Jessica Reeves Winter Beauty Loves

Hey there! For those of you who don't know me I am Jess (@jessicareevesmakeup) and I am absolutely obsessed with the beauty industry. Below I'm going to chat to you about winter skincare and makeup - a topic that comes up a lot, so here is my two cents.

I've recently had so many compliments on my skin and I've put it down to two things; my now very tried and true skin care regimen, and my change up in foundation and primer.

Investing and Educating Yourself:

I think it is really important to invest in your skin care products. Since working on a prestige beauty counter with some really beautiful skin care products, I have learnt to have a bigger appreciation for higher end brands and really educate myself on what I'm putting my money towards and what is going into my skin.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't always been that way. I grew up washing my face with a cloth and a soap bar- gag. But to be fair to a younger me, I didn't actually know any different. It took my friend, who was already well established within the beauty industry, who had done some freelance makeup on me for a photo-shoot to tell me otherwise. She almost died when I asked for soap to wash off my makeup!

Five years later, (and through many skin sagas!) I can happily say that I have my found the products that work for me. They differ through summer and winter but for now I want to tell you about my winter regimen.

My Favourite Winter Skincare Products:

I am a HUGE fan of cleansing oil, they nourish your skin while working hard to remove heavy makeup and leave skin still feeling soft and hydrated. My ride or die is the 'Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Replenishing Cleansing Oil' 195ml $85 as it really melts my makeup and leaves my skin feeling clean. For a more affordable option, I have also tried and loved the 'Trilogy Rosehip Transformation Cleansing Oil' 110ml $34.99. I like to exfoliate once a week as well just to remove any build up of product, but by only doing it at the end of the week you won't strip your skin of those crucial oils it needs during the dryer season but helps to balance excess oil production. My favourite product to use on both my face and body is 'Sugar Cube Co. Pink Grapefruit Glow Organic Sugar Scrub' 200g $27.95. It is super affordable, smells delicious and really does the job, plus it's a great product to prep your skin with before you fake tan.

Your eyes are the first place that your skin starts to age and I feel if you look after your skin, you won't have to spend lots on correcting further down the line. I love using both a serum and cream on my eyes and I feel like this is where I probably spend the most money. Layering a serum and an eye cream is super beneficial, a serum will target deeper into the layer of skin called the dermis where your collagen and elasticity levels are, and by locking it in with an eye cream will add hydration and SPF protection throughout the day. My top pick for an eye serum are 'Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Eye Serum' 60 pack $117, the formula is preservative free, fragrance free and great for sensitive eyes. The capsules have skin identical ceramides (ceramides being a lipid found in your skin naturally) that retexturise and smooth skin while also infusing skin with Vitamin E, C, and A. My favourite eye creams are; 'Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-aging Eye Cream SPF15' 15ml $203 which is great for sun protection and instantly brighter eyes, and the 'Trilogy Eye Contour Cream' 20ml $51.99 which is the perfect night time eye cream with aloe vera and acai.

I finish off with my 'Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator' 50ml $75 which I use both day and night. I use 'Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart SPF50' 40ml $117 over top to protect my skin during the day. My skin basically drinks up this moisturiser and it gives me long lasting relief from dry skin. A little goes a long way and I find that within seconds it has been completely absorbed into my skin which is crucial for makeup application during the day and making sure my skin is hydrated all night long. It contains a really interesting technology that allows skin to stay hydrated 72 hours after applying, even if you wash your face - SOLD!

My Favourite Winter Makeup Products:

For winter I definitely love to change my foundation to something a little more lightweight and dewy, to add moisture into my skin and give that summer glow even if it's the middle of winter!

I recently purchased the 'L'Oreal Paris Infallible Luminizing Primer' and for $27.99 it's an absolute steal. From my 'Bobbi Brown Skin Longwear Weightless foundation' to my 'Elizabeth Arden Perfectly Satin foundation', from super sheer coverage to super full coverage - it makes any foundation super glowy! I always get so many compliments on my foundation when I've worn this product as the base. 

Foundation is the absolute hardest to get right, whether it's the colour or the finish or the coverage, I ALWAYS sample my foundation first before I purchase it especially if it is a higher end brand. My two favourites for winter (both an affordable option and a more luxe option) are; the 'L'Oreal Paris Infallible Pro Glow foundation' for everyday wear, it is super comfortable to wear all day and I find it is reasonably long lasting on my skin especially when I team it up with the 'L'Oreal Paris Infallible Luminizing Primer' plus it is super affordable at $35.99. My more luxe winter foundation option is the 'Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-aging foundation' which retails at $110. Now I know what you may be thinking, "that price for a foundation is ridiculous" but hear me out. Not only is this foundation luminous and beautiful on the skin, it is packed full of antioxidants and moisture to hydrate and protect your skin throughout the day. Prevage is a skincare range from Elizabeth Arden that I have absolutely fallen in love for so when they launched a foundation packed full of their skincare, I bought it straight away and I've never looked back even with the price tag.

I hope I've inspired you to jazz up or introduce new products into your skincare or makeup routine. You can always send me a message on my Instagram page if you have any questions! 

Jess x