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Sun skin safety. It’s not the most glamorous of subjects and granted, it does have the similar dull ring to it as the dreaded ‘health and safety’. That said, it is really something that we need to think seriously about. Obviously I don’t want to start sounding like your Mum here, making you wear a t-shirt in the pool; so instead I’m going to talk you through all the key things you need to look out for with your suncare products.

Most of us will only start thinking about suncare in the weeks leading up to our summer getaway to sunnier climates. However, regardless of whether you are sunning yourself on a yacht in St Tropez (I wish) or just sitting in the park in cloudy Britain, everyone is exposed to the sun in some way. Up to 40% of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth on a completely cloudy day, leaving us exposed to the sun even when we don’t realise it. That’s why we should be putting sun protection in place on a daily basis to help protect our skin. After all, the sun’s rays may be invisible to the naked eye, but the effects on the skin are clear.

So, what should you be looking for when it comes to skin protection? Most of the time, it feels like suncare brands are just throwing acronyms at us left, right and centre. So let’s cut through the jargon and break it down.

You should be looking for two different levels of protection. SPF is the level of protection given against UVB rays (these can alter your skin cells’ DNA and cause sun burn). In simple terms, if your skin usually takes around 20 minutes to redden when unprotected, an SPF15 lotion will extend this time by 15, providing coverage for up to 5 hours.

Meanwhile, UVA protection levels (UVA rays cause allergies, ageing, dark spots and wrinkles) can be recognised by star ratings on the bottle. Five stars is what you’re after here of course. Products with both UVA and UVB coverage are known as ‘broad spectrum protection’.

Regardless of how long your protection claims to last, no suncream should be expected to keep skin protected for longer than 2 hours without reapplication. Plus of course, your suncream is only good as your application technique, so be generous people.

With suncare, I truly believe you get what you pay for. I’ve tried them all, from budget to premium brands, and it’s clear that the professional brands have got it right. In fact, cheaper high street brand suncreams can include sunscreen chemicals that are harmful to the skin. Very often, they are actually the cause of the dreaded prickly heat. So I urge you, invest in your suncare and you’ll never look back. Let me share 2 of my favourites with you:

Dermalogica Protection 50 Sport. This is a sheer cream that has enhanced SPF performance and counteracts moisture loss triggered by extended daylight exposure. I love this one because it doesn’t feel greasy and also doesn’t stain your white tops as so many creams tend to.

Thalgo Age Defence Sun Lotion SPF30. This rich cream provides optimum sun protection from the first days of exposure. It’s a really creamy, velvety lotion with a fine and ultra-light texture that allows you to develop a lasting tan safely.

So, no excuses. Make sure you’re #sunsafe this summer.

xoxo

If you’ve ever used a primer, you’ll know it’s one of those products that, once you’ve tried it, you don’t know how you ever lived without it before. Not only does it keep your makeup looking flawless, it helps to smooth out the skin and generally makes it look healthy and glowing —all in one easy step. But to a primer virgin, it’s easy to find the world of primers a teeny bit intimidating, but never fear: I’m here to answer all your burning questions. I’ve put together this little primer all about primers, including a list of the best products out right now. Prepare to take your makeup game to the next level.

“What do primers do?”

When they first came on the market, a primer’s main job was to help your makeup last a very long time. While that’s still part of their job description, increasingly advanced formulas also blur fine lines, fill pores, colour correct and reduce oiliness or dryness. You could say it’s the ultimate multitasker. The newest generation of primers also capitalize on the “hybrid product” trend and can contain SPF, ingredients to make skin healthier and more radiant, or even promise temporary plumping effects.

“Should I go for a silicon-based or water-based primer?”

Primers tend to be one of two varieties, either silicon or water-based. Which one you opt for really depends on what you want from a primer. Silicon based products are the best of the best for “filling in” issues (like pores, scars and lines) and water-based primers excel at extending makeup wear.

 “How do I use them?”

Think of your primer as the base for your foundation and apply it BEFORE you apply your makeup. After your cleansing routine and moisturising your skin, apply your primer. A pea-sized amount should be enough. You want to make sure your lips and eyelids are covered too. You can apply this in the same way as a moisturiser and use your fingertips; you won’t need a brush for this one.  Once it’s set and no longer feels sticky, tacky or wet, apply your foundation on top as you normally would and carry on with your make up routine.

“So which primer is best for me and my skin?”

There are so many primers on the market these days that it can be a little overwhelming. The easiest way to guide you through the crowd is to break it down to some of my favourites by skin type.

For Dry/Dehydrated Skin:

Dermalogica HydraBlur Primer 22ml

This is the latest offering to the primer world and wow is it a winner. This primer is actually a great all rounder for all skin types, but it works particularly well for dry/dehydrated skins. It’s lightweight, non greasy formula powerfully hydrates and transforms skin into an even surface with a dramatic ‘blurring’ effect. The result is a flawless canvas for make-up application. It also gives you a naturally radiant, makeup free appearance when used alone. Its three benefits are intense moisturisation, neutral coverage and pore-refining properties. It’s my new best friend.

Thalgo Perfect Glow Primer 30ml

This product really delivers a flawless complexion, perfect skin and is the first "airbrush effect" marine skin perfector. It has a light gel consistency that has correcting prisms of coloured light to help conceal imperfections, dilated pores and surface irregularities; illuminating the skin with a perfect radiance. It’s great at providing hydration to the skin throughout the day and prevents makeup from becoming patchy.

For prematurely ageing/mature skin:

Dermalogica Skin Perfect Primer 22ml

This is the ultimate multifunctional product. It not only acts as a make-up primer, but it conditions and treats the signs of aging while providing Broad Spectrum UVA and UVB defence. Steady on. It smoothes skin and stimulates collagen production to increase skin firmness. Velvety silicones combined with Soy Protein evens out skin texture whilst Pearl Powder and natural earth minerals provide a neutral tint to help balance skin tone and enhance luminosity. It can be worn alone or underneath make-up to help smooth fine lines and deliver a lasting make-up finish.

For sensitive/redness prone skin:

Dermalogica Redness Relief Primer 22ml

This is the ultimate product for sensitised skins and those prone to redness or rosacea. This product contains natural botanical extracts that provide a sheer green tint to counter any redness. It provides Broad Spectrum protection while diffusing redness and calming irritation. Basically it’s perfect as a translucent, redness reducing makeup prep product.

For those who are short on time:

Garnier Skin Naturals 5 Second Perfect Blur 30ml

This product is great for those of us who don’t always have the time to complete the many steps of a morning cleansing and make-up routine. Perfect Blur literally takes 5 seconds to apply and due to the optical effect of the light reflectors your wrinkles, fine lines, skin imperfections, uneven tone and open pores appear reduced and visibly corrected. It has an instant result and is a little bit cheaper that some products on the market, so it’s perfect if you want to try a primer for the first time too. Also, I love the matte finish of this primer.

Let me know your thoughts about primers in the comments below. Do you love them or still haven’t tried them?

xoxo

Out of all the skin issues that I talk about on this blog, one of the most requested and asked about has got to be acne and breakouts. Whether you’re a persistent sufferer of adult acne or just suffer from hormonal breakouts, you’ll know that acne still comes with a lot of myths and old wives tales about how best to manage it and banish those spots for good.  They say ‘knowledge is power’, so I thought it was high time that we all know what we’re dealing with. After all, you can’t treat a spot if you don’t know what kind of spot it is. So here’s my breakdown of breakouts.

Type 1: Whiteheads 

These tend to be the easiest type of spot to deal with.  These usually magically appear overnight in all their fully formed glory - and have a very noticeable 'white head'. If you’ve recently changed your nightly moisturiser to a richer formula and suddenly find yourself with the dreaded whitehead, it’s probably a bit too rich for you. These can also be the result of excess sweat or a bit too much greasy food.

What to do about it: Start by feeling around the spot, whiteheads don’t tend to be sore. If it's not sore, and you can see a large amount of sebum (the white stuff), cleanse your face as normal. It’s best to use a flannel with your cleanser on these occasions, as sometimes the flannel will take care of it for you. If not, finish your cleanse and hold a warm flannel over the spot for a minute. Now take clean hands, split two bits of tissue, wrap them around your forefingers and gently squeeze in from the outside. It should come away easily. If it does, make sure the area is clean, tone, moisturise and go live your life. If it doesn't come away, it's not ready and could be our next culprit.

Type 2: Pimple

A pimple is one of those spots that sits on the fence. It’s still deciding what it wants to do. They are small, red and have no head.

My advice; leave it the hell alone.  You just need to carry on with your usual routine. Cleanse, tone, moisturise (yes, moisturise. Drying out a spot is not a thing people), conceal and be on your way. 99% of the time it will go away on its own. If not and you’re a little unlucky, it will turn into number 3 on our list.

Type 3: Large pimple (aka pustule) 

I like to call this one ‘the hulk’. It’s angry and wants you to know it. They are sore, red, inflamed and infuriatingly nearly always without a head. So what does that mean? It doesn't want you to pick. DO NOT PICK. I REPEAT DO NOT PICK. For those of you, like me, who suffer from acne or acne rosacea, this is your common nemesis.

My advice to you; keep it clean, keep it moisturised, keep an eye on it. Trust me, it will go away, but unfortunately it wants to do it in its own sweet time.

Sometimes you can see a teeny tiny whitehead forming on the top. Cleansing will remove what your skin wants you to remove. If your skin doesn’t offer that sebum to you, it’s time to back off.  All you'll end up with is a bleeding, angry spot that is ten times the size it was as when you started. That’s when acne scarring happens, so as tempting as it may be, be cruel to be kind and leave it alone.

Type 4: Blackhead

Believe it or not, these are not typically spots. First let me expel a few little myth for you; blackheads do not mean you are dirty or unclean and they are not caused by germs (same goes for all spots FYI). Blackheads are the result of your DNA, sorry.

The best thing you can do for blackheads is to cleanse your skin morning and night, using the right products (have a look at my acne blog for more details on this and go for an acne targeted facial to get them removed gently and professionally.

Top tip; blackhead removal is called ‘extractions’ in beauty lingo…make sure you ask about this specifically when you book.

Hopefully, armed with that snippet of beauty knowledge you can start treating your skin and spots with the respect they deserve. Remember the answer to your spot issue is not always to ‘pop’ it. In fact, that’s rarely the answer, trust me.