Biotherm | Glitter Geek

Goodnight Beauty Sleep 1

I believe that a great night’s beauty sleep is essential to good health. So, I have adjusted my bedtime ritual, getting to bed at 10:45 PM to be asleep by 11:00. My bedtime beauty regimen can get pretty lengthy, but these days I’ve narrowed it down to these essential products so that Mr. Geeks can stop complaining that my bedtime routine is too long.

Goodnight Beauty Sleep 3
Biotherm Blue Therapy Eye Cream / SkinCeuticals Emollience

Rich and hydrating skincare is important, of course. I like my nighttime skincare deeply hydrating and soothing, and these two products fit the bill.

SkinCeuticals Emollience* ($68 for 60 ml, availability listed at www.skinceuticals.com/canada) is a luxurious, gentle and effective night cream formula. My skin has become a bit sensitive from winter dryness, and this soothes my skin wonderfully. What’s in it, you ask? Brazilian sea algae nourishes, while natural oils — grape seed, rose hip and macadamia — lock in moisture. You know I love my oils (especially rose hip), and my skin just loves this cream. Sadness will be the day that I run out.

Biotherm has extracted ingredients from the sea and brought them to Biotherm Blue Therapy Eye Cream* ($55 for 15 ml, available in April 2013). The main ingredients — AFA, Laminaria ochroleuca and pure thermal plankton extracts — promise to restructure, strengthen and soothe the eye zone. Biotherm extends the very definition of the eye zone; it targets:

Wrinkles: the crow’s feet, vertical lion’s wrinkle between the eyebrows, fine lines around the eye contour,
Darkness: areas of pigmentation under the eyes and the upper cheeks,
Lack of Firmness: the upper and lower eyelids area with under eye bags.

Biotherm Eye Cream Application
Instructions for application of Biotherm Blue Therapy Eye Cream

Now, that’s a lot of promises. I’ll tell you my skin concern: I have developed itchy eczema patches on my eyelids over the winter months. I need my eye cream to be gentle and effective at eliminating this problem area. I found that a tiny amount of Biotherm Blue Therapy Eye Cream melted into my skin immediately and smoothed out the surface. I tried this during the day before makeup, but found it too creamy for that purpose; my eye makeup was creasing more than normal. For night time however, it is perfect. I notice that my fine lines have been smoothed out; flaking and irritation have disappeared. That to me, makes this a winner.

Goodnight Beauty Sleep 2
NUXE Rêve de Miel Lip Balm / Aveda Stress-Fix Concentrate

I didn’t love NUXE Rêve de Miel® Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm ($17 for 15 ml, at Murale, Shoppers Drugmart, The Bay) on my first try. I found it thick and gritty. But this is my lip saver this winter. When I have dry chapped lips, I put this thick yellow lip balm on before bed and wake up with smooth supple lips. This is an overnight miracle worker. Love.

Lastly, a little bit of aromatherapy with Aveda Stress-Fix Concentrate ($22 for 7 ml at Aveda). I bought this one on a whim on an especially stressful week at work. The aroma of French lavender, lavandin and clary sage instantly calms me down. I roll it on my pulse points and right under my nose and take a niiiice, deeeeep, breath. Ahhhhhh, heaven.

What about you: what is your bedtime regimen?

As a follow up to my Cold Weather Skincare, Face Edition, here are my favourites for body skincare for this winter. So much to love here, you guys.

Glitter Geek Cold Weather Skincare: Body Edition

For All Over The Body

Smith Farms Honeysuckle Hair and Body Oil ($16.00 for 103 ml, online) is a glorious oil for after a shower or bath. My itchy flaky legs become wonderfully soft and smooth with one use of this oil. It locks in the moisture with its several oils (organic sweet almond oil, organic jojoba oil, organic sunflower oil) and leaves you smelling like a baby (honeysuckle essential oil). A bonus: Smith Farms is Canadian! They are located in the Quebec/Ontario border, and they make safe all-natural products locally.

For Hands + Every Other Body Part That’s Itchy and Irritated

For me, Winter brings burning red eczema. I have to be careful of soaps (nothing too foamy) and detergents (I wear gloves when washing dishes). As for products…

I use La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP ($33 for 400ml, in pharmacies) on the onset of an eczema flare-up, and that’s usually the end of the story. It is described as a lipid replenishing body balm, and made specificially for extremely dry, itchy skin. It is a thick balm that forms a barrier on my hands and instantly soothes any irritation.

Throughout the day, I keep my hands moisturized with Biotherm Biomains Anti-Aging Moisturizing Hand Cream ($29.50 for 100 ml, in Sephora, The Bay, Sears and Shoppers Drugmart) on my desk side. I’m so pleased to say that this silky hand cream has faded my summer sun spots and overall has made my hands look younger. Yes, this is my first experience with anti-aging creams and yes, this really works!

For Cold Feet (Literally, not Figuratively)

Is anyone else sick of peppermint foot creams? I don’t know about you, but if it’s the middle of winter, the last thing I want to put on my feet is a cooling minty cream. Thank goodness there’s Curel Foot Therapy Cream ($3.99 for 100 ml, in mass market retailers). Its slightly nutty scent is comforting, but more importantly its thick texture works well on dry, cracked heels. It contains shea butter, coconut milk and vitamin E to help provide a moisture barrier in the driest of months.

What are your winter must-haves for the body? Have you tried the products I mentioned here? How did you like them?