5 Absolutely Fantastic Beauty Products I’ve Been Loving This April

Since my last few posts have been all about fashion, I wanted to shine a light on skincare and beauty for a change! Which is why today I’ve rounded up my top 5 favorite beauty products, that I’ve been using and loving to death for the past month.

Some are new finds, others are older flames that have been waiting patiently for their moment out in the sun again. Hope you love them, and maybe even find a few favorites of your own among them!

No time to read through them all now? Pin the post, so you have them handy for later:

Biodermal SPF 30 UVA/UVB Mattifying Fluid

Biodermal is a Dutch skincare brand that’s been on the market since 1975. They create products for a wide range of skin issues, and provide a blog teaching you about skin health. Plus, their packaging is recyclable, which earns them extra points in my book.

But the reason I’m bringing them to your attention today:

They produce the lightest, most non-greasy SPF cream I have ever used!

Now I’ve been searching for this Holy Grail of skincare for a long time. And I’ve grown to be quite skeptical of new SPF products, since they almost always dissapoint.

So I couldn’t tell you how happy I am that I happened to stumble upon Biodermal! When the spring days here in Amsterdam suddenly turned summery, I had to use some form of SPF protection. So I just reached for a random tube in the drugstore.

I wasn’t expecting much to be honest, and after applying it, I kept waiting for that unpleasant, greasy film sensation to hit.

But, surprise surprise:

It never did! I wore the cream for around 10 hours, walking around in the sunshine and heat-and yet my face didn’t sweat, and my forehead didn’t turn all Hotline Bling.

I was impressed to say the least, so I started researching the brand. I learned about their history in skincare, about their clean ingredients, cruelty free testing and philosophy of bringing out your skin’s natural strength. Now I can say I am positively in love!

Only downside is they only sell in the Netherlands-so they might be a bit hard to get. But if you’re ever here, don’t miss them in an Etos or DA, and stock up!

RICA Avocado Milk

As temperatures rise, those of us opting to wax have a common sworn enemy: the tiny, itchy, stubbly regrowth that seems to happen basically ummm… 5 minutes after  having painfully ripped your hair out!

So we search for ways to prolongue the duration between waxes, and slow down hair regrowth. I mean, think of all the time, money (not to mention blood, sweat and literal tears) we could  be putting to better use! Like eating ice cream in the park 🙂 Anyone?

Well, this is where the RICA Avocado Milk comes into play! I saw wonderful results when the esthetician who waxes me professionally introduced me to it. No joke, but after she massaged it into my skin post-wax, I was able to go almost 4 weeks until the next session!

Granted, her expertise and thorough hand probably played a part as well, but I still purchased a bottle and apply it religiously. With at home use, I would say it’s taken me from a space of 2 weeks in between waxes to 3.

So you know what? I’ll put that in the win column!

It’s also extremely soothing and refresing-both great features, especially in the warmer months. The texture is non-greasy, and it hydrates my skin beautifully.

Again, it’s a bit harder to buy, so ask your local salon/beautician if they stock it. I’d love to hear back from you if you’ve also tried this beauty product!

Rituals The Ritual of Sakura Body Scrub

Another one of my must-have spring beauty products is a good body scrub. They do a world of good for your skin, by:

• Sloughing off dead cells, letting the new, fresh ones breathe
• Preventing ingrown hairs, a crucial part of the (above mentioned) waxing process
• Mobilizing your lymph and helping with toxin drainage

Now, what do I mean by a good body scrub?

It’s one that is not so coarse that it provokes micro-tears in your skin, doing more harm than good. It’s one that also doesn’t hurt the environment, since a lot of scrubs still contain microbeads (basically tiny bits of plastic), which accumulate in our waters.

My absolute top choice? It has to be The Rituals array of body scrubs. Made of exfoliating sugar and a base of skin softening oils, they are heavenly!

The Ritual of Sakura one especially is gorgeous for spring. Gentle on your skin, not harmful to the environment, and a time saver. Perfect if you want maximum effect for minimum time & effort spent!

YSL Couture Liquid Eyeliner

In the past months, I’ve been devoted to my waterproof black gel eyeliner from IsaDora. Thick, blackest black and not crazy expensive, it had a really good run. And it’s still top on my list of beauty faves.

But then, I remembered I still had a Douglas voucher somewhere. So I sauntered in one faithful afternoon, voucher at the ready, determined to treat myself to something new. Something decadent, something luxurious… enter the YSL Couture Eyeliner!

Now this liner is a dream when it comes to the crazy Dutch spring weather! You know I can’t do without waterproof makeup in cold, wet weather, but this one takes the cake. Because it’s not only waterproof, but also oilproof. Which means All.The.Staying.Power!

And I know what you must be thinking:

If it’s waterproof and oilproof, how on Earth do you take it off? Well, as it turns out, it’s only long-lasting when it comes to sebum- so a bit of almond/coconut/argan oil (or your regular oil based cleanser) will get rid of it in a second!

Now another great thing about it is the felt tip. I have to say, after reaching for gel eyeliners for so long, I was used to their chunkier hair brushes. But the über-thin felt tip on this product allows for the finest, more precise 50’s eyeliner wings. Which reminded me why I loved them so much in the first place!

Mandarino di Amalfi- Tom Ford

Those of you who aren’t here for the first time know how much I love Tom Ford for perfumes. White Suede especially is my favorite forever and ever (and ever)- and I have now found its more impetuous, zesty, youthful counterpart!

Mandarino di Amalfi, as the name suggests, is a warm citrus perfume that transports me straight to the beautiful Italian coasts. It is absolutely perfect for warmer months, as it’s never heady or excessive, even under the hot sun (and even being a Tom Ford creation).

I found this gorgeous perfume last summer, and I just could not get enough of it then! So I waited desperately for this year’s first warm days, when I could break it out and let it shine.

And shine it does… Just picture ripe fruit, white linens swinging in the wind, a straw hat on a pier, and your feet in turquoise blue waters. This is what Mandarino di Amalfi embodies in all its citrusy-spicy glory.

I’m curious to know if any of my beauty favorites struck a note with you! I know beauty products are very personal, and my fave picks may not be yours too. But these are all A++ in my book-so if you’re looking to try them, make sure to give my Beauty Picks section a read!

Thanks for reading, and until next time, have a fabulous week! And a Happy Easter to those of you celebrating today.

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