Grace Notes: March 2020
WORKING AS A BEAUTY WRITER PRACTICALLY REQUIRES ME TO TURN UP AT WORK WEARING AS LITTLE PRODUCT AS POSSIBLE – A BLANK CANVAS IF YOU WILL – TO BE SMOTHERED AND SWATCHED IN POTIONS AND PIGMENTS FROM 8 ‘TILL 5. AS IT'S MY JOB TO SWATCH AND SNIFF MY WAY THROUGH THE LATEST AND GREATEST BEAUTY LAUNCHES, EACH MONTH I DEBRIEF ON THE ONES WORTH WRITING HOME ABOUT.
VENN Moisture Balance All-In-One Cleanser
I will always have a soft spot for a gel cleanser. My first love was a (sadly now discontinued) La Roche-Posay one which really was ahead of its time in its hardworking but gentle formula. I’ve tried and failed to find alternatives in the years since, and this is one of the closest I’ve found, both in terms of formula and result. It's light and refreshing, with a mildly-exfoliating PHA and fruit enzyme blend that gently softens skin.
Omorovicza The Cure
I try to be democratic about the inclusions in these posts, part of which means choosing products that are affordable and accessible, but every so often a £205 ampoule programme comes along and blows everything else out of the water. Just kidding, it doesn’t happen that often, but really I’d be remiss in not including this since it was one of the most impressive products I tried this month. The nine-day programme features three serum blends, designed to be used on consecutive nights to give skin a reset. First a resurfacing and brightening treatment, then a reviving serum, and finally a replenishing oil blend. By the end of the programme my skin was clear, calm, felt nourished, and had a definite glow to it. If you wanted to splurge, your money would be well spent.
The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane
For anyone experiencing the dry skin life that often comes with a change in environment or season, you’ll be happy to see this. I wrote about The Ordinary’s Retinol 0.5% in Squalane last month (it’s a brilliant starter retinol), but after I finished my bottle and moved onto something stronger I found myself (and my skin) missing the extra moisture from the squalane. Thankfully this exists. I apply it generously, as the final step in my routine. If you’ve yet to be convinced that oily skin benefits from oil or that not all oils make you break out, this will convert you.
Nudestix Nudies Blush in Sunset Strip
I’ve always loved the convenience of a stick product and the finish of a cream blush, so I knew this would be a favourite from the get-go. The texture is soft and has a little melt and a little bounce to it, which is the perfect combination for a sheer and blendable stain of colour that becomes seamless with skin. The colour is perfect for dabbing on cheeks and nose for a faux-sunburnt look (the only kind of sunburn I condone).
