Ramadan: The Aftermath - Skin Rehydration

Try not drinking water from sunrise to sunset. Now try doing that for thirty consecutive days. However much water you try to glug down in those few short hours between sunset and the morning, it's never going to be enough. So post Ramadan, my skin was feeling justifiably dehydrated and dessicated. It was time to take serious action, from the inside out.

Lots of water, and lots of Vita Coco Coconut Water to rehydrate internally was on the menu, along with a new eating plan which I've already written about (link to post HERE) but there needed to be an arsenal of hydrating lotions and potions to tackle the situation externally. I went through so many different ones it would be impossible to go through them all in one post, so here are just a few of the likely suspects that did the deed.


Body
It was definitely a case of all over full-on moisture SOS!
 - Vaseline Essential Moisture Daily Body Lotion
Needs no real introduction or explanation, this pillar of moisturisation does what it says on the tin, at a very affordable price. Given that I was slathering this on twice a day in copious amounts, this did the job perfectly.
 - Decleor Aromessence Baume Spa Relax
Not strictly a moisturising hero, but I love the soft skin it leaves behind and the smell sends me straight to sleep. No wonder then that the glass tub is a bit battered and bruised; this is a well loved one!

Face
Not only was I left feeling a little malnourished (hence the attention to my nutrition which you can read about (link HERE), so too was my skin. Looking a little lacklustre, I felt a dire need to sweep away the lingering dead skin cells and feed it with some vitamins.
 - Zelens PHA+ Bio-Peel Resurfacing Facial Pads*
Using these impregnated pads over cleansed skin to whisk away dead skin gave my skin the pep-talk it needed to look lively again. Used everyday for a week, I really saw a visible difference in the smoothness and radiance of my skin, and doing away with the unwanted surplus dead skin cells meant that whatever went on after stood a better chance of working to the max. It was good to know, too, that while resurfacing, I was giving my skin some added antioxidant protection.
 - pH Advantage AM/PM Hyluronic Infusion Moisturizing Serum pH5.3*
Bit of a mouthful, I know, but worth the tongue twister, this serum injects a serious dose of hydrating moisture into the skin. Used after cleansing and toning, but before moisturising, I could really feel the skin plumping up with all that extra moisture.
 - Urban Decay B6 Vitamin-Infused Complexion Prep Spray*
Coming from Skindinavia, the same people that made the original Makeup Finishing Spray, I knew this was going to be good, and boy was it ever! As I sprayed this over clean skin, I could literally feel my face feeding on all those B6 and Vit E vitamins, while the willow bark, rich in salicylic acid, helped the skin cells turnover in double quick time. Moisturising and hydrating, I've been carrying this around with me to use on the go too.
 - Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist
Another hydrating mist that I've been incorporating into my skincare routine as the second (hydrating) toner, thanks to advice from skincare guru Caroline Hirons. I love this so much that it warrants its own post, coming up very soon.
 - Chanel Hydramax + Active Nutrition Nourishing Cream for Dry Skins
I wouldn't normally put my skin in the "dry skin" category, it's actually pretty normal, but right now, there's no getting away from the fact it needs a boost. So my daytime moisturiser of choice has been this luxurious cream from Chanel, which my skin drinks up thirstily. Most creams for dry skin just sit on my skin, leaving an unattractive greasy film, but this bad boy sinks right in where it's needed.
 - Emma Hardie Amazing Face Age Support Treatment Cream*
Now, while we're all fighting the signs of ageing, that's not exactly why I'm using this product. What I DO love about this is that it's intensely moisturising with its blend of rose, geranium, chamomile, sweet orange, lavender and peppermint essential oils. Marine extracts, hyaluronic spheres and natural peptides from avocado (must eat more of that!), all combine for a gorgeous night-time treat for my skin. And as Emma says it's fine to double layer this up for very dry skin, that's what I've been doing, off and on, for an extra boost.

Face Oils
It's no secret I love my face oils, especially those from Pai. There's nothing like giving your skin a quick five-minute massage with your favourite facial oil to melt away the stresses of the day. I've already written about so many, including AD Skin Synergy, (link HERE), Pai's Echium & Amaranth Age Confidence Facial Oil, (link HERE), and Trilogy's Rosehip Oil Antioxidant+ (link HERE). This time around, I went back to Pai's Age Confidence Oil and a new one that came to me in a recent Glossy Box.
 - Ila Face Oil for Glowing Radiance
This tiny little phial has been a wonderful surprise that I think I'll be purchasing once it sadly runs out. Gotta to love a Glossy Box for discovering new must-haves! It smells divine (it's full of damascene rose otto) and sandalwood, which nourishes at a very deep level. I love it for the scent alone, but I also love it for the essential fatty acids and argan oil it contains and the radiance it gives my skin. I love too, that it's not an "oily" oil, so I can use it under makeup without risking it all sliding off an hour later.

Eyes
I love mooching around Space NK for discovering new brands I haven't yet tried, (even if my bank balance doesn't) and this eye cream was one such find.
 - Clark's Botanicals Anti-Puff Eye Cream
Waking up to eat an hour and a half before sunrise every night plays havoc on the sleep patterns and nowhere is it more visible than around the eyes. If there was a award for Owner Of The Puffiest Eyes, I'd be a serious contender. So this rather expensive cream from Clark's Botanicals came to my rescue, hydrating the dry delicate area around the eye, while tightening the puffies away to oblivion.

So that's just a few of those fabulous products that came to my rescue in my hour of need. What are your moisturising heroes? Any I need to check out?

xXx