How To Keep Skin and Hair Hydrated When You’re Busy

If there’s one thing we have in our bag, rain, hail or shine it’s the Oi All in One Milk treasure trove formulated by Italian haircare brand Davines. Truly – no hair product has caught our eye quite like it. You can use this product prior to heat styling, but it’s also great for the morning when you leave your hair to air dry on the early commute to work. Simply spray the strands just below the roots and all the way through to the tips with 10-15 drops of this roucou oil infused potion. The end result is a glossy, hydrated finish, whether it’s blow-dried or natural. The roucou oil based formula is perfect for coloured hair because it stimulates the production of melanin. It also contains a little thing called ellagic acid which is high in antioxidants and responsible in protecting the hair against free radicals and UV damage. The smell is also out of this world, and the light-weight formula works as a leave-in conditioning treatment, just some of the many reasons we keep going back for more.

Look no further than Lanolips when it comes to hand hydration on-the-go. In particular, their Lemon Hand Cream is a lightweight, non-sticky formula that absorbs instantly for velvet soft hands – there really is nothing worse than a parched hand-shake. It’s also made up of 100% medical grade lanolin that has been infused with lemon oil, so it’s fortunately lacking all that slimy stuff that can give you those embarrassing butter fingers.

An absolute winner from Clarins is their Hydra Essentiel Lotion because anything milky in consistency gets our vote. After two weeks of using it, this non-greasy formula actually improves the skin’s overall radiance and comfort. Particularly if you have a combination skin type and you get especially oily on the T-Zone but tend to get flaky, dry bits of skin everywhere else, this lotion has got your back. What drew us to this formula is its infusion of organic leaf of life extract. Grown in the Eastern Caribbean, this magical extract is also known as the ‘miracle leaf’ for it’s healing and hydrating properties – and during the winter, we know skin can be in desperate need of a miracle.

For the mornings when you’ve completely underestimated how little time you have and you’re desperate for a little coverage, bareMinerals Complexion Rescue could be your next partner-in-crime. Sometimes you just can’t be bothered to apply foundation when you are in a hurry, let alone blend it seamlessly (ugh, no thank you, we’d much prefer breakfast). This gel formula gives your skin a sheer to medium coverage that is both lightweight yet buildable. Also, you can leave your foundation brush at home because this product applies better when you warm it up with your hands. Best of all, it’s a rejuvenating formula made up of marine botanicals and mineral electrolytes, a.k.a perfect for thirsty skin. We applied a bit of Nars creamy concealer to any blemishes and dark spots. This combination leaves your skin looking dewy and radiant, and it will hardly look like you’ve just rolled out of bed.

Ditch the petroleum-based pawpaw ointments and try this ultra conditioning Saviour Skin Balm made by Antipodes. We can vouch for its amazing moisturising properties. All made in New Zealand, the formula is rich in antioxidants like echinacea and vinanza grape that offer both anti-inflammatory and healing properties. Better yet, it’s jam packed with anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-microbial healing properties. You can use it on everything from cracked lips, a minor burn or on your nails to help them heal from years of self-inflicted shellac damage (we’re guilty…). It’s also incredible to relieve eczema irritations. We’ve even used it to desperately remove racoon-esque eye make-up, and like a true miracle, it was gone in an instant. All we can say is if you need an all-rounder beauty product in your hand-bag, this is it.