I may be speaking for myself here, but, let’s face it – the majority of us will undoubtedly look better under the soft lighting of an evening, as opposed to the cold light of day. My impromptu moment of truth happened on my morning walk to work a few years ago…
Every day I would apply my full coverage foundation in the flattering light of my bathroom mirror, then head off to work under the illusion I had flawless-looking skin.
Meandering along the busy high street on my journey to work, fabulously sporting my rather expensive and high-end foundation. Then, one morning, a tiny black fly nose-dived into my eye with a direct hit and my eye began streaming as a result. I found a discreet place to stop, fished out my compact mirror and attempted to remove the fly from my eye and It was at that moment the harsh reality of my reflection hit me. Never mind the fly, my foundation was more concerning – cakey, patchy and uneven.
I scurried off to work with my tail between my legs, feeling less than confident and rather more self-conscious. Is this how I looked, every day? As soon as lunch break came around I darted out and purchased a tinted moisturiser vowing never to wear a full coverage foundation publically during daylight hours again. I made the decision that day to do all I could to have a naturally flawless complexion with a tinted moisturiser, rather than hide under a layer of full coverage, for daytime at least.
Daylight shows no mercy in highlighting every teeny tiny flaw in our skin and makeup so, in terms of caring for our skin, maintenance is a must. I’m sharing my tried and tested tips today, but of course, there’s no denying genetics and lifestyle choices form part of the equation but It’s never too late to start, so, what can you do day-to-day to get you on the road to flawless skin?
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1. Exfoliate…
If you’re not regularly exfoliating then you’re missing out on a huge part of your skin maintenance routine. Whether it be enzymatic or a physical (granular) formula, you’ll need to do it two to three times a week…religiously. Applying your favourite skincare to a layer of dead skin cells isn’t going to benefit you at all and the pay off is baby smooth skin, plus those pesky fine lines or first signs of ageing may be kept at bay a little longer. However, if you’re under the age of 21, you may not need to carry out exfoliation quite so often.
If you’re heading out, don’t forget your facial SPF following exfoliation as your skin is more susceptible to sun damage for a few hours after. My favourites are below…
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2. Supplement Your Skin, beauty comes from within.
I’ve been doing this for years. I switch between Perfectil Original and the Platinum Formula, depending on how flush I am. I will always shop around for these two and generally pay around £11.99 for thirty Platinum tablets despite the hefty RRP of £23.95 as I prefer to shop around to get a good deal. Gladly, you can pick up the original for around £5.50 for a thirty-day supply. The original is more maintenance with the platinum being an extra-strength formula. It works by nourishing new skin cells properly so as they rise to the surface they will be at their best, feeding your body from within to also improve hair and nails. You won’t see immediate results but after three to four weeks you’ll start seeing an improvement generally. Wait until your hair enters its “growing phase” and you’ll be surprised.
Also, earlier this year I tried a thirty-day course of Skinade collagen drinks – read my review drinking skin-loving goodies is said to be more effective and to be honest, I did have a real improvement in my hair. Skinade then supplied me with a further three months worth of drinks whereby I continued to have a good result in both my hair and skin. Skinade can be quite expensive as a long-term solution but if you have a special occasion coming up, you might want to take a month’s supply to give you an all-around boost. Also, if you’re serious about the anti-ageing benefits of taking a daily supplement have a read of my Lumity article.
3. Facial Massage…
This can be so therapeutic, stimulating blood flow and encouraging lymphatic drainage. I apply a good serum or oil and use my fingers to tap, pinch and massage my face. For a quick fix, I also use my Sarah Chapman Facialift Roller. This mimics the massaging action and really gets to work on the jawline increasing lymphatic drainage and bringing a healthy glow to the skin. If you want a brighter, glowing complexion, a facial massage is a must. If you’re interested in another all-in-one skincare device, have a read of my BeGlow TIA article.
4. Drink Lemon Water – Through A Straw
I love “lemony” water, but none of this fruit-infusing trend or juice squirted from a bottle of Jif. I slice one in half and squeeze into a glass of iced water, It’s so refreshing and an all-around quick detox. Lemon water acts as a diuretic flushing toxins from your body, this is great for your skin! It also slows down the absorption of food so that our body can use the nutrients more efficiently, this, in turn, stabilises insulin levels. If you suffer from bloating, drinking lemon water may help reduce symptoms, plus you’ll get a boost of vitamin C, potassium and magnesium too. Lemons are so inexpensive, I always like to have some at hand. Drinking your lemon water through a straw keeps contact with your teeth to a minimum as the acidity can erode the enamel over time. With so many skin-loving benefits…What are you waiting for?
5. And So To Bed…
“An hour before twelve is worth two after”. It’s no secret that sleep is good for our skin, but have you ever considered your pillowcase? It’s a scary thought that by the time we reach the age of sixty, we will have slept for an average of twenty years. The weight of your head against the pillow, on repeat, each night causes those pesky facial sleep creases you might wake up with occasionally.
Of course, they will disappear within a couple of hours but over time, they can become ironed into your skin as the repetitive creasing causes the collagen to break down.
Look at your parents or an older relative – you can tell which side of their face they sleep on. Unlike cotton, silk or satin doesn’t absorb natural oils from your skin, or your expensive moisturiser. An added bonus – you will wake up to creaseless skin and a good hair day, as the hair fibres aren’t ruffed up as they would be with a cotton pillowcase.
“I used a satin pillowcase for two years and I can confirm, the benefits of satin far outway cotton, the creasing to my face was reduced and my hair was less messy on waking”.
Pure silk is pricey and a little indulgent, but I see it as a long-term investment in my face, and definitely something I’m to purchase as soon as Christmas is out of the way. If you’re on a budget, Shop around for a cheaper satin alternative as I did.
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Do you have any of your own tips to share? I’d love to hear what you do to keep your skin looking flawless.
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