skincare: winter essentials.

now that winter is well and truly upon us, my major concern regarding my skin isn't what make-up to put on it, but how to take care of it. i'm generally quite (read: very) obsessive about my skin routine. admittedly i won't be appearing on any clearasil adverts any time soon as i still have some hyperpigmentation from my teens, but i have had people compliment me numerous times on how healthy my skin looks, both with and without make-up. and if a goblin like me can get complimented on their skin, so can anyone. even setting five minutes aside each day to look after your skin really does make all the difference.

a lot of people don't seem to understand this, though. i've had numerous girlfriends complain about getting spots right after telling me they sleep in their make-up! even this excerpt from stylist made me gag. unfortunately, it seems laziness prevails. :(

it's sad though, because i think there is a big misconception in that you have to spend a lot of money and put in a lot of time, therefore making it a chore - which really isn't the case! touch wood both of my parents have very good skin and so genetically i think i'm alright... but, it was my mother who taught me all the home remedies, such as putting lemon juice on your face to lighten pigmentation (i.e. freckles, i used to have a few!), putting natural yoghurt on for 10 minutes to cleanse any dead cells... all of that. unfortunately though, we are complete opposites when it comes to sun - i have to nag her to put spf on, whereas i won't leave the house without it. (a fond memory of a trip in havana involves me putting on my spf 50+ on the beach whilst surrounding by people who resembled living, breathing leather). if you look at the underside of your arm, it is completely smooth and supple - give it a pinch. compare it to the other side of your arm, and you will see the difference (obviously due to unavoidable exposure to weather). SPF GUISE.

anyhow - these are the products getting me through winter. they cover a variety of price ranges, and suit my combination skin type.

from left to right: no 7 lift and luminate day cream, boots vitamin e eye cream, boots vitamin e night cream, clarins beauty flash balm, johnson's hand cream.

no 7 lift and luminate day cream: observant people will notice that i use this regularly. out of all the products here, it feels the lightest. for that reason, i wear it if i am either leaving the house without make-up, or as a base for my foundation if it lacks any spf. some days i will wake up with skin that feels dry, and so i put this on anyway before applying make-up. it really adds luminosity to your skin and doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy.

boots vitamin e eye cream and night cream: if i'm honest, you don't need the eye cream. eye creams are no different to me than regular creams, and i just bought this at the time because it was on offer. the night cream is really rich, and leaves your skin feeling very soft. i actually laughed when i saw a big sign in the body shop above their vitamin e range, saying something like "one sold every nanosecond!!!11" or something - when this does the exact same job, and is much more cheaper. however, i still wish that boots would add a lovely scent to this, as it does smell somewhat clinical.

clarins beauty flash balm: i use this in a similar way to the no 7 day cream, but it is very, very luminating to the point where if i wear it all over my face, i feel like i probably resemble the moon. so, i apply it sparingly but still think it's a lovely product as it makes my skin appear less dull and tired. unlike the no 7 day cream, this can be doubled up as a very natural highlighter if you apply it onto your cheekbones.

johnsons hand cream: this is pretty much a classic and is so, so moisturising that it is an absolute must for the winter months. a simple staple that does what it's supposed to. 

the worst advice that anyone can do is to tell someone to use xyz. people are the best judge of what products work for them, and what their own skin needs - i don't use any of these at the same time, but just when i feel they're needed on my skin. these are just what work for me!