The Face Moisture Duo

Origins Drink Up Ten Minute Mask - £20.00 and Hydraluron Moisture Booster - £24.99

If there's one thing I hate, it's cold weather. Sitting in a hot bath just to keep warm and leaving the heating on 24/7, combined with some pretty bracing winds outside, does not do much good for my skin. It got to the point where - as gross as it sounds - the skin was quite literally flaking off my face, and I realised I needed to do something about it pronto!

I'd had this tube of Hydraluron since November, but hadn't really given it a proper go. It's been hyped up in the blogging world, and initially I tried it for a couple of days, thought it didn't really do much good, and pushed it to the back of my skin care drawer. However, for the past couple of months I've been using it every morning, and I have to say that I really like it. The texture is a little weird - it's a clear, thin gel. Hydraluron contains hyaluronic acid (which sounds scary, but isn't - it's found naturally in humans anyway), a substance which can hold up to 1000 times its own weight water. Essentially it's the glue that holds your daily moisturiser to your skin, and makes it more effective.

When I'm using Hydraluron, I don't see a massive, over night difference. My cheeks and chin, which are my problem areas, do feel smoother now that I've been using it regularly, and my makeup sits really nicely if I've layered this under my moisturiser. It's when I forget to use this that I notice the big difference - my face feels tighter, and like it's missing something. I don't want to rave about this product too much, because I don't think it's essential, as younger skin contains higher levels of hyaluronic acid naturally anyway. However, I really enjoy using this as my morning serum, and will definitely be repurchasing.

The Origins Drink Up mask - particularly in the over night formula - is another product which a lot of bloggers seem to love. I was a little wary of using that formulation in case it caused blemishes, so opted to try the bog standard version instead. Firstly I have to say that this stuff smells amazing. It has the most perfect apricot scent, which reminds me of a yoghurt I used to love when I was little. Texture wise, this is a lot thicker and more creamy than Hydraluron. It's also white, rather than clear, but it's unnoticeable once applied.

I'm not as clued up on the science behind this product, but I know that it contains algae extract, and apricot kernel oil, both of which are excellent for moisturising the skin. This makes a great mini treatment whilst I'm in the bath, and I've also slept in it overnight without any problems. It didn't break me out, and I love how soft my face feels after using this. I've already decanted some in to a little pot for my next flight!