Holy Grail Products

Holy Grail; noun.

2. a thing which is eagerly pursued or sought after.  [Google]

You know the ones I mean. Those products you'd take to a desert island blah blah blah. They are lovely and fab and you can't live without them. 

I love the videos dedicated to these on YouTube. I devour magazine articles highlighting their top ten products. And now, I actually have some of my own. (Shut up!)

The thing with skin care, unlike make-up, is that it often takes months for results to be seen and a true judgement to be made. I thought I'd have some goodies I quite liked but Holy Grail status? This. Is. Exciting. (For me, anyway).

In no specific order, may I present the best things since sliced bread.

1. Nip+Fab Skin Glycolic Instant Fix Mask

If I hadn't vowed to no longer swear, I would say holy shit. This mask is a-maz-zing! I have done countless masks (haven't we all?!) and you well you do generally feel all luverly jubberly afterwards.  This is the FIRST time in my nearly 41 years that a mask has literally TRANSFORMED my skin. My skin looked - like masks often boldly proclaim but never really achieve - refreshed, poreless, bright and it even, I swear, erased my fine lines....the next day.

Thankfully I had watched some videos about glycolic acid and immediately afterwards, your face is red. Bright red. RED. It doesn't sting or burn but it does go red. Best do this on an evening after work then. The red is SO worth it. I promise. 

2. and 3. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream and Kiehl's Super Multi Corrective Cream

Frankly these smell divine and feel so lush, that I don't even care if they don't actually do anything for my skin. But - and wait for it - they do. Oh do they just. The moisture alone is phenomenal. PHENOMENAL. It is as though magical tiny Unicorn tears have been captred into these fabulous jars of awesomeness. Get thee to a Kiehl's boutique ASAP.

4. Pixi Glow Tonic with Aloe Vera and Ginseng

This little beauty has one of the same magic ingredients as my favourite mask above: glycolic acid. Was I the only person who didn't know that acid toners was the ONLY way to go?! "Normal" toners - you know those drying ones that leave leave your face feeling really tight - are basically useless and rubbish. The thought of even using acid, yes ACID, on my face sounded horrifying and well, dangerous. But this truly is Holy Grail worthy. 

Two to three days (DAYS, not weeks or months although the positive results continued) saw my skin dramatically improved. It resurfaces your skin (without ANY pain) leaving you looking refreshed and bright with incredibly smooth skin (and a great base for make-up). It even gets rid of those little tiny bumps you sometimes get on your forehead. They never really develop into anything but they just linger there. 

And if all that wasn't enough, this magic elixir lasts forever! You squirt some on ONE cotton pad and wipe it all over your face. You then simply turn the cotton pad over and do it again and voila you are done....with MAGIC results. Oh and I should say the glycolic is less than the Nip+Fab Mask so there's no redness. You're safe.

5. and 6. La Roche-Posay Serozinc and Caudalie Beauty Elixir

I never (ever) put any stock into spritzes and sprays. I mean they cool you on a hot day, usually smell lovely but they don't actually do anything.....until I discovered these two wonders! I never appreciated this simple way of adding moisture to your skin, nor did I realise how much my skin needed it. Now I cannot live without them. I may have Holy Grail products but I am not such a Diva that I need two different types just for the heck of it. 

The La Roche-Posay Serozinc is THE spray to use when you have breakouts. Caudalie all the other times. After I have removed my make-up and cleansed my skin, I spray this lightly over my face and just let it soak in while I brush my teeth or put on my pjs or whatever. It only takes a minute or so to absorb. I end up spritzing again before bed, first thing in a morning.... Well you get the idea. Try it and you'd never go back. 

(And in case you're wondering, it goes first cleanse (i.e. remove make-up), second cleanse (actually wash your face), wipe face with Pixi Glow Tonic, eye cream, spritz (let it absorb), moisturise (although on an evening, I add a facial oil before moisturising).

7. and 8. Caudalie Vinosource Overnight Recovery Oil and Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream

I. Love. These. Two. I always thought I had oily/combination skin but it turns out I, in fact, have DRY skin with oily patches. Adding moisture through spritzes, oils and moisturisers has been life-changing for my skin. 

Every night after I have cleansed and spritzed et al, I add 6 drops of the Caudalie Oil and massage into my skin. I top it off with my Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream (sometimes moisturiser and then my sleeping cream).

And that my lovelies, are my Holy Grails.