winter evening skincare routine

Hello, I'm Vanessa and I'm a skincare junkie (this is the part where you say; 'Welcome Vanessa, we still love you all the same'!) 

I probably spend an obscene amount of my time and money on skincare but as my friend always says, you only get one skin so you have to take care of it. During the Winter months, my skincare takes a drastic turn of events because my skin thirsts for thick creams and some extra tender loving care. Here is my night time skincare routine!

Origins Checks and Balances Cleanser: this product is really growing on me. Mainly because it has lasted me ages! I use it every night and it'll probably last me a couple more months. You can read my review here if you haven't already done so.

Origins Make a Difference Tonic: this is brilliant for dehydrated skin and smells like cucumbers! Well to me it smells like cucumbers! I sweep this across my face after cleansing and it just prepares my skin for any kind of moisturiser that I decide to use. 

Kiehls Abyssine Cream: 'anti-aging cream'! I hear you shriek! Well, funny story behind this purchase...I wanted to try something from the Kiehls line and conveniently I had run out of my previous moisturiser so I walked up to a Kiehls counter in Glasgow with a big grin on my face before reeling off my skin's extensive history to the assistant. She advised that I try this and I took her advice and parted with my money. On my return to Aberdeen, I noticed that it was an anti-aging cream and I bitterly sighed. But MamaOrchid pointed out (whilst pointing to my face) that it's never too early to start using anti-aging creams. I've given it a go and yes...I do like it to the point where I will finish the jar but I probably would like to try another product on Kiehl's line before embarking on anti-aging creams again!

LUSH Popcorn Lip Scrub: this is a recent addition to my night time routine. I noticed that whenever I put lip balm on, my lips are really flaky and just not attractive to look at even though I apply lip balm on like there's no tomorrow! I realised that I probably need to exfoliate my lips so I purchased this to combat the problem. I'm not going to go too much into it as I think it deserves a post of its own!

What Winter skincare products have you been loving? Does your skincare routine change along with the seasons?

Vanessa

x

Review: Origins Checks and Balances Face Wash

It's no secret that I am a skincare junkie. Ever since I started blogging, I feel more on the ball about what kind of skincare products are out there. MammaOrchid had used this face wash ages ago before she settled on her beloved Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish so I decided to give this a go.

The whole concept of this face wash is to essentially 'balance out' your skin. It facilitates both dry and oily areas of your face without cancelling any one of them out. I have been using this for over a month and I'm kind of undecided on it. It might just be me but after I wash this off, it leaves a dry and kind of 'sticky' feeling on my skin. Being a bit concerned, I hot footed it to MammaOrchid and she said it was normal. I toned and moisturised afterwards and my face was silky smooth (strange huh?).

I do really enjoy using this face wash and my skin is actually at its greatest. The only gripe I have is the feeling prior to toning and moisturising. Am I using it wrong?

I'm all about Origins products right now and I'm really impressed with the variety of products they offer for differing skin types. This face wash retails at £17.00 for 150ml which I have a feeling will last you a while as only a small amount is needed to create some nice froth!

Have you used this before? What's your favourite Origins product?

Vanessa

x

Weekly Wishlist #2

Clarks Hamble Oak Brogues: £49.99

Origins Vita-Zing: £27.00

L'Oreal Color Riche Nail Polish: £4.99

Guitar Capo: £4.80

I really struggled this week to put items on my wishlist (I shouldn't be given the title of 'blogger' anymore!) as the only thing I really wanted this week were those Clarks brogues. I tried them on in the store and they were seriously the most comfortable shoes ever! They had that soft padding in it and it just added that little something extra to a shoe (I sound insane). I've been hunting down a pair of wearable brogues and I think I have finally found them, I just need to wait until the end of next month for my first pay check to get them!

MummyOrchid had always raved about Origins skincare so whilst buying a new cleanser and moisturiser at an Origins counter, I asked the nice lady if she could tell me more about the Vita-Zing moisturiser because I had heard such great things about it. She managed to hook me in with her descriptions of natural ingredients and the smell is *amaze-balls*! I'm really excited to make this into my next skincare purchase.

I have enough nail polish to paint the nails of the world over but don't the new L'Oreal nail polishes look so pretty? My favourite is definitely 'French Riviera', I always crazily stare at it whenever I'm in Boots or Superdrug (crazy woman alert!). The size looks reasonable as well because let's admit it...who manages to get through an entire bottle of nail polish? 

Last but not least, and something not remotely related to beauty is that I want need a new guitar capo. I like the look of a springy one because the one I have now requires manual twisting and it hurts to do so. I've just been putting off buying a new one because actually...well...I....err...I don't know why!

Anything been catching your eye this week that you've been wanting?

Vanessa

x

P.S...If you follow me on Twitter (@ParisianOrchid) then you'll know that I'm going to be going to London this weekend so my blog will be a little quiet this week. Never fear! There's much on this little blog for you peruse and if you follow me on Twitter then you'll be updated with my crazy shenanigans, because lets face it...trouble follows me wherever I go!