Best Discoveries of 2014 | Skincare

Welcome to the last post in the series of my 'Best Discoveries of 2014'.  I am a little sad to say that this is the end until next year, I have really enjoyed doing these posts and I have received so much positive feedback from you about these posts. Oh well, it is what it is I suppose, we can do it all again next year! I digress, lets get back to what I was supposed to be talking about today, skincare! I am a self-confessed skincare junkie! I take my skincare very seriously because I like to keep it as healthy as possible, and also, by keeping a good regime in place now will ensure that I benefit hugely when I start to age in quite a few years time! I think it is really important to start early because your skin will be in tip top condition throughout your adult years.  Over the years, my skincare has really fluctuated but this year has been the year where I really clamped down hard on myself and really concentrated hard on giving my skin the TLC it deserves and needs.  It'll thank me for all my hard work one day I'm sure!

The first product will come as no surprise to you, the Garnier Micellar Water has featured in a considerable amount of yearly favourites this year! Micellar waters took the beauty world by storm when they were launched in the UK early last year, and they have been a dear favourite to many people throughout the year.  This is the perfect method of removing makeup for me, I simply put a small amount on a cotton pad and sweep it over the face, and it just dissolves and breaks down my makeup, allowing it to glide off smoothly.  I have tried many cleansing oils/balms, both high-end and affordable to remove makeup, but I can never get on with them and always find myself going back to this.  It is very affordable and widely available, and I think I may have gone through 4 or 5 of them this year which is pretty impressive as I very rarely finish products!

As you know, I am a bit of a clean freak when it comes to my skin and I am a huge fan of a double cleanse.  I have tried a lot of cleansers this year, many of them I have liked but once I have used them up, have never felt the need to repurchase and have moved onto something else. The only cleanser I have repurchased this year is the Yes to Tomatoes Clarifying Cleanser.  The whole Yes to Tomatoes range is targeted at combination/oily skin as well as blemish prone skin. When I purchased this, I wasn't really expecting too much as I find it very hard to find products that actually benefit my skin type, regardless of the skin type they are designed for.  Formulating products for combination/oily skin seems to be harder than most people think for many skin care brands.  Finding that perfect mix of products that are strong enough to clarify and cleanse the skin whilst still being gentle so that the skin isn't stripped and isn't irritated by the product is quite a tricky task, especially for affordable brands.  I think natural ingredients are certainly the best way to go for this type of thing and this cleanser has worked wonders for my skin.  It cleanses deep down into the pores and controls oil without stripping my skin and keeping it moisturised and healthy.  This range is definitely something to invest in if you have problematic skin like me.

Sticking to the natural theme, my holy grail toner this year has been the Lush Tea Tree Water.  I have gone through about 3 of these since I discovered it in March and I absolutely love it, especially through the summer months.  If my skin is in a pretty good way, I tend to just spritz it directly onto my face, just to calm everything down and give my skin a quick burst of refreshing water after cleansing.  It s quite cooling, and helps my pores to tighten after cleansing with warm water and is lovely in the warmer months.  If my skin is being problematic, I tend to spray some onto a cotton pad and wipe it over my skin, the tea tree helps to take down any redness and helps to heal any blemishes.  An all round good product!

A slightly more expensive product is the Benefit Its Potent Eye Cream. I had never really been one for eye creams until I discovered this and I definitely notice a difference on the days I don't use this.  This really is perfect for keeping the eye area well moisturised and it also really makes a difference to dark circles which is something I suffer with a lot, and because I am pale, they notice a lot more. My dark circle have faded dramatically and this is the perfect pick me up for tired looking eyes.  It also will prevent against ageing in the future so it is an amazing product.  The only downside is the hefty price tag so if any of you know of any good, cheaper alternatives, do let me know because I will definitely try them, and maybe do a comparison!

The last product is quite a recent favourite of mine, but it is definitely worthy of a mention in my 2014 favourites.  A product you have heard me talk about a lot this month is the No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Brush.  I love how well it cleans deep down into my pores and it is quite invigorating as it gently buffs away dead skin cells as well as cleansing.  I have definitely noticed a huge difference in the appearance of my skin and I absolutely love this product! Definitely worth looking into if you are someone who is quite interested in the Clarisonic but is reluctant to spend a huge amount of money on it.

That concludes all of my 'Best Discoveries of 2014'! I hope you have enjoyed this little series and hopefully I will be able to do the same next year!

Emily xx