The Skin Nerd's tips for gifting skincare this Christmas
The best of beauty gifts, this Christmas
Who doesn’t love tearing open an indulgent skincare treat at Christmas time? More than just a passing moment of elation, a skincare gift is a promise of joy to come, a gift to the skin that can signal a future period of self-care, targeted results, a gorgeous glow or (preferably) all three! Shopping for a loved one can be tricky if it involves guesswork regarding their skin type, but to give you a head start, here are some tried and tested ideas for acing your skincare gifting game:
Irish brands are sleighing the festive gifting market this season with some truly magical offerings. Help them schedule in some skin time with the Pestle & Mortar’s Daily Routine Set . This beautifully packaged set contains a four-step regime intended to encourage a calmer complexion. Another great gift from our Irish shores is Skingredients Rock Star Key Four Set . Containing the best-selling PreProbiotic Cleanse Hydrating Cleanser, Skin Veg Hyaluronic Serum, Skin Protein Retinoid Serum and Skin Shield SPF50 PA+++ this collection contains all that is needed for healthy, vibrant skin.
Hands and feet are fail-safe pamper spots as they tend to be the most neglected areas of the body and in need of some TLC. L’Occitane Shea Green Chestnut Hand Cream with Tube Squeezer set is enriched with Shea butter and chestnut extract to nourish and soften the skin, while enveloping the hands with a musky mix of chestnut, green leaves and vanilla. Even better, this kit includes a nifty ‘tube squeezer’ which can be used to help you get the full contents of your product out of the tube with ease!
This deeply moisturising hand cream will continue to keep the hands supple well after it has absorbed into the skin . Ideal for popping into stockings, Seoulista Rosy Toes Instant Pedicure is a heavenly foot treatment that causes a considerable lack of mess! This double-layer foot treatment is infused with rose oil, aloe vera and beeswax to restore and revitalise neglected feet, soothing and hydrating dry cracked skin, nails and cuticles.
Indulge the senses and transport your loved one to their own little pocket of peace with Odacite Soul Soothing Relaxing Bath Salts . Formulated with detoxifying Himalayan crystal salt, this deeply relaxing bath soak will cocoon your giftee in a tranquil aroma of French lavender, neroli and patchouli, transforming the nightly bath into a luxurious home spa experience. Pour into warm (not hot) water and slip into deep relaxation mode. Yon-Ka Body Detox Collection Gift Set (currently €56.48 at theskinnerd.com) is also a winner for an end-of-year detox (or well-deserved gift to self). Containing fan favourite Yon-Ka Aroma-Fusion Huile Detox Dry Oil, the pink pepper oil blend gets to work on dimpled skin whilst you concentrate on your me-time.
Unless your loved one specifically asks for it, it takes a brave (or maybe tactless) hooman to purchase a gift with anti-ageing benefits emblazoned on the packaging. Look for hydration claims over ‘youth in a bottle’ potions to keep your special one in good spirits! Bestseller kits also make great crowd-pleasers.
I would love to find Kate Somerville Clinic Inspired Icons Se t, under my tree. Comprised of five of the brand’s cult status products, this set includes papaya-infused ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment, which is iconic for its ‘facial in a bottle’ properties and the skin-plumping DermalQuench Liquid Lift which combines fast-penetrating hyaluronic acid and oxygen (PFC-oxygen carriers, to be specific) to combat the appearance of deep-set wrinkles and lines. Another sure-fire festive hit is IMAGE Skincare Hydrate Collection.
This capsule collection of nourishing products works wonders when it comes to quenching thirsty winter skin. It also includes hero product IMAGE Vital C Hydrating Anti-Ageing Serum which is formulated with a multi-vitamin C complex to help dull the appearance of dark spots, discoloration, and uneven skin tone.
Peptides have numerous benefits but are mainly used for anti-ageing and are one of a few skincare ingredients (like vitamin A) that make a real difference to fine lines and wrinkles. As short chains of amino acids, peptides make up key proteins in our skin, which are crucial for the structure and overall health of our skin.
Peptides are a sociable gang and by that, I mean they’re constantly sending messages to our fibroblasts to synthesise proteins. Fibroblasts are the skin cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin fibres – the two structural proteins, which are the skin’s scaffolding. Collagen has a plumping effect on the skin, whereas elastin keeps the skin firm and ensures it “snaps back” like an elastic band.
Skincare products are formulated with peptides because they’re small enough to pass through the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of skin in the epidermis. Proteins like collagen and elastin are much bigger and can’t penetrate through the skin when applied topically.
Peptides have made their way into a plethora of skincare products, claiming to help create a smoother, plumped-up appearance. To freshen up the eye area, try Environ Youth EssentiA Vita-Peptide Eye Gel (€74, theskinnerd.com). This eye gel contains vitamins A & E along with peptides and is the only eye gel I tend to recommend ever. Beauty editors love it, and you can apply it all over the eye area… avoiding the eyeballs of course!
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