. It’s formulated for use on drier or prematurely ageing skin and will ensure that your skin stays hydrated all day. It also provides broad-spectrum sun protection to prevent harmful UV rays from doing further damage. 

Use a Hydrating Setting Spray

Setting sprays are used quite commonly, but a huge amount of them are alcohol based, making them dehydrating, and therefore bad for dry skin. Imagine doing all of the above to get your skin and make-up on point, only to spray it with something to dry it out?! Elemis Superfood Kefir-Tea Mist is a hydrating 4-in-1 treatment mist, infused with antioxidant rich rooibos tea extract and vegan, soy-derived kefir ferment to help soothe and brighten the complexion.  It may also be used as a setting spray to lock makeup in place and revitalise the skin throughout the day.

Five Veganuary Skincare Swaps

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alcohol, animal, beeswax, berry, brighten, cleanser, cranberry, cream, Cruelty, diet, elastin, extracts, free, Glycerin, goji, hydrate, ingredients, lanolin, lavender, moisturiser, Moringa, oil, peptides, pollution, production, products, protection, seed, serum, skin, the January, Toner, urea, UVA, Vegan, vitamin, Vitamin C

Photo by Ivan Samkov

January has long since been a time for new beginnings and setting intentions – the very first New Year’s resolutions were thought to have been made some four thousand years ago, by the ancient Babylonians! Since 2014, however, many people have been adopting “veganuary” as their new start, whereby they try to eat a vegan, plant-based diet for the whole of January. 

In fact, last year, over 600,000 people around the world signed up for Veganuary, and many more took part without doing the official sign up. For some, it’s just about diet, but becoming vegan usually means eradicating animal products from all areas of your life, including clothing and even skincare. With this in mind, we’ve put together a handy list of simple skincare swaps that you can make to ensure your skincare is vegan and cruelty free, for January and beyond:

Cleanser

There are a number of different animal-derived ingredients which can be found in cleansers, but with Evolve Organic Beauty you can be safe in the knowledge that ALL of their products are vegan and cruelty free. Evolve Organic Beauty Daily Detox Facial Wash contains natural sugars which cleanse away impurities, while organic aloe vera softens, leaving skin clean, smooth and supple. Natural goji berry extract and moringa peptides defend against pollution and help to rebalance the skin’s natural oil production. 

Toner

Many toners contain glycerin, and while glycerin can be vegan, it’s also often derived from animal fat extracts, which is cheaper. Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner contains only vegan ingredients, including extracts of lavender, sweet betty flower and saponins from quillaja wood to help to balance and soften the skin. It’s also a non-drying formula, unlike many toners, as it contains no harsh alcohols or detergents. 

Moisturiser

While there are MANY plant-based ingredients which are amazingly nourishing for the skin, some companies still rely on animal products like beeswax and lanolin. REN Clean Skincare Ultra Moisture Day Cream contains a natural blend of beech tree buds extract, which hydrates and improves skin texture, shea butter which softens and smooths skin and cranberry seed oil which replenishes with lipids and reinforces skin barrier, all of which are vegan and cruelty free. 

Serum

Another non-vegan ingredient which is commonly found in serums and other hydrating products is urea, which literally comes from animal urine – pretty nasty even if you’re NOT a vegan! Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum contains ingredients which hydrate, brighten and firm the skin, all of which are vegan in origin. In fact, this powerhouse serum combines ultra stable Vitamin C complex with a bio-technology to deliver the natural power of Vitamin C where it’s needed most. 

SPF

Sun protection often contains a number of different ingredients, such as elastin, lanolin and stearic acid, all of which are animal byproducts. However, Medik8 Advanced Day Total Protect SPF30 is a completely vegan formula and offers Pollution Shield, anti-infrared, anti-blue light and anti-A.G.E technology alongside SPF 30 and 5* UVA protection all in a lightweight moisturiser. This nourishing day cream boasts a range of protective technologies and replenishes skin’s hydration levels to keep it looking healthy and young.

Reset for Spring – Use These Ingredients NOW to See a Difference in Your Skin!

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acid, bakuchiol, collagen, Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser, Dermalogica PowerBright Dark Spot Serum, dull skin, enlarged pores, gel, gentle, glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, hydrate, ingredient, ingredients, Maskology Hyaluronic Acid Professional Sheet Mask, moisturiser, natural, Niacinamide, pores, REN Clean Skincare Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream, Republic Vitamin C 6% Serum, retinoids, retinol, sensitive skin, serum, skin, This Works My Wrinkles CBD Booster + Bakuchiol, uneven skintone, vitamin, Vitamin C, wrinkles

Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich

While we might still be firmly in the grips of winter, many of us are already starting to think forward to the warmer, brighter days of spring. This may involve trying to improve our fitness, giving your house a thorough decluttering, or possibly getting control of your complexion before the warmer weather arrives. If you are concentrating on the latter, using products containing the following five ingredients between now and the start of spring (although maybe not all of them at the same time!) is sure to reset your skin and give you the complexion of your dreams:

Vitamin C

Adding vitamin C to your skin care routine can not only brighten your complexion but also protect against skin damage caused by sun exposure and harmful free radicals. This potent antioxidant is commonly used in face cleansers, serums, oils, and moisturisers. Skin Republic Vitamin C 6% Serum is a great place to start, and we’d also recommend adding REN Clean Skincare Glow Daily Vitamin C Gel Cream, which is a light gel cream moisturiser to hydrate and illuminate your skin.

Glycolic Acid

Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), a natural acid derived from plants. It’s made up of tiny molecules that can easily penetrate your skin barrier, helping to make it a particularly effective anti-ageing ingredient that promotes good skin health. Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser is packed with this acid and will help renew dull, uneven skin tone and remove build-up caused by environmental factors. 

Hyaluronic Acid

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last ten years, you’ve likely heard of hyaluronic acid as it’s in so many different skincare products – with good reason! It is a powerful component that both binds moisture to the skin and is suitable for all skin types and ages. It’s found naturally in the skin, although production reduces as we age. When added to skincare, it helps to hydrate the skin, gives a plumper, wrinkle-free appearance and makes your complexion look more radiant. For an easy introduction to hyaluronic acid, we recommend Maskology Hyaluronic Acid Professional Sheet Mask.

Bakuchiol

We’ve written about bakuchiol before, and it’s an ingredient which is worth mentioning over and over again! Retinoids are potent ingredients which encourage faster turnover of surface skin cells and boosts collagen, as well as improving skin tone and reducing fine lines and wrinkles. However, for some, retinoids are a little TOO powerful for their sensitive skin and can cause irritation and discomfort. Bakuchiol is a gentle, naturally occurring alternative, found in This Works My Wrinkles CBD Booster + Bakuchiol, which is perfect for those with sensitive skin. 

Niacinamide

Also known as vitamin B3, niacinamide is a water-soluble vitamin that works with the natural substances in your skin to help visibly minimise enlarged pores, improve uneven skin tone, soften fine lines and wrinkles, diminish dullness, and strengthen the skin’s surface. It can be found in Dermalogica PowerBright Dark Spot Serum, along with hexylresorcinol to help fade dark spots and shiitake mushrooms, which are rich in beta glucans, to help to brighten skin.