I’m a sucker for a luxury beauty product. That sleek packaging, dangerously high price point and the promise of supermodel skin, it gets me every time. But when I found myself in Boots this week, I was hooked on all of the amazing beauty finds that I had completely overlooked. I mean, I was in there for a good hour trying everything on my hand (it’s the softest hand ever now!), smelling it all and losing the ability of my arms while I struggled to hold all my impending purchases. I know this sounds silly, I mean, come on Jess, it’s only Boots but it was an epiphany – high street beauty products are holding their own.
I really try and stay away from the brands that are overly perfumed (you know the ones I mean) and opt for more science-based or nature-based ones – the type that you might find in a pharmacy or have really simple packaging. They tend to be more effective and gentler on the skin. My complexion is going through a shit time at the moment – the stress of house renovations and wedding planning teamed with this crazy weather means it’s having a moment but I will be blogging about that later.
In the meantime, these the five high street beauty products I bought (along with hairbands, kirby grips and waaayyy too much body moisturiser!) this week and why…
THE CLEANSER
If you read my blog regularly you’ll know how much I love Bare Minerals. It’s almost too good to be deemed a high street beauty product! Every time I use their make-up or skincare I feel like I’m not overloading my skin. I always prefer to use a cream or foamy cleanser so I wasn’t sure how this would go down. There is a real danger of oil cleansers leaving residue on your skin which can cause spots so I was really conscious of removing every trace but I needn’t have worried.
You apply it to dry skin which feels amazing and it removes every trace of make-up, even mascara, effortlessly. Then, wet your fingertips and carrying on massaging it into the skin to see the oil transform into a milk. Amazing! It rinses off completely clean (you can feel it) and the guilt of washing my face in the morning, after a workout and again at night is gone because I know this isn’t drying it out.
As a high street beauty product I was really surprised at how much this plumped out my skin. From the first application, my complexion felt softer, brighter and a little bit more looked after in general.
THE SERUM
For those with sensitive skin (ahem, me), La Roche Posay, along with Avene, has been a real skin-saver. My rosacea (you can read about it here) can flare up a little in the winter and it really has this year due to the stress I’m experiencing right now. Although I can sometimes be in denial and steam ahead with chemical peels, skin tools and everything else I love about skincare, I do have to take a step back and revert back to the old faithfuls that calm my complexion.Packed full of active ingredients, its cooling formula calms aggravated skin and gives it back the moisture it’s been lacking. Dehydration lines are my nemesis when it comes to glowing skin and I’ve never been able to get rid of them other than this serum. All hail high street beauty, right?!
THE HYDRATOR
As temperatures have taken a tumble again this week, my skin is really feeling the colder climate and many, many layers I’m putting on top of it. Scarfs, hats, anything that keeps me from shivering is also zapping my skin of moisture. So little newbie from Neutrogena is just what I need. The gel formula targets signs of dryness and fatigue such as wrinkles and dullness, using a potent combination of Vitamin E and Hyaluronic Acid to smooth and brighten the skin. As a high street beauty product I was really surprised at how much this plumped out my skin. From the first application, my complexion felt softer, brighter and a little bit more looked after in general.
THE FACE MASK
Infused with plant extracts to condition and care for dry skin, this is the type of face mask you need to keep in your cupboard for those SOS days. Essentially fatty acids to plump and moisturise, it also includes mango oil and kernel butter to give skin an extra layer of moisture without being too greasy or over-the-top. I always gravitate towards exfoliating masks this time of year but they can be a bit too harsh in excess and strip the skin of the oil it needs.
I use this once a week or when my skin is feeling tight and a bit dull to bring it back to health gently. Follow with a nourishing face oil before bed and you’ll notice a big difference in the morning.
THE OVERNIGHT MIRACLE
I wasn’t sure whether to include this Vichy Overnight Detox in my high street beauty haul because I feel like I’ve raved about it so much on my social media that there’s nothing left to say! But yes, I do love this product, it doesn’t seem like much, when you put it on, it sinks in instantly and you think “is that it?!” but…BUT in the morning, my skin looked different. It looked calm, even and dewy. It was hydrated, refined and plump to touch. I can’t explain it. I don’t know why but it’s description explains it a lot better!
“Normaderm Night Detox moisturiser reduces the appearance of sebum and spots as you sleep while immediately purifying the skin. It immediately purifies the skin, makes pores look less visible leaving a radiant complexion.”
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