Okay I confess, lockdown has turned me into a bit of a skincare guru wanna-be. Not so good news for my bank account but great news for my skin! Most of us would already have been wearing next to no makeup these past months, and let's not even mention how little the hair has been washed (that’s beneficial for it right?). Being in the ‘can’t leave the house without foundation’ category of individual I felt there would be no better time to get my skin looking the best it can be by maintaining a skincare routine. I took it upon myself to trial several new skincare products and routines over lockdown. During this trial, coupled with my many many years of extremely temperamental skin, I have picked up a plethora of tried and tested tips, tricks, and products. Luckily for you reading this, I am going to impart my wisdom.
*Disclaimer* I just want to mention that of course everyone’s skin is different and it will change throughout your life so you will need to get in tune with your skin's ins and outs and be prepared to make changes as and when. Get to know the different skin types; signs of damage or ageing; the ingredients to look out for and those to ignore; dietary effects; vitamins; and so on. There is plenty of research out there available to anyone so use it! BUT, take everything with a pinch of salt and DO NOT FALL FOR FALSE ADVERTISING. Of course, look to trained dermatologists if you have any major concerns. Now let’s get into it!
Tip #1 H2O
This may seem obvious but you want to drink as much water as possible. Around 2L a day is optimum. Make the first thing you do when you wake up drinking a pint of water, before you eat or drink anything else. Do not wait until you feel thirsty! Always try to have a pint of water available to you. This has many many benefits but one of the biggest is for your skin.
Tip #2 SPF SPF SPF SPF!!!!
No matter who you are or what you do, wear SPF! And I mean every day. Clouds, rain, or shine. Indoors or outdoors. Just wear SPF. SPF is the only thing that actively slows signs of ageing, keeping it plump, smooth, and radiant. When I say SPF, I mean the real stuff. Avoid products ‘with SPF’ as they will be less effective only providing some level of protection. They say nothing looks better in your 50s than SPF in your 20s!
Tip #3 STOP TOUCHING YOUR FACE
Not only considering the circumstances but this is also extremely good practice when it comes to skincare. Your skin is very gentle, and highly irritable (much like me during lockdown), so treat it as such. For the same reason we are told not to pop spots touching the skin, especially blemishes, will only add to your problems, create scars, uneven skin tones, textures, and so much more. Therefore avoid touching your face all together unless applying products. And when you do…
Tip #4 WASH YOUR HANDS
Something we should all be familiar with by now. Before applying anything to your face you should wash your hands to avoid clogging pores with bacteria, oil and dirt you may have picked up on your hands during lockdown… and beyond!
Tip #5 CLEAN YOUR PHONE
Again, not only good practice to prevent the virus spreading but great for skincare. Insurance2go found screens harboured 254.9 units of infection present per cm2. That is over TEN TIMES more infected than a toilet seat and flush! You touch your phone more than any other thing so the transfer of bacteria is inevitable, not to mention to your face and not just when having a phone call. Therefore, I urge you to clean your phones at least once a week. And your computers, tablets and remote controls whilst you are at it.
Tip #6 MOISTURISE EVERY SINGLE DAY
Twice a day if you can. Moisturiser helps to lock in all of the goodness and helps your skin do its thing! Ensure you have two moistures one for the day and one for night.
Tip #7 CHANGE YOUR PILLOWCASES
We should be changing our bedding at least once a week. Our pillow cases even more regularly. The buildup of oils transferred onto them and then in direct contact with our skin for an extended period is not kind to the skin and will cause breakouts.
Tip #8 DON'T FORGET ABOUT YOUR NECK
Our necks age the quickest so be sure that everything you do to your face you bring down to your neck. Cleanser, SPF, moisturiser, serums. The lot.
Tip #9 HAVE A ROUTINE
I don’t mean just making sure you wash your face before bed. Just like you may have a makeup routine, you should also have a skincare routine. Skincare takes time and it deserves it, after all if your skin looks good so will your makeup. Your skincare should take at least 10 minutes and you should have one routine for the morning and separate routine for the evening. Remember: protect during the day, repair at night.
Tip #10 THE GOLDEN ORDER
Just as you would not wear your socks over your shoes, there is a certain order to which skincare should be applied.
Tip #11 THROW AWAY YOUR WIPES
Wipes are not only harmful for the environment, they are also harmful for your skin. I was an avid wipe user but I promise they are a complete waste of money. All they truly do is wipe your makeup or oils around the surface of your skin, removing very little. If you absolutely must wipe those tricky areas, please, please, please follow up with a proper warm water double cleanse.
Tip #12 MUSLIN CLOTHS
Instead of spending £2 on ineffective wipes, spend the same on a muslin or bamboo cloth. If wipes don’t work then washing your face with just your fingers and some cleanser isn’t going to get you much further than the surface too.
Tip #13 FACE MISTS
Great if your skin needs that extra boost! Use a mist in your routine or throughout the day for a replenishment of vitamins and moisture.
Tip #14 DON'T OVER EXFOLIATE
You should only exfoliate every now and again to remove dead skin cells and aid the renewal process. Abrasive exfoliators are often uneven and can cut the skin, causing more damage so try to opt for very fine, natural physical exfoliators or ideally swap for a chemical peel or acid treatment which you should use once a week.
Tip #15 FACE MASKS
Try to make time for a face mask at least once a week, this will help to unblock pores, replenishing the skin’s surface, add moisture, and generally aid the skin's natural cycle.
These products are not only tried and tested but products that I swear by. I have spent hours researching the ingredients, vitamins and benefits of each and would recommend them to anyone with any skin type over and over again. Most feature natural ingredients and very little chemicals, both bonuses for the delicate skin on our face and neck.
L'Oréal Paris Fine Flowers Cleansing Wash 150ml available from Lookfantastic and Boots £3.99
Sanctuary Spa Moisture Burst Mini Face Wash 30ml available from Lookfantastic £2.99
L'Oréal Paris Fine Flowers Cleansing Milk 400ml Available from Lookfantastic £5.99
L'Oreal Paris Fine Flowers Cleansing Cream available from HQHair £7.99
Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter Available from The Body Shop £11
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Ultra-Light Invisible Fluid SPF50+ Sun Cream 50ml available from Lookfantastic £13.10
Simple Protect & Glow Liquid SPF30 50ml available from Boots £7.99. This product is a game changer. It does it all. With vitamin E and algae oil, it not only protects your skin from UVA and UVB rays but also from everyday pollution and blue light from electronic devices, plus it really does leave your skin glowing! It is 100% free from artificial colours and perfumes so no harsh chemicals near your skin.
Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto Replenishing Hydrator 30ml available from Lookfantastic £25
A cheaper alternative is the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser available from Boots £12.99. This product lasts and has a super light consistency. It has honestly transformed my skin. I had always had extremely oily skin and I was petrified of putting any moisturiser or product on in the fear it would make the problem even worse but I was given this moisturiser as a gift and thought I’d try it and this is when I learn that often our skin is over producing oil when it is lacking in moisture. The rest is history.
Vitamin E Eye Cream available from The Body Shop £13. This is just the best eye cream that I have ever tried. Like SPF, eye cream is an absolute must if you want to prevent signs of ageing around the eyes.
Muslin Cloth from The Body Shop £2.50
Revolution Skincare Microfibre Face Cloths available from Revolution Beauty £6
You should choose a serum based on your specific skin care concern. I would recommend having a few different ones for every occasion. The top brands to look to for serums are Kiehls straight from their website. But if you are on a budget, The Ordinary does incredible cheaper versions and is available from LookFantastic and Boots.
Similarly to serums, The Ordinary and Kiehls are the go to brands. However, I want to mention Kiehls Midnight Recovery Oil as my absolute holy grail product. As someone with oily skin I was concerned about using an oil overnight but it really works wonders for every skin type!
Of course, my top recommendation for toner is the one and only PIXI. From glow tonics, to retinol they have a wide range. 250ml at £18 from Lookfantastic.
The Body Shop has a selection of face mists ranging from £6 to £18 depending on your concerns. Alternatively and just as incredible is the MARIO BADESCU mists available in a SPRITZ.MIST.GLOW SET £20 from Beauty Bay
For sheet masks my favourite time and time again is the Garnier Moisture Bombs available from Boots and LookFantastic.
The Body Shop is my go to for pot masks. They have a great new range, check it out!
The Ordinary has some excellent and affordable peels, as does Revolution Beauty. For a proper occasional pamper if you don’t fancy spending a fortune on a facial, the No7 Youthful Glycolic Peel Kit is unmatched and available from Boots for just £25.
Gentle Rose Beautifying Face Exfoliant from Avant Skincare is a life changer £92 with the finest texture yet! As you don’t need to exfoliate regularly this is well worth the investment.
Always use a lip balm with SPF as your lips need protecting too. Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm is my personal favourite. £15 from Cult Beauty. Burt’s Bees offers a cheaper alternative with All-Weather SPF 15 Moisturising Lip Balm. Body Shop Lipscuff is also a must to keep your lips in tip top shape at just £8.
I guarantee these products are all 100% worth the investment, I would love to hear all of your reviews!
Anna - VoucherShares.co.uk
More blogs from Anna:
Top student deals from Voucher Shares
How to keep your hair in tip top shape during lockdown
Spring-cleaning or Deep Clean? Top tips to keep your home spotless
Top Gifts for Mother’s Day 2020
Top Valentines Day Gift - GLOSSYBOX February Edition
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