We’ve all done it— you come stumbling in late one night & all you can think about is climbing into your cosy, warm bed– who can be bothered to cleanse, tone & moisturise, when there’s catching some zzz’s on the cards? I know I used to be lazy all the time & felt accomplished if a babywipe graced my skin before my head hit the pillow (whether I was tired/half-cut or not!) I’m no skincare expert, but I know my skin started to suffer though & so I’ve recently tried to change my habits of a lifetime.

First of all, before you start searching the shelves for the perfect skincare product for you, are you drinking enough water & eating your 5-a-day? The most amazing product in the world, isn’t going to work properly if you’re stuffing yourself full of greasy foods, fizzy drinks & additives. A lot of beauty editor’s don’t believe that the ‘8 glasses of water a day’ rule will hydrate your skin, as the outer layer is dead skin cells & any water you drink isn’t absorbed by it, apparently. However, I like to think that water does flush the toxins out of your skin– & even if it doesn’t, water’s good for you anyway, so you aren’t going to see any adverse effects! The same goes for your 5 fruit/veg a day. I love to binge on grapes, strawberries & small fruits that don’t require any chopping, peeling or preparation— the ultimate lazy, guilt-free feast!

What skin type do you have? Like the big face-shape-for-hair debate, it can be a bit difficult to define which skin type you are & you might find that, like me, your skin changes with the season (I go from combination skin, to oily) so adapt your products accordingly.

Face

Rule One: Remove your make-up in the evening! I love to use babywipes, as they’re cheap & effective, but any cleansing wipe is fine. If you’ve got particularly dry skin, you might want to use a cream-based cleanser, along with a cotton wool ball. Remember to go right up to your hairline & down your neck too, & if you’re not going anywhere, take off your make-up as soon as you get home, so your skin can breathe.

Rule Two: Cleanse! My face always tends to feel a bit sticky & it would just feel odd not to wash my face with some kind of facial wash & water! I love Lush’s Coalface, for the ultimate cleanse, & then exfoliate with St Ives Apricot Scrub every other day. I tend to avoid bars of soap or washes that contain soap like the plague, as it makes my skin really dry & tight. If you’ve got really oily skin, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that soap will do your skin any good by drying it out, as it will just produce even more sebum (oil) to compensate! Also, try not to touch your face too much as dirt & oil from your fingers can clog your pores.

Rule Three: Tone! Some people don’t ‘believe’ in toners, but I’ve found they’ve made my skin really soft & reduced my pores & prevented blemishes, plus I feel completely refreshed after I’ve used it. I’m currently using Simple Toner & have no complaints yet! Tea Tree Water at Lush is also lovely.

Rule Four: Moisturise! Depending on your skin type, you might find that you have to apply your moisturiser straight away, before your skin dries out, to lock in moisture. Since I’ve started toning, I’ve found that I haven’t had to that, but I like to, just so there’s time for my skin to absorb the product, before I apply any make-up. It’s important to remember, that even if you have oily skin, you must moisturise! A good one for your skin, will actually prevent it from producing excess oil. Depending on the season, I’m a fan of Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser, Olay Beauty Fluid & Nivea Soft. It’s never too early to prevent skin-ageing, so go for something with an SPF in it too (even if you’re not planning to sunbathe!)

Rule Five: Pamper! Once a week, or even a fortnight, rejoice in a facial steam (you can just fill a bowl/sink with boiling water & place a towel over your head) for a few minutes, followed by pore strips & a face-mask– I love the warming variety! Splash your face with a little cold water after you’ve patted it dry, to close your pores & prevent dirt getting in them, while they’re open.

Body

It’s just as important to look after the rest of your body, as well as your face, so indulge in body scrubs or exfoliating gloves, that can be used with your normal shower gel, to prevent lumps, bumps & ingrown hairs. Circular motions will also help improve circulation & minimise cellulite. Hoorah! After exfoliating in the shower, I love to smother myself in Palmer’s Cocoa Butter, but if I’m having a bath, a few drops of baby oil are also really good for locking in moisture.

Skincare Myths – Do your homework!

You don’t need sunscreen on a cloudy day. Yeah, you do! Those UV rays are still out to get you, so wear it & reapply after swimming/sweating!
Expensive products will work the best. Nuh-uh! If you want to pay for pretty packaging & gorgeous smells, that’s up to you, but cheaper products are just as good. I’ve heard amazing things about Tesco’s Clear Skin range.
It says ‘natural’ so it must be good for my skin! Wrong! As long as a company states the actual ingredients used, they can write ‘natural’ on the front of the bottle to entice us. Naughty!
It’s ‘Dermatologist Recommended’, so it must be great! This means that as little as one dermatologist has used the product on a patient & they were happy with the results. How bad is that?

You won’t always see results instantly, but if you use the right products for your skin & maintain a regular routine, you should start to see some differences. Happy cleansing!

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