Beauty Before Bed #2

I've had the same evening "before bed" beauty routine for quite a while now and the same four products have been making an appearance. I wrote a beauty before bed post a little while back at the end of last year so I thought I'd do a follow-up post before I completely shake up my routine!

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist 15ml* |  rrp £21.50/100ml

As much as I love toners, I do often forget to use them. My usual toner is Murad's Hydrating Toner* but this lives in my bathroom, so if I forget to use it I have my mini Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist to-hand by my bedside. I simply mist this all over my face and just leave it there, I find that it dries down relatively quickly but still leaves my skin feeling more refreshed. I haven't tried anything else from Jurlique before I do really love rosewater and the packaging - even of this mini - feels wonderfully high quality. It's definitely a brand I'd like to explore more in the future, and this little bottle of Balancing Mist will be staying on my bedside until it's all used up!

Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream 10ml* | rrp £20.00/20ml

This has been my go-to evening eye cream for months and months - but sadly this is my last tube, and it's very close to empty! Balance Me's Wonder Eye Cream is light enough to not overload my skin but still does enough to keep me completely hooked. Not only does the skin around my eyes look better than it did before but it's no-longer dehydrated, which will make a difference to the appearance of my eyes in the long-term. I've also found that using an eye cream has transformed the way that makeup wears on my skin throughout the day. Under eye concealer lasts so much better on skin that's in condition, and I no-longer find that it disappears throughout the day. It's a really worthwhile part of my beauty routine and I'll definitely be repurchasing this eye cream in the future as I'm incredibly happy with it.

Steamcream "Message Neko" 75ml* | rrp £13.95

Steamcream is one of those products that just hooks you. It's a natural moisturiser with an incredibly light feel but it sinks into my skin quickly and acts as the finishing touch of my beauty routine. It really gently rehydrates my skin without feeling heavy or aggravating - it's perfect for those with sensitive skin types. I've been using Steamcream for about six weeks now and I'm about a third of my way through the tin. In my opinion, this makes the product quite good value for money as a little goes a long way. I really like that it's lightweight feel and I think it will be especially nice to use in the summertime. I don't think I'm going to continue using it all up in one go, but I will be reaching for it again in the future. And I'd definitely repurchase it for myself or even for friends and family as the tins are just so aesthetically pleasing and the product itself is a great all-rounder that would work for so many different people. It's been a real pleasure to use this moisturiser and with it's availability on sites like FeelUnique I'm surprised that more people don't snap it up!

FairSquared Almond Hand Cream 100ml | rrp £4.49

I don't think that you can go wrong with this hand cream, it's just wonderful on so many levels. Once I know I'm completely finished with my skincare routine I always like to apply a handcream before going to sleep. I have really dry skin on my hands and FairSquared's Almond Hand Cream has a gorgeously thick and nourishing texture that still absorbs quite quickly. It's the perfect thing to use if you're not really "into" hand creams but you'd still like something to keep your hands looking and feeling soft. It's always a bonus to go for a natural and sustainably sourced option, and even with it's affordable price tag  FairSquared includes Fairtrade ingredients from Chile and Pakistan. I like supporting brands like this one but I'd very happily repurchase the product for the quality of the cream alone. In my book, this makes FairSquared a winner all round. 

Have you tried any of these before?

What beauty bits have made it onto your bedside table?

Have you entered my international beauty giveaway? Win a new lipstick for everyday of the week

Beauty Products for Skin Prone to Redness

Do you have sensitive skin prone to redness? My skin can be difficult to look after as it can often react when I use the wrong beauty products. One of my regular skin concerns is reducing the appearance of redness and also trying to find sensitive-skin "friendly" skincare. Today I've gathered together some skincare and some makeup products that I think are all good options for skin that's prone to redness. If you have similar skin concerns then I hope you find my recommendations helpful, but please do let me know in a comment if you use any products that you think I should try out!

A good place to start when it comes to looking after sensitive skin and reducing redness is with a gentle cleanser. I really like RMK's Cleansing Balm* - it has a very natural, gentle rose scent and a rich, oily consistency. It's wonderfully gentle on the skin but still removes makeup like a dream! And because it's a balm cleanser it doesn't dry out your skin, so it's left completely clean but still soft, supple and hydrated.

If you can't afford to invest in a new cleanser, or if you already like what you're using, another great option is to introduce a gentle cleansing sponge into your routine. Many people use muslin clothes, flannels or even wet towels to remove their cleanser - these can all be quite harsh on sensitive skin and leave it looking red. Konjac Puff Sponges are a much gentler alternative - in the past I've tried their grey sponge, but right now I'm using the Konjac Sponge with French Clay for Tired or Devitalised Skin*. It has a really gorgeous consistency, almost bouncy when wet, and it makes it really easy to gently cleanse your skin. Not only that, but the structure of the sponge also helps to gently massage the skin and help stimulate bloodflow which helps skin to naturally look more refreshed. I got mine from Eterno Naturals, an online natural beauty store that stock the entire range of Konjac Sponges - there's different colours for every skin, but this pink one is a good choice for more sensitive skin.

Clayspray's Aloetherapy White Clay and Aloe Vera Treatment Mask* featuring what the brand describes as "intelligent clay". Unlike other claymasks, the white and red clay in each Mineral Treatment Mask contain a really high percentage of pure clay, 60-65%. Not only is this clay some of the oldest in the world (millions of years old) but it has loads of benefits such as being deep cleansing and removing environmental toxis but without disrupting the skin's lipidic barrier, so it restores the skin's hydration levels where it's needed. Clayspray have a range of facemasks but their Aloe Vera treatment is especially for sensitive and reactive skin. If you've always found clay masks too harsh in the past then this is the clay mask that you need to replace all the others with. Not only is it paraben, preservative, natural and vegan-friendly, but it's also really kind to otherwise sensitive and red-prone skin. I think it's a really great product.

If you're looking for a new moisturiser to try then I'd recommend checking out Steamcream*. It features high quality, sustainably sourced ingredients - including calming essentials oils - which nourish deep into the skin's surface whilst natural antiseptic properties help to banish redness and prevent oiliness. This makes it a great option for sensitive or problematic skin! Ingredients such as Oatmeal, Almond Oil, Cocoa Butter, Lavendar Essential Oil and Rose Absolute all work to leave skin hydrated and loooking more even and smooth. I've really enjoyed incorproating Steamcream into my evening skincare routine, but it's light enough to use at any time of day. If it sounds like a product you're interested in then you should check out my Steamcream Giveaway as I have four tins (all featuring different limited edition designs) to give away to my blog readers - all you have to do is enter via the giveaway form.

Even with great skincare I'm still left with visible redness in my skin. However, in February I had my makeup done at the RMK counter in Selfridges and I was shown two easy ways to mask redness using some of their limited edition products from their Vintage Sweets Collection. The Vintage Sweets Face Colour in 02* features stripes of colour that can be used together or alone. If you take a small brush you can collect pigment from the green stripes which you can apply to localised areas of your face - on my face, I apply the green powder around my nose and across patches of redness on my cheeks. The green powder masks redness really well and the colour isn't noticeable after you've gently buffed it into the skin. Another great way to conceal redness in your cheeks is with RMK's Candy Cheeks Blush in 04* as the blue tones also work to conceal redness. However, not only does it balance the colour in my cheeks but it also adds a very natural looking warm flush that I find incredibly flattering on my skin.

What beauty products do you use to reduce or conceal redness in your skin? 

Click here to enter my Steamcream Giveaway to win a limited edition tin of your choice

International Steamcream Giveaway

Steamcream is a natural and cruelty free moisturiser full of skin loving ingredients (such as cocoa butter, sweet almond oil, orange flower water, lavendar essential oil and rose absolute) that are fused together using a shot of steam. The moistruiser is made in UK and Japan using traceable ingredients, and the finished product is a super hydrating moisturiser that instantly revives skin.

 Every tin design is a limited edition with a limited run and today I have four different tins to giveaway to four very lucky readers. This is an international giveaway so anyone who reads my blog can enter for the chance to win the tin of their choice. All you have to do is fulfill any of the entry requirements listed in the rafflecopter form. I've left most of the entries as optional but you do have to leave me with a contact email address so that I can get in touch if you win.

The tins that I'll be giving away (as depicted below, top to bottom):

Ume Matsuri

Message Neko

Tatiana

Fiona

a Rafflecopter giveaway