anti-ageing

Recently I’ve been giving loads of you advice about which products I feel would work wonders for your skin and would be a great addition to your skincare regime. In addition to these products though, there are loads of great things that you can do to help yourself and get your skin’s health back on track. Obviously everyone is different, but here’s a few of my top tips that have helped my clients see great results in their skin. (I know they may seem obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people don’t do the basics).

Cleanse your skin every night. No excuses. It seems obvious, but you’d be amazed how many people fail at this crucial step in the skincare regime. Always make sure to double cleanse if you are wearing make-up or sunscreen - which means most of you I’m sure. I find a quick dive in the shower before bed to cleanse my skin not only works wonders for my face, but also helps me get a better sleep. Win win.

Cleanse your skin every morning. I know your skin won’t have faced the same aggressors overnight as in the day, but it’s so important to cleanse your skin in the morning. Of course, it doesn't have to be as full on as at night – but a quick cleanse wouldn't go amiss to get rid of the overnight sweat and (ewwww) skin shedding. I won’t go into the details, but trust me, wash your face in the mornings just like your mum told you to.

Sugar. Sorry people, but sugar is not your friend if you want healthy, glowing skin. Sugar is the devil, fizzy drinks too. They will tempt you, but please don’t sell your soul. They are empty calories. Drink water. One of the best things you can do for your health and skin.

Get some sunshine. For some, skin and the sun are not firm friends. Some skincare brands insist it’s the ultimate enemy. It’s not, as long as you respect it and protect your skin. Believe me when I tell you, a little sunshine is good for you. As long as you remember the crucial SPF (most of the time you can easily get this from your moisturiser or even your make-up base). The fact is that yes, obviously too much sun is damaging to the skin. But in small amounts, sunshine it can be amazing for your skin.

Do not smoke. Need I say more?

Spend some money on your skincare routine.  I’m a big believer in you get what you pay for. There’s a reason that professional products cost a bit more, and it’s because they spend more time on research, testing and getting their products right. If it seems too good to be true that a £5 cleanser will cure the signs of ageing, it definitely is. Spend more, get results.

Let me know your tips for keeping your skin healthy in the comments below.

It’s always been fairly obvious that your diet contributes directly to the health of your skin. If you’re anything like me, you’ll see the negative after-effects of greasy foods, sugary foods and alcohol in your skin almost immediately. Nutrients from a healthy diet will help maintain healthy skin from the inside out. But a healthy diet is something your whole body reaps rewards from, and the skin is often given the leftovers, with your brain, heart and other essential organs getting first dibs. Bearing this in mind, and while there’s no substitute for a healthy diet, there’s no denying the added benefit of nutrient infused skincare.

Let me guide you through the top 4 super foods for your skin, their benefits and where you can find them in your skincare.

1. Papaya

Reveal a fresh face with Papaya. This fruit contains an enzyme called papain that can rid you of dead skin cells and speed up cell renewal. In a nutshell, it smoothes, refreshes and refines. You’ll find this baby in Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant and their Gentle Cream Exfoliant.

2. Cucumber

Cucumber has more uses in the beauty world than just popping a couple of slices on your eyes. Cucumber can help quench your skin’s thirst. It’s a hydrating soother that contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory Caffeic Acid. Essentially it soothes, calms and hydrates. For those of you with sensitive skins, you can get your daily dose of cucumber’s benefits using Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser.

3. Carrot

We all know the myth that carrots help you see in the dark, but did you know that carrots are rich in Vitamin A and antioxidant Vitamin E. It helps firm, nourish and regenerate the skin for improved elasticity. I recommend a healthy dose of Dermalogica Overnight Repair Serum to get your carrot fix. This serum replaces lipids whilst nourishing dry or dehydrated skin. Apply 6–10 drops to your fingertips then smooth into the skin. You can also mix 3-4 drops in with your moisturiser at night.

4. Rooibos Tea

This tea from the South African Red Bush contains antioxidants that are 50 times stronger than those found in green tea. It’s not messing around. Rooibos Tea can help soothe the skin and shield it against environmental damage.  If you fancy an alternative to the drink, reach for Dermalogica Daily Resurfacer, a leave-on exfoliating treatment that brightens, hydrates, evens skin tone, and delivers dramatic smoothing results.

The effects of menopause can affect each woman differently, but one thing is for sure; it’s a period of change that is a challenging and difficult process. This is especially true as menopause not only affects the internal body, but it causes changes in your skin too. This can be a side effect to the menopause that many women do not expect, so I thought it might be helpful for me to use this blog to guide you through the most common issues affecting menopausal skin

Let’s start with the most basic question; what does menopause have to do with your skin? One word people. Hormones. Yep, those dreaded hormonal changes that you thought were behind you are having a bit of a revival. The hormonal changes that occur during and after menopause tend to change the way your skin behaves in new and different ways. For those of you who like to know the technical stuff, the decline of B-Estradiol is the main culprit in the accelerated ageing of skin. It results in lowered oestrogen and progesterone production, which inevitably leads to changes in the skin.

So what changes can you expect to see and how should you combat them?

1. Oilier Skin

During menopause, as your levels of oestrogen decrease, testosterone is no longer masked in the body. Testosterone can then stimulate your sebaceous glands to secrete thicker sebum, giving the appearance of oily skin and possibly mild adult acne (take a look at my dedicated Adult Acne Blog). To treat this issue, the best thing you can do is apply a mask to the skin 2-3 times per week to help control the secretion of sebum from the skin. I recommend Thalgo Absolute Purifying Mask 40ml. Apply to the face for 10 minutes then rinse. You can also apply this one exclusively to the T-Zone.

2. Facial Hair

As another nasty side effect of the unmasking of testosterone some women may develop facial hair, particularly in the chin area. Don’t worry ladies; I’m only talking a few tiny hairs, not a full on beard. No need to borrow his beard trimmer. Waxing or threading the area is best to help rid yourself of these nuisances. Step away from the razor though if you ever considered it, this will just make the hairs thicker, darker and grow back more frequently. Top tip: try Thalgo Anti Regrowth Solution for Sensitive Areas. This helps to slow down hair regrowth after hair removal services.

3. Elastosis

During menopause, lowered estrogen levels result in less production and repair of collagen in the dermis of the skin, which means that we lose our skin’s resiliency. Lower collagen levels are also the cause of skin ageing and those pesky fine lines and wrinkles. To help combat this Thalgo Silicium Concentrate is an intensely re-sculpting serum that fights the appearance of visible wrinkles and skin slackening. It should be used three times per year as a one-month course.

I won’t mention the hot flashes. But please don’t worry; the occurrence and intensity of the side effects vary from woman to woman. For most, these side effects stop within a year.

One thing is certain though; your skin is at a critical stage when going through the menopause with a number of key changes. It’s important to revise your home care routine to help support your skin.

If you have any questions or specific concerns, leave a comment and I’ll be in touch.

xoxo