Hey beauty friends, and happy Friday afternoon. It's been another scorcher of a week, with most of us opting for minimal makeup, minimal clothing and, to be honest, minimal plans to get through the humidity blast we've been given.
But while the bare minimum makeup days have been dreamy, the increased AC usage combined with constant hayfever nose blowing and lots of recent product testing for our skincare awards has left my skin painfully parched, and even a bit flaky - so I wanted to up the hydration in my skincare but at the same time takes things back to basics a bit. For me, this meant following my best cleanser with a skincare routine of an essence or mist, a hydrating serum and a moisturiser for dry skin.
But it turns out, it was a new hyaluronic acid serum that ended up being the soothing hydrator that I needed...
The soothing hyaluronic acid serum I'm using on repeat this week
An affordable basic I just grabbed while I was on the high street, this underrated serum has soothed my skin back to its glowy finish...
Simple Booster Serum 3% Hyaluronic Acid & B5
RRP: £9.99 for 30ml
When it comes to the best hyaluronic acid serums, for me, the more watery the better. So, when I grabbed this purely for the affordable price, I was surprised to find that I actually got along quite well with this cream-based hyaluronic acid booster serum.
While it doesn't have the same quenching effect that comes with a more watery formula, like my Nivea Cellular Filler Hyaluronic Acid Serum and Tropic Rainforest Dew favourites, I found that the milky nature of this formula was exactly what my flaky skin needed, as it soothed and nourished the skin while also providing the hydrating benefits that you would expect from a hyaluronic acid serum.
It also contains 2.5% infusion of active provitamin B5, which is known for soothing and moisturising sensitive or irritated skin - truly a feature to the serum that I didn't know I needed. Just a few days of use, and my dry flaky skin was nowhere to be seen.
Make it your 'On Repeat' if: You have irritated or sensitive skin that needs a soothing hit of moisture and hydration.
RRP: £61 for 50ml
Whether it's a good skin week or a dry skin crisis moment, my best face moisturiser will always be a lightweight but hydrating cream that leaves skin comfortable and bouncy without leaving behind a shiny finish. And who would have thought, that's surprisingly hard to find. But Tatcha's newest Dewy Milk Moisturiser has become an on repeat essential for me this week. Boasting quite a loose formula that just about stays on the finger without dripping, this satiny moisturiser spreads around skin easily, absorbs in seconds, layers seamlessly and leaves skin hydrated and comfortable all day. Despite being aimed at combo to oily skin, this has been a notably effective addition to my flaky skincare routine. Ideal for the heatwave weather, it feels invisible on the skin and doesn't cause any extra sweating like really nourishing products sometimes do. What's not to love?
I also love pairing it with the Tatcha Rice Polish when I have flaky skin. While it might seem counterintuitive to use an exfoliant on irritated skin, this gentle foamy scrub is my go-to during bouts of flaky skin. Made up of tiny grains that develop a soft foam around them when mixed with water, this polish buffs away flaky skin and dead skin cells in just one use, so that the skin is soft, clear, and able to absorb any hydrating serums much more easily.
Until next week beauties...
