With plenty of time spent at home over the past year, one of the silver linings has been dedicating more time to my skin and hair routine. After testing an abundance of products, I’ve narrowed down some of my favourite’s based on effectiveness.
From moisturizers and serums that have truly transformed my skin to hair treatments that have been game-changing, here are my 6 must-have beauty products. Since starting to use these products consistently, my skin looks like I’m back in my early twenties and my hair has started to grow much faster.
Charlotte Tilbury
I cannot say enough about the Charlotte Tilbury skincare line because every product she releases instantly becomes a staple for me. While I have been using the Magic Serum and Magic Cream for a while now, I’ve recently started using two others that I can’t get enough of. The Magic Night Cream is now my go-to whenever my skin is feeling particularly dehydrated from the cold winter air or after being in the sun. It acts as a beauty sleep elixir and after putting on a light layer at night, my skin looks more radiant than after a facial. The formula is comprised of Winter Daphne Stem Cell Extract, which helps to strengthen the skin’s barrier, Vitamin E, Co-Enzyme Q10 and Retinol that work in unison to revive your skin and take years off it while you sleep.
My other new favourite is the Super Radiance Resurface Facial mask that I’ve been using once a week. When I first put it on there is a slight tingle but after twenty minutes of wearing it, my skin is incredibly smooth and glowing. It’s basically a spa facial packaged into a tube that you can use in the comfort of home. The dual-action formula contains Hydroxy Acids (AHA, BHA, PHA), EXFOLACTIVE™ (a natural extract of the Prickly Pear cactus), Polyglutamic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Resurrection Leaf, Avocado Oil, Glycerin, Aloe Vera and Allantoin. All of these ingredients work together to hydrate, refine the appearance of powers, slough away dead skin cells and reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and age spots. If there is one new product you’re thinking of adding to your skincare routine, it needs to be this!
ROC
One of the things I’ve found most effective for my skin is to occasionally interchange products to tackle my skins different needs. I discovered the ROC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Night Retinol Serum capsules a couple of months ago and they make my skin feel so revived in the morning. I particularly enjoy using these capsules after being in the sun or after a night of drinking wine, which can sometimes dehydrate my skin and I find this combats the effects entirely. The formula feels very smooth when you put it on and I can almost feel my skin drinking it up. In the morning I wake up glowing with smoother skin that looks rejuvenated after just one use. As our skin ages it is important to incorporate a Retinol into your skin routine but it is imperative that you use sunscreen when using Retinol products as it can increase sensitivity to the sun. The formula is packed with concentrated pure RoC Retinol & a bio-derived antioxidant that has double the effectivness of Vitamin E.
Morrocan Oil
Since being cooped up in doors I have found that the dry condo air has taken its toll on my hair making it drier than normal. Fortunately, Moroccan Oil has a deep conditioning treatment that has proven entirely effective in reversing these effects. But that’s not all, the best part is they have released a line of Color Depositing Masks so not only does my hair feel silky smooth after one use but I can also experiment with temporarily colouring my hair at the same time. I’ll be the first to admit I am a creature of habit and always wanted to try different colours like pink and lilac in my hair but worried about how that would translate for me. Now with the line of Color Depositing Masks I have been able to temporarily colour my hair while treating my hair. This is such a fun and effective product and what better time to experiment and build up the confidence to try something new then when we’re mostly working from home at this time. My personal favourite is the Rose Gold but they also come in Bordeaux, Cocoa, Platinum, Champagne, Hibiscus and Aquamarine. So you can finally try a different hair colour without committing to it while at the same time receiving a deep conditioning treatment that increases softness, restores hair health and imparts radiant shine.
Fresh
I’ve always had a difficult time finding a cleanser that I use consistently but I recently started using the Fresh Kombucha Cleansing Treatment and I will never look back. The no-rinse cleanser removes pollution and makeup while leaving my skin feeling smooth and incredibly clean. Powered by antioxidant kombucha, the formula contains hyaluronic acid and prebiotic inulin. Prebiotic inulin feeds the skins microbiota and the formula as a whole balances the skin, fight dullness, dehydration and leaves your skin ready to retire after a long day while setting up the perfect base for the products that follow. I personally use this product in two different ways depending on how much makeup I was wearing. Sometimes I will use it as a makeup remover and then proceed to wash my face after. Other times I will use another makeup remover, wash my face and then use it after before applying the rest of my skincare routine.
MILK
On the days that I do wear makeup I love to use a setting spray to keep my face looking fresh for all those zoom calls. The MILK Hydro Grip + Refresh Spray is packed with so many amazing ingredients that keep my skin super hydrated and glowing throughout the day. The formula consists of hemp-derived cannabis seed extract, blue agave extract, aloe and hyaluronic acid to name a few. All it takes is a coupe of sprays either right after you apply your makeup or throughout the day when you need to hit the reset button. A fine mist releases with every spritz giving your skin the ultimate boost. As an added bonus, the packaging and colour of the spray is aesthetically very pleasing.
I’ve also been obsessing over MILKs Electric Glossy Lip Plumper. It glides onto your lips smoothly, offering a hint of colour and a nice plumping effect. I love putting it on throughout the day to keep my lips looking hydrated, full and glossy.
Vegamour
Since discovering this hair serum, my hair has finally started to reverse-age back to the length and thickness I’ve been missing. The Vegamour Gro Hair Serum is 100% vegan, cruelty-free and enhanced with powerful new phyto-actives known to inhibit DHT production, extend the hair’s growth phase, and protect and strengthen the roots to bring you thicker, fuller hair. I’ve been using the Vegamour serum every day for 3 months and my hair has been growing at an incredibly fast rate. I have a ton of baby hairs growing in leading to thicker hair, much quicker, since I bleached my hair last December. Outside of my own results, the studies that Vegamour has done showed that the serum visibly increases hair density up to 50%, while reducing loss from combing and washing by up to 76% by month four.
I have also recently started to use the Vegamour Revitalizing Gro Shampoo and Conditioner line and I’ve had great results. The product smells amazing and leaves my hair feeling so smooth, soft and light. You can virtually feel it removing all of the product build up without stripping the hair. It also has extended the amount of days I can now go in between washes. While I have just started using the shampoo and conditioner I will have to report back on the effectiveness of my hair growth and thickness but for now I am loving the results after just one wash.
Esthederm
One of the things that I can attest to becoming wiser with age is my religious use of sunscreen. I grew up in Australia where my parents would slather sunscreen on but once I moved to Canada I began to neglect using it as frequently to due the weather conditions. However, if there is one skin tip that everyone in the beauty industry has ever told me, it’s that sunscreen is a must at all times of the year and is one of the keys to keeping your skin youthful. As someone with sensitive skin, I always found it hard to find a sunscreen for my face that I actually liked but that all changed when I discovered the Esthederm Sun Expert broad spectrum sunscreen. Not only does this light formula glide seamlessly over my skin, it also visibly reduces the appearance of dark spots and results in a smooth and even tan. The formula is made with Esthederm’s Cellular Water Patent that optimizes vitality and helps prevent aging.