January has come to an end, and I for once didn’t feel it dragged as much as many people complained about on social media. But then again social media is the place we all go to complain, I am totally guilty of that too, sharing close ups of my zits on InstaStories (isn’t it glamorous?).
I think the main reason why January was a quick month for me was that I had quite a few events to attend, both for work and for leisure. Although I hesitate to call it leisure if I attend a five hour Krav Maga seminar (also known as 5 hours of hell) – I was barely able to walk the next day and covered in bruises.
Problem with the bruises is that they do raise some questions. Not so much here and in my personal life, but on You Tube and InstaStories, where people just catch random glimpses of me looking beat up and draw their own conclusions. Many people reached out to me, worried that I was suffering from domestic violence, which is why I filmed a video to explain.
I am not and have never been victim of domestic violence, my bruises are solely due to full contact sports, but I witnessed abuse in a friend and am incredibly thankful that so many contacted me and offered support. If you were among them, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I am fine, but someone else might not be, and you reaching out might be just what they need to get out of a dangerous situation.
That as explanation why todays video is more on a personal topic than on skincare – but as I know that skincare is what brought you here, find underneath what I had to say on that topic in January.
Skincare Reviews
Of course I had to start 2020 by looking back at my current skincare favorites in „My best skin care products of 2019“, followed up by a complete „Overview of the Avon Distillery Collection“, a vegan and sustainable skincare line that launched end of 2019.
Another review I shared was on the „Instytutum Super Serum“, which I adore, but for reasons I share in the blog post will not repurchase, and then on the „ELEMIS Peptide4 Plumping Pillow Facial“.
The last review of the month was on the „pixi Hydrating Milky Peel“, which I think is perfect for skin that is irritated by prescription retinoids or maybe the cold winter months.
I plan on cutting back on the product reviews in the next few months though, and focus more on the next category, which is…
Skincare Basics
With the increasing popularity of my You Tube videos comes an increasing number of skincare related questions. Some very specific, so specific that I can not answer them (you will ALWAYS need to see someone face to face for individual product recommendations and specific skin problems), but many repeating basic questions.
Instead of only answering them individually, I will answer the common ones in the #AskDoctorAnne series.
First topic: „How to combine skincare ingredients the right way“, divided into the basic rules, what to pair with retinoids and what to pair with Vitamin C (the latter ones coming next month).
Another topic I addressed is the question: „What is a serum and do I need one?“, trying to help you build the perfect routine for your individual skin.
So yes, more like this coming, but before that happens, may I point you in the direction of a few other posts written by fellow bloggers that I think are too good to miss.
Link Love
A new year is a good opportunity to focus on new habits, and one that ranks high on my priority list is reducing my carbon footprint and waste. That proves to be quite difficult though, which is why Lindseys post on “This is why you will never be Zero Waste” really resonated with me. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, just do what you can. No one is able to save the world single-handedly.
If you are looking for ways to boost your productivity though, I want to point you into Julias post called „The productivity tips that actually work“. She has a lot going on and manages to do it while traveling a fair share, so she surely has some things to teach us.
And even though you are probably already looking forward to spring and warmer weather (I know I am!), the cold is not yet behind us, which is why I think Jennys post on „How to stay warm and stylish in winter“ is still relevant. Not that I ever look as stylish as she does, but one can try.
My love for the Instytutum Truly Transforming Eye Cream is well documented on here (it was featured in my “Best skincare products of 2019” post), and up until recently I shared that with Jenny. She has a new favorite that is much more affordable though, so even if I don’t think it will be a replacement for me as it lacks the retinol, it might be a more budget friendly option for you. Read about the Peter Thomas Roth Vital E Eye Cream here.