Danielle's Beauty Blog

After last week’s post on my best makeup and haircare discoveries I am rounding up 2021 with my best skin and body care discoveries! Skincare is always a much harder category for me to narrow down and I’ll be honest I haven’t done a great job of it haha. I am also lucky enough to get sent products in PR (with no obligation to post about them) but I do tend to prioritise testing them before products I have purchased myself so this post is PR heavy! I will link to my full review but try to keep things short and sweet or this post will be so long! 

 

 

Starting with skincare and this year I found three new cleansers I fell in love with! First of all, the The Inkey List Fulvic Acid Cleanser RRP £10.99* which was on constant rotation for me last summer and perfect for a second/morning cleanse! It left my skin feeling bright and softened without drying it out! Full review here!

 

The Venn Moisture Balance All in One Face Cleanser via Face the Future RRP £55* had to make it into this post. It’s on the pricier side but so effective and works as a first cleanse as well as second/morning cleaner so really is an all in one! It has a beautiful texture, feels hydrating and removes makeup with ease. LOVE it and have a full review here!

 

Finally in the cleanser category, the Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser RRP £35* is the newest out of these three to land in my cleansing stash and colour me impressed! Super gentle but effective, this brightens my skin tone and leaves a great base for the rest of my skincare and makeup application! I haven’t noticed any sensitivity with the glycolic acid either!

 

Moving onto eye cream and serums and I have been so impressed with the NIOD Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate RRP £43* this year. It’s a lightweight serum that is hydrating and targets signs of aging – I have noticed reduced puffiness and less visible fine lines as well as a firmer eye area and a very slight lift to my hooded lids which is very welcome! Full reveiw here!

 

You will be sick of hearing about the next two serums but I couldn’t not include them! NIOD Survival 0 RRP £20* and Modulating Glucosides RRP £21* were absolute Godsends for me at the start of last year (and still now!) when I was still on Roaccutane as they are so gentle and reparative – perfect for sensitive skin! These have their own dedicated post here!

 

The Inkey List 15% Vitamin C and EGF Serum RRP £14.99* is a gorgeous Vitamin C formulation and after struggling with the ingredient this one finally made me see the light!  It made my skin look brighter, more even and feel plumper! Full review here!

 

The Dermalogica Smart Response Serum RRP £130* is another that instantly calms my skin and makes it feel hydrated, brighter, soft and plump while making my fine lines look less noticeable. The price is eye watering but if you are streamlining your routine or want to cut out a few steps with multiple serums this is a one stop shop and well worth it! Full review here!

 

Sticking with Dermalogica, the Biolumin-C Gel Moisturizer RRP £59* was a firm favourite throughout summer for me! It’s a lightweight gel moisturiser and my skin looks instantly brighter when I use it as well as feeling hydrated, looking glowy and sitting well under makeup! See my full review here!

 

I fell in love with two SPF’s this year, the first being the Vichy Capital Soleil UV Age Daily SPF50 RRP £21*. Super lightweight, contains peptides and niacinamide, no white cast on my skin tone, no pilling and gives a lovely base for makeup. Full review here! La Roche Posay Anthelios Age Correct SPF50 via Face the Future RRP £25* was my next SPF find and this one is perfect for sensitive skin and also packed full of hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. It’s a thicker formulation than the Vichy but spreads easily and doesn’t leave a white cast either! Again, there is no pilling and it gives a great base under makeup too! I talked about it more in this post!

 

Coming to the end of my skincare picks for 2021 now and Scientia Dusk Elixir RRP £32* is a beautiful oil that is a dream to apply! It’s made up of 23 natural oils including Rosehip, Moringa and Bakuchiol and helps boost collagen production and tackle signs of aging. It has such a calming scent too so is perfect before bed. Full review here!

 

Moving onto bodycare now but I do sometimes use the Cetraben Natural Oatmeal Cream RRP £8.99* on my face too as it's multipurpose. This is perfect for eczema prone skin and works a treat on dry patches I get on my legs and stops me from itching! This is my go to as well if I have a reaction to anything on my face, I pile this on top of MG and my skin is back to normal in the morning! Can’t recommend enough if you need a do it all body/face cream for any emergency skin situations! Full review here!

 

Finally, the Elemental Herbology Zest Bath and Body Oil RRP £30* has been a luxurious treat to use! I love the deep citrus scent and I apply this just before bed waking up to hydrated, supple, nourished skin! I cannot get enough of this and have a full review here!

 

And that’s my best skincare and body discoveries of 2021! I would love to know yours in the comments! You can also see my best skin and body discoveries of 2020 here and last weeks best makeup and hair discoveries of 2021 here! 

 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

 

Danielle xx

 

If you want to keep up to date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me on

Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

This is a post I have been meaning to do for the longest time now but then something else always comes up that I want to review or I don’t take my photos in time! I got there in the end though and today I want to talk about some of my favourite products I use to look after and strengthen my skin barrier which also work a treat if you have broken it too!

 

Your skin barrier can become damaged by a lot of things, for me it’s usually something like over exfoliation or dehydration and I experienced it right at the start of my course of Roaccutane too. It could also be due to things like sun exposure or too much tretinoin and you will be able to tell because your skin will probably feel rough and itchy and might look red or feel dry and sensitive too!

 

First things first, simplify your skincare routine and step away from actives like AHA’s, BHA’s and retinol. Cleanser wise, if I am removing makeup, I like something hydrating and balmy like the Emma Hardie Moringa cleansing balm. This feels so comforting and rich and never drags the skin, I use a soft, damp muslin or wash cloth to remove being careful not to tug my skin too much. For a second or morning cleanse I love the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser. This is a really simple gel formula containing ceramides and hyaluronic acid and my skin never feels dry or tight after use! See more about both cleansers in this dedicated post! 

 

For toner, the most gentle, hydrating formulas I have found tend to be K Beauty ones and you can’t go wrong with the Klairs Supple Preparation facial toner* (via Face the Future). It’s gel like, cooling and contains hyaluronic acid and centella asiatica so it nourishes and is anti-inflammatory too! Full review here! I love a spritz and the most gentle one I have thus far is the La Roche Posay Toleriane Ultra 8 – it’s specially formulated for sensitive skin and it works to soothe and repair skin's barrier and relieve uncomfortable itching, burning and redness. More on this here!

 

 

Hyaluronic acid is a staple in my routine even when my skin isn’t feeling in need of repair and the Vichy Mineral 89* is a great option. It’s a gel texture and I apply to damp skin and it feels immediately hydrated as it gets to work plumping my skin and the feeling lasts all day! Read more here! Serum wise, Dermalogica Smart Response Serum* has been a beautiful addition to my skincare routine and one I confess I stopped using recently so I could save some for winter as that's when my skin tends to play up more. It responds to your skins changing needs to hydrate, firm, brighten and soothe depending on what it feels you require. It contains glycerin and niacinamide and instantly calms skin while feeling hydrating enough that sometimes I don’t even feel the need for moisturiser after! More on this serum here!   

 

Earlier this year, I fell in love with NIOD’s Survival 0* - an antioxidant and reparative formulation that targets damage from pollution and blue light and Modulating Glucosides*, an emulsion specifically for sensitive, irritated skin that instantly helps destress it and repair the barrier. These supported my skin so well while I was on Roaccutane and I have a full review here! On the topic of serums, I also have to mention my long term favourite Copper Amino Isolate Serum*, now on its third formula update, it’s one of my most repurchased serums and is such a good all-rounder to keep skin looking and feeling healthy, even and radiant. I am obsessed and you can read more here! 

 

Moving onto moisturisers and I really don’t think you can beat Dr Jart Ceramidin Cream. It contains five ceramides and hyaluronic acid and the cream manages to be both lightweight (so perfect under makeup) as well as rich enough for overnight! My skin drinks this stuff up and I always go back to it! It’s hydrating, soothing and restoring! A must have! If I want a little something extra I’ll add an oil on top and my current favourite is the Scientia Dusk Elixir*. It’s a mix of 23 oils, antioxidants and fatty acids and works overnight to support skin repair and recovery while plumping and hydrating! More info here! It also goes without saying that SPF is an essential for daytime protection and the La Roche Posay Anthelios Age Correct SPF 50* (via Face the Future) is formulated for sensitive skin and also packed full of hyaluronic acid and niacinamide so while protecting it works to target pigmentation too! No white cast or pilling with this either – I am so impressed!

 

Lastly, I want to mention a couple of extras I have in my routine for as and when I need them. The I’m From Mugwort Essence and mask are firm favourites and were lifesavers again when I was on Roaccutane! Mugwort is full of antioxidants, vitamin and minerals and ideal for irritated skin! They are both so calming and hydrating and I can’t recommend them enough - read more here! And, I can’t forget lips - Lanolips for me has been a constant recently and the 101 ointment is amazing, especially for overnight hydration! 

 

As you can see - I could talk about my favourite products for targeting sensitised skin all day! I would love to know what your go to products are if you have damaged your skin barrier?

 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

 

 

Danielle xx

 

If you want to keep up to date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me on

Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

I’m back in a much more timely fashion with my empties this time which I am super happy about! It’s only been about a month since my last batch whereas I feel like the rest of this year it’s been every two months which quite long for me! Anyway, onto the mini reviews! 

 

Bodycare

Nivea Firming Body Lotion with Q10 and Vitamin C

I’m a big fan of Nivea but I hadn’t tried this one before, it has a lovely, lightweight, fresh scent and sinks in quickly. It kept my skin hydrated and it’s difficult to say if it did a lot for firming and fine lines but I will say that I really enjoyed it and will repurchase in the future! Always on offer and super affordable too!

 

Bali Body Self Tanning Mousse Dark*

Really liked this tan from Bali Body! It applies easily and has a guide colour so you can see if you have missed any bits. It develops overnight into a very natural looking tan and doesn’t feel drying at all. Smells pretty fresh for a tan too and wears off evenly. I sometimes apply two coats as I like my tan to be quite dark so I would repurchase the Ultra Dark version next time!

 

Bali Body Self Tan Eraser*

I do think products like this are a bit of a novelty but saying that, this did work well to remove tan after leaving on skin for 5 minutes (along with a mitt). The pump broke on this with about 2/3 of the product left so I struggled getting the product out and to be honest, I wouldn’t repurchase when I can just use a cheaper scrub or body wash as I need to use a mitt with this anyway! Full review of both the tan and eraser here!

 

Pixi Rose Body Cleanser*

This has a different consistency to most other shower gels/creams as it doesn’t lather and it really does feel like rubbing a balm in. It leaves my skin feeling clean and hydrated and the scent is lightweight and doesn’t linger. Not a repurchase as I have other products I prefer!

 

Pixi Rose Body Balm*

Lovely, lightweight formula that sinks in easily and doesn’t smell too strong. Keeps my skin feeling soft and hydrated but again not a repurchase as I have other body moisturisers I prefer that are more affordable! Full review of both Pixi products here!

 

Nursem Caring Hand Cream

Love how this brand gives a month’s worth of product to nursing and midwifery staff when you buy a product! Kept my hands soothe and soft but I am not a fan of the citrus/grapefruit scent so I hope they bring out more scents! My mum on the other hand loved it haha so I would repurchase for her!

 

 

Skincare

Dr Dennis Gross Hyaluronic Marine Meltaway Cleanser

This is a lovely creamy cleanser that almost feels like rubbing a moisturiser over makeup but removes it with ease. It’s also got an enjoyable sweet marshmallow scent that adds to the experience and I love the bright blue packaging! My skin feels plump and hydrated after using and while I like this I don’t love it so probably won’t repurchase as its pretty pricey! Full review here!

 

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water*

Fully get the hype with this one -  the formula is so gentle and I was shocked at how much makeup it removed! It leaves no residue or film behind either! It struggles a little removing mascara but I don’t find it an issue as I go in with the Nivea eye makeup remover for that. Will repurchase. Full review here!

 

Scientia Peachy Clean Milky Oil Cleanser*

This is a nice little milk to oil hybrid cleanser that I found myself using more as a second cleanse as it’s so lightweight though it’s fine for a first cleanse too! It feels nourishing and removes dirt, makeup and impurities whilst softening, hydrating and soothing skin. Would maybe pick this up on offer again but not a repurchase for now. Full review of Scientia Beauty here!

 

The Inkey List Symbright Moisturiser*

I think this is a good one for normal/oily skinned people as it’s quite lightweight. It contains symbright produced through clary sage to brighten and Kakadu plum extract again to increase radiance and luminosity. It sits well under makeup and I tended to only use this in the AM as I prefer heavier creams and oils at night. I did find depending on what other skincare I was using with it I had to work harder to rub it in (almost like SPF) so this isn’t a repurchase for me as I have other moisturisers I prefer! Good one if it suits your skin type and you are looking for an affordable option though! Full review here!

 

Cerave PM Facial Moisturising Lotion

Another lightweight moisturiser! This time for the PM and it contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide so though lightweight, it’s still nourishing. I think this would be perfect for summer in particular and I used most of it while I was on Accutane by mixing it with oil to give it a little extra boost. Love the airless pump too! Would repurchase and I have a full review here!

 

NIOD Survival 0

A nightly antioxidant, reparative serum targeting damage caused by environmental stressors like pollution, smog and blue light. I have noticed my skin tone is healthier overall after using this and it also feels hydrating (includes glycerin and squalane) and layers well with other skincare! Will repurchase!

 

NIOD Modulating Glucosides

Lovely serum that supports the skin barrier and targets sensitive, irritated skin encouraging a calmer complexion. It is so comforting and if you struggle with sensitivity you need to try this! Another one I will repurchase and I have a full review of both NIOD products here!

 

Balance Me Pre and Probiotic Cleansing Milk*

Really enjoyed this mini, it felt gentle and hydrating and was perfect as a morning or second cleanse for me! Price is pretty good too at £20 for a 180ml full size so would be one I will repurchase in the future!

 

IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream

Really enjoyed this mini, the cream was quite thick but it didn’t feel greasy at all and sat well under makeup hydrating my fine lines. A little on the pricey side but would consider a repurchase in the future!

 

Milk Vegan Milk Moisturiser

Another thick one but this did feel a tad greasy to me. Sat well under makeup like the IT Cosmetics but nothing to make me want to repurchase! 

 

Haircare

Soap and Glory The Rushower Dry Shampoo

Been through a few of these now and it’s a nice enough dry shampoo that gives me an extra day out of greasy hair and I enjoy the scent. Might repurchase in the future but there are others I prefer.

 

Bleach London Reincarnation Mask

Really nice budget hair mask that left my hair feeling soft and smooth. I do have others I prefer but would repurchase again as its such a good price.

 

Phyto Joba Moisturizing Mask

Speaking of hair masks I prefer, I love this one! It contains jojoba oil and leaves my hair soft and manageable as well as hydrated, shiny and healthy looking! It's concentrated so a little goes a long way and it smells like coconuts. I leave it on for as long as possible and my hair seems to drink it up! If your ends are as parched as mine are you need to try this, they will thank you for it! Full review here and I will repurchase once I finish off a few more masks!

 

The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Exfoliating Scalp Treatment

Didn’t see any difference with this unfortunately! Not a repurchase for me. 

 

Miscellanous

This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray

I can’t say I have massive trouble sleeping normally but this is a pleasant relaxing scent! Currently using a more affordable one so this isn’t a repurchase for me!

 

Barry M Lip Scrub

Love this, cheaper than its Lush counterpart and does just as good a job as keeping my lips dead skin free! Have already repurchased!

 

So that’s it for today’s empties! I am very close to finishing a couple of foundations and lip balms but they have a couple more uses in them so I didn’t want to cheat! Really happy with my progress and hopefully I have another post this time next month too! Do you see any of your favourites here?

 

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

 

Danielle xx

 

If you want to keep up to date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me on

Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter