SUB-ZERO SKINCARE FOR ICELAND

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I’ll be in Iceland for a few days when this post goes up; since this is the first ‘cold’ trip abroad that I’ve ever been on, I thought I’d share my travel skincare picks for sub-zero temperatures…

First up, let’s talk about cleansers; I have a nice, rich cleansing balm and also a creamy but more water-based option to keep the cleansing step as gentle as possible. For removing makeup and sunscreen at the end of the day, I’ll be using the Deviant Cleansing Concentrate with Blue Tansy* | £53. This is a balm-to-oil cleanser that’s really effective but also really gentle; it’s formulated with a blend of moisturising oils such as hemp seed and camellia seed, to break down makeup and sunscreen formulas and blue tansy for an added soothing benefit. When massaged onto dry skin, it melts down into an oil and can be emulsified with water. I personally like to then remove it fully with a damp Revolution x Sali Hughes Shift-Delete Makeup Remover Mitt* | £8 (for 3). These are super handy for travel; you simply pop your fingers into the pocket at the back and use it like a robust little face cloth to remove everything. This cleanser leaves my skin soft, moisturised and clean after use, which is a must for harsher weather conditions. As a morning and second cleanse, I’m packing the Ordinary’s Glycolipid Cream Cleanser* | £11.10. This is a kind of creamy-gel cleanser with a milky texture that feels a little like a lotion once massaged into the skin. It’s formulated with gentle surfactants to remove impurities without disrupting the skin barrier. It’s simple but it does the job without stripping or sensitising my skin.

I’m also going to pack my Dr Jart Ceramidin Skin Barrier Serum Toner* | £35 | even though it’s a little bulky; it’s worth it for me! This has the perfect lotion-serum texture that adds an extra layer of hydration and also helps keep my skin barrier nice and happy. The glycerin draws in plenty of hydration, panthenol helps retain it, ceramides are there to keep my lipid barrier in balance and there are both occlusives and skin-softening plant oils in here to balance everything out so my skin looks and feels plump and healthy. 

Ok, let’s talk serums. I’m going a bit rogue and a) not taking a dedicated antioxidant and, b) packing a product that’s new to me. Even I go rogue sometimes! For the AM, I’m taking the PSA Skin Visible Improvement Peptides & Niacinamide Serum* | £42 | as a one-step active. This is formulated with 10% niacinamide, which I didn’t actually realise, as it’s on the stronger side! However, I’ve had no issues with this product and PSA are all about the overall formula so it seems to be fine for my skin. Niacinamide helps with discolouration and also with skin barrier health by boosting up ceramide production. Then the peptides in here help to plump and hydrate the skin, plus have a well-ageing benefit given they can help boost collagen production in the skin. We also have soothing, hydrating Beta-glucan and I am still getting some antioxidant benefit from the resveratrol in this formula. It feels nice and hydrating on my skin and I'll definitely update you on how I get on with this in Iceland! Obviously I'm packing a retinoid for my evening option and I've decided to keep it gentle with the Naturium Retinal Cream Serum 0.05%* | £32. This is a strong-ish retinoid but it's definitely not as strong as some retinal formulas my skin has still tolerated; and that's good. It still gives me smoother skin, collagen-boosting benefits and helps with discolouration, but it's really gentle and has never caused my skin issues so I can trust it even in sub-zero climes! 

In terms of moisturisers, I plan on using the Kate Somerville DeliKate Recovery Cream* | £69 | for both AM and PM. It's super nourishing but it also works under makeup. I've been using this product for 4 years now and empty a tub of the stuff every winter; it's that good! It's formulated with ceramides, anti-inflammatory extracts and a healing combination of peptides. This is the perfect blend of skin barrier support that works and a luxurious-feeling cream. For my boyfriend, and also for myself if I do end up needing it; I'll also be packing the La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5+ Baume | £18.90. This is a creamy balm formulated with madecassoside to soothe and calm the skin, hydrating panthenol, zinc to remedy inflammation and occlusives to trap in hydration. It's an amazing skin-healing balm for dry, flaky and irritated skin, which might be needed when we're out and about in freezing weather. 

Finally, I'm bringing an oil and a sunscreen. I have a little mini of the Zelens Power D Vitamin D Concentrate* | £47 | for when my skin just needs a little something extra. This is a lightweight oil that I tend to use overnight as the last step in my skincare routine, but a couple of drops can also be pressed into the skin prior to applying moisturiser as part of an AM routine. This stuff is wonderfully healing for my skin; it's formulated with Vitamin D3 to boost the skin's resilience, moisture-replenishing squalane, phospholipids to protect and nourish the skin, Vitamin F (rich in linoleic acid) and plenty of other non-fragrant plant oils to give your skin that wonderful, soft feeling. My sunscreen of choice will come as no surprise for regular viewers because I've been using it all winter! The Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ PA++++* | £17 (15% off with code JASMINETALKSBEAUTY (affiliate)). This is a sunscreen that feels more like a moisturiser than a sunscreen, making it perfect for incorporating into your daily routine, even if you don't like the feel of most sunscreens. Its moisturising properties, the way it works so well under makeup and the added ingredients such as niacinamide, antioxidants, rice extract, glycerin and skin barrier supporting probiotics are what have made this my go-to daily sunscreen for colder weather.

What are your favourite products to care for your skin in extremely cold weather?

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