The cold weather has already settled in London. It went suddenly from cosy autumn vibes with occasional sun rays sightings to gloves & scarves, hats & boots – all wrapped in freezing weather.
Bare yourself! Winter is coming! My skin tends to need much more attention during the colder months, so here is a list of my beauty must-haves for winter 2019.
Body care
The Body Shop Hemp hand cream £12
Recently I have found out about the miracle that hemp seed oil is. The Body Shop has an entire range, from body butter and face-protector to lip balm and hand cream created with community traded hemp seed oil from France. The range is suitable for ultra-dry skin and even people who have eczema can safely use it.
My hands tend to get dry and sometimes from the cold weather, the skin might crack as well. I applied the hand cream twice and my skin was fully repaired. It is that good!
The Body Shop Body Butter £15
Moisturing the skin is extremely important, especially during winter. I have been using The Body Shop’s body butters ever since I was in the ninth grade, specifically the flowery Moringa scent.
But in the past two months I have fallen in love with the Shea butter. It moisturises the skin for 72 hours and it is made with community traded shea butter, which is handcrafted by women in Ghana.
If you need something really nourishing for dry skin, this body butter will do miracles on your skin.
Bio-Oil 60ml £9.99
This past summer, one of my friends introduced me to Bio-Oil, a little miracle product that helps keep the skin healthy. It reduces the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone, helps retain moisture and tones aging skin. It is best used on damp skin, straight out of the shower or mixed with your body cream for the oil to work effectively.
Skincare
L’Oreal Hydra Genius Aloe Water Face Cream £9.99
I am almost finishing my first bottle of L’oreal’s Asian skincare-inspired Hydra Genius face cream, which is perfect for my skin type (normal to combination). It is described as the first skin drink, which moisturises the skin for 72 hours. It is made with Aloe Water and Hyaluronic Acid to lock the moisture. It is such a lightweight product and its effects are visible from the first couple of uses. The skin is hydrated, soft and luminous.
I started using it in August and it has lasted me three months. I already have my second bottle prepared.
Hydrating sheet masks £4.50
When I have a bit of free time I like to use hydrating sheet masks for a boost of moisture during winter. Whenever I shop, I buy Oh K! masks and have a stack of them ready for when I need to deeply hydrate my skin. My personal favourite is the Hyaluronic Acid Mask which also has Vitamin B3 and sea kelp. Other amazing masks are the Pearl Hydrogel Mask and the Gold Foil Sheet Mask.
The Body Shop Hemp lip balm £4.50
The same as with The Body Shop hemp hand cream, the hemp lip balm has become a must-have in my everyday life. I have one in my handbag at all times and one at home. I truly believe this is the best lip balm I have tried so far and I will keep repurchasing it. It is also made with hemp seed oil and rescues dry lips while nurturing and softening them.
Haircare
The Body Shop Ginger Shampoo £9.50
To keep my scalp hydrated during winter, I use the Ginger shampoo from The Body Shop. It has a subtle scent, moisturises the scalp for 24 hours due to being enriched with community traded honey from Ethiopia and also purifies it.
L’Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Coconut Hair Mask £5.09
Before I moved to London I did not have any problems with dry hair or scalp. However, the water here is extremely harsh and tends to dry out my hair. I have discovered the L’Oreal hair mask with coconut, which has an incredibly delicious scent. I apply it two to three times a week and it helps restore my hair’s moisture and shine.
Schwarzkopf Oil-Licious tame and shine styling oil £4.19
After I blow dry my hair, I apply the Schwarzkopf oil, infused with argan oil. It helps smooth any flyaways and hydrates the length of the hair.
Irina Iacob 