Best winter skincare – creams & balms
A VeryMakeupMad round up of the ultimate creams and balms for winter skin!
Brrrrr... it's that time of year again. The cold weather has struck and our skin seems to be paying the price for it - that unfortunate combination of chilly winds outdoors and dehydrating central heating indoors. It plays havoc with our complexions, not to mention our hands and lips too. And it doesn't help that V is the proud (actually, mostly frustrated!) owner of a new puppy, which is seeing her spending far more time outdoors than she'd like to, forever willing him to do his 'business' quickly so she can get back indoors. M doesn't want to keep telling her "I told you so", but... she told her so!!During these winter months at Verymakeupmad HQ, we're on a quest to find the ultimate in rich, moisturising products that cocoon our skin and lift our spirits. So we've rounded up our pick of the best Beauty Balms and Creams - the wonder products to protect and care for our skin until the spring. Winter...it's game on!!
First up, hand creams.
Unless you keep on top of moisturising your hands in this cold weather, you'll quickly notice them becoming cracked, rough and dry. It's hard to beat O'Keefe's Working Hands, £6.49, which is neither sexy nor indulgent, but it's literally a miracle-worker at sorting out even the driest skin and neither of us could be without it! If you haven't tried it, you must.
But if you're after more of a luxury handcream, then treat yourself to Omorovicza Nourishing Hand Treatment, £45, with its high quality, anti-ageing ingredients and delicate fragrance (we know it's very pricey for a hand cream, but it's a pleasure to use, you can apply it elsewhere on the body, and let's face it... sometimes you just fancy a splurge!).
Or go for Rituals Ritual Of Sakura Hand Balm, £9.90, which smells divine, is a fraction of the price and does a very good job of keeping hands soft! And a recent find of ours is Polaar Lapland Hand Cream, £14.70 (we're already huge fans of the brand's Icymagic Instant Eye Contour, £20.50 for instant depuffing and hydrating... but that's a whole other blog!) which is another winter secret weapon. V's son has been suffering terribly with sore, chapped hands and this stuff sorted them out overnight.
Now let's talk lip balms.
We love them. In fact, M hoards them and you'll always find one in her handbag, glove compartment, coat pocket... Whether you go for a squeezy tube (we love the Glossier Balm Dotcom, £10 - V's addicted to the 'Birthday' with its subtle shimmer, while M is a sucker for 'Coconut' which transports her instantly to a tropical beach!), or stick form (it's hard to beat Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick, £20), your lips will thank you over the coming winter months.
Other favourite balms have to be vegan brand, Hurraw! - cheap and cheerful at £4.99 - that pack a punch and come in a whole host of delicious flavours (and some wierd and wonderful ones too, such as Pitta and Root Beer!). Or go for an Eos balm, from £6.50, brimming with shea butter and jojoba oil, and with its domed design, which is dinky enough to pop in your handbag, making it great for 'on-the-go' balming. *VERYMAKEUPMAD TOP TIP- try adding some balm to an old toothbrush and brushing your lips with it for the ultimate exfoliating treat*
Finally, there are the balm and cream "all-rounders".
The wonder products that tackle dry skin, redness, rough elbows and heels, cuticles, dry hair. You name it... there's a product to fix it! (We've even been known to use Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant,£28, as a glossy highlighter on cheekbones and eyelids.) Check out First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream, £10, which can be used on face and body and quickly sorts out any roughness, sensitivity and even itchiness. And La Roche Posay (this brand is a firm favourite of Verymakeupmad!) has a wonderful cream, Cicablast Baume B5, £10.50, which soothes and protects skin, can be used on irritations and minor injuries, is a great healant for chapped lips, and is ideal for the whole family. It's the beauty insider's secret weapon... and for good reason!
Last, but not least, we're loving Cerave Moisturising Cream, £10.85, and in fact we both keep this huge vat of it next to our beds! It locks moisture into your skin for hours on end and works to protect and strengthen the skin's own natural repair barrier. It's a brilliant, drugstore brand, developed by dermatologists that has taken the UK by storm.
Don't forget to use our 20% discount code when shopping on Lookfantastic - VERYMAKEUPMAD20 and remember to keep warm and moisturised. And if, like V, you're thinking of getting a dog... maybe wait till the weather warms up!!
Love & baby soft skin,
Vikki & Mala xx