During the pandemic, I’ll admit that I really slacked off on anything beauty. I was barely even doing my skincare routine, never mind putting on make-up. Even though I still work from home, in the last couple of months or so, I’ve really tried to put more time into looking after myself properly in general. Included in that is my winter beauty routine.
Some background on my beauty routine
Sure, I’m no expert when it comes to beauty products. I’ve no idea what products are in or out right now, I only know what products I’ve been reaching for lately as well as what works for my skin type. With sensitive skin and eczema, I have to be incredibly careful of the products I use. That’s why when I find a product I love, I bulk-buy it. It seems that many of my favourites end up getting discontinued so whilst it’s not cheap to stock up, it gives me a lot of time to find a replacement!
I also only use cruelty-free products. This used to be a lot trickier than it is now as there are lots of brands to choose from. However, there are still too many brands, especially in skincare, that are choosing to test on animals! If you’re interested in going cruelty-free with your beauty routine, Cruelty-Free Kitty is my absolute bible for seeing whether a brand is CF or not!
I’ve also just turned thirty (last month) so if I don’t start looking after my skin now, it won’t like me very much as I get older. I’ve been blessed to have quite smooth skin but it’s very dry in patches and I do get hormonal spots in several places. Usually, if I keep hydrated and reduce my sugar intake, my skin goes back to ‘normal’ easily.
I’ve broken this blog post down into two main sections: skincare and haircare. Here’s a closer look at my winter beauty routine.
My new skincare routine
After a dermaplaning session, my former aesthetician set me up with new skincare, perfect for my winter beauty routine. Whilst I didn’t follow the routine to a tee (I asked for cruelty-free products and some weren’t), she did recommend a brand called Byoma. When I researched them, I loved the fact that they sold an entire regime. Whilst they have their own website, their products were on offer in Boots at the time. I got myself the Creamy Jelly Cleanser, the Hydrating Serum and the Moisturising Rich Cream.
I’ve been using these products for a couple of months now and I’m not sure they’ll all remain in my routine. I love the texture of the cleanser and you barely need any of the product. It doesn’t foam up hugely but I actually prefer that. It’s good for an everyday clean but I don’t think it’s ideal for a deeper cleanse.
The hydrating serum is my least favourite from the trio. It feels like you have to use lots of the product and it dries incredibly quickly. You’ve barely even popped a couple of blobs on your face and it’s sunk in. I’m also near the end of the bottle, which makes it the most expensive item. I’ll be switching back to The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid when it’s empty.
Whilst I do like the moisturiser, I’m not sure it will be a repeat purchase. The pump constantly breaks so you have to faff around unscrewing it every single time. However, you don’t need to use a lot of it so it will last for ages! I’m going to decant it if I can!
Everyday skincare
Because my skin is so dry during winter, I double up on moisturiser. I know it’s probably not the done thing but it keeps my skin extra soft. In the morning, I pop on the Vitamin E moisturising day cream and in the evening, I use the intense moisture cream. The last product especially is super thick, it does feel like a mask. Honestly, it’s a miracle product. Use a small amount, use it across your face and neck, and when you wake up, your skin will feel silky smooth.
I’ve recently started using the Superdrug Vitamin E eye cream because once you hit 30, there’s no going back. It does seem to be doing something as my bags are disappearing slowly! You only need to use the tiniest amount too and it spreads out amazingly!
My final everyday step is sunscreen. I’ve always used moisturisers with SPF in but now I use SPF daily as a separate product. For now, I’m using the Boots Soltan SPF30 8-hour sun cream. However, I’ll be moving on to the No7 Protect & perfect SPF50 facial sun protection cream when I’ve finished it. Both products are lightweight and sit under make-up well too.
Extra skincare
Because my skin gets extra dry at this time of year, I tend to use my eczema cream from Dipbrobase, as it works miracles overnight especially! I have multiple pots of it around the house because I decant my large tub into them. I’ve used this cream since I was young and it still works for me!
When I’m having a bit of a pampering session on a cosy night in, I only ever reach for one product: the Boots Ingredients Hyaluronic Acid Sleep Mask. Again, I slather this on before bed twice a week and just splash my face with water when I wake up. It’s a gel texture when applied so it feels super soft on your skin. It dries quickly so there’s no worry about leaving residue all over your pillow when sleeping. I definitely use it more in my winter beauty routine than in other seasons!
Haircare
I’ve really stripped back my haircare routine as much as possible because my scalp is always sensitive during winter. I’m obsessed with the Noughty Care Take range and rarely use anything else! The shampoo and conditioner are unscented, meaning no scalp itchy chemicals inside. I also try to only wash my hair once or twice a week. In fact, I mostly just wash it when I actually have to leave the house or the morning of getting my nails done! I’ve tried a few of the Noughty products and have always been impressed with them.
Once a fortnight, I’ll use the Detox Dynamo shampoo, also from Noughty, to get rid of any gunk in my hair. I don’t use straighteners or any hair tools (other than a hairdryer) so I’m very lucky that my hair is in great condition. However, when you’ve not washed it for about a week, it can feel extra greasy. Sometimes, I use just this and conditioner. Other times, I’ll use this and then my regular shampoo and conditioner too.
The only other product I use on my hair is the Superdrug heat protection spray, which I only use before using my hairdryer. I’m a big fan of Superdrug’s own brand products: they’re cruelty-free and reasonably priced too, both necessities for me.
Make-up and extras
Right now, I only wear make-up when I leave the house. I’d rather have an extra 15 minutes in bed in the morning than stand to apply my make-up. However, I am going to do a minimal make-up bag blog post at some point to share with you my favourite products when I do use them!
The only other products I really use are shower gel, roll-on deodorant and body spray. I swear by Sanex products and have done for years. Although their cruelty-free status is a little murky, it’s the only product I can use to soothe my irritated, eczema-prone skin. I’ll try most of their shower gels whichever are on offer but always opt for the sensitive deodorant.
As I said earlier, I started getting my nails done with gel polish at the salon about 2 years ago. I try to go every 2-3 weeks to keep them fresh. Considering I used to bite my nails religiously, you wouldn’t believe how strong they’ve become now. It’s a running with my lovely nail tech, Ellie, that I pick the colours and she picks the pattern. Sometimes, I get themed nails for a theatre show or event but for the most part, I just pick the colours I feel in the moment!
I’ve also recently invested in an ice roller for my face so I’m excited to see if that actually adds to my routine or if it’s not worth doing! I’m on the lookout for some under-eye patches that are reusable because although I loved the vitamin C ones from Boots, they only lasted for two uses before drying up.
Did you enjoy my winter beauty routine blog post? Do you want to see more beauty stuff on this blog? Leave me a comment below with your thoughts and make sure to follow me on Instagram too!
