Facing Up To Facial Care
With the next big thing in the beauty marketplace constantly being refreshed, it’s often difficult to keep up with the latest trends – and with so many different options to choose from, it can be pretty confusing too.
They may all sound pretty similar, but facial oils, serums, moisturisers and primers each have a different job to do. Understanding what each one does and how you should be using them can help unlock your healthiest complexion, leaving you with happy and hydrated skin all year round.
Here at the Devonshire Spa, we are often asked to give advice to customers about the best skin care products, so let us demystify the differences between them all so you can adapt your skin care routine to get the most out of each product.
Micellar Water
Micellar Water has been popular for decades in France, and this hardworking but gentle cleanser has finally made its way into the UK beauty market.
Micellar Water is a facial cleanser made from micelles, tiny cleansing molecules suspended in water. The micelles have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic qualities which have the ability to wash away dirt, impurities and make up with just a few swipes of a cotton pad.
As well as eliminating any daily grime your skin may have been exposed to, Micellar Water is great for moisturising, leaving skin feeling hydrated and supple all the way until morning.
A staff favourite is the fabulous Essential Micellar Water by [ comfort zone ]. Fresh, light and packed with plenty of anti-oxidant properties, this delicate cleanser is suitable for all skin types and all climates.
Facial Oils
Healthy skin needs essential fatty acids – the building blocks of cell membranes – to maintain the skin’s natural barrier which is critical in keeping the skin hydrated and radiant.
Plant-based facial oils such as Caudalie’s Vinosource Overnight Recovery Oil are packed with anti-oxidants and vitamins and are great for helping to soothe skin and replenish it with nourishing fatty acids.
The natural oils in this delicately fragranced product are the perfect remedy for dry skin as they work to penetrate deep into the epidermis, trapping moisture in, and keeping your skin soft and supple throughout the night.
Serums
A serum is a supplementary boost to your skin care and works wonders by delivering a highly concentrated dose of active ingredients that target anti-ageing.
Most serums are extremely lightweight and are easily absorbed, allowing skin to feel revitalised and refreshed.
For a hardworking, long-lasting serum, try ishga’s Regenerating Facial Serum. Containing seawater from the purest marine waters of the Hebrides and blended with Hebridean
Use before moisturising to ensure its high dose of active ingredients gets sealed in.
Night Cream
Like the rest of the body, your skin does the bulk of its repairing, restoring, and regenerating while we sleep, so night creams are a great product to help aid this recovery.
Richer and heavier than day creams, night creams contain high concentrations of anti-ageing compounds such as retinol, glycolic acid, and hyaluronic acid which work to aid better circulation and promote healthy cell renewal.
For smoother, firmer and brighter skin, try the cutting edge Caudalie Resveratrol Night Infusion Cream. Its hydrating formula is lightly scented with refreshing notes of chamomile flowers, poppy, lavender water, sage, fresh mint and orange leaves, which leave skin feeling fresh, clean and delicately enhanced.
Suitable for all skin types, apply this soothing, highly absorbent formula just before sleeping and wake to skin feeling completely rejuvenated and refreshed.
Primer
You might think that applying a primer to your skin is just another time-consuming step in your make up routine that isn’t really going to make much of a difference, but until you try it, you won’t realise how truly valuable a face primer is. This pre-foundation product is your secret weapon for creating smooth, flawless skin in an instant.
Facial primers are the key to erasing imperfections, minimising pores and reducing fine lines and should be applied before foundation. The key ingredient is silicone; a colourless water-repellent substance which acts like a silky base coat for your skin, and creates a perfect canvas for flawless make up.
A true favourite of the Devonshire Spa’s is Mii Cosmetics’ Smoothing Face Prep. Gliding effortlessly over skin and smoothing over pores and fine lines, it also hydrates skin at the same time. This ‘velvety veil’ is the perfect base for longer lasting foundation and a flawless finish.