A SKINCARE ROUTINE FOR YOUR HAIR AND BODY?

- Advertisement information: this post discusses items gifted to me with no obligation to share them (marked *). In addition I have / have had a brand relationship with Kosame (gifting) and the Inkey List, Boots and Superdrug (paid advertorial content) and Look Fantastic / the Hut Group (affiliate code - not used below). My blog has Skimlinks and RewardStyle installed to automatically monetise purchases of products I link on my blog, therefore this post may contain affiliate links. All opinions remain my own and please refer to my Disclosure Page  for further detail -

Today I wanted to share a post focusing on the neglected hair and body category! Whilst you don't need to rush out and buy 5 steps for your hair routine and 5 steps for your body routine, I wanted to focus on products that bring great skincare ingredients to this space.

The product line that really got me thinking about this topic was the Inkey List's hair care range. I've only had one product from it but I've already repurchased it, which says it all, really! The Inkey List's Salicylic Acid Scalp Treatment | £11 | is amazing if you, like me, have a dry, itchy, flaky scalp. You simply apply this, leave it for about 10 minutes before rinsing it out and going in with your normal shampoo and conditioner steps. I only wash my hair 2-3 times a week, and I use this on every other wash, so that averages out to once or twice a week. Salicylic acid is an ingredient I've loved in facial skincare products for years; it's a BHA acid exfoliator that penetrates deeply into the pores. This same quality makes it amazing for clearing dead skin cells that clog up the scalp and lead to itchiness. This has really helped my scalp feel less irritated and has led to fewer visible flakes and me no longer having to wash my hair every other day.

The other hero product I use about once a week is the Gallinee Soothing Cleansing Cream* | £23. Gallinee are all about probiotic skincare, which helps to keep the natural bacteria that lives on your skin in harmony. There's also a scalp and hair serum from this range, but it was a touch heavy for me personally, whereas this shampoo-with-a-different was perfect. This comes out like a creamy-gel; it's not overly foaming and it's sulfate-free, so cleanses without drying out the scalp. You leave it on for a couple of minutes before rinsing it out and I find it so lovely and soothing for my poor scalp. I can feel the instant relief as soon as I apply this! If you have a sensitive scalp that most typical shampoo formulas dry out; definitely try this.

My first body products are more on the exfoliating side. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I do have quite obvious KP on my legs and it's something I just have to accept, but there are a few things that help it look a little better. The first is the Mio Sleeping Smoothie Overnight Serum* | £34. Whether you go for this or the other product I have here really depends on whether you can be bothered with the extra step of a body serum, or if you prefer everything wrapped up in a cream. This contains a blend of several different AHAs in smaller concentrations, primarily mandelic and lactic acids; two of my favourites for dry skin, and the skin on my body is dry! This really helped to smooth out and soften my skin; I used it pretty much every night for about 8 weeks and it did help the KP a little too. A KP-busting classic is the Ameliorate lotion, but I now have their new formula in my possession, which is extra-nourishing for dry skin like mine: the Ameliorate Transforming Body Cream* | £27. This is formulated with replenishing and nourishing ingredients like squalane, shea butter and cocoa butter, alongside the lactic acid which balances it out nicely. I again recommend using it overnight and make sure you haven't shaved immediately before, because otherwise that will sting! This is giving me the same sorts of softening, smoothing effects as the original lotion in a more nourishing format and is helping the redness and bumpiness of my KP.

I have two body products next that could form an extra step in your routine but, even on my super-dry skin, during the summer months they were honestly enough on their own for me. The Biologi Bf Restore Face & Body Serum* | A$65.45 | kind of knocked my socks off! It's formulated with brightening Vitamin C, replenishing amino acids and ferulic acid, as an antioxidant to protect the skin. It's lightweight but moisturising and hydrating, plus gives the skin a gorgeous dewy glow if used on the face. I was concerned that using it on my body would mean I'd run out really fast, but that really hasn't been the case. I've used this regularly and it's been amazing on my dry skin, softening it without the need for thick and heavy creams and just improving its overall condition. The UK-based K-Beauty website Kosame kindly sent me over the Lovbod Extra Firming Body Essence* | £35 | to try a little while back and I really like it! It moisturises and hydrates, but it's lightweight and fast-absorbing, making it a great option for those of us who don't have the patience to be rubbing in a thick cream for ages. It contains glycerin, agave and sweet almond oil to condition the skin, alongside Vitamin C-rich fruit extracts; the sort of ingredient list that's worthy of your face, so definitely feels like a treat for the body.

Finally, we have the Solution Retinol Smoothing Body Lotion* | £9.99 | which is the newest addition to my collection! Obviously I'm not expecting the retinol in an affordable body lotion to be as potent as something I'd spend a fortune on for my face, but this has definitely delivered some skin-smoothing benefits. It's formulated with retinol, traditionally used as an anti-ageing, skin-smoothing agent that's also suitable for post-acne skin, moisturising shea butter and skin-brightening arbutin. Whilst I haven't noticed significant improvements in scarring on my legs, it's incredibly smoothing and I really like the fresh scent and lightweight lotion texture. At such an affordable price, that's honestly enough for me to buy this with my own money when I run out!

What sorts of ingredients do you look for in hair and body products?

Don't forget to follow me on:

Twitter | Bloglovin | Instagram

Read more posts from this series here!