Glossier Future Dew

Yes, there are already half a million reviews of Glossier Future Dew on the internet, but what's the harm in another, hey?

When Glossier first debuted, I'll admit I totally bought into the hype. I loved Boy Brow for its effortless application, Cloud Paint (in Dusk) for its blendability and naturally flushed finish, and Glossier You because, well, it's just an excellent clean-skin-but-better scent. I don't mind a bit of Balm Dotcom either (currently use Coconut but keen to try Birthday).

I got these products soon after Glossier became available in the UK but truth be told I hadn't really had much of a browse since. A lot of the new launches didn't appeal to me enough to part with my money, I suppose.
But then Future Dew appeared and all that changed. When I first read about the skincare/makeup hybrid I was instantly interested. Yes, we have tinted moisturisers, illuminating primers and highlighters but we didn't quite have something like this. That is, an oil/serum with a host of beneficial ingredients and reflective minerals that gives your skin the most gorgeous, dewy glow.

You know how your face looks for the ten minutes or so after you've done your routine? That sort of lit-from-within look when you've just applied a beautiful cream or oil and it's yet to fully asborb? Glossier have managed to recreate that glow with Future Dew. And the best part is, it lasts. All. Day.

Designed to be applied as your very last skincare step, Future Dew is made up of four different oils, as well as Evodia Rutaecarpa Extract, which is a fruit extract that increases brightness, hydrating Squalane derived from Sugarcane (not olives, nor Whales) and the aforementioned light reflecting minerals. In case you're wondering, the light reflecting minerals in this are Mica and Tin Oxide, which work to give Future Dew that sort of lustrous finish.

The oils in the formula are Jojoba, Grape Seed, Evening Primrose and Rosehip, which are included not only for their silky texture, but to hydrate.

I wear Future Dew on its own if I can't be bothered with foundation, just to give my skin a little lift, and have also tried it with bases including my Chantecaille Just Skin tinted moisturiser. In these pictures I'm wearing it underneath Estée Lauder Double Wear Light (which is incidentally a matte finish foundation) and as you can see, the glow of Future Dew definitely comes through. It's worth mentioning that it doesn't pill at all beneath foundations, which I know will be a huge plus point for pretty much anyone.

Overall, I was doing just fine without Future Dew in my life but I have a feeling it's going to become one of those products I won't want to be without from now on.

You can find it in the UK online at Glossier for £23 for 30ml

ARK Skincare Age Defend Night Treatment

(Gifted Item) I'm yet to try an ARK skincare product that I don't get on with, so I was naturally excited to try their latest launch. The latest additions to the skincare brand are two creams - the Age Defy Repairing Night Treatment and Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment.
The Age Defend range is specifically for people in their 30s and 40s while Age Defy is for 50 + so I've been trying out the Age Defend treatment.

Our skin is best at healing and repairing itself while we sleep, so the active ingredients in the formula were specially selected to help this natural process along. 

The cream features a cocktail of soothing, hydrating and collagen boosting ingredients including Rovisome Q10, Kiwi Seed Oil, Passion Seed Oil, Cordarom Blue Lotus, Vitamin E, Vitamin A Palmitate and Shea Butter. 

These ingredients also work to relieve dryness, increase elasticity and protect the skin - perfect if your face is a little sensitized or stressed. In addition, the treatment includes radiance promoting and anti-fatigue ingredients to reduce the appearance of dark circles, under eye bags and general dullness.

Nighttime skin care products are, and always have been, my favourite to apply. I just think there's something incredibly therapeutic about massaging lovely potions into my face before hitting the hay. I personally love rich creams, serums and oils and enjoy the 'heaviness' often associated with PM skin care. 

I was therefore fully prepared for the Age Defend Night Treatment to be quite rich and heavy...but it's actually not. Rich, yes. But heavy? No. At first pump, because the cream is quite thick, I did briefly wonder how on earth this stuff was going to absorb.
But after massaging it onto my face for a bit, it just sort of suddenly sunk in, leaving a velvety, sort of plumped up feeling (lovely) and glowing look. In other words, it absorbs into the skin unexpectedly well, so if you prefer your skin care to feel light, yet present, you should get on with this. Hopefully that makes some kind of sense! The night treatment also smells really good. It's got a natural, sort of herbal scent that I find to be quite soothing- perfect for an overnight product.

I've used the Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment most nights for nearly three weeks and I would confidently recommend it to virtually anyone who has skin. It feels a little bit indulgent to use, absorbs nicely and, so far, has made my face feel more hydrated and comfortable than it has in a long time.

Packaged in a hygienic pump bottle, the ARK Age Defend Regenerating Night Treatment retails at £42. You can find it online at ARK.

Top Products for Dry Winter Skin

Collaborative Post

It might be a massive cliché but January really is a pretty gloomy month isn't it? Christmas is over and done with, payday feels like it's years away and it usually starts to get really, really cold.

With the cold comes dry skin that needs a little extra love and I have a few favourite products I use to keep the skin on my body happy and hydrated.  A scrub with cult status, some lovely Aromatherapy body oils, pampering lotions and an OG bath bomb all feature. Read on to find out more about the bits I use on my body for a little less gloom and a lot more glow!

Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish is my ultimate body scrub. Thinking back to a few years ago, I remember seeing this on US beauty blogs and feeling extremely left out! Fresh wasn't available in the UK at the time and I thought I'd never get to try the scrub for myself. Fast forward to present day and we have Fresh at our fingertips and their original product does not disappoint. Made with brown sugar crystals (a natural humectant), the body scrub smoothes and softens with a blend of evening primrose, sweet almond, apricot kernel and jojoba oil. Citrus oils are in the mix too and give the scrub that signature Fresh scent. Blissful.

Speaking of exfoliating, I have to mention Italy Towels. If you're not familiar, an Italy Towel (not pictured) is basically a textured, reusable mitt that you slip over your hand and scrub your body with. You can use an Italy Towel either with or without soap or shower gel and they're most effective after you've soaked in the bath for a while or when used towards the end of your shower. I really like mine and have found that a very light touch is enough (in other words, don't scrub too hard!) because these things are quite abrasive. Italy Towels are a Korean Beauty staple and are named as such because they're made from viscose rayon, which was originally imported from Italy. That's what the internet has told me anyway. They are truly excellent at smoothing the skin and getting rid of flaky bits so I imagine they'd be brilliant for pre-fake tanning sessions and equally as good at removing old tan. I found mine on Amazon where a pack of 4 is under a fiver.

Clarins Renew Plus Body Serum has been a favourite of mine for years. It's a bit of a spendy body lotion but a bottle lasts me a good while as I only use it on the upper part of my body. This stuff is fanstastic for keeping dry, flakey skin at bay because it contains gentle exfoliating ingredients including a pre-retinol and Wintergreen extract. It also has a sort of gel/lotion texture that means it sinks in quickly so you can get dressed pretty much straight after applying without feeling tacky or sticky. You can read my post dedicated to Clarins Renew Plus Body Serum here 

I'd settle for any of the Aromathery Associates body oils to be honest but the De-Stress Body Oil is one of the standouts for me. With arnica, rosemary and ginger, it feels incredibly soothing on aching or tense muscles and the coconut, peach kernel and jojoba oil base is neeply nourishing. I really rate the De-Stress Muscle Gel too. Heaven when massaged into an aching lower back. 

I came across Dove Purely Pampering Nourishing Lotion with Pistachio Cream and Magnolia in Boots quite recently. I'm borderline obsessed with pistachio scented things ever since I fell in love with the Laura Mercier Creme de Pistache Body Souffle without knowing it was limited edition! I've been looking for something similar ever since, and while this doesn't quite have the same luxury gourmand scent, I'd say it's a pretty good dupe. The fact that it's incredibly affordable is a bonus too. Aesop Geranium Leaf Hydrating Body Treatment was given to me last Mother's Day and it's still going strong so it's safe to say a little goes a long way. Geranium is my favourite Aesop collection (the body cleanser in particular is gloriously refreshing) with geranium leaf, mandarin and bergamot rind. The Hydrating Body Treatment blends skin-softening macadamia and sweet almond oils with antioxidant Vitamin E to leave skin glowing and subtly scented. 

Is there anything more comforting than a Lush Butterball Bath Bomb? One of the originals and one of the best, this little fizzer brings me so much joy. I'm not really a 'bath person' to be honest (give me a steamy shower please) but when I do soak in the tub, I always wish I had one of these in there with me! Packed with cocoa butter and featuring a comforting musk and ylang ylang scent, the Butterball Bath Bomb satisfyingly fizzes away to leave buttery, chocolate scented bathwater that leaves my skin smelling sweet and feeling moisturised enough to skip and after-bath lotions.

In keeping with the cocoa butter theme, Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula will forever be a reliable treat for my skin when it's feeling a bit dry. It's affordable, effective and deliciously scented, though there are unscented variations of Palmer's products available. When a product is this iconic and so universally adored, it must be decent right? 

So those are just a few of my favourite products for dry winter skin. All perfect for the beginning of the year when skin needs some extra attention. Any favourites of your own you'd like to share? Let me know in the comments.

*Paid collaborative post

REN Perfect Canvas Clean Jelly Cleanser

(sample/aff links) I have been searching for a new cleanser recently (my previous one wasn't doing it for me) so the latest launch from REN couldn't have come at a better time.

The REN Perfect Canvas Clean Jelly Cleanser is a tri-phase cleanser, which basically means it goes through three stages on application. The newest addition to the Perfect Canvas range, the cleanser starts off as a jelly, then transforms into an oil as you massage it onto your skin, before turning into a milk once water is added. Tri-phase cleansers in general are super effective at removing makeup and SPF and this one is no exception.

The key with using this cleanser is to make sure you start with a dry face - if it's already damp it will just turn into a milk right away, before it's had a chance to do its job. You just massage a small amount over your face and it will become a rich oil that gets to work removing makeup (including waterproof), then you either add water to turn it into a milk or go straight in with a warm, damp flannel.
If you're anything like me, you should be left with soft, clean skin that doesn't feel stripped or tight, but nicely hydrated and comfortable. In fact, my face looked and felt ever so slightly dewy once I'd dried off.

This is a really pleasant cleanser and I'm not sure I've tried anything quite like it. It's a really thick yet somehow light jelly with a very light natural fragrance and it removed my makeup in one go when I tested it last night. I purposely wore a waterproof liquid liner and the most waterproof mascara I own and found that the cleanser removed virtually every trace with very little effort on my part. The jelly also didn't irritate my eyes in the slightest, (when my dedicated eye makeup remover actually does a bit) so this will definitely be my go-to cleanser when i have a fair whack of mascara to remove.

The Perfect Canvas Clean Jelly Cleanser is a vegan product that contains 100% naturally derived ingredients inlcuding Grape Seed Oil, Meadowfoam Seed Oil and Sunflower Seed Oil. The oils work to melt away makeup and pollution while Glycerin, a humectant, keeps the skin hydrated.
In keeping with REN's clean skincare ethos, the cleanser comes in a tube made of 50% Post-Consumer Recycled plastic with a lid made from 100% PCR. I think this adds an extra incentive to buy the cleanser because we know by now how crucial it is to be conscious of the environmental impact of the products we use.


It's worth mentioning that REN are currently offering 20% off first orders with the code MY20. The new cleanser is included in the promo so if you're tempted, now's the chance! You can find it right now online at REN. 

Nourish London Vegan and Organic Beauty Gifts 2019

(Contains sample) I've blogged about Nourish London's vegan, organic skincare products a few times before- they really are lovely formulas that are a joy to use.

This year, Nourish London have some gorgeous gift sets on offer, all beautifully packaged and ready to present to your nearest and dearest, so all you have to do is take your pick.

Get Your Glow £55

This amazing looking set features the Radiance Firming Facial Oil, Argan Skin Renew Moisturiser and the amazing Antioxidant Multi-tasking Super Balm. I am a huge fan of the Super Balm (you can read my review here) and have tried the oil and moisturiser before and enjoyed both. A brilliant set for anyone who could do with a bit of a pamper this Christmas.

*Youthful Skin Saviours £42

I actually have this set to review and it's just as gorgeous as expected. This gift contains the Kale Anti-Ageing Eye Cream, Kale Anti-Ageing Hand Cream and the T.S.L Tighten, Sculpt & Lift Neck Elixir. This trio of targeted products is a perfect present for anyone interested in sampling Nourish's anti-ageing products and works out to be great value as the price of the set is what you'd pay for the eye cream and hand cream, so the T.S.L Elixir is free. The eye cream contains peptides, vitamin-rich kale extracts, B vitamins and antioxidants to soften fine lines and reduce dark circles, while maqui berry and pomegranate enzymes work to reduce puffiness in the eye area.

Extremely hydrating, the Kale Anti-Ageing Hand Cream works to improve skin texture and pigmentation while protecting the skin against the effects of pollution.

The rich hand cream contains kale extract (to protect against pollution) and rose of Jericho, argan oil and hyaluronic acid to provide hydration and even tone.

Bioactive peptides and antioxidants are in the mix to stimulate collagen production and minimise fine lines, while Frankincense, Neroli and Myrrh repair and heal the skin.

All Hail the Kale £55

Nourish have a unique kale extract that is used in a lot of their formulas for its anti-oxidant effects, so it makes perfect sense that they'd create a special set dedicated to the superfood. This set includes the Kale 3D Cleanse, which is a brilliant colour-changing cleanser, the Kale Enzymatic Exfoliator that contains pomegranate enzymes to slough away dead skincells, the Kale Anti-Ageing Eye Cream and the Kale Anti-Ageing Hand Cream. A fantastic gift celebrating the skincare benefits of kale really!

Nourished Hands Trio £20

A great gift for anyone looking to give their hands a little bit of love, this trio features the Kale Anti-Ageing Hand Cream, Lavender Hand Lotion and Damask Rose Hand Lotion. The lavender and rose hand lotions are limited edition so this is a good way to grab both of them at once before they sell out, too.

Ultimate Skin Hydration £60

This gift is basically a facial in a box with a cleanser, serum, moisturiser and mask all included, so it's a great present but also a good way to try out a whole Nourish regime for yourself. This set fetaures the Kale 3D Cleanse, Argan Anti-Ageing Peptide Serum, Argan Skin Renew Moisturiser and Probiotic Multi-Mineral Repair Mask. This set works out to be particularly good value too as you're paying for the argan serum and moisturiser and getting the cleanser and mask free. If that's not a good excuse to go for it, I don't know what is.

There's also a limited edition Bergamot and Cardamom Shower Cream, limited edition Lavender Hand Lotion and a Damask Rose Hand Lotion, which I think would make great Secret Santa gifts or stocking fillers.

You can find all the above gifts and more at Nourish London.