Here's a round up of the beauty products I have been applying, wiping and slathering recently.
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| Chanel Hydra Beauty Gel Creme £50 BUY HERE |
This refreshing gel formula face moisturiser is ideal for summer when you don't want to apply a heavy cream every day. However it has no SPF protection so I layer sun protection cream on before application. For a cream that's so expensive you'd expect an SPF as standard so it's a little disappointing it doesn't come with. The lightness of the formula would make this ideal for combination skins, but if you have sensitive skin I'd avoid as it's strongly scented with a clean, fresh fragrance that may aggravate. It contains camelia extract to help the skin retain moisture and plump up and the antioxidant blue ginger to protect the skin. As you'd expect from Chanel, the super slick monochrome packaging makes you want to keep it out on display rather than putting it away inside the bathroom cupboard. However the screw top lid means the ingredients are exposed and compromised from the first use, plus dipping your fingers into the pot isn't very hygenic, no matter how clean they are! This is one of the most expensive creams I've used on my face and for the financial investment I'd like to see more noticeable results. Unfortunately they haven't been forthcoming and so I won't be purchasing it again.
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| Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads £12.99 BUY HERE |
As my pregnancy progresses and my fatigue increases, convenience becomes of more importance. I spotted these little pads on the shelves of Boots on a recent visit and snapped them up hoping the ease of wiping them across my face would make me use them regularly and they'd perk up my malnourished and exhausted complexion. I haven't been disappointed. The pads are soaked in glycolic acid which exfoliates the skin's surface to remove dead skin cells so the skin is left brighter, along with hyaluronic acid to moisturise, witch hazel to tone and blue daisy to soothe and calm. I take one pad and wipe across my face and neck every night after cleansing and before moisturising. The pads don't sting, like others I've tried before, but they leave a slightly sticky residue that I let soak in for a few minutes before applying my night moisturiser. I noticed my skin was smoother and softer within a week. These are so quick and easy to use with visible results and great value to boot, that it would be wrong not to tell you to go and buy them immediately.
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| Nivea Q10 Firming Body Moisturiser £2.63 BUY HERE |
I'm applying body moisturiser like it's going out of fashion now that I'm pregnant, in the hope of my skin staying supple enough to avoid the dreaded stretch marks. I saw this cream was half price and because it promised firming I thought it would be perfect to slather on my ever expanding butt and thighs. I'm under no illusion that a cream can firm up body parts, yes it can create smoother skin and temporary tightening, but only exercise and a clean diet will firm up the body. However when your body is growing daily and your hormones are dictating that you only eat beige carbohydrates, you seek the hope of toned thighs in bottles of cream. This is a super light formulation that contains moisturising macadamia nut oil and Nivea's patented Q10 formula that helps skin stay supple and toned. It has an talcum powdery inoffensive smell, glides onto and into the skin with complete ease but the best part is it really moisturises. After only a couple of days my skin felt incredibly soft and smoother and even when I've been too busy/tired to apply it my skin is much more moisturised than before. I'm onto my third bottle now, a testament to just how impressed I am with this product.
