Best Mattifying Moisturiser - Body Shop

A lot of mattifying moisturisers can dry the skin & leave it feeling a little tight however the Body Shop's Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion SPF15 does the trick perfectly while keeping your skin feeling soft, moisturised & balanced. It helps to control excess sebum which will create shine throughout the day while still providing the skin the essential moisture it needs as well as the all important UVA protection, leaving you with a shine free matte complexion!
It contains Bladderwrack seaweed which has anti-oxidants to balance the skin tone as well as clarify the complexion, plus vitamin E to protect & nourish the skin.
After trying out the moisturiser I have been impressed with the results, normally I have to powder/blott several times throughout the day but with this I found that only an extra touch up in the evening was required & my skin felt moisturised & fresh with no tautness at all. The range also includes a face wash, cleanser, toner, night serum, face mask & pore minimiser, use the range together to increase the over all effects but the mattifyer day cream is certainly a must have for oily skin! (£10 - Body Shop)

Johnson's New Baby Soft Range

Building on an Icon.... Johnson's have now brought out their new Baby Soft Range which brings you all the benefits of Johnson's Baby Lotion in two new products, so you can choose the perfect one to suit your skincare regime! Baby Lotion now has a large celebrity fan base, being a favourite to the likes of Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Aniston as well as Beyonce to name but a few, and has been a beauty classic since 1943, passed from generation to generation.
Firstly is the new 'Baby Softwash', a shower wash & moisturiser all in one, many shower gels have 'surface active ingredients' that can strip the skin & create dryness after showering, Baby Softwash is mild & gentle, enriched with baby lotion to help replenish moisture whilst showering. During it's trials 95% of woman said they would use it every day & 90% said it left their skin feeling clean & fresh as well as being soft & gentle. I certainly found this to be the case with my skin feeling silky & smooth, plus you have the added bonus of smelling baby fresh, definitely an all in one wash & moisturiser for girls on the go!

Secondly is a new intensive moisturiser 'Baby Soft Cream' which is perfect for tackling those dry areas on hands, knees or elbows & anywhere that needs a bit of extra attention. The cream is easily absorbed, soothes & moisturises instantly, a great instant fix to dry hands & what's more again it leaves you smelling baby fresh!
New Baby Soft Wash £2.99 & Baby Soft Cream £2.29.

Miracle Moisturiser - Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter

Yummy Mummies everywhere have been raving about this product causing a buying frenzy at local Waitrose shelves!
It was picked up on www.mumsnet.com, women started applying the nappy cream to their faces (goodness only knows why!!) & found it could work miracles as a face cream - "I can't even remember what made me put it on my face one day but OMG - it is fab.! It has a smooth texture, non-greasy & is said to have a plumping effect especially around the eyes as well as being a great make-up base. Some Mums have said it rivals even the best of the higher end brands such as Creme de la Mer & has given them fresh dewy skin like they were teenagers again - "I have been using it constantly for 2 weeks now and my skin now has the smoothest texture, which I don't think it's had since prepubescence!!'.
The baby butter is free of artificial chemicals & contains olive oil, lavender & camomile, anyway at £2.49 you can't go wrong!!!!!

The Basics - Cleansing Benefits

One of the most basic pieces of advice really but you would be surprised at how easily this is ignored, also using a short cut such as 'All in One Wipes' will not throughly cleanse the skin & have the smae benefits as cleansing properly, there is no cheats way out of it I'm afraid!!!

Here are a few reasons to make sure you keep up your regular cleansing routine -

1 - To remove any grime and make-up worn throughout the day that can clog the pores.
2 - At night cleansing & moisturising properly will help to protect the skin from loosing moisture, during the day it helps to provide a good base for make-up.
3 - Helps the skin to re-new itself by removing dead skin cells & keeps the over all tone soft & supple.
4 - Lastly a little scary fact, going to bed even just 1 night without taking your make-up off will age your skin by 11 days!!!

Cleansing Tips -

Face Wash
Start with a good foaming face wash for your skin type to take the initial residue away & freshen the skin. If you have dry or sensitive skin then a gentle moisturising wash is best, oily/problem skins are best to opt for an invigorating wash with perhaps a light exfoliation in it that can be used everyday. There are many types of face wash on the market so take time to choose one that is aimed at your skin type.


Eye Make-Up Remover
Before cleansing make sure your eye make-up is removed, a soothing gel based lotion is good for this, however if you use heavy eye make-up or waterproof mascara an oily based product would be best.



Cleansers
Use cotton pads for this as they are the best for removing grime (same with eye make-up removal & toner), place a good amount on the pad & take across the whole face, for best results do this twice, it really does make a huge difference to your skin & will help prevent spots.
- Dry Skins should opt for a creamy cleanser that won't strip the skin & can help to add moisture
- Oily Skins should look for a gel based cleanser
- Sensitive Skins should go for a soothing cleanser with perhaps Aloe Vera or Green Tea.

Toning
Toning is pretty much an optional step but still beneficial & worth doing, it mainly removes any residue from your cleanser but some do have active ingredients such as anti-oxidants that are great for the skin.

Moisturising
Every skin type will benefits from a moisturiser, even the most oily skins, they work by creating a barrier between the skin and the environment as well as keeping the skin hydrated.

Again there is a wide range available these days for every skin type so depending on what you are looking for, whether it be anti-ageing, to include sun protection, for sensitive skin, to reduce oily appearance on the skin, there is a moisturiser for every type, so take your time to pick the one that you feel is right for you.
Also it is worth while investing in an eye-cream, the skin around the eye is a lot more delicate & your normal moisturiser won't be suitable, these can help protect this area & reduce puffiness as well as dark circles that none of us want!!!

Exfoliation
Lastly, try to ensure you exfoliate once or twice a week, this will help the skin to shed any dead skin cells from the surface layer brightening the skin & keeping it in great working order!!!