Discovering Bobbi Brown Skincare

What’s the first thought that comes into your head when you hear the words ‘Bobbi Brown’? Shimmer Brick, gel liner, neutral eye shadows, creamy lipsticks… MAKE-UP! Me too, until recently. Even if I had noticed the skincare, I’d probably have glazed over it and pounced on the latest pretty pink blush, so me and my skin are thankful to have been introduced to the products during my Pretty Powerful Makeover. Since photographing them, the above bottles are now almost empty - and having used them consistently for a couple of months, I’m more than ready to report back.

All five items are a complete pleasure to use, which some skin experts may scoff at, but for me - this matters. The packaging, consistency and how the products feel on my skin are what initially draw me in, so they’re important. For reference, I have dry to dehydrated skin. The Extra range is for extra dry skin and the hydrating range contains mineral water, hyaluronic acid and glycerine - all for extra hydration. I’ll talk you through my thoughts on each product in the order I use them…

Soothing Cleansing Oil - I’m more of a balm lover, so didn’t expect to be so enamoured with this, but it’s become one of my favourites and a day has not gone past when I haven’t used it. A pump bottle makes it quick and easy to use and 1-2 pumps is sufficient to remove my make-up; 3 if I’ve gone very heavy on the eyes. I massage this onto dry skin, add a little water to emulsify, then remove with a warm, wet flannel, which is much more pleasant than it sounds. I’ll then go in with a second cleanser as that’s my thang, especially when I’m using SPF, but if you wear light or no make-up, a single cleanse with this should be enough. No need for an additional eye make-up remover as this does it all - bonus!

Extra Treatment Lotion - I’ve raved about this before in a favourites post, so won’t dwell too long on it here, but basically this gives skin an extra layer of hydration and nourishment and I love it. I just pour a little into the palm of my hand, spread between both palms and press into my skin. Especially good on bleary mornings or pre make-up to plump up my skin.



Extra Repair Serum - this milky serum for dry skins contains Vitamin C, peptides and more to firm, hydrate and give a clearer complexion. Some find this nourishing enough to use alone, without the addition of moisturiser - I always use both but it’s worth bearing in mind. (If you only want to splash out on one or the other, choose this and go for a cheaper moisturiser.) This is the first serum I’ve completely finished since I started blogging - and I’ve tested a lot of skincare in the past three years. I rest my case.

Hydrating Eye Cream - feather light yet hydrating, I find this really soothing on tired, puffy eyes, thanks to aloe vera, jojoba and avocado oil. It sinks in very quickly, no hanging about before moving onto eye make-up.

Hydrating Face Cream - like the eye cream, this disappears into my skin super fast, prepping it for make-up and leaving my face hydrated and comfortable all day.
I’ve genuinely enjoyed using all of these but my Top 3 picks are the Extra Repair Serum, Extra Treatment Lotion and Cleansing Oil (in that order).

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New Skincare Finds I’m loving

I test a lot of skincare, most of which doesn’t make it to my bathroom shelf, let alone these pages, so I get a bit excited when I discover new (or new to me) products that are both a total pleasure to use - and deliver. Take a bow, fabulous foursome.

Bee Good Honey & Propolis 2 in 1 Cream Cleanser is one of the most gorgeous (and well priced) skincare products I’ve ever tried. If I didn’t do what I do, I’d quite happily use this every day, forever. Bee Good is run by a British beekeeper and his wife, who believe in the ancient healing powers of local honey, propolis and beeswax. I’m not sure what the 2 in 1 element is, but am guessing cleansing and hydrating as the cleanser has a rich, creamy texture that leaves my skin super clean yet nourished at the same time. I think most skin types would love this, but dry or dehydrated skins who find many cleansers drying or stripping will appreciate it more than others. The Honey & Wild Flax daily moisturiser from the same range didn’t wow me to the same extent, but don’t let that put you off - it’s still a lovely product that’s quickly absorbed and works well under make-up.

Indeed Labs Facial Powder Exfoliator reminds me of a Kanebo product that began my love affair with skin care many moons ago. This one is a lot more affordable and just as effective. If you’re wary of using physical exfoliants (ie gritty, scrubby ones) on your face (as I am), then I think you’ll love this. Can you see how fine those grains are? And most of them dissolve into creaminess when mixed with water. The bottle contains a fine powder, which you dispense straight into your palm and mix with a little water into a creamy paste, before massaging onto damp skin and rinsing off. This is brilliant at removing those horrible little flaky bits guilty of causing make-up to look crusty and grim. I’m particularly prone to these on my forehead and around my nose and have been known to remove make-up, use this product and reapply - it works so well.

 

I’m not sure how long Bobbi Brown Extra Treatment Lotion has been around, but I was hooked after a Bobbi MUA applied it as the first step of skin prep before a recent makeover. The texture is half way between water and serum; a clear liquid which I press into skin with my palms... it’s soothing, fast-drying and non sticky. Extra acts like a hydrating drink for your skin, helping the serum and moisturiser that follow to perform more effectively - and is such a pleasure to use that I never mind the 30 second extra step.

Like many others, I’ve raved about Merumaya Cleansing Balm before and have since been introduced to the Iconic Youth Serum (much nicer name than anti-ageing serum, don’t you think?). This rich serum feels luxuriously silky on my skin and contains 10 clinically tested active ingredients to address radiance, moisture, elasticity and lines. Some say it doesn’t matter how a product feels on the skin or what it’s like to use as it’s all about results; personally I prefer both boxes to be ticked, which this does.

I could say the same about all four of these products, which is why I enjoy using them so much. What are your current skincare favourites? Please leave a comment below - it makes me happy when I realise I’m not talking to myself… xx

ps I’m giving away a Liz Earle skincare set on my Facebook page HERE!