Today I want to talk about your skin. I often get complimented on my skin and makeup, so I thought it was time that I let you know a few home truths into looking after your skin. Having good skin is not luck, good genes or effortless as some of you may think. Looking after your face is an effort, I do not know many people who just get up daily and have amazing skin, amazing hair or don’t need to wear any makeup to look fresh. Life is an effort and if you are not prepared to put the effort in then don’t expect to get much back for not making this effort, and this goes for all aspects in life!
Now that I am approaching 30 I am starting to see my skin changing, crow’s feet wrinkles are starting to appear, and my skin is beginning to look a little tired. Lately I have noticed SO many young women 5 years younger than myself and more who have aged dramatically unnecessarily! Skin looks, dull, dehydrated, lifeless, grey and old! Therefore, I want to stress how important it is to start looking after your skin at a young age!! Why wait until your 45 and then start making the effort? Prevention is far better than cure. It will then be harder to maintain the skin when you should’ve been doing it years ago. It’s all about education and if you don’t know how to look after your skin then it is hard, but you must learn.
So many of us think nothing of spending $60 on their nails, lashes and brows etc, or even how much do you spend of coffee’s? Take away lunches? Nights out? Surely the skin on your face is more visible? Be kind to your skin, it’s going to represent you for a lifetime and you only get one! There are ways to look after your skin that do not cost anything. Here are some tips on how to look after your skin. Skin is the largest organ of the body, which is often forgotten about and taken for granted. We begin to lose Elastin and Collagen in our skin as soon as we hit puberty!
DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
I know it’s hard and boring, but water is very important, try to drink at least 2 litres a day to keep up your hydration. Limit coffee! (I will Admit I struggle with this!!!!)
SKINCARE PRODUCTS
A good skincare routine is paramount. Would you wash your hair with fairy liquid and nothing else? Most probably not. DITCH those face wipes! They are nothing but evil, just smearing dirt around your face and often containing chemicals that damage your skin. Now you may be saying “I do use good or expensive products every day, or I can’t afford expensive products” I am not trying to sell you our in-salon range of Prologic and Environ products, even though they are clinically proven to work. I am speaking in general. You don’t always need to spend loads; a lot of high-end creams are so over-priced and sell on their brand name. It is about using the correct products for your skin type. You may be using something fab but ask yourself, is it improving your skin or just maintain it? Does it work? If the product isn’t for your skin type, then you won’t get a great result from it. You might be using a product aimed at oily skin when really your skin is dehydrated. Never use strong products that strip your skin. All they do is ruin the P.H balance of the skin and causing more problems further down the road. Your skin Barrier is tiny, the first line of defense, keeps the bad stuff out and the good stuff in. What you put on your face really does matter Cleanse, tone and moisturise TWICE a day. “I don’t have the time” I hear you say. Well make the time. I bet you are happily sitting there scrolling through Facebook at night or reading a book. EFFORT again it boils down to, if you don’t want to clean your skin properly and hydrate it, then don’t moan when your skin is screaming neglect! Then if you really want to boost the skin, use a hydrating face mask once a week; apply serums and eye creams daily also.
FACIALS
Now this is the grey area which is often swept under the carpet. Many women have never had a facial or only had the odd one at a spa day treat once a year. They aren’t cheap, but they make a lot of difference to the skin. As I said above a lot of people are happy to spend money on high end makeup and quick fix beauty treatments, but facials are often only seen as a luxury treat that always comes last
SLEEP
Try to get as much sleep as you can. Its purpose is rest, repair and restoration. We are essentially the health of our cells, and cellular repair takes place during sleep. Everything from our skin cells to the cells that make up our muscles need repair work overnight. When cells are working optimally, we look and feel our best. We all know how much better we feel after a good night’s rest but here’s 3 reasons why it’s important to get your beauty sleep:
1. Sleep reduces the stress hormone, cortisol, which is responsible for accelerated skin ageing
2. Increases the sleep hormone, melatonin, which acts as an antioxidant to fight free radicals
3. Improves the efficiency of somatotropin, the growth hormone, which repairs and regenerates collagen-producing cells.
THE SUN
The Golden Rule- wear a SPF DAILY, whether it be in your makeup, moisturiser or used alone, you should be protecting your skin against the damaging UV rays always, even when it’s not sunny! Use at least a SPF 15. I can’t stress enough how important this step is, in protecting your skin from not only skin cancer but also Pigmentation and Ageing.
MAKEUP
Try to use a mineral based makeup that doesn’t contain lots of chemicals. I love all things Jane Iredale! Mineral based, vegan friendly, cruelty free, great price and beautiful make up!! Always take you’re make up of before bed! (Jane Iredale magic mitt is perfect for those late nights- It’s all in the name – Magic Mitt, a knitted micro-fiber cloth, really works its magic on your skin and it only needs water to do the job. The magic mitt breaks the surface tension of the oils that bond makeup to the skin while the fibers gently exfoliate. The combination of warm water and microfibers turn the makeup into an emulsion that is easily swept away by the mitt. It will even remove mascara!)
EAT WELL & EXERCISE
Easier said than done as always! Just like what you put on your skin matters, what we put in our body is even more important! Beauty from the inside out as Dr Libby Weaver (my Guru) will say is so important. Your skin reflects what is going on inside the body, listen to it, take care of it! I am also a huge believer in upplements. We stock the Advanced Nutrition Programme Supplements and my personal favorite now is the Skin Care Ultimate 28 Pods of Beauty. Vitamin A and D (focusing of healthy skin), Omegas 6 and 9 (barrier protection and more), 7 antioxidants (healthy skin), Astaxanthin plus biotin (nourished, strong hair and nails), CoQ10 plus pine bark extract (lighter brighter complexion). Now you can see that looking well is an effort and these are some of the steps to make if you want to look and feel your best. We can always do more obviously, but these are the basics. YES, I do all of these I promise, it’s all about effort and putting that effort in, making the time even when your over worked, tired, stressed and deprived of time. This is about self-care, making yourself and your body a priority. You can’t neglect yourself, you always need to come first! This is not about being selfish, its about knowing you can’t pour from an empty cup. Make the effort and invest in yourself!! You are totally worth it!
If you are looking for help and advice with your skin, we offer a skin analysis device which looks deeper into your skin and shows you your skin type and what products are recommended to you. Ask us for more details.