I Dew Care Vitamin C Review

Vitamin C is an ingredient that everyone should have in their skincare routine, and it couldn’t be any easier to add in with an array of fun new Vitamin C products from I Dew Care!

I Dew Care are a K Beauty inspired brand that works out of the US. They exude positive vibes and just feel really cheeky and fun! They were kind enough to send over 2 products from their new Vitamin C line – The Bright Side Up serum and the Saw You Dew moisturiser. Their new collection is really vast – it contains a mist, serum, moisturiser, cleansing balm, lip oil and lip mask.

Right off the bat, the packaging for these products is absolutely gorgeous – the bright, nearly neon colour scheme that is present throughout the entire Vitamin C range is perfect for products that brighten your complexion! All the products that have lids also have this cheeky winking smiley which is also the initials for I Dew Care! 

Bright Side Up Serum – 30ml – $25.00

This Vitamin C serum is a 30ml bottle of pinky-red goodness – it includes grapefruit extract to reduce the visible signs of ageing, even skin tone and boost radiance. It also contains vitamins E and B5 to condition the skin, relieve dryness and increase hydration. It has a soft scent that smells quite fruity, which I guess is the grapefruit! The consistency is described on their site as a ‘jelly serum’ and I can totally understand why. It isn’t one of those annoying serums that runs between your fingers when you squirt it from the dropper. It is certainly a liquid, but it does have a thickness. It’s almost gel-like but a touch thinner whereby it stays put when you apply it to your hand. When applied to the face, it feels really hydrating, spreads very easily and leaves no feeling of tackiness. There is no tingling sensation afterwards and it sinks into the skin very quickly.

In my bottle, the dropper isn’t the best and it takes a few squeezes to get an amount to cover the entire face. I’m not sure whether that is because I have a dodgy dropper or whether the consistency of the serum is a touch too thick for the dropper, but either way I’m happy to just keep at it until I have the amount I want.

Most importantly, it hasn’t caused my skin to break out. In fact, when my skin broke out while testing another product, I feel like it was this product that helped to calm it down. I can’t really say that I’ve noticed my skin looking any brighter (mainly because I rush through my morning skincare routine as fast as I can to move on to makeup), but I can feel that my skin feels soft and smooth after use and it doesn’t feel tight.

It’s probably my favourite vitamin C serum that I’ve tried – the non-sticky texture, the lovely smell and how it leaves my skin feeling after I’ve applied this makes it an absolute winner in my eyes!

Saw You Dew Moisturiser – 50ml – $29.00

Okay, so I nearly died when I opened this moisturiser – that is no exaggeration (lol of course it’s an exaggeration – can you imagine? Death by moisturiser). Anyway, I have never seen a texture so beautiful in my entire life, and that one is no exaggeration. When you first open this up, it is like WATER. Basically, this moisturiser is a water-like gel on top of a cream. A really cute spatula comes with this for you to mix it all together before applying it to your skin. It is a little bit heartbreaking to mix it together and lose the amazing gel, but the texture post-mixing is lovely too. It becomes a lot more like a traditional cream moisturiser, but is still very light (below). It contains lemon extract and vitamin C to lessen the skin imperfections and signs of ageing while also boosting radiance and protecting from environmental aggressors.

 

The formula is very thin – it would be a great moisturiser for summer, oilier skin and as morning moisturiser. I have dry skin and this still sets me up perfectly for the day. It sinks in quite quickly and doesn’t leave a feeling of heaviness or greasiness on the skin. Like the serum, it does have a slight scent that smells a little bit like lemon but it is really pleasant and isn’t too noticeable. A little bit goes a long way so you don’t have to pile this on to get the result you’re after.

I have absolutely loved testing these products out! I was so excited when the brand reached out to me – they have a really positive, colourful, fun vibe that definitely translates into their products. If you’re looking for budget-to-mid range vitamin C products then this is definitely a brand you should consider. You can find I Dew Care at Memebox or at Ulta if you’re in the US.

Remember, if you’re using vitamin C product, please always apply a good SPF!

Xo

*Both items gifted from I Dew Care

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Skincare for beginners

Everyone has to start somewhere! If you are a skincare newbie, then you’ve found yourself in the right place. I’m going to give you the info you need to create your own skincare routine.*

If you follow the beauty community, you’ll know that lots of people’s skincare routines are very long and comprise of loads of products. When you’re starting out from scratch, you don’t need to include all of these! I’d say to focus on the basics: cleanser, moisturiser and SPF.

First things first: know your skin type. Oily, dry, sensitive, normal or combination. This will help you to choose products that are more catered for your skin.

• If you find that by the middle of the day that your face is pretty shiny and you have blackheads and larger pores in the oiler parts of your face (generally the T-zone – across your forehead and down your nose) then you’re probably oily.
• If you have dry patches around your face and need to use a lot of moisturiser, you’re probably dry.
• If you skin is quite prone to irritation, blotchiness and redness, then you are probably sensitive.
• If you don’t have any particular skin concern, then your skin is pretty ‘normal’.
• Lastly, if you have a combination of these (e.g. an oily T-zone and dry cheeks), then you are combination.

Cleanser

Generally there are two types of cleanser: one that takes your makeup off and one that actually cleans your face. Sometimes they can do both, but more often than not they are separate. If you are still using makeup wipes or micellar water, put them down and step away from them now. Makeup wipes don’t do a good job of cleaning your skin, which is why you probably need to use a few to get all your makeup ‘off’. You’ll probably be tugging on your skin too, especially around your eyes to remove stubborn mascara, which can lead to premature ageing. There’s even been research to suggest that instead of cleaning the skin, wipes just spread dirt and bacteria around your face and push bacteria further in to your skin. Micellar water is also not a great makeup remover. Like makeup wipes, it can be incredibly drying and you have to use a lot of product to get makeup off. Micellar water was originally only to be used when you have no access to water, like backstage at a runway show, so don’t be lazy!

INSTEAD: Consider switching to an oil or a balm to remove your makeup in the evening! Apply these to your hands and rub them gently into the skin. They will both melt your makeup away really easily and will remove your eye makeup with ease. You don’t have to use much product to get really good results either. Go with the less is more approach and add more product if necessary. You can either use warm water or a soft flannel to remove it. Let me tell you, your skin will feel so much more hydrated than when you use a wipe or micellar water! These products don’t need to cost a bomb. Yes they will cost more than makeup wipes, but the results should be far superior and they’re way more gentle on the skin. Here are a few different options for different price points:

Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil – £12
Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish – £10
Clinique Take the Day Off Balm – £24
Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter – £10

BONUS: If you have ever heard of someone ‘double cleansing’, this is when you use one cleanser (usually an oil or a balm) to take off their makeup followed by another (thinner) cleanser to actually clean the face. If you have any skin concerns like acne, this would be when you address this. These cleansers usually are more likely to be a gel (for oily skin) or a milk (for drier skin). You can often use this ‘second’ cleanse as your morning cleanser too.

Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser – £14 – GREAT for acne prone skin (my personal skin saviour when I had cystic acne). DO NOT USE EVERYDAY.
REN Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk – £20 – Great for dry or sensitive skin.

Moisturiser

Regardless of whether you have oily or dry skin, you should be using a moisturiser. Probably not with the same one, but your skin will need moisture even if you have very oily skin with bad acne. Quite often when our skin is dry (usually from stripping the skin with aggressive products) all the natural oils that the skin produces are removed. In a panic, your skin will actually produce more oils – not less – because it’s so dry and the  natural reaction is to try and re-moisturise with oils. You should be applying moisturiser in the morning and evening. They don’t have to be the same – you might prefer a thinner one for day time and a thicker one for night time depending on your skin type, but this is all down to preference.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat – £16 – Oily skin
Clinique Pep Start Hydro Rush Moisturiser – £25.50 – Dry/Normal skin, morning moisturiser
Nivea Soft – £4.29 – Even with all my other expensive moisturisers, I ALWAYS have a tub of this around. This is a good all rounder that may be a touch too thick for oily skin, but great for normal-dry skin.

SPF

SPF is your absolute best friend. YOUR BEST FRIEND. Whether you are at work all day in an office or walking out in nature, you need to be wearing SPF. Just because you’re inside doesn’t mean that you are not exposed to UV rays. Quick rundown of UV rays – there are two main types: UVA and UVB. UVA penetrates more deeply into the skin and causes aging, while UVB penetrates less deeply and causes the skin to burn. Just because it’s the middle of winter and cloudy all the time, doesn’t mean that UV rays don’t exist. They penetrate through the clouds and come through windows just as strongly as when you’re outside, so you need to be covered! This would be the last step in your skincare routine before you apply your makeup. SPF that is included in your foundation or moisturiser is not sufficient cover – you need an extra line of defence. SPF should be applied 15-20 mins before you go into the sun and you should roughly apply half a teaspoon to your face for sufficient coverage. The Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50 is a really nice SPF that isn’t too much money on Amazon. It’s a really watery consistency and is much nicer to apply than regular sun cream. It’s also factor 50 so will give you all the protection you need. I really like the Beauty Pie Ultralight UVA/UVB SPF 25 because the consistency is amazing, but you have to be a member so if you really do want to get into skincare you might like to take the plunge. Ideally you would go for something between SPF 30-50 (I just love the consistency of the Beauty Pie one too much). If you’re out in the sun all day, be sure to apply every 2 hours or so, otherwise it’s your makeup base.

You can add in extra products to your routine with time, but these are the main steps that you should include. These steps are vital to ensure that your skin is kept clean, moisturised and protected from any sun damage.

I hope this run down has been useful for any skincare beginners reading – I have a few people in my life that I’ll be sending this article to! Please let me know in the comments if you have any product recommendations for various skin types and hopefully it can help someone else!

* I am by no means a skincare expert. In my opinion, these are the essentials. If you want to look into anything in more detail, go to Caroline Hirons’ blog, read The Skincare Bible or visit the expert advice section on Paula’s Choice. The products mentioned may not work for you – it happens. What works for one person doesn’t work for everyone. It’s a trial and error process, so make sure you do research on the products, read reviews and make sure the product is made for your skin type.

Xo

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My 2018 beauty favourites

2018 was the year that my skincare and makeup addiction was reignited, so I’ve tried a lot of new products this year. Here are my highlights across beauty for 2018! ** I will only be including new products that I’ve tried this year (sorry Midnight Recovery Concentrate).

Skincare

Cleansers

My amazing discovery this year has been Beauty Pie, and the best product that I’ve tried is without a doubt their Plantastic Cleansing Balm. It is a really smooth, gentle balm that removes all your makeup in one. I can even open my eyes with this on and it doesn’t get in them and sting them at all. The texture is thick and rich and feels much more high end than the price. I’ve already repurchased this because it’s my go-to balm!

Moisturiser

I finally had the chance to buy the Dr Jart Ceramidin Cream when I went to Sephora in Italy this summer and certainly haven’t regretted it! I have actually repurchased this twice already! This is a really thick moisturiser that is perfect for dry skin. It leaves the skin feeling really nourished and replenished of moisture. It is the moisturiser I rely on if my skin is needing a little extra TLC.

Mask

I’ve tried so many new masks this year, and I’ve got to say I don’t find that many masks do much for my skin. However, the Sjo Skin Happy Honey Mask is absolutely brill! Sjo Skin has been really big on Instagram and just seem like a lovely brand that are encouraging kindness and interaction in the beauty community. I have seen this mask on almost everyone’s feed, and finally bit the bullet on Black Friday. It is really soothing, smoothing and nourishing for the skin and leaves it feeling like it’s just gone to the spa, been drinking a glass of wine and come back relaxed af.

SPF

I have tried a number of new SPFs this year and I have one firm favourite – the Beauty Pie Super Healthy Skin Ultralight UVA/UVB SP25. This is a beautiful formula that does not have the typical SPF feeling but instead just feels like a normal face cream. It sinks into the skin very quickly and doesn’t leave a silicone-y feeling on the skin. The only downside to this SPF is that it is only SPF 25 and ideally I would my SPF to be 50. An honourable mention should go to the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50+. I wore this during my holiday in Italy over the summer when I was walking around in the scorching heat and my face was totally protected. I did not get sunburnt in the slightest and I have very fair skin that burns easily.

Oils

I’ve recently discovered Squalane and I’m absolutely loving it! I’m using the One Skin Squalene oil and it’s a really beautiful oil. Before I started using it, I had stopped having the beautiful silky smooth feeling to my skin when I woke up in the morning, but using this brought it back. It’s not too thin (so that it sinks in immediately) or too thick (where it just never sinks in) and sits pretty comfortably on the face. I’ll give an honourable mention to the Herbivore Phoenix oil and the Mauli Supreme Skin Face Serum which are great for those who have drier skin.

Makeup

Foundation

Two foundations this year have really caught my eye and captured my heart – the Beauty Pie Everyday Great Skin foundation and the Hourglass Vanish stick foundation. I stumbled across them both completely by accident and they have both become go-tos for me! I had been interested in Beauty Pie’s makeup line since I fell in love so hard with the skincare range, so thought I would try out their foundation. It is a medium buildable coverage which has the prettiest dewy finish. It is really well pigmented and a little goes quite a long way with this (in that it allows you a nice natural looking base, that still looks like your skin but better). The Hourglass one took me 6 months to work out how to make this formula work on my skin as it’s quite dry. BUT I stuck with it, and am now nearly out of my mists, but it’s just gorgeous. It is THE ultimate ‘your skin but better’ and it is hands down the best shade match that I have ever found in my life. This one I prefer to wear more on the lighter/more natural side, but it is definitely buildable.

Highlighter

Two new highlighters have literally stolen my heart this year – the Hourglass Vanish stick highlighter in Gold Flash and the By Terry Gem Glow Trio Compact. I like to use the Hourglass one underneath my foundation to give me that really natural glow from within. Once I’ve applied foundation, I like to take this on my fingers and tap it onto the high points of my cheeks to really add the glow. The By Terry highlighter is a really new one to me (I only got my hands on it last week), but I’m totally in love with it. I’ve had my eye on it for months and months and it’s been so worth the wait. It is the most INCREDIBLE highlighter that is just so blinding and flattering. This really suits my pale skin, but I can also imagine it suiting people much darker than me too.

I am not lucky enough to have reviewing makeup and skincare as my full time job and even though I try a lot of new products out of interest, there are a lot of products in my routine that have stayed the same or just didn’t wow me enough.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know what your top products for 2018 were!

Xo

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