FUNCTIONAL SKINCARE FAVOURITES

- 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 Bioderma, CeraVe and Escentual (gifting) and Boots (paid advertorial content). 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 - 

Look, they can't all be shelfies of pastel pink Glow Recipe perfection! Today we're talking through products that might not be very sexy or glamorous, but I can't stop reaching for them...

Let's start in the shower. I've mentioned many times before that I get KP (Keratosis Pilaris) and I spoke about it in depth here. As we head into the colder months, my extremely-dry body skin just gets drier and I swap my usual shower gel for something more oil-based. Last year and the year before, I used the Bioderma formula, but I was sent the Uriage Cleansing Oil* | £14.99 | this year so thought I'd give it a go. This can actually be used for both the face and body (though I've only tried it for the latter) and I'm trying to become an evening-showerer, because it is actually better for your skin, more hygenic and I just find it easier in the winter. This is an oil but it does have a bit of a foaming action so it still gives you that satisfaction of feeling like you're getting all of that grime off your skin. At the same time I don't find it stripping. It's really a preference thing in terms of which of the two you want to go for.

Around about three times a week I'll go in with the SLMD Salicylic Body Wash* | £36. This is amazing if you have acne on your body and you're sick of spending a fortune on tiny bottles of a salicylic acid facial cleanser that's gone in a month! However, I also use it for my KP because salicylic acid is oil-soluble, so can get into those keratin plugs and help clear things out. This is extremely gentle and helps with overall smoothness but also in terms of that itchy irritation. Then once a week I'll use the First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA* | £25.34. Look, nothing is going to erase your KP, but this does a good job of smoothing things out and it gives that immediate gratification. You have the 10% AHA to clear dead skin cells on the surface and a micro-polish in there to give a gentle physical exfoliation. I know some people really need that scrubbing action, and whilst I generally don't recommend that on your face, I do think something like this is fine for your body because it's not a rough natural product like peach pits, which can cause micro tears in the skin.

After using my exfoliators in the shower, I immediately reach for the Pierre Fabre Dexeryl Emollient Cream | £6.75 | to lock in the hydration. It's formulated for conditions like dermatitis, it's a fragrance-free paraffin-based cream that's super-affordable and helps keep itching at bay and softens and smooths my very dry skin. The other product I reach for a lot is the CeraVe Moisturising Cream | £16. This is basically my go-to all-in-one cream. I use it on my face, I use it on my hands, I use it on my toes because randomly I do get a lot of dry skin there, I use it on my body. The formula is based around ceramides and hyaluronic acid and it's a true 'head to toe' product for me because it's non-greasy but can help soften and nourish even the most stubborn of dry patches.

Lastly, we have the Flexitol Hard Skin & Callous Balm* | £6.99. This was my first time trying this, though I've been through several tubes of their original heel balm over the years. The formula contains urea, fatty alcohol, glycerin, lanolin and petrolatum, which are all amazing at replenishing, hydrating and trapping water into the skin. It's also formulated with lactic, glycolic and salicylic acids for a chemical exfoliation to really tackle those dry, hardened patches of skin you might get on your feet. This double-pronged attack means it works really quickly and is amazing at softening and smoothing neglected feet.

What are some of your functional skincare essentials?

Don't forget to follow me on:

Bloglovin | Instagram

Read more posts from this series here!