Posted on December 15 2023
True selfcare starts with the first layer, your biggest organ which, when nourished, glows with vitality. Below you’ll find a few of our skincare saviours that we turn to all year round (and are known to gift to ourselves too).
We love Women’s Health print and online, their Beauty section is such a great guide for all skin types to discover new brands, shop offers and read honest reviews, it’s where we’ve learned the concept of high-low skincare that changes the selfcare skincare game totally. The idea being that you invest in the more affordable basics that happen to work really hard for you, and perhaps splurge on the serums and treatments that you use less frequently but are just as essential for your skin cycling.
CLEANSE
We love to cleanse and moisturise with CeraVe - a twice (or more!) daily non-negotiable. ILU Founder, Mary has found that Sainsbury’s My Skin Matters range have an amazing range of skincare products that tick the box of affordability without compromising on quality and ingredients.
MAINTAIN AND NOURISH
This is where the ‘high’ comes in, not just price, but the potency of the formulas and home-spa-feel is next level with Aurelia. Founder, Mary swears by the Resurfacing Serum. - 'I love Aurelia’s Resurfacing Serum. It includes a more gentle and natural version of retinol and I feel it brightens and softens my skin. Love how it smells and it feels so good to be buying from a smaller brand. Aurelia also doesn’t test on animals - another plus!'.
EXFOLIATE THE DAY AWAY
Medik8 have an effective solution for those that want to exfoliate but not scrub or damage the skin in the process. The Press & Glow Tonic is up there with our favourite splurges, thankfully, they do a refill bottle, so it reduces plastic waste which is another tick in our books! Used a few times a week when the skin feels congested, this is like the ultimate reset, starting with their Surface Radiance Cleanser and gently pressing the tonic in with a bamboo pad = heavenly.
PRE/POST WORKOUT
You’ve got the run done, squeezed in a class or been for a bracing swim, it’s definitely time to treat your skin.
Marketing Manager, Naomi aka @swimrunyogagirl swears by Pretty Athletic for both pre and post workout. ‘There is no better feeling than getting back from a run, climbing in the shower, followed by my skincare routine of the Gel Cleanser and Recovery Boost Replenishing Facial Oil to really hydrate and treat the skin after facing the elements, I look forward to the post-run treatment as much as the run itself!’.
TAKE TIME FOR YOU
If you want to dedicate some time to your skin, founder, Mary highly recommends Cherry Woods Skin Clinic for a super-nourishing and holsitic facial in East Twickenham. A beautiful location, using gorgeous products to soothe and escape into selfcare.
BODY FINDS
A brand discovered in the Anthropologie Beauty Advent Calendar 2022, starting with a shower gel that’s scent was as transportive as it was comforting, Verden feature again in the 2023 calendar with their Hortosa Hand & Body Balm. Such a treat and will be adding straight to cart once it’s run out!
BODY BONUS
Murad Blemish Control Spray is an absolute saviour if you’re prone to body break outs (if you workout regularly you may know this too well!). A great one to apply after a shower, the active ingredients work to soothe skin and reduce the appearance and inconvenience of dreaded bacne.
