Sub Zero Skin Heroes | My Winter Skincare Essentials

Hey lovelies, 

Firstly do ya like this post's title? I do admit I giggled quite a lot when I thought it up. (And yes, before you ask, I am that person that laughs at their own jokes a little too much..)

The products I'll be talking about in this post were my absolute saviours whilst I was away in Iceland. It wasn't as cold as I expected it to be, but the wind chill over there is something else! If you're taking a trip to anywhere that's a little chilly, or your skin's just in need of some hydration, read on cause I got you covered!

The Perfect Lazy Sunday

Hey munchkins, 

I feel like life has been so busy lately that I honestly don't remember the last time I had a proper lazy Sunday. (Or a lazy any day for that matter...) You know the kind where you just veg out all day doing the absolute bare minimum except for the few things that make you happy? I thought it would be fun to put together a little post featuring a few of my favourite ways to pass the time on a Sunday! So here goes..

Mask it Up! | My Fave Face Masks For All Your Skincare Woes.

Hey lovelies,

I don't know about you guys but as much as I try to stick to a regimented skincare regime, I still regularly have those "I can't be arsed" moments where I just want to grab a make-up wipe and ditch the cleanse (and the second cleanse, and the tone, and the - oh you get my point!) There is one thing I will always make time for however, and that is a good ol' fashioned face mask. I try to use a mask 1-2 times a week, and depending on my skin emergency at that exact moment, I'll pick one from my ever-growing collection! I've put together a list of my favourite ones, that each treat a different skincare problem you may be dealing with, so I really hope this comes in useful!

 (Clockwise from top)

The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Mask - £16

Gatineau Radiance Enhancing Gommage - £35

7th Heaven Black Seaweed Peel-Off Mask £1.00

Thalgo Deep Cleansing Absorbent Mask - £24.80

Boots Ingredients Lotus Flower & Tiger Lily Sheet Mask - £2.50

WOW Luxury Facial Mask Treatment - £20

Dr Jart Ceramidin Nanoskin Sheet Mask - £22.50 (for 5 pack)

For Instance Radiance - The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Mask*
Firstly, how sleek is this packaging? I'm really loving The Body Shop's branding at the moment. I was kindly sent this to review - which FYI I was ecstatic about as it was already on my shopping list - and I've been loving how much of a deep clean it gives my pores! I've since been back and bought more masks from their new line cause I'm so in love! I like using the Facial Mask Brush* with it to get a nicely even application too. It's totally Vegan which is amazing, completely free of parabens, silicone and other nasties, oh and it smells incredible. It's perfect for when your skin is looking a bit lacklustre and you want to get your glow back. Cause who doesn't love a glow?! It's also a two in one product as it works as an exfoliator when you scrub it off your face. Bonus!

For a Quick Fix Facial! - Boots Lotus Flower & Tiger Lily Sheet Mask, WOW Oxygen Sheet Mask & Dr Jart Ceramidin Nanoskin Sheet Mask
No I did not get the 'sheet masks are over' memo as my love for them is still going strong. They're fab for so many reasons; they require no effort, there's no goo to wash off your hands or face once you're done, and they are perfect for travel! (As they don't count as one of your precious liquids.) I love bringing a couple of these along when I'm flying long haul cause my skin gets so dehydrated from the recycled air and these really do give it the boost it needs! The only downside to them is that they make you look a teensy bit like a serial killer. (Jokes aside though does anyone actually look normal in these?) I've picked my three current favourites, that all replenish hydration and boost your glow, so whatever your price range, I've got you covered .

For Fading Those Pesky Acne Scars - Gatineau Radiance Enhancing Gommage
Before you all start on me; yes I know it's not technically a mask, but this product from Gatineau is a fab treatment nonetheless. It's a chemical exfoliant with the key ingredients of AHA and Activated Vitamin C which both encourage cell turnover and regeneration - which in English means that it helps get remove your old skin cells and bring your sparkly new ones to the surface! - This is one of my favourite products for fading acne scarring and hyperpigmentation and I've definitely seen a huge difference in my general skin tone since using this over the past few months. I usually leave it on for a good 5-10 minutes, to allow it to soak in and work its magic, rinse off, and then follow up with a moisturiser. Plus it's got that delicious orange jelly smell!

For Mattifying & That Squeaky Clean Feeling - 7th Heaven Black Seaweed Peel Off Mask

Remember those fun little face mask sachets that you used to take with you to girlie sleepovers? They were probably by the brand Montagne Jeunesse, which has since undergone a little revamp and are now back under the name 7th Heaven. They've kept their funky eye-catching packaging, and their price point is still so affordable considering how great the quality of these are. Everything from the range is also cruelty free and PETA certfied, with a few of the masks (including this one) actually being Vegan too! I love so many of the masks from this line, but for the sake of this post not being 5 years long I've just chosen the Black Seaweed mask. It's great for you oilier-skinned guys and gals too as it takes away the excess sebum. There's just something so satisfying about peeling it off and seeing all your impurities go away with it! 

For Calming Acne-Prone & Sensitive Skin - Thalgo Deep Cleansing Absorbent Mask
Last but certainly not least is this gorgeous mask from Thalgo. It's from their 'Control' range so targets irritated and acne prone skin. It has anti-comedonic properties so helps to prevent pores getting clogged (which is one of the main causes of acne) and the Pam extract helps to reduce redness and calm the skin. I love the whole focus of the brand, as it's about harnessing the benefits of the sea, and they only use the gentlest and purest ingredients, which is fab for my sensitive skin!

Leave me a comment below telling me what one of your favourite masks is and maybe I'll try it out!

Thanks for reading your Dose of Skincare

Disclaimer: The majority of things I review on this blog are purchased by myself, however I am lucky enough to be sent some products in exchange for an honest review. These will be mentioned in the post and outlined with an asterisk (*). As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way by brands/companies. If you are a company interested in sending me something for a review, you can contact me at sales@izzymariehill.com

Marks & Spencers Beauty Calendar | Best Bits!

Hey gals,

So we're two weeks into January now; anyone else already broke one of their New Years Resolutions? (Jokes, I didn't even make any, I have that little self confidence...)  One thing I am attempting this year however is YouTube. Yep you heard it right people, Izzy is on the tube. As you guys may or may not have gathered from my overuse of italics and brackets, I love a good ramble, and so it just made complete sense to me to start making videos! My first one is up and it's a fun little Get to Know Me tag <3  I'd love it if you could subscribe, and please feel free to give suggestions for videos too!

My Marks and Spencers Beauty Calendar has been sitting on my window-ledge staring at me this past week or so, and there are several products from it that I keep on reaching for, so I decided to do a little round up of my favourite bits!

Hydrated hair with Salon Science*

Hey my loves!

Sorry I've been away for a few weeks, working in retail during Black Friday sales is beyond torturous. Also slight life update: I've been on Roaccutane for 2 months now and my skin is DRYER THAN THE SAHARA! If you don't know, Roaccutane/Accutane is a dermatologist-prescribed drug that can cure acne. It's got an amazing success rate but comes with a list down to your elbow and back up again, of side effects. So far mine have been fairly manageable, the most obvious one being dry lips, skin and hair; SO I'm focusing on giving my hair as much moisture and nourishment as possible. (Roaccutane can make it prone to thinning, breakages, and dry scalps... not so pleasant)

Poolside Essentials

Hey loves,

If you didn't already know, you should if you follow me on Instagram, I've been in Orlando for the past few weeks, meeting Mickey and Minnie and whatnot. Now I know it isn't particularly swimming-appropriate weather in England, but I thought I'd share my Poolside Essentials with you all, as I've been reaching for these products constantly during my holiday! So if any of you were planning a little escape from the ever delightful British weather, then I hope this comes of some use!

I'm also working on a post on how to eat Vegan in Orlando, as part of my 'Easy Vegan' series, so keep an eye out for that too!

Breakout Busters

So the other day I was planning out my next few blog posts, (trying to get organised, I know) and I felt something itching on my face so I grabbed a mirror and discovered a delightful spot trying to make its way to the surface. How wonderful. Now I've suffered from acne on and off for the past 5 years. I'll go through a few months of pretty darn perfect skin after a course of antibiotics, and then suddenly I'll wake up to an army of spots trying to take over my face and I'm back to square one.

My skin at the moment has been pretty good for a while now, but like everyone else on the planet - except Victoria's Secret models and the Kardashians - I still get the odd, very annoying breakout. So I thought I'd do a post on my favourite breakout-busting products, or those that just keep my skin nice and clear. I'm hoping this will be useful for anyone else that suffers with annoying acne too.

(Products listed clockwise from left)

 1. Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask - £6.75

2. Nip and Fab Glycolic Scrub Fix - £9.95

3. Benefit Total Moisture Face Cream - £29.50

4. Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer in 3 - £21

5. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion - £12.50

6. Kiehls Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution - £36

Easy Vegan | Breakfast

Hey cuties!

I went completely Vegan for the month of February, (and loved it by the way), but the number one question people were asking me throughout was 'Isn't it really hard to be Vegan?' Short answer: Not really! It just takes a well stocked fridge and a bit of preparation. I decided it would be fun to do a little series on my blog called Easy Vegan, with simple meal ideas and recipes for people that needed some food inspo. First up is Breakfast.

So before I begin, I just wanted to put a little disclaimer out there. I'm not 100% Vegan yet, I'm probably Vegan for 4-5 days of the week, and Vegetarian for the rest of the time. I personally find that this diet works the best for my body, and definitely my complexion, and Veganism is obviously the most humane and animal friendly diet. But if you, (yes you reading this) are a meat eater, pescatarian, veggie, celiac, or space monkey; that's completely fine. Meaning;

Don't judge me and I wont judge you.

Now lets Brunch!

Jet Set Essentials

Hey guys! So as a few of you may know, I'm gong to New York next week, and I am little kid in a candy store excited. I have been once before, around three years ago, but I've been so desperate to go back ever since. Can you blame me?

I really enjoy reading travel-related blog posts and videos, so figured this was the perfect opportunity to do one for myself! So without any further waffle, here are my in-flight essentials. (Mmmm waffle)

Skincare

So with it being a long haul flight, (around seven and a half hours), I usually take my makeup off a couple of hours into the journey, re-apply it just before landing and do a bit of a treatment somewhere in the middle. I find this just helps to keep my skin feeling healthier and prevents breakouts, otherwise the recycled air on planes turns my skin drier than the Sahara desert. Plus I'm far too attached to my makeup bag to put it in the hold. Anyone else surgically attached to their makeup?

(Products Clockwise from Left)

Winter Skin Saviours

Hey everyone!

Having a good skin care routine is obviously a necessity for anyone, whether you suffer from acne prone skin (like myself) or simply to keep you looking as gorgeous and glowing as possible. With it being so bloody cold at the moment, products need to be extra hydrating to make up for the sub-zero temperatures we Brits have to put up with. (Ok maybe sub-zero is a slight exaggeration but you get my point.)

So, here are my Winter Skin Saviours; 5 products that my skin and I simply could not have lived without these past few months!