Monthly Favourites/ November

Hello lovelies,

Eeeeekkkk 22 days till Christmas! 20 days till I get to go home! I just had to get my little excitement outburst out of the way first. I really don't want to say I can't believe it's already December but honestly I can't, time just seems to be flying by. I've only got a few items that I've really been loving this month as I haven't really switched up my routine that much. I picked up the L'Oreal Skin Perfection Serum at the airport and so far so good but I don't think I've been using it long enough to definitely say it's a fave but it deserved a mention.

Mavala Nail Polish in 195 Shimmer Violet - £4.50

I spotted this whilst having a little nosy around the French pharmacies and couldn't not pick it up. Shimmer Violet is one of four polishes from the Arabesque Collection, which feature four metallic shades inspired by Autumn/Winter 2013. Shimmer Violet is a gorgeous light glossy purple with a hint of shimmer running through it, perfect for all those Christmas parties!

L'Occitane Shea Butter Dry Skin Hand Cream - £8.00

I may have featured this previously in one of my favourites but at the moment it's the only product working on my hands. They never normally get dried or chapped but this year, they're cracking. I don't know whether that's a mixture of now doing the washing up or spending days outdoors but they're definitely in need of some tender loving care. I've never been much of a fan of hand creams as I find them too greasy or they don't absorb quick enough but this is my saviour, it's so nourishing and I find myself slapping it on throughout the day. 

Bioderma Micellar Water - £4.50

I picked up a mini to try out because I went to Rome for the weekend. There's so much talk of Bioderma in the bloggersphere so I'm pretty sure you've heard of it. I wouldn't say it benefits my skin but it's such an effective makeup remover and just dissolves any makeup. I do like it but wouldn't say it's any different to the L'Oreal Micellar Solution if you can't get your hands on this.

Have you tried any of these? What products did you love throughout November?

Review: Bioderma Cicabio Soothing Repairing Ointment

Hello lovelies,

This is my first product that I've tried from Bioderma. When you hear Bioderma, you automatically think of the micellar water and as much as it has been raved about, it's not something that appeals to me. This was an unintended purchase but after my sunburn incident, I was left with a bright red ear which was painful, so I popped into the French Pharmacy and the pharmacist recommended this, so I decided to dip my toe into the Bioderma pool.

Cicabio is designed to be used for skin irritations. It provides epidermal reconstruction and antibacterial properties, and is designed to treat severe skin damage. It is particularly recommended following chemical peels (please get medical advice before using this after a chemical peel!) and for outbreaks of extreme dryness. I did a bit of research on this product after buying it as I like to know what I'm putting on my skin, and I discovered it contains a significant quantity of hyaluronic acid, which is great for re hydrating the skin. Exactly what I needed for my poor red elf ear. 

The directions for use are to apply quite heavily to the damaged area after cleansing and drying, then use twice a day until the skin is completely repaired. I layered it on to my ear and also onto my forehead where I had caught the sun. Surprisingly next morning, my skin actually felt quite smooth and the redness had gone down considerably. I've continued to use it over the past week, I thought it might clog my pores or cause me to break out on my forehead as it has quite a thick consistency but it hasn't.

If you're coping with irritated skin, I would definitely recommend giving this a try. I've even popped it on a couple of mosquito bites and it's just helped to sooth the skin. It's definitely a skincare staple, it's not something I would use everyday but a product that I'll turn too when in times of need.

Bioderma Cicabio 40ml can be picked up on Amazon for £9.99 those in the UK.

Have you tried any other lotions that do the same job as this?