As avid readers of our blog (and, I’m assuming, a host of other beauty blogs) I’m 99% certain that I don’t need to deliver a soliloquoy on the importance of using a good moisturizer. You and I and the internet at large all know just how important it is to nourish your skin, particularly during the winer months, in order to avoid your skin becoming too dry or damaged by the elements. There’s nothing nicer than having lovely soft skin all year round, even if no-one other than you gets to see it!
It’s not easy to attain the skin of champions though, Moisturising could be considered a ritual that requires a lot of patience; if your dermis is already in dire need of some TLC, it can take repeated applications to start noticing real differences in your skin and it can feel as though you’re spending an exorbitant amount of time and effort doing something that doesn’t instantly deliver outward results.
I know, I know, moisturizer is a long game and it can be arduous and boring. I get it. This is why I am a firm believer in using moisturizers that come in a spray bottle. Not only are they convenient but they are easy to apply, aren’t remotely greasy or messy, and you can feel virtuous about showing your skin some love in a matter of minutes.
Here are my top two picks:
(Left to right: The Body Shop Coconut Milk Body Lotion and Soap and Glory Girligo)
The Body Shop – Coconut Milk Body Lotion
The Body Shop was one of the first stores of which I became a true brand advocate. As a teenager, Body Shop products were seen as real luxury item and occasionally, if I was lucky, a Body Shop Body Wash or a Body Butter would appear amongst my Birthday and Christmas gifts. It wasn’t until later in life that I discovered, much to my disappointment, that The Body Shop is considered relatively inexpensive in other parts of the world. Nonetheless, although I don’t actively fawn over their products any more, I’m still a fan of many of the things that they have in-store.
To me, The Body Shop’s Coconut Milk smells like summer should smell; like that coconut tanning oil that people used to swear by tin the early 90s. Like the name suggests, the consistency of the moisturiser is much like milk, although it is a bit thicker than the name implies. All you need to do is spray it on to your skin, rub it in, and you’re good to go! it will adsorb into your skin really quickly so you needn’t worry that you’ll have a weird sheen to you upon application.
This lotion won’t instantly repair dry or damaged skin, but if you needed a spritz of moisture on the run, then this is the moisturiser for you! Better yet, although it has a strong smell it won’t irritate sensitive skin (hello, flaky arms!) and it is a great product to have stashed away in the bathroom for emergency moisturising moments!
Soap and Glory’s Girligo
I absolutely LOVE (with a capital ‘L’ and everything) British brand Soap and Glory. I swear by their shower scrubs, which deserve an entire post of their own, and believe that all of their products smell like what My Little Ponies would smell like if they were actually a living thing. I vividly remember using my first Soap and Glory product, Flake Away, and running out of the bathroom yelling “I SMELL LIKE A UNICORN!” I have never wished more than I have at this specific moment that PCs and tablets had a scratch and sniff function because I feel as though words alone cannot convey how great these products smell.
I somewhat digress. The product in question here, Girligo, is a light moisturizer which is in the same “scent family” as Flake Away and it smells of all things pure and good: bergamot, peach, strawberry, jasmine, mandarin and musk. Sure, some people may think it is a little too sugary sweet but whenever I spray this on, I instantly feel happier, so there.
By it’s own admission, Girligo a body mist. When you spray it on it comes out of the bottle which much force and is incredibly runny, which initially didn’t give me much hope that it’d be particularly beneficial to my skin. After all, who wants a moisturiser which is effectively just watery milk? Not I!
Thankfully, I was wrong. While it isn’t deeply moisturising, It feels incredibly light on and your skin will immediately feel a little smoother. It’s a great addition to the skincare routine of any lazy person and the fact that it comes in a small bottle makes it easy for you to throw Girligo into your bag for after the gym or, as the name suggest, when you’re on the go. Plus, did I mention you’ll smell amazing? Perfection.
These two products are similar in nature but, as I’ve alluded to already, they are quite differently consistencies. The Body Shop’s moisturiser is a lot thicker than Girligo, which is really runny on application (though not so runny that it’ll go absolutely everywhere). It real depends on what you prefer though, as your skin will practically drink either product up.
Those are two of my skincare cheat products. Do you have any beauty cheats worth boasting about? Let me know!
Analiese x
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