The other day I was asked a simple (& beautifully shallow) 'which would you rather' question: bad hair or bad skin? I first went 'ohhhh toughy' but when I took 15 seconds to think about it I opted for bad hair.
When your hair is out of control you can bung on a hat, scrape it back, add a huge accessory and people are pretty much none the wiser. Your skin however is a totally different kettle of fish. Yes, makeup works wonders (thank god) but there's only so much it can do.
To me, good skin is super important. I spend time, & money, to achieve the best possible results I can. At 35 I certainly don't look like I did in my 20's that's for sure. Ageing has absolutely begun (hello crows feet) but I'm going to put it out there to say I think my complexion is better now then it ever has been.
Yes, I use a broad spectrum SPF30 all year round without fail. Prevention is better than cute and all that. Yes, I suffer from pregnancy related pigmentation on my top lip & forehead. Yes, I have super large dark eyebags from just having a baby. My skin isn't perfect whatsoever, far from it, but I have learnt a few really really simple things that I am convinced have made a huge difference. Here are some of the things I like to do which have worked brilliantly for me.
Double cleansing in the evening
I used to be a wash and go-er, using just one facial cleansing product. This is totally fine if you're barefaced. However, if you're wearing makeup, or in my case a *lot* of makeup (hello SPF, primer, foundation, concealer, powder.....) I think it's a huge ask of your one product to remove ALL of that, along with oil, dirt, baby sick & dog slobber AND actually wash your face.
I know that most facial cleansing products do claim to do just that but more often than not I'd still get traces of makeup on my cotton pad when I used a toner after washing.
I now double cleanse. It's only added about 30 seconds extra my routine and really has made all the difference. You could simply use your facial wash twice. Or you could use two different products.
I now start with a micellar cleansing water to remove 90% of my makeup. My current favourite is the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. It's only £4.99 for a decent 400mls (it claims to last for 200 uses and to be honest that's not too far from the truth).
I pop a little on a cotton pad and quickly swipe it around my face. This removes most of my makeup with a few pads.
I then use a facial wash. I've always really enjoyed actually washing my face with water, but what kind of product you use is totally personal preference. I can't get enough of the First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser. It's soft, gentle, creamy and leaves my skin feeling lovely and not at all dry or tight.
At £14 it is a touch more expensive however if you've removed your makeup first you only need the smallest dot to clean your entire face. Since I started double cleansing my face wash lasts almost twice as long.
So, the micellar water removes my makeup and then the face wash gets on in there, removes the final trace of makeup, oil & dirt and really cleanses my skin. Since I have been doing this I hardly ever break out now (touch wood). (The double cleansing method also works fantastically on your hair.)
Every now & then I also like to use my Clarisonic.
This is a super duper facial brush that uses sonic technology to give your skin the ultimate cleanse. This is an extremely pricey gadget that promises the best in facial cleansing & is supposed to be 6x more effective than manual cleansing alone. It's also supposed to reduce the appearance of pore size, fine lines & wrinkles.
For £179 I was hoping for a face as fresh as a baby's but for me using this daily was just too much. However a few times a week, especially if I've been wearing extra heavy makeup is perfect. Would I say you need to all rush out and buy yourself a Clarisonic, probably not. There are a lot of cheaper equivalents out there but the concept really is great and I do enjoy the tingling clean feeling it gives me when I use it.
L to R: The Sancturary Brightening Facial Radiance Exfoliator, Sarah McNamara Beauty New York 'Miracle Skin Transformer Hydroactive Microderm', St Ives Gentle Apricot Scrub
Use an exfoliator
Once or twice a week after I cleanse I like to use a scrub. Nothing too abrasive and a very light hand. It helps to remove any built up dead skin cells and leaves your skin with a new lease of life.
I think the most important thing is to not over do it. You don't want to be scrubbing the living daylights out of your skin 7 days a week. Just once or twice a week with any scrub that suits you. I use both drugstore and higher end products and rotate them. A small amount of product and a gentle hand works well for me.
A good facial moisturiser
Once your skin is clean a good moisturiser really is important, no matter what your skin type. Even if you're oily or combination you need to add moisture back in. I use a cream high in vitamin A in the day - Environ AVST2 (I get mine from a salon). In the evening I love using Tarte's Pure Maracuja Oil.
Buy yourself an age appropriate moisturiser that treats your main concerns and use it religiously. The same goes for an eye cream too.
A weekly treat
Once a week treat your skin to a face mask. Whether it's one to attack break outs, add mega moisture or just to refresh and even your skin tone, 15 minutes once a week is all it takes.
I absolutely love the Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment Masque by Glamglow. Yes, it's pretty expensive at £39.99 but you can easily get 10 treatments from one pot so if you look at it cost per use it's not too bad! This mask leaves my skin looking pretty incredible, it's totally worth all the hype!
Water, water & more water
We've all heard it a million times before but if you drink a lot of water you will absolutely see a difference in your skin. It will be clearer and more plump. Hands up, I'm not always the best at this but when I do I notice the difference.
So, these are the few things I do that have made a big difference for me. What tips and tricks do you like to do?
Read about the Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil here.
I'm off to slather on a mask,
Love Emma
XOXO
No comments:
Post a Comment