Treat Your Skin to a Cleansing Balm

Tags

almond oil, apricot powder, balm, baobab oil, blackcurrant seed, blue tansy, clean, cleanse, cleanser, cleansing, cleansing balm, creamy, cruelty free, elasticity, excess oil, exfoliate, eyebrows, eyelashes, face, fragrance free, gentle, hydrate, lecithin, limited edition, liquid lipsticks, makeup, nourishing, oil, pollutants, regenerating, Sea buckthorn oil, skin, skin cells, soothing, soybeans, sunscreen, texture, upcycle, vegan-friendly, water, Waterproof mascara

Photo by August de Richelieu

Cleaning balms, which typically have a creamier texture and are often oil-based, are a great alternative to conventional cleansers. They can thoroughly clean your pores while still retaining enough moisture to leave your skin feeling soft and smooth. Most cleansing balms are suitable for all skin types, however, those with dry or sensitive skin will particularly benefit from them. They are also perfect for problem skin due to their capacity to enter the pores and extract sebum. Here are five of our favourite cleansing balms for your consideration:

Elemis Pro-Collagen Naked Cleansing Balm

This cleansing balm from Elemis is a limited-edition, fragrance-free version of their bestselling cleansing balm that melts away makeup and impurities for a glowing complexion. The mineral oil-free product moisturises like a cleansing milk, dissolves makeup with ease like a cleansing oil, and nourishes the skin like a balm. Without hurting the eyes or dehydrating the face, it effectively removes waterproof mascara and liquid lipsticks and helps to smooth the look of fine lines and wrinkles to reveal a glowing and youthful-looking complexion.

Dermalogica Precleanse Balm

Dermalogica Precleanse Balm is a deep-cleansing balm-to-oil cleanser that melts into the skin and gently removes excess oil, sunscreen, makeup and pollutants from the skin. Suitable for all skin types, this balm focuses on stripping away cosmetics, dirt and other build-up without damaging the skin’s natural barrier. It contains an invigorating combination of essential oils that refreshes the senses and helps deliver the state of cleanliness that is traditionally experienced in the professional treatment room.

REN Clean Skincare Rosa Centifolia No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm

This rose-infused cleansing balm from REN Clean Skincare is gentle yet powerful, helping to melt away the toughest of make-up and daily grime, while almond oil cleanses, nourishes and moisturises the skin. The deeply hydrating formula leaves skin feeling cleansed, refreshed and nourished and even contains lecithin from soybeans, which nourishes and conditions the eyelashes and brows.

UpCircle Cleansing Face Balm with Apricot Powder

UpCircle Cleansing Face Balm with Apricot Powder is a daily cleansing balm that will melt away makeup, pollution and impurities. It’s gentle enough to be used every day, unlike some exfoliating cleansers, as well as being cruelty free, vegan-friendly and free from palm oil. This award winning cleanser also contains skin calming ingredients blackcurrant seed, blue tansy and sea buckthorn oils.

Evolve Organic Beauty Gentle Cleansing Melt

This opulent cleansing balm from Evolve Organic Beauty contains organic baobab oil, which is hydrating and soothing. Natural sugar extracts are blended with water to create a creamy milk that rinses clean and leaves skin feeling nourished, soothed, and clean. Baobab Oil also contains high levels of protein and Vitamin A, nourishes, improves skin elasticity, and helps to regenerate new skin cells and promote healing.

Why You Should Be Paying Attention to Amino Acids

Tags

amino acids, anti-aging, appearance, astringent, basil oil, blow, body, botanical, breakage, building blocks, Burdock, cells, chamomile, cleansing, cucumber, detangling, drying, elasticity, essential, exfoliating, expression, Eyes, Frankincense, frizz, Grapefruit, hair, healthy, heat, hydration, Ivy, Jojoba oil, lavender, lemon, lines, Mallow, moisturised, moisturising, nature, oil, oils, peel, peptides, protect, protection, radiant, rose, sagging, science, shine, skin, smoothness, softness, soothe, split ends, useful, Watercress, youthful

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Amino acids are the building blocks of the cells that make up your body – however, did you know they can also be good for your skin? Amino acids, which contain moisturising, anti-aging, and exfoliating characteristics, can aid with skin elasticity issues that arise as we age. Amino acids come in 20 different varieties, and they are useful for people of all ages and skin types. A more moisturised, youthful, and generally healthy appearance of the skin is achieved by using amino acids in skin care products that also encourage cellular repair and collagen formation. Here are five of our favourite products which harness the power of amino acids:

CACI – Amino-Lift Peptide Complex

This effective anti-ageing skin care cream contains powerful peptides, essential oils and amino acids that target expression lines and help to firm sagging skin. It can be used twice a day after cleansing to give visible results and as well as being packed with amino acids also contains basil oil, jojoba oil, grapefruit peel oil and a number of other other botanical ingredients which nourish and revive your skin. 

L’Oreal Professionnel Serie Expert Vitamino Colour 10-In-1 Multi-Benefit Leave-In Treatment Milk

Amino acids don’t just benefit your face – your hair can also benefit from using products which are infused with amino acids. This leave-in treatment milk from L’Oreal is a multi-benefit spray designed for coloured hair with 10 key benefits. It promises to help your hair to achieve shine, softness, smoothness of hair fibre and hydration, as well as offering protection against heat up to 230°c, detangling, anti-breakage, anti-split ends, anti-frizz and even facilitates blow-drying! 

Aromatherapy Associates Eye Zone Concentrate

The skin around the eyes is one of the thinnest areas of skin on your whole body, which means that it is more prone to premature ageing. This eye cream from Aromatherapy Associates combines powerful, bio-fermented actives, advanced amino acids and an effective pure essential oil blend to lift, tighten and contour the area around the eyes. It also contains rose, camomile and frankincense essential oils to soothe and protect for a radiant, youthful complexion. 

Dermalogica Active Moist

This moisture-rich product from Dermalogica combines the best of nature and science, containing a whole host of ingredients which are taken from natural sources. Silk amino acids help smooth and improve skin texture while natural botanical astringents lemon, ivy, watercress and burdock help to refine the skin. It also contains soothing extracts of lavender, mallow and cucumber to help provide deep-hydration.

Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Serum

This resurfacing serum from Elemis is so powerful that it’s advised that you avoid sunbeds and always use an SPF while using the treatment! It’s created using a powerful combination of alpha-hydroxy-acids, selastin and patented Tri-Enzyme technology, as well as selected amino acids. This serum smoothes the skins’s surface, revealing a stunning complexion and also helps to reduce the appearance of pores and wrinkles.

Five Products to Give You Brighter Eyes

Tags

arjun tree extract, Blue light, brightening, Coco seed peptides, Concealer, crows feet, cruelty free, dark circles, dark under eyes, dehydration, delicate, dunaliella salina (micro-algae) extract, elasticity, eye, eye area, Eyes, fatigue, Finelines, Glycerin, hyaluronic acid, hydrating, hydration, light reflecting, mineral pigments, multifunctional coma mango butter, natural extract, papain enzyme (from papaya), Persian Silk Tree extract, poria mushroom, puffiness, salvia hispanica (chia seed) oil, serum, sleep, tighten, tired, tired eyes, tremella mushroom, Vegan, visibly brighter, Vitamin C, wrinkles

Photo by Matheus Bertelli

Whether you are plagued by chronic raccoon eyes or you’ve just had a rough week, there is more you can do to refresh your face than just layering on brightening concealer. The causes of dark under eyes are numerous and varied and that means that different products may or may not work for you. With this in mind, we’ve curated five of the best products for helping you to brighten your eye area:

This Works Morning Expert Open Eyes

This potent eye cream from This Works draws on a number of different botanicals to create an instant antidote to tired eyes upon waking. It contains natural extracts of giant kelp to tighten the look of skin, Persian silk tree extract to help reduce the appearance of dark circles and cocoa seed peptides to limit the effects of blue light on the skin’s appearance. You only need a tiny amount for each application and storing it in the fridge helps to give it an extra whack of power. 

Medik8 Illuminating Eye Balm

This illuminating eye balm from Medik8 concentrates on giving intense hydration to the delicate eye area. It contains multi-weight hyaluronic acid and glycerin so that true moisture is drawn into the eye area, smoothing the appearance of fine, dehydration lines. The formula targets dark circles and signs of fatigue, while the light reflecting mineral pigments help to boost the appearance of tired looking eyes, resulting in a visibly brighter tone.

Dermalogica Biolumin-C Eye Serum

Vitamin C is a fantastic ingredient for boosting brightness and this eye serum from Dermalogica is supercharged with it! As well as a potent vitamin C complex, it contains arjun tree extract, tremella mushroom, dunaliella salina (micro-algae) extract, poria mushroom, papain enzyme (from papaya) and salvia hispanica (chia seed) oil which combine to visibly brighten, hydrate and tighten the eye area. 

Murad Renewing Eye Cream

This multi-functional eye cream from Murad performs a number of different actions to improve the appearance of the eye area. Advanced peptides and retinol visibly minimise fine lines and wrinkles as mango butter increases elasticity, while the Eye Brightening Complex reduces the appearance of dark circles and puffiness for brighter, younger-looking eyes. As well as targeting the signs of ageing which are already visible it bolsters the skin to prevent future ageing. 

REN Clean Skincare Keep Young And Beautiful Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift

The name of this product really does say it all! REN Clean Skincare Keep Young And Beautiful Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift is a lightweight serum which packs a heavyweight punch with it’s brightening and anti-ageing properties. The vegan, cruelty-free formula promises to reduce dark circles, minimise crows feet, hydrates the eye contour, lifts the skin and smoothes the whole eye area instantly. It can be reapplied throughout the day, even over your make-up, to tighten the eye area and regular use will drastically reduce the appearance of fine lines and crow’s feet. 

Sea Buckthorn Oil – Why You Need This in Your Skincare

Tags

ageing, Aloe Vera, arthritic joint pain, Asia, bakuchiol, berries, brighten, caffeine hyaluronic acid, cellular turnover, circulation, collagen, cottonseed oil, detoxifies, doll, dryness, elasticity, Europe, fine lines, firma, fortify skin barrier, gentle, healthier, high end, hydrate, hydrated, I make seven fatty acids, impurities, inflammation, ingredients, leaves, lotions, make up, Maritime pine, nourish, pigmentation, pollution, retinoid, rosemary, roughness, Sea buckthorn oil, see fennel, seeds, shrub, skin texture, skin types, skincare, soreness, soybean oil, super charge, tetra vitamin C, tired, tired skin, toxins, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, wrinkles

Photo by munkhbayar dambajav

There are some ingredients – from caffeine to hyaluronic acid to aloe vera to clay – which you shouldn’t be surprised to find in your skincare. They’re commonly used in lotions and potions from the cheaper stuff to the higher end. Some ingredients, however, seem to pop up out of nowhere and sea buckthorn oil is popping up on ingredient lists everywhere for good reason – it can hydrate, brighten and improve skin texture, making it an ingredient that truly ticks all the boxes and can work for all skin types. 

While it may sound like something that comes from the ocean, sea buckthorn oil is extracted from the berries, leaves and seeds of the sea buckthorn plant, which is a small shrub that grows across northern Europe and some parts of Asia. As well as offering excellent hydration, sea buckthorn oil also helps to refine the skin’s texture and contains up to 12 times the amount of vitamin C as oranges, which brightens the complexion.

With this in mind, we’ve searched our shelves to show you a selection of the best sea buckthorn-containing products:

Elemis Musclease Active Body Oil

Elemis Musclease Active Body Oil is specially formulated for anyone with an active lifestyle. Its concentrated formula has ingredients to help ease sore spots and refresh the body. Sea buckthorn oil also protects the body against harmful toxins while sea fennel soothes inflammation and detoxifies the body. Rosemary loosens stiff joints and relieves sore muscles. Maritime pine improves circulation and reduces arthritic joint pain. The combination of oils is highly effective in offering relief from muscle pain and soreness. 

Evolve Organic Beauty Bio-Retinol+C Booster

Evolve Bio Retinol + C Booster is an innovative cocktail of vitamins which helps supercharge dull and tired skin by brightening the appearance of pigmentation, improving cellular turnover, boosting collagen and significantly improving all signs of ageing, tired skin. As well as sea buckthorn oil, it contains ingredients such as bakuchiol and tetra vitamin c to deliver a brighter, firmer, more nourished and renewed overall complexion.

REN Clean Skincare Bio Retinoid Youth Concentrate Oil

This lightweight moisturising serum contains a potent retinoid that works to support the skin’s natural collagen production and cell turnover, helping to smooth the complexion and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The addition of soybean and cottonseed oil work together to fortify the skin barrier, helping to reduce the irritation generally associated with retinol use, while sea buckthorn oil helps nourish, reduce roughness, and combat the dulling effects of dryness or dehydration, for a healthier-looking complexion.

UpCircle Cleansing Face Balm with Apricot Powder

This natural, sustainable balm from UpCircle is formulated for everyday cleansing, to gently remove makeup, pollution and impurities. It leaves skin deeply cleansed, soothed and hydrated and is suitable for all skin types. This cleansing balm is made with the finely-ground powder of discarded apricot stones, a natural by-product of the apricot oil industry and rich in antioxidant Vitamin E. It also contains sea buckthorn oil, which is high in vitamin E, C and Omega 7 fatty acids, and helps skin retain its elasticity. 

Medik8 Mutiny

This gel-like balm melts into an oil upon application to deliver instant and long-lasting hydration to your lips. Formulated in a squalane base, with plant-sourced sea buckthorn oil and multi-weight hyaluronic acid, the lip balm absorbs into lips to replenish lost lipids and leave lips feeling nourished, replenished and moisturised. Once applied to lips, the balm gives a slight refreshing tingle and an indulgent lemongrass natural fragrance.

Combat the signs of ageing with SkinCeuticals

Tags

ageing, blemishes, blueberry extract, cell turnover, chest, complexion, creeping, crows feet, dark circles, dull, elasticity, enzyme, epidermal, face, fine lines, firmness, groundbreaking, hyaluronic acid, imperfections, moisture barrier, neck, oily, physicians, phytosphingosine, potent, proxylane, puffiness, Renew, rough texture, SkinCeuticals, stimulating, tackiness, thinning, tight, wrinkles

Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels

For many people, combatting the signs of ageing is their number one skincare priority, so it’s no surprise that many of our brands cater to those needs. Today, we’re looking at SkinCeuticals, a brand which was started back in the early 90’s, with skincare professionals working alongside professional physicians to create products which were potent and groundbreaking. Here are just a few of their products which will target the signs of ageing and renew your complexion:

SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter

This anti-aging cream from SkinCeuticals contains 30% proxylane, an unprecedented dose of the hyaluronic acid stimulating enzyme which encourages your skin to hydrate itself from within. It also contains blueberry extract and phytosphingosine to help restore firmness, which can be lost over time, thanks to the ageing process. It can be used on the face, neck and chest to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and rough texture and will improve the appearance of skin creping and thinning.

SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defence Serum

Many people assume that once the ageing process begins you won’t have to worry about spots or blemishes. This, however, is a myth and older skin can still be oily and blemish prone. This serum from SkinCeuticals targets imperfection while also working on fine lines and uneven skin tone to give your skin a youthful appearance without spots to worry about.

SkinCeuticals Metacell Renewal B3

This lightweight serum from the SkinCeuticals contains B3 and has an emulsion finish to deliver intense hydration without weighing your skin down or leaving any tackiness. It promotes skin renewal by increasing epidermal cell turnover and will strengthen the skin’s own moisture barrier, as well as improving firmness and banishing dark spots and blotchiness.

SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex

The eyes are one of the first places to show the signs of ageing because the skin in this area is thinner and more prone to losing elasticity. This Eye Complex from SkinCeuticals contains a combination of ingredients to fight the signs of ageing. It will reduce crow’s feet, dark circles and puffiness and give comfort to dry skin which feels tight and dull.

SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Cleanser

As we mentioned above plenty of people with ageing skin are still susceptible to oily blemish prone areas, which is why finding a dedicated cleanser to target these problems is essential. This SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Cleanser is designed for skin prone to imperfections and when used daily will purify the skin, banish blemishes and target the signs of ageing.