THE LOLITA LIST.

The definitive list of my favourite products. I often get asked which products I recommend for each step of a routine, so thought I would have them all in one place, which can be saved to your favourites tab and referred back to whenever you like. If I discover a new product, I will add it to this list so you can be assured it’s always up to date with my favourites! If you want to find out which products are right for your skin type than head to my skin types + routines blogpost here.

I’ve linked every product under the header description for each skincare category, simply click on the image if you want to find out more about any product – they are affiliate links so I will make a small commission from any sales. AD. I really appreciate anything you buy through these links as it helps support me in the work I do. I’ve tried to include an option to fit each budget for each category.

If you are in the United States – you can find the products below here.

You can find my lists for makeup here, bodycare here and hair here.

OIL / BALM CLEANSER
I use these to remove my makeup at night. I apply onto dry skin and massage into my skin (even onto my eyes, but more gently around this area) and then remove with a muslin cloth or flannel.

EYE CREAM
You’ll see the best effect from eye cream if you make sure you use it both morning and night. Apply it gently with your ring finger under and around your eye. This area of skin is much more fragile than the rest of your face so be gentle but diligent. You don’t need to use a lot – half a pea size for both eyes is more than enough.

nourishing:

active:

 

ANTIOXIDANT SERUM
I use this after cleansing in the morning. They tend to have Vitamin C as the main antioxidant, which helps to brighten the skin and even skin tone (whether from dark spots or acne scars). Antioxidants helps the skin fight free radicals throughout the day – which means pollution, stress, smoke. You can use alongside chemical exfoliants and other actives.

 

MIST
I love a good mist. Whether it’s to refresh throughout the day, hydrate on a flight or take away any powdery look from my makeup – they have endless uses and sometimes the only thing to wake you up properly after staring at a screen too long. If my skin is feeling sensitive, I also love to mist my face before I apply my serum – as serums absorb better onto moist skin.

 

ESSENCES

A lightweight, liquid product that is to be applied after cleansing to improve the absorption of your products after (ie get the most out of that serum you invested in) while also helping calm redness and dryness.

 

FAKE TAN

Only ever for a natural glow (think weekend in Italy rather than 2 weeks in Bali) I started using fake tan on my face years ago as my body goes a lot darker than my face. I’m not a mitt kind of girl and prefer to use boosters (where you add a few drops to your moisturiser) and body lotions and mists that have added benefits of some colour. I use these several times a week on my face and whenever I need a top up on my body.

 

WATER GEL CREAM
Normally a water gel texture, I love these in the summer or if my combination skin is feeling a little more on the oily side. They are great hydrators and great on sensitive skin (keep in the fridge for extra cooling effect) as they help strengthen the outer layer of skin – which is your barrier to the world. I apply these after serum.

 

MOISTURISER

The end of any good skincare routine – think of moisturiser as your way of locking all the good ingredients from your previous products in.

 

NIACINIAMIDE
A non irritating antioxidant that also helps to strengthen the skin barrier, brighten skin and prevent breakouts. A great all rounder that can be used daily in conjunction with other actives.

 

DAILY SPF

Yes, daily. Wearing sun protection every day (even in cloudy London) will protect your skin from sun damage (if it’s not pitch black – then there’s sun rays around) and blue light damage (yup your phone is harmful too!) These are my favourite ones that don’t feel heavy or look greasy under makeup.

 

AHA – ALPHA HYDROXY ACIDS

AHA’s are used as a chemical exfoliant, and include glycolic, mandelic and lactic. I love using these types of products in the evening, before a hydrating serum and moisturiser. They’re great at adding glow to skin as well  as minimising pigmentation and acne scars. The acid breaks down the ‘glue’ between dead skin cells leaving your with smooth, glowing skin. These come in various forms, so you can add it in with a toner, serum or mask – it’s up to you! You can use alongside BHA products but I wouldn’t recommend using in the same routine as another exfoliant (eg retinol or a physical scrub). If you have a more sensitive skin type I would recommend lactic over glycolic, as it is derived from milk.

 

BHA – BETA HYDROXY ACIDS
Namely: salicylic acid. Because it is oil soluble it is able to penetrate into the pore lining where it can dissolve clogs that lead to bumps on the skins surface. It’s also great at calming the skin so if your skin is more sensitive, it’s the one for you. It’s great for breakouts – and even preventing breakouts before they build up. You can use every night, or even just apply to areas that are more prone to clogging. As it comes in many forms, just like AHA’s, it’s easy to incorporate into a daily routine.

 

ENZYMES

If acid’s prove too much for your skin, using enzymes is a great option to gently exfoliate the skin and calm inflammation. Enzymes break down the keratin protein that can become hard and dull on the outside of the skin. Enzymes will eat away at the top layer of this leaving you with smooth, clear skin. I love using them in a mask form once a week and pads or serums are great  to incorporate daily for glowing skin.

 

RETINOL

In other words, Vitamin A. One of the most incredible ways to keep your skin plump, wrinkle and breakout free. It works by promoting cell turnover to smooth fine lines and plump the skin’s natural collagen. A higher percentage doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better – start with a low percentage and build your skin tolerance up. Begin with once every 2 weeks, then once a week… and so on. Use at night and make sure you’re wearing SPF50 every day.

You do not need to use retinol if you are under 25, as your skin is still young enough to do what retinol will do naturally and on its own.

 

RESURFACING MASKS

Sometimes called ‘peels’ but don’t worry, these at home ones won’t make your skin peel off – they’ll remove the dead skin and reveal youthful, glowing complexion underneath Great for breakouts and for brightening the skin, and they help diminish wrinkles, too.

I love using a resurfacing mask once or twice a week, to really give my skin new life! I feel like the products I use always work better when there aren’t any dead skin cells clogging my pores, too. Below I’ve included products that use either acids and / or enzymes to gently resurface. I was once told that using these every week meant I’d have skin that didn’t need foundation. Needless to say, I was sold.

 

HYDRATING MASKS
Giving your skin enough hydration is something all skin types and skin issues will benefit from. Especially with oily skin and breakouts, people often think they need to dry the skin out – but well hydrated skin is healthy skin and these problems will actually get better with higher moisture levels in the skin. You can use a hydrating mask everyday if you like.

 

DETOXIFYING / PURIFYING MASKS
These use clay to draw impurities out of the pores, using a clay mask once or twice a week is a great way to minimise breakouts and clear pores as they help regulate sebum production. Don’t leave on until it’s completely dry (as fun as that may be) – ten minutes is enough. If you have sensitive skin, stick to white clay rather than green.

 

SHEET MASKS
A great way to add instant hydration to the skin, I love using face masks before big events, too, as they prime the skin really well for makeup. These work well on all skin types, and if there’s a certain ingredient you want infused all over then these are the way to get it in! The sheet is soaked in a serum and by applying this heavy dose of serum to the skin, the sheet acts to stop it evaporating from the skin, and helps it be absorbed = the ingredients work better. I love using a roller on top, too.

 

EYE MASKS

Much like how sheet masks for the whole face work, these target the eye area specifically (a lot less commitment if you’re doing the mask while moving around, or if you’re applying a resurfacing or clay mud to the rest of your face) that is so often a problem area for many. I love to use these before makeup too, as they help hydrate and smooth the skin – paramount if you’ve got a big event! Keep in the fridge to keep them extra cool and help tighten and de-puff the eyes as the same time.

 

OILS
I talk a lot about avoiding essential oils since they are natural irritants to the skin. Since I have sensitive skin I can’t use these (citrus are the most irritating for me), but I love using a good oil, especially when the weather is cooler as my skin just drinks it up. Rosehip is a favourite oil of mine as it’s great for hydrating and healing, Squalane is also up there as it’s a natural oil in our skin that helps keep our lipids – aka that all important skin barrier – in check. If your skin is flaky it is lacking oil, so using an oil in the evenings is a great way to replenish moisture levels. And if you have oily skin you should definitely be using an oil! If you give your skin what it needs it will stop producing so much of it itself.

 

CALMING PRODUCTS

These are products that are great for those prone to redness. Whether you want to physically calm a sudden redness, or want to keep your protected (aka toughened up!) from the elements to keep redness at bay, these are my favourite products to use. You might also want to add in a hydrating serum (see above) into your routine as hydrated skin is a lot less irritated, and dehydrated skin is often why we suffer from redness. Using a soothing mist (also above) throughout the day and after cleansing will help balance the skin too.

 

PRE & PROBIOTICS
Great when taken orally to help the gut, or applied topically to help your skin’s microbiome (healthy bacteria) defend your skin from aggressors such as pollution and sun. Probiotics are the live bacteria, prebiotics are the food they eat. They are clinically proven to calm and soothe the skin as well as help the top layer of your skin (aka your skin barrier) stay hydrated, so whether you have sensitive skin, are prone to breakouts or even suffer from eczema or rosacea these are perfect for you.

 

COLLAGEN
Collagen levels in the skin decrease as we age so it’s important to keep levels high for healthy, plump skin. The collagen protein is responsible for the structure of the skin, so when levels are high your skin should be glowing and wrinkle free. You can naturally aid production with facial massage, too. Vitamin C and Retinol helo restore your skin’s natural collagen, too.

 

TOOLS

A good mix of all the tools you need for dry brushing, lymphatic drainage, facial massage, washing off oil cleansers, applying mask, carving cheekbones, zapping spots, getting your beauty sleep and more…

 

LIP CARE

From my favourite lip balms, to lip scrubs and masks – giving your lips a little more attention  every week will make a world of difference, especially if the seasons are changing.

 

LED AT HOME
LED – aka light emitting diode, or colour light therapy is normally an in salon treatment, but these days there are some wonderful at home options too. They are quite expensive, but consider how much you’re saving per salon visit and that easily adds up. Plus, it means you can use them daily which makes them more efficacious as you see quicker and better results. Particularly handy if on the run up to a big occasion! They tackle skin tone, brightness, wrinkles and acne by tackling inflammation and boosting collagen product. They’re also great for healing the skin.