Aydee, one of my best friends, has the most clear, smooth, glowing skin I've ever seen. She's an editor and beauty lover, meaning she gets to try many products, so when she likes something I know it has to be good. Here's what she's using right now...

With winter currently hitting us in the face, we’ve got to stock up on the right protection for our skin. From eye cream to cleansers to moisturizers, here are a few tried and tested products I’d recommend to protect your skin this holiday season. 

Cleanser

Makeup Cleanser: Porefinist Gentle Foaming Cleanser - Shu Uemura

My favourite kind of soap is the foamy kind - not just for my hands, but also for my face. On the days when I’m not being lazy (by using makeup remover wipes), I’ll wash my face with Shu Uemura’s foaming cleanser - which is non-oily and super effective in taking off all my makeup - no scrubbing necessary.

Face Cleanser: Sublimage L'eau De Demaquillage - Chanel

I’ve never been a fan of super soapy cleansers. I like this a light, smooth liquid cleanser, because it helps clear my skin of impurities, and it doesn’t hurt that it smells amazing. I use a cotton pad for this one, and it’s pretty effective after 1-2 sweeps, leaving my face feeling clean and silky. 

Eyes

Day: Black Tea Firming Eye Serum - Fresh

I absolutely LOVE using this every morning after I wake up. With fluid gel consistency, this eye serum provides a cooling effect, so when I gently massage it onto the bottom of my eyes (where eyebags reign supreme after my regular late nights), it immediately makes me feel more awake and ready for my day. Maybe not an intended effect when they created this eye serum - but it’s definitely why I keep buying and using it. 

Night: Advanced Night Repair Eye - Estee Lauder

Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair line is famous for its Synchronized Recovery Complex, but not many people choose to highlight the eye repair cream… so I will. If I’m seen looking like a zombie in the morning, the likelihood of me having forgotten to use this the night before is pretty high. 

Serums

Day: Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% - The Ordinary

Ok - I’ll admit the name made no sense to me either. The Ordinary opened up a counter in Harvey Nichols quite recently, and being the cosmetic junkie that I am, I had to head over and check it out. This Niacinamide is a day serum that’s perfect for acne-prone skin, but will need to be used over time. It’s also great because it basically sinks into your face after you put it on, allowing you to put makeup over it without giving your face a caked over look. 

Night: T.L.C. Framboos Night Serum - Drunk Elephant

Clean beauty brand Drunk Elephant has been a huge hit in Hong Kong since their launch in Sephora a few months back, and I have not been immune to the draw of brand hype. Naturally I decided to try out some of their products and I can honestly say I’m in love with their night serum. With a blend of AHA/BHA, the serum does miracles of ridding your face of excess dead skin, and leaves behind a nice smooth texture behind for you the next morning. 

 * from Taylor: This is one of my favs too! I use a bit 3 times a week!

Moisturizers

Day: The Cream - Augustinus Bader

Created by German-born professor Augustinus Bader (under his self-named brand), this face cream contains what they call a unique ‘Trigger Factor Complex’, that’s said to promote the renewal of our very own skin cells. To put it in simpler terms, the cream will force your skin cells to refresh themselves, giving you restored and glowy skin. 

Night: The Moisturizing Soft Cream - La Mer

No skin care ritual can go without La Mer. I call this my last-resort-moisturiser, because with the hefty price tag, I don’t dip into my jar of La Mer until my skin is cracked and crying from dryness (which happens pretty often -- let me tell you, it’s not pretty). I can’t give this cream any higher praise, because if my face was a drowning man, this jar would be the well of water at the end of the journey.

By guest editor,
Aydee (IG: @aydeetie)