Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment

 

Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment - £33

I'm warning you now, this is a seriously rave review. It's rare that I really love a skincare product, as I tend to chop and change products often but this product has well and truly earned its place in my skincare routine. This treatment from Origins is probably the most gorgeous smelling thing I have ever put on my face; it smells fruity and fresh and almost edible! I started using this at Christmas and when I first started using it, I wasn't overwhelmed. I was using it as a moisturizer rather than the treatment it's intended for. But over the past month, I've been using it pre-moisturizer and I love it. The consistency is a gel-cream, it feels light, absorbs quickly and really hydrates my skin rather than just temporarily masking the dryness like a lot of moisturizing products seem to do on my skin. It almost feels as if it locks in the moisture. At night, I follow this with my evening moisturizer and I use a lighter moisturizer in the morning. It leaves my skin feeling so soft, supple and over time, it seems to have helped with uneven skin tone and generally balancing out my skin's battle between being dry and oily.

I have sensitive, dehydrated skin and this hasn't irritated me at all. It actually seems to help soothe the redness I suffer from on my cheeks. I also get oily throughout the day, and this product hasn't exacerbated that for me. I really want to buy the whole Make A Difference range, now - this product has got me completely and utterly sold.

Winter Weather Heroes

With the weather here in the UK taking a turn for the worst as of late, I thought I'd write a wee post about the products I've been reaching for to see me through the cold snap! I never really have any issues with dry skin etc, but I've been adding some extra moisture to nearly every aspect of my beauty routine due to the harsh weather.

In terms of skincare, Origins Make A Difference Plus Rejuvenating Treatment has been my saving grace recently.  It smells heavenly, has a lovely consistency that's almost gel-like, sinks in quickly and leaves my dehydrated skin feeling plumped up and hydrated. My skin is weird, it's often uncomfortably dry in the morning, but it gets oily throughout the day. This little wonder product manages to hydrate my dry patches whilst not adding any extra oil throughout the day.

I've also switched up my evening skincare routine to reflect my skin's need for extra moisture right now, and I've been absolutely loving using the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm as my evening cleanse. I usually use this after I've removed my make-up, and it leaves my skin feeling so soft and nourished. It's a really luxurious feeling product, and my skin is loving it right now.

My hair is extra dry at the moment, mainly because I accidentally went blonde this week (more on that later...) as well as the elements taking their toll! I've been using the Joico K-Pak Intense Hydrator which leaves my hair feeling so soft, manageable and healthy. I use this either as an overnight treatment, or on the ends of my hair in the shower.

Next up is possibly the most gorgeous product that I have ever smelt before. It's The Body Shop Vineyard Peach Body Butter and I've been using this almost daily since I bought it on any dry areas I come across, or as an overall body moisturizer. It smells like real peaches, not synthetic smelling at all, which I love and it does such a great job of hydrating my skin and leaving it feeling super soft but not greasy. Even better, it's currently in the sale at £6.50 instead of £13.00! Go, go, go!

The last product is the QMS Medicosmetics Hand Care* and I have to say, this has been a lifesaver for my hands during winter. My knuckles, especially, get so dry and sore when it's cold and I actually hate the feeling of hand creams. I end up washing my hands once I've used hand cream to get rid of the horrible cream feeling! But this stuff sinks in instantly, leaving my hands feeling absolutely silky soft. What's even better is that this effect doesn't just last til the next time I wash my hands, which I find with a lot of hand creams, it genuinely seems to leave my hands soft and hydrated for days.

What are your cold weather essentials? Has it been snowing where you are?

PS: I would love to know what your favourite lip balm is! I need a new, super intensive one to beat this weather. Leave your recommendations in a comment!

Monday Wishlist #6: Xmas Special

Today's wishlist is a Christmas special from me and a quick run-down of what's top of my Christmas list this year! Now that I'm older, I don't expect a lot at Christmas and there wasn't really anything that I needed this year so I dropped my mum a few hints about some skincare items I've been lusting after all year, as well a much-needed brush set!

The first item on my list is this Topshop Studded Biker Jacket. I've been after one of these for ages, as this type of jacket is something that can be worn with nearly everything - a great wardrobe staple. I like that the studs are matte black on this particular jacket, as most of the ones I was looking at had shiny silver or gold studs and I wanted something a little more understated.

Next is the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bolero. I remember the first time I saw this pencil months ago and I've wanted it ever since but I haven't been brave enough to splurge on it as I've since acquired quite a few similar lip colours. This will be my first NARS product, so I really hope it lives up to the hype I've created in my head for it!

The cult beauty product Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair has made it onto my list this year and is probably the item I'm most excited about! My mum probably thinks I'm mad to be asking for an anti-aging serum at 20, but I've heard amazing things about the effects that this product can have on acne scars and generally on your skin. And it's never too early to start the anti-aging process!

This beautiful MAC Perfectly Plush Brush Kit is next on my list, and something which is definitely needed in my collection! I only own about 3 make-up brushes, and I'm ridiculously excited to try some MAC brushes. The actual kit is just the prettiest thing, I love the leopard print and the colour schemes - it looks super luxurious!

Another skincare product which I've been lusting after is Origins Make A Difference Plus Rejuvenating Treatment. I saw Kate from gh0stparties raving about this product, and it sounds like a miracle in a jar. I'm keen to try some more of Origins skincare after purchasing my very first product a few months ago.

Quite a modest Christmas list I think, I usually get carried away but this year I've tried to stick to things that I've wanted for a while and would really get a lot of use from. I've only just realised that it's nearly 2 weeks until Christmas and I'm currently having a little freak out. I haven't even started Christmas shopping yet as I don't get paid until the 22nd so it looks like my shopping will be getting done on the 22nd/23rd/possibly even 24th December - help! What's on your Xmas list this year? I'd love to see some gift ideas too, so if you've seen any great gift guides then leave a wee link below!