If you look almost anywhere these days, you’ll find ways to “solve” many skincare issues. Whether you want to lighten pigmentation thanks to too much sun, remove the “11s” between your brows that make you look permanently angry or lift what is falling, there seems to be a product or treatment that can “reverse” the ageing process and / or undo damage you may have inflicted on your skin during the folly of youth.
Baby, it's still cold outside
Do you: use retinol?
Whenever I’m asked about skincare, I inevitably suggest products containing Vitamin A. This dynamo ingredient strengthens skin, stimulates collagen and elastin and locks in moisture. Retinol is a super-strength form of Vitamin A and while it requires patience during usage, the results truly justify its delicate handling.
Inspector Gadget at your service
On the list of items that excite me, gadgets give me a special thrill. Whether they are mechanical device or just an ingenious piece of kit, I am a firm believer that gadgets make life easier. I can spend hours drooling over specialty kitchen items or waxing lyrical about my AirPods.
So when you marry gadgetry and skincare, that’s a real bonanza for me. Here are a few gadgets that have made it into my homecare routine.
A few of my favourite things
It’s the time of year where lists recapping the best of the past 12 months are everywhere. And because I love a list, I’ve used this concept to inspire skincare items that I can’t be without. Well, let’s be generous and call them skincare-related, remembering that I believe good skincare is the foundation on which everything else is built.
Hand gestures
In the winter, my hands can become as chapped as my lips. Even though I apply facial serum and moisturiser to my hands on a daily basis (just what’s left on my palms), when the mercury drops and the air gets drier, I need to pay special attention to maintain softness. Particularly as rough hands make for a less than enjoyable treatment for my clients.
Take time to clean your face, completely
Lip service
While I’ve got my face hydration programme down pat, with season and travel modifications, I have routinely been plagued by dry lips, particularly in autumn and winter. In the spring and summer, they stay fairly well hydrated, but with the slightest dip in temperature, they seem to lose all moisture retention properties.
When to restock
When I returned from my summer holiday in the US, my suitcase was filled with lots of goodies that I’ll be trying out over the next few weeks. Whether it’s skincare or make-up, there’s nothing like having some newness in my bathroom cabinet. And as I was able to take advantage of summer shopping specials and autumn announcements, my bag was very full for the return flight.
Why I shun the sun
As a young, pale and freckled, ginger living in Florida, I was constantly besieged by sunshine. During a time when the maximum SPF available was about 8 and long before sun guard swim shirts were available, I went to bed each night wishing to wake up with brown hair and skin that tanned like my friend, Carol.