Skincare Series: Hydration Booster for Winter

Are you one to change skincare with the season? Skin being exposed to different environmental conditions need different protections and with the dry, cold weather in Melbourne, I like switching to slightly richer and more hydrating facial and body creams.

Here are my favourites for this winter season:

L'Occitane Immortelle Precious Cream 50ml – RRP A$82

This cream sinks straight in, provides all day hydrating and works a treat as a rich yet non-greasy day cream over treatment serums (I even use it as a night cream sometimes because it’s rich enough) and suits all skin types particularly those with extremely dry skin. It smells of a bouquet of fresh field flowers and leaves a lovely silky finish on skin.

It contains the Immortelle essential oil (called the immortal flower because the petals doesn't lose colour even when it is dried or dies) to stimulate micro-circulation, increase collagen production and and has good anti-aging properties.

This facial cream is now in its 10th anniversary with a new improved formulation and continues to be one of L’Occitane’s best sellers that will give smoother, firmer skin.

Tip: remember to use on the neck and décolletage for silky soothe skin there too

Available at David Jones, selected Myer stores and L'Occitane online.

We all know by now our skin recharges overnight whilst we sleep so it’s worthwhile investing in products that give it a boosting hand. 

Clinique Turnaround overnight radiance moisturizer 50ml - RRP A$90

This multi-tasker does exactly that by gently exfoliating the skin and increasing cell-turnover (salicylic acid in a time release system and chestnut seed extract) to reveal clearer tone and complexion.

Emollient and rich but not greasy, Clinique Turnover Overnight Radiance Moisturizer works to give intense hydration and facial-like results while you sleep. Not only does it provide that extra hydration boost (hyaluronic acid, hydroxyethyl urea and trehalose) at night without the grease to make skin is brighter and more even in tone after a week’s use, and within a month, I’m seeing smooth velvetly skin that is all plumped up, clear and radiant.

Avaliable at Clinique counters in Myer and David Jones store and Clinique online.  I wasn't provided the product packaging so don't have the ingredients listing for this moisturiser.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate 30ml - RRP A$59

On alternating nights I use this elixir of pure botanicals and essential oils (rosehip, evening primrose, jojoba and rosemary leaf oil). With a light lavender (from the essential oil) and faint squalene (plant-based from olives) scent, it is lightweight and readily absorbs into the skin to leave only a light sheen on the skin and fixes any dry patches, plumps up skin and helps to replenish lost lipids in skin.

Skin is soft, supple and hydrated after two uses and after a month of continued use, I notice faster he I use it in place of my night time moisturiser after applying treatment serums and within a week notice plump, supple and brighter skin.

Available at Kiehl's counters in selected Myer and David Jones stores and Kiehl's online.

Grown Rosa Damascena Acai & Pomegranate Intense Body Cream 120ml - RRP A$29

One of my favourite body moisturiser, it is intensely hydrating but non-tacky and leaves a silky dry finish on skin once absorbed. The cream forms a light shield on skin to help improve the skin's barrier function to increase skin hydration.

It also has a light pleasant orange vanilla scent and enriched with rose oil, pomegranate and acai extract to help improve skin firmness and replenish lost essential fatty acids back into skin. I love rubbing this cream into rough areas like elbows and knees as well as all over the arms and legs for immediately soft, smooth skin.

Available in selected Myer and pharmacies - check here for stocklist and Grown online.

So whether you live in freezing southern states or warmer northern regions, the winter months brings on dryer weather and your skin will need a hydration boost. Be sure to look at your current skincare regime to see what you can introduce to give it that extra level of moisture.


Products featured were provided for consideration.

Grown Skincare: Facial Exfoliant, Facial Masque, Facial Moisturiser

Grown is an Australian skincare company that prides itself in bringing botanical beauty products to everyday life. For those who aren't familiar with the brand, here's a quick low-down.

• Home-grown Aussie owned and made organic bio active products across its entire range. 
• Being an organic alchemist company, all their ingredients in their products are naturally derived and pass all the stringent requirements to be able to be certified organic. 
• Produce products that are free from sensitivity causing additives such as lauryl sulfates, glycols, petrochemicals, artificial fragrances, synthetic colours, silcones and parabens or animal derivatives.
• Against Animal Testing and instead opt for clinical trials to show proven results of the harmonious marriage of nature and biological chemistry.
• Dermatologically tested to avoid skin reactions. 
• Use environmentally-friendly and recyclable packaging that is also created to protect the delicate ingredients inside. The amber glass bottle designs harks back to the early 20th alchemist ears and are used to guard against UV oxidation of the product  and aluminium tube to prevent air getting into creams and lotions and spoiling it or decreasing its potency. 

I recently had the opportunity to road test their balancing facial moisturiser and 2 other items from their limited edition Winter Repair Kit RRP A$99 (A$142 value) which includes a facial exfoliant 75ml, a masque 65ml and a serum 25ml all boxed in gold and ready to gift or spoil yourself with.

Facial Exfoliant: Peppermint, juniper berry & jojoba 75ml A$44

• This refreshing facial scrub has the finest jojoba micro-beads to gently exfoliate skin and move along those dry patches dulling skin - a saviour for my flaky winter skin due to use of retin-A and Jen's Idebenone/NAG serum.
• Contains refreshing peppermint out which is cooling but be careful using this when you have broken skin as it can sting a little. Pink Grapefuit and juniper berry oils in this exfoliating cleanser helps to detoxify and sooth the face. 
• I like how this cleanser doesn't leave a residue and none of that too tight over drying feel and preps skin for the moisturising step. 

In a nutshell: Very gentle yet effective exfoliator that keeps flaky skin under control.

Exfoliant Ingredients 

Facial Mask: Deep purifying wheatgerm ginkgo & Cranberry 65ml RRP A$39

• Clay based masque for deep cleansing and detoxifying.
• Star ingredients of antioxidants cranberry seeds, ginkgo and pro-vitamin B5 to protect against cellular stress and help purify the skin, and wheatgerm oil which is essential fatty acid rich with vitamins A,D,E helps replenish moisture back into skin. 
• instantly cools and calms skin when this is applied onto skin. I detect a whiff or fresh geranium roses and some sort of essential oil when applied to skin. 
• Left for 10 minutes before washing off with warm water, it left skin feeling soft clean and velvety smooth. There was no drying effects usually associated with clay masks thank to the moisture rich shea and cocoa butter formula while absorbing excess sebum to give you oil control. 
• I didn't notice a firm or lifted feeling but did experience refined pores and brighter, more even skintone were immediately evident. 

In a nutshell: Just the perfect masque for a midweek detox or weekend purfication session.

Masque ingredients

Facial Moisturiser: Matte Acai-berry and Borago 40ml RRP $59

• This light gel-light moisturiser is non-greasy and goes on skin like silk, leaves it matte without a hint of oil and is a great base of makeup. 
• The balancing formula contains acai-berry essential fatty acids and vitamins to protect, lycopeins from tomatoes and aloe to ward off free-radicals and promote healthy collagen production and sesame oil for sebum control.
• Does an amazing job of mattifying my normal/combo skin and kept the shinies at bay all day long -very impressed. If this also had SPF I think it could be elevated to HG status for me.

In a nutshell: Provides good hydration and excellent sebum control all day long. It's my current favourite daytime moisturiser.

Moisturiser ingredients

If you are interested, the Grown Winter Repair kit RRP A$99 (valued at $142) is a valued packed kit which is still available at your local stores.

Available nationally through David Jones, selected MYER stores (city stores), and selected beauty salons, and pharmacies or online at Grown.com.

These products were provided for consideration.