The 10 skincare products you need to get that post-lockdown glow
With many of us having spent the best part of a year wearing the same old loungewear more times a week than we'd like to admit, we’re all now suddenly feeling the pressure to re-emerge from lockdown life looking significantly glowier than we feel RN. While getting dressed up again for the opening of pubs and restaurants is hard enough, we’re also having to pay a bit more attention to our faces – the part of our bodies that seem to have borne the brunt of the pandemic.
A quick virtual office poll reveals dry, breakout-prone and lacklustre complexions are the biggest complaint at GLAMOUR HQ when it comes to beauty at the moment. Not helped by the fact that we've all been holed up inside during the sunshine-deprived winter months, with central heating, Zoom marathons and all the uncertainty of a pandemic playing havoc with our poor skin.
You're about to find out.
Whether it’s mask-related breakouts, blotchy patches or general lack of glow, now more than ever, we suggest getting into action and shaking up your skincare routine in time for a sociable summer again. And the best way to do this? By introducing some new products that will help you get your mojo back.
After all, if there’s a shortcut to achieving glowing, healthy skin and a product that might make you feel like YOU again, wouldn’t you want to know about it? Of course, shopping for skincare products can be overwhelming – with so many acids, toners, moisturisers and scrubs on the market, how do you know you’re getting your hands on the stuff that actually works?
The good news is, we’ve done all the homework for you, rounding up the hardest-working skincare heroes at Boots that we KNOW will make a world of difference.
From pore-clearing acids to vitamin C-infused serum capsules, scroll down for the Boots skincare products that will help get you glowing again in no time…
1/10This has become quite the cult product thanks to its main ingredient, glycolic acid (an alpha hydroxy acid), which chemically exfoliates the skin by penetrating deeper into pores, breaking down dead skin cells and dissolving oil build-up. Not to mention, toning, firming and tightening as it goes. Basically, it’s magic.
2/10Fenty Skin Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner Serum, Boots
This is what you get when toner and serum join forces. It’s a multitasking wonder, that brightens, smoothes, fights shine and makes dark spots and hyperpigmentation less visible to the eye, thanks to wonder ingredient niacinamide. There’s also Barbados cherry to brighten and boost radiance.
3/10Dove DermaSpa Summer Revived Self Tan Mousse, Boots
As we always say, a fake tan is a safe tan and if there was ever a time we needed a helping hand to get ready for a post-lockdown world, it’s now. We’re obsessed with this nourishing gradual self-tan from Dove that manages to remind us of scorching days (the sun-drenched scent!) while giving us a non-sticky, subtle summer glow and keeping our limbs silky smooth too.
4/10Olay Regenerist Retinol24 Night Moisturizer, Boots
This clever cream contains a retinoid complex, meaning powerful anti-ageing ingredients are gradually fed to the skin over the course of the night. Plus, the cream contains vitamin B3 to help boost hydration for 24 hours, allowing you to wake up with a smoother, brighter and happier face. Who’ll complain about that?
5/10Elizabeth Arden Vitamin C Ceramide Capsules Radiance Renewal Serum, Boots
Like little nuggets of golden honey, these serum capsules are, quite frankly, miracle workers. Combining two powerhouse ingredients; vitamin C for its brightening superpowers, and ceramides to help prevent moisture loss, they hydrate and even skin tone, making you look fresh and youthful after just one use.
6/10Not only does this essence cost less than a fiver, it’s your one-stop-shop to luminous skin that looks and feels gloriously hydrated, offering the just-back-from-a-brisk-walk kind of sparkle we’re always digging. Simply massage a few drops onto cleansed skin, before moisturiser, and you’ll see for yourself.
7/10Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial, Boots
This much-hyped weekly face mask contains an epic combo of glycolic, tartaric, citric, lactic and salicylic acids as well as pumpkin ferment, chickpea flour and a soothing antioxidant blend that combines milk thistle, apple and matcha tea. In other words, you’ll be left with a radiance you’ve never known before, without any of the irritation you might expect with acids.
8/10No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Facial Sun Protection SPF30, Boots
When it comes to looking after our faces in the sunshine, we have to go high and mighty, which is why this sun protection is essential buying. It gives 5 Star UVA coverage with an antioxidant complex, plus the formula contains the cult Protect & Perfect Intense Serum to tackle deep lines and wrinkles while it gets to work. This is a no-brainer.
9/10Ole Henriksen Lemonade Smoothing Scrub, Boots
When you want both a chemical and grainy face scrub to get your glow back, this one is the bee’s knees. The powerful AHAs in this lemonade-scented formula penetrate deep to lift off dead skin cells while the ultra-fine sugar exfoliants sweep away rough skin. There’s also holy basil and chamomile to keep things calm and blissfully soothed.
10/10No7 Radiance+ Illuminating Hydrogel Eye Masks (x5), Boots
Sometimes we need our eyes looking tip-top (like yesterday), which is where these genius cooling gel eye pads come in. They stick to the under-eye contour, working instantly to reduce puffiness, reducing dark rings and making your peepers look like you’ve had 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep. A lie, but no one needs to know otherwise.
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