Why I Use An Eye Cream (Again)
Eye cream really divides opinion in the beauty world. Some people swear by it (the usual argument being that skin around the eyes is different – thinner – than elsewhere and so you want a dedicated formula to suit) and some people think that you should just use whatever you’re using on your face and take it right up around the eyes. Why spend on a separate product that is going to do virtually the same thing, especially when eye creams are notoriously more expensive per ml than the equivalent face version?
I have now been in both camps. I started off very firmly in the Eye Cream Supporters Team, defected to the other side for a while and then meekly crept on back to my original people hoping they’d never notice I’d left.
I had been a solidly pro-eye cream since my modelling days. I used to love the way that the makeup artists would pat-pat-pat it in, give it a little de-puffing massagery, take it lightly onto the lids, push up the eyebrows to waken you up and give everything a little lift. And of course they could have done this whole routine using a face cream, and often did, but it was notable that they gave such care and attention to the eye area. And that’s because if there’s one place that’s going to look haggard/hungover first then it’s around the eyes.
The skin is thinner, the area is altogether more delicate – prone to puffiness, to circles, to sensitivity. Which brings me onto my next pro-eye cream argument: formulation. The eye needs are significantly different to the face needs, a lot of the time. You can have puffy eyes when the rest of your face looks fine. Why would you de-puff the whole thing with a cooling gel? The eyes will be fine but the face will feel tight and uncomfortable. You might want to blast your face with high-strength retinoid, but that same product under the eyes might be drying or too strong to tolerate.
And so there you have, in a nutshell, my two main reasons for using a dedicated eye cream: application, formulation. If I use a separate product then for some unfathomable reason it does make me pay particular attention to the way that I pat-pat-slide the product on. If I just treat my eye area as another part of my face then I don’t tend to do any sort of special love, I just sweep over it at the same time as my cheeks. It’s a cheek extension.
And if I have an eye cream with the perfect formulation, day in, day out, for my eye area then why would I not use that? Then the rest of my face can do what it wants – be radically exfoliated, be filled to bursting with hyaluronic acid, be self-tanned or retinoided – and my eyes will have a steady, appropriate treatment that tackles whatever the concern might be. For me it’s fine lines and, er, deeper lines. Lines, basically.
The reason I defected to the anti-eye-cream camp, momentarily? Research. And laziness. I was honing my routine (morning: vitamin c serum/moisturiser/SPF, evening: retinoid every other night, or hydrating serum/moisturiser on the “off” days) and the eye cream seemed a step too many. (Never mind all of these mists and essences that are all the rage: I simply cannot see how they could have much more benefit than a good serum and moisturiser combo. Maybe that’s my next bit of research.)
So I started using whatever face stuff I had to hand all over rather than using an eye cream and then the serum, moisturiser, whatever. But I’ll tell you what started happening, and I noticed this after around three months or so: my eyes were significantly more crepey and dry. It was a marked difference. And I realised that not only was I not really taking the products into the eye area with the same thoroughness as I would a separate eye cream (really tired of typing eye cream at this point, please make it stop), if I used a strong retinoid or an exfoliating face product then I was missing out the eye area almost completely!
And so, without really realising it, I had gone from giving my eyes a twice-daily mini-facial of their own to giving them…not much at all. My eye cream routine was a (little ten second) workout, my “eyes as part of a face” routine was the equivalent to doing no exercise whatsoever. Walking to the car from the front door. Some effect, but really, negligible.
I’m back using an eye cream, safe to say. Every night, at the very least. Sometimes in the morning I skip it, because I am far more pressed for time and my eyes tolerate vitamin c serum very well anyway, so it’s not so much of an issue. But in the evening: eye cream ahoy. And it’s almost always one with retinol. Why? Well. It’s pretty much the top rung of the ingredients ladder and, when it comes to eye creams, you can almost guarantee that the retinol will be easily tolerated and the formula gentle. So if you’re seeing fine lines creeping in around the eyes, the skin is starting to crease or go fine and papery, then retinol is your friend. Smoothing, firming, plumping. Won’t help massively if puffiness is your problem, but there are great eye creams for that, too. That’s a whole separate post, when I’ve recovered from having to type out “eye cream” so many times.
Here are three retinol eye products worth the spend:
[Ad info: no paid or sponsored content, featured items may be press samples and affiliate links are marked *. I have an ongoing partnership with Beauty Pie.]
Olay Retinol Max Eye Cream – £44 but currently £19.55 at Amazon here*: a beautifully formulated, non-greasy eye cream that absolutely does the trick if you want to see a difference in skin texture. Olay test to the high heavens to make sure that products are easy to use and suitable for the mass market so you can be pretty sure you’re not going to make your eyes fall out with this one. Though start carefully – once every few nights – just to ease yourself in.
Beauty Pie Super Retinol Eye Cream, £13 with membership here*: this contains slow-release retinol and loads of hydrating ingredients so it’s a comfortable cream that’s nourishing in feel but – like Olay’s – non-greasy. Use the code RUTHSENTME for money off annual membership – you can find out more on how the membership works here*.
Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum, £82 here*: the priciest option, but Murad really go to town with their retinol range, combining three types of retinol and formulating a product that is as effective as humanly possible whilst minimising adverse reactions. The eye serum (which feels more of a light cream) can be used all around the eyes and on the lids. Seems slightly weird and scary, but I have tested that claim thoroughly and it’s fine and it works. Bravo. It’s a very good investment, if you can make it.
Here’s a video of me saying all of the above:
The post Why I Use An Eye Cream (Again) appeared first on Ruth Crilly.
©2022 “
How (Not) To Do Boxing
I woke up unable to move and with my arm muscles screaming: what evil atrocity had happened to my person overnight? I did (what they call in the meditation sessions I never get around to doing) a body scan; starting at the toes, moving up to the knees and then the thighs and the hips, noting any sensations in the body pleasant or unpleasant. They were all deeply unpleasant. Pains shot through my calves when I tried to wiggle my toes and I was unable to feel my thighs. It was as though anything connecting my legs to the rest of my body had been stolen away whilst I was sleeping.
I tried to roll onto my side but where there had been (admittedly feeble) core muscles, there now seemed to be none. My brain whirred. Had I unwittingly birthed another baby? By c-section? Or perhaps I had been illegally harvested of some vital organs and this was the aftermath. Hundreds of separate pains were beginning to register around my body – even my head hurt when I weakly turned it from side to side.
And then the horror came flooding back. Operating on a slight delay, no doubt due to the trauma, my mind blinked into action and played a number of nightmarish flashbacks from the previous day. The root cause of all my pains became crystal clear:
I had exercised.
More specifically, I had “boxed”. Or “done boxing” – I’m not sure of the correct phrase here, being unfamiliar with almost all forms of exercise and the appropriate fitness-related lexicon. But I had done something akin to boxing at the very least – I’d had my hands strapped up (in bandages, which sort of felt like a forewarning) and I’d worn the proper gloves and I’d given it my all like only a comparatively unfit forty-two-year-old mum-of-two can.
I say comparatively because with a few exceptions I think I was the oldest participant in the room by almost a couple of decades and I’m not sure, judging by the enthusiasm and vigour with which they all did the jumping jacks, that any of the others had yet to become inconvenienced with compromised pelvic floors.
Now look; I’m not unfit in that I have to huff and puff to get myself up my near-vertical driveway (I can even carry heavy stacks of parcels up it) and I’m also not unfit in that I can easily hike six, seven, eight miles or more in one go and it doesn’t really feel as though I’ve dented my energy that much. However: put me on a rubbery floor and make me do things like “mountain climbers” and “burpees” and anything involving upper body strength and I promise you I will collapse like one of those little push-up puppets with elastic bands threaded through them.
Ad info: no paid or sponsored content. Contains press sample and press event and affiliate links are marked *.
Why was I exercising? You might ask. I was at a press event for Kiehl’s and the boxing session (at the amazing JAB club in Mayfair) was part of the package. Kiehl’s have launched a lovely new product into their Ultra Facial range; the Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream, and I’m guessing that the “defensive” nature of the boxing class is the link between event and barrier repair product. Although, I have to say, JAB couldn’t have been more Kiehl’s in style if it had tried – it felt very New York cool with its wooden lockers and wall of boxing gloves and the amazing leather punchbags in the mirrored studio.
And as Rebecca, the photographer for Kiehl’s, clicked away at all of the guests posing in the aforementioned boxing gloves, leaning against the aforementioned punchbags, I made the fatal error of assuming that this boxing session was to be “just for the ‘gram” and that nobody would actually be expending any real sort of physical effort.
Which was all fine by me because even as I enrered the locker room I was beginning to question my sanity – why on earth had I agreed to spend a morning doing something so energetic and potentially excruciating when I could have been having hot chocolate with a friend, or browsing John Lewis for a new travel bag (much needed). Or just anything, really, rather than being in a boxing gym with that faint smell of sweat and rubber and – weirdly – ham that’s seemingly always the precursor to intense physical discomfort.
Luckily the JAB crew (instructor and two finely-honed “demo” boxers to keep us all on track with the moves) were all very easy on the eye and as I don’t get out much these days it was all quite visually exciting at first. As we started jigging about on the spot and doing pretend punching I relaxed into the whole thing and suddenly felt quite confident that I’d be able to take the whole thing in my stride. Even as the moves progressed to more energetic ones, ones that saw me having to throw myself to the floor, touch my knee to my shoulder like in some sadistic version of Twister, I felt sort of physically energised and motivated in a way I hadn’t experienced since having to run to catch the last train from Paddington at the end of January 2021. (One of my tendons has only just healed.)
But oh my God. After about ten minutes of pure cardio sweaty exertion and just as I assumed we were about to wind things up to have a little rest, the instructor (and owner of JAB) declared that the “warm up was almost over”. I beg your pardon? Warm up? If this was one of those army obstacle courses then I was at exhaustion level 8: the final swamp crossing. If I was on an army course then at this point I’d be hauling myself through the mud on my knees, doing ugly crying. If it was childbirth (and my babies hadn’t been huge/wrong way up/late) then I’d be at the bit where it’s ring of fire and you have to push through the pain.
Warm up?
Had Mr Jab not been so encouraging, in his tiny shorts with his muscular physique, I would have lain down on the rubbery floor and wept. As it happened, he carried with him some sort of long plastic ruler and now and then gave a gentle tap with it which was actually quite arousing.
Or would have been quite arousing had my pelvic floor not decided to completely give up the ghost which meant I was concentrating on trying not to involuntarily urinate over myself. It was the split jumping jacks that did the pelvic floor in, FYI – manic opening and closing of the legs coupled with intense and forceful high impact landings. It’s gonna do it. You may as well place your undercarriage into that machine in IKEA that demonstrates how violently they test their mattresses for wear and tear. Pound-pound-pound.
Anyway, jesting aside I did very much enjoy myself. The urine stayed where it should be, despite my bladder screeching at me for the entire forty-five minutes, and the first thing I did when I got on the train home was to Google “Boxing Club in Bath”. I felt on top of the world. There was a ferocity and a focus to the session that I loved; it was so intense that it left no room to think. If I’m spinning (on a bike, not just around and around in a room like someone on hallucinogenics) then all sorts of things go through my mind. And I can imagine that – if I had knees that weren’t made of Play-Doh and I jogged – the same thing would happen with jogging. I’d ruminate on work issues, on family life, I’d run through my lists of things that needed to be done.
No space for that during boxing! Or – whispers – Boxercise, which is what I think I’m going to have to do in lieu of proper boxing. Mainly because the proper boxing gyms talk of such things as “sparring” and “mouth guards” and I’m not completely ready to retire from modelling just yet.
And also, I say that Boxercise is what I think I’m going to have to do, but it has taken me five full days to get full movement back in my upper body: I went forty-eight hours in the same t-shirt because I couldn’t bear to lift my arms over my head! So maybe I should stick to spinning (again, the cycling on a stationary bike sort) rather than anything more taxing. Which would mean I’d have to buy an actual clothes horse instead of using the Peleton to dry my clothes, so it’s swings and roundabouts…
A massive thanks to Kiehl’s for inviting me to their Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream launch: I did feel very relevant and youthful in my gym stuff and boxing gloves. And the new cream is just lovely – a great addition to the Ultra Facial line-up, which is renowned for being very calm and gentle. I have two close friends who have used nothing else for years and will use nothing else. The new cream brings extra-potent ingredients to the table for really helping to repair the skin barrier so that it can function more effectively – better skin barrier, less moisture loss and skin that feels more comfortable and soothed. The new barrier cream has a balm texture that’s surprisingly velvety rather than being the heavy, greasy ointment that you might expect. Sits brilliantly beneath makeup (I have it on now) (I realise you can’t see me so that’s a pointless statement) and keeps skin feeling supple and comfortable all day.
You can find the new Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream at Kiehl’s here* – it’s £34 for 50ml.
Photography credit: Rebecca Spencer Photography
The post How (Not) To Do Boxing appeared first on Ruth Crilly.
©2022 “
5 Favourite Budget Cleansers
If you’re trying to save money on your skincare but don’t want to compromise on the quality of your routine then I have some good news for you: I’ve rounded up some of the best budget cleansers and they’re all products I happily use (and repurchase) on a regular basis.
I’ve set the “budget” threshold at ten pounds and under for this skincare favourites post. I realise that the word budget means different things for different people – and also that there are cheaper cleansers out there – but I think that the products I’ve picked offer some of the very best quality for the price.
Five budget cleansers that’ll satisfy all skin types – there’s something here for everyone, whether you have oily skin or sensitive skin or, indeed, oily and sensitive skin. The packaging might be rather more pared-back than what you’d get wrapped around a more spendy cleanser but all of the formulations are utterly lovely, cleanse really thoroughly yet won’t strip your skin or leave it tight.
The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser, from £5.50 at Space NK*
This brilliant cleanser from The Ordinary is great for absolutely all skin types and is a particularly good choice if you just want one cleanser to do all jobs; it removes makeup, including eye makeup, has enough slip to really massage into the skin and then leaves the skin hydrated once it’s removed with a washcloth. I don’t need a separate makeup remover when I use this – it’s fresh in feel (a gel cream texture) but mighty in performance.
It’s probably my overall top pick just because it suits everyone, is conveniently packaged and has that silky cream-to-oil texture that I usually associate with far more expensive products.
Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, £8 at Cult Beauty*
Again, a suit-all choice, but this errs on the side of a wash that you can splash off rather than a more unctuous balm or cream that you can luxuriously massage in. It comes in a big bottle so is the sort of product you could leave out in the shower for the whole family to use. Cerave are all about strengthening and protecting the skin barrier so it’s brilliant for those with sensitive skin.
Superfacialist Rosehip Creamy Cleanser, £6 at Amazon*
For those who prefer a cream over a more balm-like product, this tube of rose-scented cleanser is outstanding. I’ve loved it for many, many years and I’m so pleased it’s still in existence. So many things I love get discontinued! This has the feel of an old-fashioned cold cream, in a way, but it’s handily packaged in a tube and has a beautiful smell. Like the Squalane cleanser, I’d massage this in and remove with warm water and a washcloth/flannel rather than trying to splash off like a wash. It’s very satisfying seeing all of your makeup come off onto a flannel – if you’re not cleansing with a cloth then bring one into your life immediately! The regular, gentle exfoliation it gives is a big enough perk but you’ll find that your cleansing is so much more thorough and effective.
Buy Superfacialist here*
Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm, £8.79 at LookFantastic*
Another cleansing balm at a very good price; Inkey List’s Oat one is far more a traditional balm texture than the Squalane, which is a lighter sort of gel-cream. Or cream-gel. Same thing. In my opinion, the more balm-like it is (sort of like a gritty butter or solidified goose fat texture, for want of a more appealing description) the better the cleanser is at removing eye makeup. Because you can melt it down into an oil over the eyes but it takes longer to turn liquid than other forms of cleanser and so you really get stuck in over the lashes and lids. Great stuff.
Those with oilier skin might not like this so much as it instinctively feels as though it might add oil to the skin and maybe clog pores, but it doesn’t. It washes off (with a cloth, again!) completely clean and doesn’t leave a residue. I’d say it’s good for all skin types but dry will particularly love.
Aveeno Calm + Restore Oat Cleanser, £5.30 at Amazon*
A great option for sensitive skin, as with the Cerave. Aveeno’s Calm + Restore range contains Aveeno’s prebiotic oat, something existing fans will no doubt be familiar with as the products are so popular for their soothing effect on sensitive skin. Again as with the Cerave you can rinse or splash this one off, but I genuinely think that nearly every cleanser is made more efficient when you add a flannel into the mix!
I work with Aveeno making content around this skincare range and so I know it inside out and I’ve used this cleanser loads; it’s a great option if you have oilier skin and want a “fresh wash” sort of texture but also have sensitive skin and don’t want anything harsh or aggravating.
Do you have any other suggestions to add into the best budget cleanser broth? Let me know in the comments! Here’s a short and sweet video chatting through my own favourites:
The post 5 Favourite Budget Cleansers appeared first on Ruth Crilly.
©2022 “
The Glass-Penised Gnome: How (Not) To Use A Pipette
This trend for the dribbling of skincare products directly onto the face really bemuses me. Ditto foundation dribbling. Pipettes are enough of a faff to use when you drop the product into the palm of your hand, why on earth would you ever attempt to pipe the product straight onto your face? Nobody does this in real life.
Nobody sits at their dressing table and says to their partner,
“Hang on a second, Brian. Here I am holding this little glass tube filled with foundation, a product that needs only one dropeth spilt to ruin an entire cream carpet, and yet here I am carefully squeezing it onto the back of my hand before applying with a brush.”
‘Well yes, Deirdre, that makes sense to me. You have to be careful when you’re brandishing a pipette loaded with what is, to all intents and purposes, paint.”
“No, Brian! You’ve got it all wrong! What I should be doing is tilting my face at an absurd angle, holding the pipette precariously above my cheekbone and then squeezing it directly onto my skin!”
“But….Deirdre…what about the cream carpet?”
“Oh Brian, to hell with the carpet. The thrill I’ll get from not knowing whether any product will actually land on my face will more than make up for any large insurance claims we have to make.”
“As you wish Deirdre. But it does make you look rather foolish, I’m at pains to say.”
“Brian don’t you see? I like looking more foolish than I need to when I’m applying my makeup. I’m not content with the fact that mascara application makes me look like a demented puffer fish, I want to drop my foundation onto my cheeks and force my eyes to focus on something unnaturally close so that they completely cross over.”
“Fine Deirdre. But look. I don’t want to be crass, and forgive me if this is overstepping the mark…does it not look a bit sexual?”
“Does what not look a bit sexual, Brian?”
“The dribbling liquid, Deirdre. It’s as though a very small glass-penised gnome is lazily ejaculating onto your face.”
Anyway, this was supposed to be a skincare post. For crying out loud – stay on task, Crilly! For this morning’s skincare routine I used:
Rose Inc Micellar Cleanser (Space NK here*)
The packaging instantly appealed to me when I was first testing this cleanser. The bottle is short and stout, like a little teapot but with no handle and no spout. It’s cute. The mechanism inside is one of those push-down-and-product-spurts-out ones, which are useful when you’re doing things one-handed.
(This could be an episode of innuendo bingo, it really could.)
The micellar cleanser itself isn’t your usual clear liquid, it’s a sort of cream-gel. Really soothing, very fresh in feel and does a grand job of makeup removal. Or in my case, a grand job of a quick morning cleanse. I rarely do a balm or cream cleanser at the sink if it’s morning – I do all the heavyweight stuff in the evening and so the micellar is to rid any residue from the products the night before and just have a clean canvas to work on.
Sali Hughes Must-C Daily Serum (currently £10 at Boots here*)
I use a vitamin c serum pretty much every morning. Dose of antioxidant protection and a bit of brightening, can’t go wrong. It really works for me – I realise there are a plethora or different ingredients you could be opting for in your staple morning serum, whether it’s peptides or niacinamide or something for clearing your blackheads, but my focus is on protecting and brightness. It’ll no doubt change, but for the past few years I’ve been unwavering in my vitamin c dedication!
The Sali Hughes Must-C is potent, non-irritating and is currently a tenner at Boots. You can’t go far wrong.
My all-time favourite, however – if you’re asking – is the Kiehl’s Powerful Line Reducing Concentrate. It’s £55 so way more spendy, but it has this lovely dry texture. Not oily, not watery, just…like velvet but spreadable. I have used it for years and come back to it again and again. You can find it online here*.
Dove Derma Series SPF30 (Superdrug here)
Straight in with SPF on top of the serum because I had no need for extra moisturiser this morning. Dove’s new launch is pleasing: a silky, sophisticated texture with a skin-calming formulation. If you have sensitive skin and struggle with finding the right non-aggravating sunscreen, this could well be worth a try.
Here’s a video that takes less than a minute and a half to watch so it’s the least you can do for me:
PPhoto by Jen Theodore on Unsplash
The post The Glass-Penised Gnome: How (Not) To Use A Pipette appeared first on Ruth Crilly.
©2020 “
CURRENT MAKEUP ROUTINE: AUTUMN 2022
It’s “neutrals with a hint of pink time”! Yes, that’s right: whilst the whole world of social media experiments with the mandatory seasonal shades of russet and bronze, I’m still stuck in bronzer mode with a little bit of pretty pink to eradicate signs of tiredness and add a bit of youthful flush into the mix.
Here’s what I’m using on my face at the moment; the hero products are the recently rediscovered Dior Forever Skin Glow foundation and the liquid blush from Rare Beauty, which seems to be totally sold out. Some potential alternatives listed below.
Let’s get cracking – if you’d like to watch all of the products in action (and full technicolour) then scroll to the bottom of the page and click play on the video screen.
Dior Forever Skin Glow Foundation
They’ve relaunched this foundation a few different times since I first reviewed it here in May 2013. It started off as a velvet finish face base and then it became two different foundations altogether, one with a matte finish and one with a glowier finish. The matte (simply called Forever) is absolutely brilliant for staying power and a massively perfected finish, the sort that looks airbrushed. The Skin Glow looks slightly more natural and real. Flexible.
I use shade 2N but actually it looks better on me mixed with a bit of 2.5N to warm things up. In the depths of winter I’ll probably be 2N proper.
I feel as though you have to work quite quickly with this foundation, it sets fast and then sticks around until you have a proper cleanse with a flannel. The coverage is medium-to-full and it’s easily buildable – I can go in with another little tapped-on layer under the eyes and around the nose and it looks seamless.
Find Dior Forever Skin Glow here* – at Escentual it always seems to be a load cheaper than elsewhere. There’s a reason for this and I can’t remember it, but whatever: it makes it just a little more appealing, price-wise, when it’s £38.25 rather than £45.
Armani Power Fabric Concealer
This concealer deserves its own post; I use it constantly and it’s my default option. It gives a really natural, lightweight look, as though the product melds with the skin and moves with it, but the coverage is still very good. It’s a clever product in that it disguises and detracts without forming a thick, opaque layer.
You still see some of the skin beneath but it makes everything vastly improved. If you tend to wear lighter, sheerer bases and a heavy concealer on top looks odd then this is the product for you. If you can stretch to it. I’d say it’s a good investment if you struggle with concealers that sit in fine lines or look cakey – this blends in quickly and stays looking fresh all day.
You can find Power Fabric online here* – I use shade 5, for reference.
Charlotte Tilbury Cream Bronzer
Is actually called Beautiful Skin Bronzer but I’m lazy. This is very similar to Chanel’s big cream bronzer in the flat jar but comes in more shades and is marginally less orange-toned so slightly more foolproof. By buffing this into freshly-applied foundation you can create a sunkissed look that’s very believable and subtle or build up the colour for a more dramatic look.
It’s excellent stuff. Priced to reflect that. I’ve just realised that this video is erring on the side of pure luxury which wasn’t intentional! Find the cream bronzer here*, I use shade 1.
Rare Beauty Liquid Blush
This is sold out everywhere by the looks of it, but give this link* a try anyway in case you’re reading in a time of good stock! I use Hope, a lovely pink shade and you can see from the video that the amount you need to use each time is minuscule. Truly. I doubt I’ll ever use this up, unless I live to one hundred and twenty.
Good alternatives, though they’re cream rather than liquid; the cream blush from Rare Beauty (same brand, different texture) and also the cream blushes from Trinny London and Beauty Pie. They are all delicious – I apply with a brush for these, too, for a really flawless sort of effect.
If you’re lucky enough to get hold of the liquid blush I use in the video then just dap a dot on each cheek and blend lightly with a fluffy brush rather than a firmer, kabuki one. You don’t want to upset all the makeup beneath the blush, things can get alarmingly patchy very quickly…
NARS Voyageur Palette
This is one of my most-used eye palettes. Possibly the most-used if you exclude the Becca one that’s now discontinued. As in the entire brand, not just the palette. NARS Voyageur in Suede has precisely the shades I want to use on a daily basis and nothing else at all. It’s small and compact and I can bung it in a handbag if I need to an it even slides into one of those stupid small purse-on-a-string bags that are all the rage for people who seemingly never need to cart about an emergency Tampax, car keys or, I don’t know, money.
Find the palatte here* – and if you tap “Voyageur” into the search box then you’ll see plenty of videos where I’m using it. The big fat brush I use to apply the shimmery peach-beige shadow is the Bobbi Brown Blender, here* and the flatter, rounded one for the “fake eyeliner” trick that I do is a Sigma E55 brush, here*.
Brows and Lashes
Nearly there! Brows are groomed and thickened with the perennial favourite, Benefit’s Gimme Brow in shade 1, here*. Lashes are lengthened and volumised with L’Oreal’s Telescopic False Lash mascara (here*) which is as good as any of the luxury offerings out there. If you have fine, flat lashes and big brushes do you no favours then honestly, get involved with the Telescopic. I prefer the one in the matte gold tube (currently seven-ish quid here*) for everyday use but it was in my car and couldn’t be bothered to go and get it.
Clinique Lip Pop
Clinique’s lipsticks are genuinely some of the very best out there. They combine a lip primer to smooth and fill with a beautiful, punchy dose of colour and you can get matte finishes or shinier ones. Peony is, in my opinion, the perfect pretty pink. At time of writing Clinique have these lipsticks for sale at around £17 – find them here*. I doubt anyone would regret the purchase of one of these – they feel like a luxury buy but don’t have the luxury price tag.L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara*: https://amzn.to/3LzaLFW
The post CURRENT MAKEUP ROUTINE: AUTUMN 2022 appeared first on Ruth Crilly.
©2020 “
Ten Seriously Good Space NK Beauty Products (and 20% off!)
Some beauty shopping scenarios for you, tick all that apply:
– you’re in need of a skincare restock but don’t know where to begin
– you’ve saved up for a beauty treat but want something that truly delivers on results
– you’re sad that summer is coming to an end and desperate to prolong your sunkissed glow
– you love my Space NK recommendations but would fancy 20% off them, thanks very much
If one or more of the above statements apply to you then fret no more, for I have you covered with my seriously good edit of Ten Seriously Good Space NK Beauty Products. And when I say seriously good, I mean it. These are the products I’ve tested over and over again and that are as near to beauty perfection as you can feasibly get. They’re failsafe, foolproof options that really, truly work and all of them are have become key items in my routine.
So there’s that, the seriously good product edit, and then there’s the fact that Space NK are giving you 20% off anything in it with the code RUTH20. So whether you’re after a makeup bag freshen-up or something new to add into your skincare routine I can almost guarantee you’ll find inspiration here. From the budget cleanser that blows away the rest to a bronzing duo that creates instant, easy glamour, it’s likely you’ll already have a favourite on this list.
It’s British Beauty Week and the theme is The Power of Beauty; all of the products I’ve picked here have that near-magical ability to make you feel suddenly more pulled-together and with it. And God knows that’s what I need, post-summer holidays!
Skincare Essentials You’ll Want to Buy Again
Let’s start with some skincare staples that won’t break the bank, for those who’d like to add something useful and hardworking to their line-up: a great budget cleanser that suits all skin types and a swipe-and-leave exfoliant that’s brilliant for spot-prone skin:
The Ordinary: Squalane Cleanser
If ever there was a “budget” beauty product to buy again and again then this would be it. The texture of the Squalane Cleanser from The Ordinary is beautiful; it’s light and slippery to apply, transforms to an oil for massaging in and breaking down makeup and then rinses off clean. It’s suitable for all skin types – won’t strip away oils, won’t leave a greasy residue – and it’s packaged in a lightweight, travel-friendly tube.
The Squalane in the formula helps to prevent drying, you can use it around and over the eyes and for all of this, it’s five pounds fifty. I’d say ask any questions below but you’d be wasting valuable time because this stuff sells out again and again. Catch it while you can!
Squalane Cleanser is usually £5.50 but is £4.40 with my discount code here
Paula’s Choice: Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve recommended this spot-busting exfoliant over the years. Dozens. It’s an all-time favourite product because it works so well and works in an area of skin concern that typically causes people a lot of misery and bother. Spots, breakouts, pimples, acne. This liquid uses salicylic acid to help clear out pores and is incredible on congested, bumpy skin. It’s easy to use – just wipe over and leave – and simple to incorporate into a skincare routine. Cleanse (use a non-stripping cleanser, like the Squalane one above), Liquid Exfoliant and then a lightweight moisturiser.
The Paula’s Choice 2% BHA has been a staple in my skincare routine for almost ten years: I use it during my PMT week when I often get little hormonal flare-ups or bumps beneath the skin. I love the Skin Perfecting Exfoliant because it’s as gentle as it is effective; it decongests but at the same time it feels soothing and calming. Just what you need on temperamental skin.
Skin Perfecting 2% BHA costs from £8.80 with my RUTH20 discount here (usually starts at £11)
Indulgent Treats that Really Work
I’ll follow the “skincare staples that don’t break the bank” with a couple of very indulgent treats; an all-in-one moisturiser that sees quick results and a spray-on spa that’s very addictive. Let’s start with the spa:
Emma Hardie: Plump and Glow Hydrating Mist
I’m not a big user of mists, as a rule. It’s a step I cannot fathom. I hate the feeling of being spritzed in the face – it still surprises me even though I’m the one pulling the trigger – and I worry that it’ll get in my hairline.
HOWEVER.
If there’s one mist I can get on board with and on a very regular basis (think multiple times a day, it’s addictive) then it’s Emma Hardie’s Plump and Glow. Dear Lord this smells incredible. What an absolute treat. Every little misting makes you feel as though you’re entering a parallel universe, one of ultimate luxury and decadence. Spritz on a hot, sweaty day, when you’ve been staring at your laptop for hours and your entire face hurts, and instantly you’re in a swanky spa.
Travelling and want something that will continuously lift your spirits and distract you from the distant odour of the Easyjet warmed foods trolley? Plump and Glow is where it’s at. I’m not even joking. You could be crossing a sulphurous wasteland on the back of a flatulent donkey and this stuff would still make you feel as though you’re being pampered in a Harley Street treatment room by a whisper-voiced, soft-handed aesthetician.
And that’s not even the good part: this is a mist that actually does something. It properly works! You know the slight glossing that you get from some very expensive and very bouncily-hydrating moisturisers? The feeling that your skin has been sort of laminated and the hydration sealed in? This does that. It’s epic. And everyone I’ve recommended it to has commented to the same effect.
Yes it’s very much a luxury item, but if you’re in need of a treat and a pick-me-up then this is one that’ll satisfy multiple times a day. Multiple times an hour, even. It’s amazing I get any work done at all…
Emma Hardie Pump and Glow Hydrating Mist is £33.60 with my discount here (usually £42)
Kate Somerville: Retinol Vitamin C Moisturiser
I’m sometimes asked to recommend an “investment” night cream by friends and followers, something a bit pricier that will feel like a luxury and tick all of the boxes when it comes to results. They want to up their game when it comes to their skincare routine and they want to spend a little more on a “do it all” moisturiser that’s effective, potent and easy to use.
Some people don’t want to have to remember to use a separate serum, and if you start talking to them about antioxidants and retinoids and routines that change from night to night, they completely shut down. (Or, if they’re my friends – you know who you are! – then they laugh.) Because they have no interest in the science or the ingredients, they just want something that works and that works well. So that they can splodge it on at night and then forget all about it.
Shop my edit with 20% off using RUTH20
Well this is one of those creams: Kate Somerville’s Retinol Vitamin C Moisturiser. It’s really powerful stuff (I started off by using this once every three nights and eventually got it to every other night…go easy!) and it satisfies just about every skincare concern. Vitamin C for brightness and for its antioxidant action (helping to protect the skin) and retinol for just about everything else. Lines. Wrinkles. Pigmentation. Loss of firmness. Adult acne. It’s a one-stop solution if you want to look less rumpled and tired – it’s expensive, but the results are really excellent.
Quite often with a powerful retinoid I have to use a separate moisturiser a little while afterwards: not so with this. And I wouldn’t bother with a serum beforehand either, it really is the entire package if you want it to be.
If you’re prepared to pay more for a cream that needs no thought or effort but that still steamrollers your face for you night after night then this is it. I saw a marked difference in brightness and firmness within weeks of using this and the longer-term results are very impressive.
Kate Somerville Retinol Vitamin C is £67.20 (usually £84) here
Two Heavenly Scents
Perfume is such a personal thing, it would be nigh on impossible to find one that absolutely everyone loves. You’d have to be mad to tell people that a certain scent is universally amazing, but I’m here to tell you just that. About not one, but two different fragrances. Both of them teetering on that sexy unisex ledge, both at once fresh yet musky, clean yet exotic. Feel free to berate me if you disagree…
Jo Loves: Pink Vetiver Fragrance
How to describe Pink Vetiver? Cleanly sexual. I present to you the mental image of a very handsome man in a smart shirt but with the sleeves rolled up and the collar undone. Someone very capable looking (for some reason I always think of a secret agent or a hit man, terrible as I’m sure that is, blame it on the movies) and he is very well-groomed, expensively so, but then slightly relaxed and undone.
Pink Vetiver is crisp, clean cotton and it’s powdery amber with some spice and some warmth, and for me it’s just the softer side of a sexy masculine scent. When I wear it I feel sexy because it has hints of the undone sexy man. But I don’t feel as though I smell like a sexy man. If that makes sense.
The official line is that it has “top notes of pink crushed peppercorn, cardamom and juniper berries and base notes of amber and vetiver. Cumin, ginger and nutmeg inject spicy heat into the enticing aroma.”
I mean.
You can find Pink Vetiver here – it’s usually £75 for 50ml but £60 with my RUTH20 discount.
Space NK: Rewild Body Wash
Let us continue our brief delve into my treasure chest of glorious scents with one that won’t break the bank: Space NK’s own brand body wash in Rewild. Where did they find the person who put together this fragrance? Because they should hang on tight. I’d wear this as a perfume any day of the week. It again comes under the sexy-man-undone umbrella in that it’s relatively clean and pleasing but with a quite exotic, carnal undertone. Put it this way: I compiled a list of the top five things I’ve ever smelled on Mr AMR (to be published soon) and this was in the top three.
Apparently the notes are mandarin, coconut and sandalwood but I’d say that the notes were:
Top: Beach skin
Middle: James Bond’s still-damp towel
Base: Wooden deck of discrete billionaire’s speedboat
The perfect unisex body wash, this one. And it’s non-drying. And you can refill the 100% recyclable bottles in selected Space NK stores, one of which is the Bath store which pleases me greatly. There’s very little not to love about Rewild.
Find it here – it’s £11.20 with my discount, usually £14
Beauty That’ll Make The Summer Last
This category is my largest so you can tell where my brain is at. I’m already grieving the summer, one that was so hot and dry, one that was almost entirely swallowed up by continuing home renovations but that nevertheless brought me great joy.
I’m all about prolonging the sunkissed summer glow and here are my failsafe favourites for making that happen. The gradual tan that makes your face look as though it’s on permanent holiday, the supermodel bronzer that adds instant glitz and the world’s most perfectly-formed blush.
Charlotte Tilbury: Filmstar Bronze & Glow
I knew I wanted at least one Tilbury bronzer in this edit and I’ve gone for the option that gives the most dramatic results. Though I am borderline fanatical about the latest cream bronzer launch, it’s the Filmstar Bronze & Glow that is the most transformative, creating supermodel cheekbones and an expensive glow. The bronzer part of this duo is flat and matte and brilliant for easy contouring and the golden highlighter gives just the right amount of glitz. It’s an investment, but few makeup products can pull instant glamour out of the bag like this one.
Filmstar Bronze & Glow is £39.20 after my discount (usually £49), find it here.
Tan-Luxe: The Creme
True story: I was the very first person to buy this at the Space NK store in Bath. I tried it at a friend’s house (not naming any names, but suffice to say she has every product in the world in her bathroom) on a Sunday evening and went to Space NK first thing on the Monday to buy it.
If you’re familiar with the Tan-Luxe drops then you know that they are an effortless way to build up a daily, natural-looking tan. The only thing with drops is that quite often they don’t fit in with my routine – I get in a muddle when I know that I want to apply my retinoid that night, or if I want to use an antioxidant serum. It messes with my mojo.
A cream containing my gradual tan, however? That makes life easy. If I want to use my retinoid then I do, and I wait twenty minutes and then bung The Creme on top. If I want to apply my antioxidant serum then I do just that, then The Creme straight over it.
This is good stuff. It gives you a glow within hours (I always apply at night so that I can wake up looking less like a waxy boiled potato) and the texture of the cream is very rich and very moisturising. If you have dry skin then you will adore this. Oilier skin not so much, but Tan-Luxe have plenty of options for all skin types – my second favourite product is the serum, suitable for just about anyone with a face.
Tan-Luxe The Creme is £31.20 with my RUTH20 discount, here. It’s usually £39.
Ultra Violette: Daydream Screen SPF50 Tinted Veil
If I had to pick a product of the year then it’s likely this would be it. It’s a tinted SPF50 that you can actually apply in enough quantity to get the stated SPF, which is rare. The coverage is sheer but there definitely is coverage and it’s relatively buildable too. Which is great news for those who will want to reapply throughout the day.
There are fifteen shades, the finish is radiant but not in any way greasy and the packaging is easy to use and lightweight to carry. I cannot fault this SPF. It gives the highest broad spectrum protection and, for those who are fine with a lightweight makeup base, no foundation needed on top. I honestly feel as though a big problem has been solved with this product – finally a tinted moisturiser that can be applied in copious quantities without making you look like you’re a melting waxwork.
Daydream Screen is usually £38 but you can buy it here for £30.40 with my discount.
Rare Beauty: Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush
My love for cream blushers knows no bounds but this one is an absolute gem: the Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush from Rare Beauty. The joy starts from the moment you hold the rounded compact in your hand, there’s something incredibly pleasing about the ergonomics. It feels like a precious jewel is going to be inside and, to be honest, we’re not far off that: a nugget of the most gloriously smooth and creamy blush that slides on effortlessly and blends in to create a seamless, natural flush.
You can apply with fingertips but I get the most professional result by using a powder brush, just the same sort you’d apply a powder blusher with. I like the airbrushed finish. But it’s so much more believable and soft when it’s a cream product; it sort of melds with the base and the bronzer to become part of the skin. It’s also highly flattering and, once it’s set (takes mere seconds) it doesn’t slide about as you might fear.
God I love this. Everything about it. The whole user experience is just lovely. I use the shades Nearly Neutral and Nearly Apricot the most, but all are beautiful and entirely buildable for a more intense look if you want it.
Melting Blush is usually £18, but is £14.40 with my RUTH20 discount, find it here
I hope you’ve spotted some bits that you fancy. I’ve tried to strike a balance between things you might want and things you might need. Many of the products straddle both lanes, for want of a more sophisticated phrase.
The exclusive 20% Space NK discount code is valid until midnight on Friday 9th September on all of the products in my edit. Website T&Cs apply.
The post Ten Seriously Good Space NK Beauty Products (and 20% off!) appeared first on Ruth Crilly.
©2020 “
SPF Problem: How Do I Reapply Sunscreen Over Makeup?
This is the third SPF problem in my little mini-catalogue of sunscreen issues and it’s the one that seems to frustrate people the most: how on earth do you reapply sunscreen over makeup?
I have two good options below. My first thought, though, is this: if you’re doing an activity that requires a full face of makeup, it’s unlikely you’re going to be in full sun, without shade, for the entire day. Of course there must be the odd scenario, but I struggle to think of many where your face will be getting a full solar battering and where full makeup is required and where it’s not possible to wear a hat. Usually someone who works outside for long periods will be used to protecting themselves with clothing/hat/sunglasses and if it’s an event like a wedding or outdoor party then there will normally be some shade.
Related Read: Sunscreen Breaks Me Out
However, I’m well aware that there’s the impromptu al fresco lunch to navigate, or drinks after work in the pub garden, or people who like to spend all day outdoors and hate hats, or have to spend all day outdoors and love wearing full makeup, and for those situations the top-up ideas below are great. Just try and use common sense, protect your face physically as much as you can (wear a hat, seek shade) and remember that ultimately sun safety trumps makeup.
SPF Problem: How Do I Reapply Sunscreen Over Makeup?
So here’s the age-old problem. You carefully apply a full face of makeup over your sunscreen in the morning but at lunchtime you quite fancy a glass of wine with friends, outside on the terrace. Do you need more sunscreen? Has your initial application still got any life in it? You’re not sure. But in no way, shape or form are you going to take off your makeup, reapply sunscreen and do your face all over again. Just not feasible. So how do you top up your sunscreen?
1 – With a mist.
La Roche-Posay’s Anti-Shine SPF50 Mist* is brilliant. It was one of the first mists of this kind to the market and is still one of the best. It truly is invisible on the skin and acts as a sort of setting spray for sweaty makeup that’s started to move. So if you wanted to revive a full face of makeup that’s had a bit of a party on your face then you could give it a buff with a big foundation brush, maybe add an extra dash of bronzer and then spray the whole thing liberally with the LRP Mist.
Kate Somerville’s Soft Focus Makeup Setting Spray SPF50 (here* online) is the pricier, slightly more glamorous older sister – note that it’s marketed as a makeup product and not as a dedicated SPF. I think that this is wise because you actually have to spray a lot of these sunscreen sprays onto your face to get the stated protection…and most people won’t do that. Most people will do a cursory spritz and be done. (Also, I do feel that a lot of sunscreen mist ends up in the air. Or your hair. Or on your office chair, or bed, or carpet.)
Read: Sunscreen Stings My Eyes
Which is why I wouldn’t rely on a facial SPF mist for my full sunscreen application, I only use it as a top-up if I feel as though the protection of my dedicated sunscreen might have waned a bit and I want to be extra sure I’m not going to burn.
But it’s invaluable as this bit of extra insurance if you find yourself having an impromptu bit of frolicking in the sunshine. It doesn’t mess with your makeup – if anything it keeps it in place – and it’s quick and easy to apply.
Buy La Roche-Posay Anti-Shine SPF50 Mist*
2 – With a tinted sunscreen.
If your SPF is your makeup base then there’s no issue with reapplying it. You just bosh your tinted sunscreen on over the top of the last stuff, with the added bonus that your new makeup looks fresh and dewy and just-done.
But tinted sunscreen hasn’t been that great an option until recently. Shades have been limited and usually the coverage isn’t quite enough to replace wearing a makeup base. If you go down the CC Cream or tinted moisturiser route then it’s often difficult to apply enough of that sort of product to get the stated SPF – you naturally use a much thinner coat of it because, well, it’s makeup.
Australian sunscreen brand Ultra Violette have an excellent new tinted sunscreen called the Dream Screen Tinted Veil (here online*) – I personally think it’s quite a gamechanger. Firstly, you can easily apply the recommended amount to get the stated SPF50 protection (1/4 teaspoon for face, or 1/2 teaspoon for face and neck) and even in quantities more than this it never looks claggy or overdone. Secondly, it layers up beautifully and actually gives okay coverage. It’s light, it won’t obliterate dark circles, but it does the trick for adding some warmth and making skintone slightly more even.
The Tinted Veil comes in fifteen shades, all of them flexible in that they will sheer out to suit a number of tones. It’s oil-free, fragrance free, suits all skin types and gives very high protection from UVA and UVB rays. I like everything about this little SPF50 and have been wearing it daily, no other face base on top.
Shop Ultra Violette Tinted Veil here*
Any more sunscreen problems? Let me delve through my product collection and try to find you some answers – just drop me a comment below!
The post SPF Problem: How Do I Reapply Sunscreen Over Makeup? appeared first on Ruth Crilly.
©2020 “
SPF Problem: Sunscreen Breaks Me Out
Problems with SPF. We’re wading through a few common issues with sunscreen, while the sun is out and people feel its relevant and topical. The thing is, sunscreen should be topical all year round, if you’re at all worried about the effects of the sun on your skin, but I still think that the majority of people only apply SPF when it’s hot outside. Maybe it needs a rebrand. Lightscreen, instead of sunscreen?
For me, this is where “moisturisers with SPF” play their hand so well; you don’t think twice about putting them on, they’re pitched as more of a daily staple than a fair-weather friend and, if you apply as liberally as you would your dedicated sunscreen you’re getting the same protection. Anyway, maybe that’s a whole other post…
Back to problems, and the previous one with sunscreen was SPF stinging eyes – you can find that post here with a few recommendations on how to avoid irritation. Here’s the next skin issue in the line-up:
Problem: Sunscreen Breaks Me Out
Sunscreen causing spots, another annoying quirk. Many sunscreens break my skin out, too, and it feels like a sod’s law sort of punishment. You try to do the best thing for the health and look of your skin and it goes and kicks you in the teeth with a load of pustulating under-surface bumps or white-headed pimples. If you find that your SPF is breaking you out because it’s making you oily and clogging your pores then take a look at some of the oil-free options that work really well for me – they’re also worth a look if you’re after sunscreen for acne-prone skin.
Paula’s Choice Resist SPF50* is actually hurtling its way to my number one favourite sunscreen spot. It’s high protection but feels just like water going on and leaves absolutely no residue on the skin. It just ticks absolutely every box and also happens to be oil-free so it’s excellent for all skin types. It’s a joy to apply. Find it online here* – it’s £35 and can easily be used as your daily moisturiser unless you have very dry skin.
Read: My Five Favourite Sunscreens For The Face
If you’re after light and fresh then take a look at my five favourite sunscreens on the link above. It wasn’t a post on SPF for spot-prone skin, specifically, but there are some nice oil-free products. Another I find myself using quite a lot is the Kiehl’s Aqua Gel (online here*) with a lightweight feel that doesn’t melt or slide even when it’s very humid. A good one if you need a facial SPF for working out or going running. Chance would be a fine thing.
Both of those suggestions are for chemical sunscreens but if you struggle to find a chemical SPF that you get on with then it’s well worth giving mineral sunscreen a go. Some people are sensitive to specific chemical filters. (Equally, some people get on horribly with mineral sunscreens, finding them very chalky and thick, the residue too white, but there are some beautiful, lightweight, silky mineral products these days.)
Here are some mineral recommendations, I love all of the below:
Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen SPF50 at Space NK here*
Hawaiian Tropic’s SPF30 Skin Milk mineral sunscreen here*
Skingredients Skin Shield SPF50 here*
Coola Mineral Matte Cucumber SPF30 here*
If you have oily skin, you may also really like the matte finish that many mineral sunscreens have – it makes a good priming makeup base with that little bit of grip to hold foundation in place. And I find that I need less foundation on top, for some reason – the mineral sunscreen seems to create a lovely canvas.
As important as finding the right sunscreen formula to help reduce spot breakouts? Making sure you clean it off again effectively at the end of the day. SPF products are designed to stick around for as long as possible, for obvious reasons, so you really need to get in there with a cleanser that will break it down along with the grime of the day and any makeup you have on over the top.
I like to use a balm cleanser first (Beauty Pie’s Hot Oil Double Cleansing Balm* is one of my favourite balms, regardless of brand or price) and really massage it in for a minute or so. I use a flannel to remove – it works on eye makeup too, so you can work it in all over your face. Then if I’m feeling any sort of threat of a breakout (that lumpiness below the skin, or tenderness) then I go in with an exfoliating wash afterwards. I really like CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser* because it can be used on face and body so it’s great for keeping in the shower.
CeraVe’s cleanser contains salicylic acid to help keep pores clear but if you’d rather swipe something over your skin and leave then I think that Paula’s Choice BHA Liquid Exfoliant (buy online here*) is unbeatable. I use it every PMT week, too, just to keep any hormonal spots at bay. Just pour a little onto cotton wool and wipe all over your face – I concentrate on the t-zone and around my nose – and then follow with your usual skincare routine, though I’d keep textures nice and light if I was on breakout watch!
Buy Paula’s Choice BHA Liquid*
The post SPF Problem: Sunscreen Breaks Me Out appeared first on Ruth Crilly.
©2020 “
SPF Problem: My Sunscreen Is Stinging My Eyes
I think that most of us are now pretty clued up about the fact that sunscreen needs to be a mandatory part of our beauty routines. We’ve long known about the risk of skin cancer but sun exposure is also the leading cause of skin ageing. So if there’s one singular thing we can do to keep skin looking youthful then it’s – drumroll – wearing SPF.
It’s becoming less of a hardship to incorporate sunscreen into a morning routine; there are so many sophisticated formulas with beautiful textures and not all of them cost the earth. Yet there are a few persistent problems with SPF that put people off time and time again. I thought I’d address them one by one and give a few sunscreen recommendations and usage tips. Hopefully, if you find sunscreens problematic, this will bring you some relief.
SPF Problem: Sunscreen Stinging My Eyes
Sunscreen stinging your eyes is a common problem and one experienced nearly every day in my household because my husband insists on applying his SPF by putting it in the palms of his hands, slapping them together like a wrestler going in for the kill and then enthusiastically – some might say violently – rubbing the lotion all over his face, including over his closed eyelids. He then goes outside to do an energetic domestic/light industrial task, such as chainsawing down a dead tree or drilling a hole in the side of the house, and inevitably sweats. Then come the bitter tears of sunscreen-sting.
How can you avoid sunscreen stinging your eyes? Firstly, find a formula that has been specifically formulated to avoid the sting. Mineral sunscreens are a great bet here because they don’t contain the chemical filters that tend to be the culprit for eye-stinging and also from my experience have a more matte finish that’s less likely to melt and move on the skin.
Try Ultra Violette’s Lean Screen SPF50 (at Space NK here*) is a gorgeous high protection sunscreen with a matte finish – absolutely no eye problems with this one! For a cheaper mineral SPF take a look at Hawaiian Tropic’s SPF30 Skin Milk mineral sunscreen – it’s really lightweight and costs about a tenner for a whopping 150ml. You can find it online here*, it’s a great value option.
If you prefer a sunscreen with chemical filters then I’ve tried a lot and can say that Anthelios Ultra with Sensitive Eyes Innovation (online here*) categorically does not sting mine. Maybe its the aforementioned “Sensitive Eyes Innovation”, which locks the oils in the formula into micro-crystals to stop them migrating eyewards. Great as a daily SPF, it’s very moisturising and made for sensitive skin.
Shop Anthelios Ultra with Sensitive Eyes Innovation*
You can also try a stick sunscreen (I really like the one from Sun Bum here*) so that you can apply in a more targeted manner, but I find that one of the most helpful tricks is to very lightly powder on top of your sunscreen around the eye area with your normal translucent setting powder. (Max Factor’s Creme Puff* is one of the oldest and still one of the best – it’s also really cheap!)
Just that light dusting of powder can sometimes be enough to stop an oilier sunscreen formula from creeping into the eyes and making them feel as though they’ve been mercilessly set on fire then repeatedly doused with vinegar.
Shop Max Factor Creme Puff Translucent Setting Powder*
Any other tips for sunscreen application to avoid stinging? Let me know in the comments below. Here’s a little video that basically says everything I’ve mentioned above. Trying to cater for all media-usage tastes, here…
The post SPF Problem: My Sunscreen Is Stinging My Eyes appeared first on Ruth Crilly.
©2020 “
5 Skincare Favourites: Sunscreen For Face
I’ve been sunscreen testing again and these are my current five SPF favourites. I’m pretty picky when it comes to sunscreen for the face – I like a lightweight feel and a traceless finish – but thankfully formulations have improved massively over the past few years and there are so many excellent versions to choose from.
I’m a big fan of the high protection lightweight SPF fluids such as Anthelios from La Roche-Posay (you can find the incredible new UVMune 400 Fluid online here*), Beauty Pie Featherlight UV (£12.50 to members here* – use affiliate code RUTHSENTME for money off membership if you’re a new sign-up) and Bondi Sands Hydra SPF50+ (online here*); but my current favourites all have a really fresh, gel-like feel on application. Almost cooling. I also think that I keep coming back to them again and again because I don’t really need to use a moisturiser underneath them, which is actually something I forgot to mention in the video below. They’re all intensely hydrating and sit well directly beneath makeup and won’t leave a white cast on the skin.
A quick note on SPF: three of my favourites are SPF30, which offer less protection than SPF50. I realise that for some that might be a dealbreaker, but when it comes to sunscreen, especially for the face, I think it’s important to find a texture that you enjoy applying and that works well within your routine and lifestyle. If you absolutely detest your sun protection and dread applying it then you’re a) probably not going to apply enough to reach the stated protection and b) possibly going to skip applications when you’re feeling lazy. Find an SPF for the face that you love and it just becomes part of your morning beauty line-up. If it’s an SPF50 then all the better.
Let’s get cracking with the “best sunscreens for face if you hate using sunscreens on your face” feature.
Skin Generics Niacinamide + Osmo City SPF30, £32.95 at Superdrug*
This is the most weightless facial SPF I’ve ever tried. It really feels just like water jelly. It’s lighter even than something like Clinique’s Moisture Surge. Completely disappears on the skin. Feels satisfyingly cool on a hot day. It is quite heavily fragranced and comes in a glass jar – which isn’t ideal for travelling – but the texture is simply supreme.
Buy Skin Generics at Superdrug*
Murad Essential-C Day Moisture SPF30, currently £51 instead of £60 at FeelUnique*
If you’re after the same fresh feel but more of a comforting cream than a gel texture then Murad’s Day Moisture is just beautiful. For me it’s the ideal daily-use day cream: sophisticated moisturisation and antioxidant protection with a broad spectrum SPF30. This is also perfumed but smells slightly orangey and optimistic. It’s more expensive than the rest of the facial sunscreens on this page but it’s Murad, so I always feel I’m getting the appropriate results for the extra spend. The formulation is beautiful – deeply hydrating but no grease left on the skin.
La Roche-Posay HyaluB5 Aquagel SPF30, currently on sale (£25 instead of £34.50) at FeelUnique*
The gel-lest feeling gel SPF after Skin Generics, La Roche-Posay’s HyaluB5 is also delightfully cool on application but has a twist to the tale: as you glide it over the skin it becomes a sort of gel-gloss with long-lasting hydration that feels somehow sealed in. For those with dehydrated skin it’s an absolute dream. If I was very oily then I’d probably go for the Skin Generics just because it feels so fresh and weightless but the Hyalu pips it to the post in terms of packaging. Much more convenient in a pump!
Paula’s Choice Youth Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid, £35 but in the sale at Paula’s Choice here*
This brilliant SPF50 from Paula’s Choice might just be my new favourite overall sunscreen for the face. It’s as light and fresh to apply as the Murad but has the benefit of higher protection. (It’s also half the price.) No residue after application yet it manages to feel very moisturising and sits quietly underneath any makeup you decide to plonk on top. It’s just such a good all-rounder. Expect to hear more on this one.
Ultra Violette Supreme Screen SPF50, £34 at SpaceNK*
This SPF from Australian Brand Ultra Violette has been “trending” which means, apparently, that lots of people are talking about it. For good reason: it offers very high protection in a formula that goes on like silk and then completely disappears. Australians do sunscreen like nobody else, you’re almost guaranteed to get a well though-out formula and this is no exception. It has perhaps slightly more sheen than the others at first but quickly dries to a satin finish. I’d say it’s very slightly suited to drier skin rather than oily but Ultra Violette also do a mattifying version that’s mineral* (there’s is zinc-only) if you prefer a physical sunblock.
Buy Supreme Screen at SpaceNK*
Do you have any favourite sunscreens for the face you’d like to suggest I try? Let me know in the comments, please. I’ve found some excellent products through the comment section here on the blog!
The post 5 Skincare Favourites: Sunscreen For Face appeared first on Ruth Crilly.
©2020 “