Skin care for all seasons
Its almost Spring, which actually means nothing if you live in England. The sun is currently beaming through my window which would lead me to believe that Spring is on its way, but yesterday, I was getting battered by horizontal rain.
Taking care of your skin when the conditions vary so much is quite a challenge, especially as we get older. Here are some of my favourite tips for protecting your skin all year round.
Protect yourself from the sun
The sun (that’s the yellow thing in the sky that we see every now and again) is nearly always there. Even on cloudy days. Even on the days when I am getting soaked to the bone and getting knocked around by hail stones. Its there. So it is important to always wear a moisturiser with an SPF in it. SPF30 if you can, higher if you are more prone to burning. There are so many to choose from on the market nowadays. My current favourite is The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Protect. This is a good day to day moisturiser, however if you are heading to, or living in sunnier climates then I would suggest their moisturiser with an SPF50 – Skin Defence Multi Protection. Remember your lips also. Applying a lip balm with an SPF will help, not just in summer months, but in winter too!
Apply your moisturiser and other parts of your skin regime straight after your morning shower and last thing at night. This will help to lock in moisture.
I recommend using a serum and applying this before your moisturiser and after any eye creams. My favourite at the moment is The Ordinary ‘buffet’. its great if you are on a budget and really does a great job. Another favourite of mine is The Body Shop ‘Drops of Youth’. It really settles well on the skin, as does the whole range of theirs.
Be wary of some foundations that have an SPF in it but have a matte finish (Im looking at you Estée Lauder Double Wear). These are full coverage and great if you want a heavy foundation but they don’t react well to camera flashes. The titanium in the SPF mixed with the matte foundation can cause a flash back and make your face look a little ashy. To counteract this, pop a little bronzer over the top, to soften the effects of the flash.
Get Scrubbing
One of the things I recommend the most is to invest in a good face scrub. Our skin is constantly encountering dirt and build up from daily pollutions, not to mention that our skin rejuvenates itself ALOT so we need to get rid of the dead skin. I love Lush ‘Angels on Bare Skin’. It is soft enough for daily use and also great for your body too.
Follow this with a moisturising mask, at least once a week. I am in love with Charlotte Tilbury’s ‘Multi Miracle Glow’. It can be left on the skin as a face mask, or used daily as a cleaner. I love it, even if it is on the pricier side.
Eyes
Occasionally, the sun does come out, which is wonderful, but does mean a lot more squinting, which means more wrinkles, not to mention the damage to our actual eyes. Its so important to remember to pop on a pair of sunglasses to prevent any damage from the suns UV rays. Adding an eye cream in the your regime is great. Along with drinking plenty of water, a good eye cream will keep the eye area hydrated and supple. If you have some cash to splash, I recommend Chanel’s ‘Le Lift’ eye cream.
Antioxidants and Hydration
All of the skincare in the world will never be a match for looking after yourself properly. Remember to drink enough water goes without saying, but eating the right foods will help your skin too.
A little list below will help you along the way to eating for your skin:
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) — fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Vitamin E (tocopherols, tocotrienols) — vegetable oils, nuts, mangoes, broccoli.
- Vitamin A — carrots, sweet potato, broccoli, apricots.
- Polyphenolic antioxidants (resveratrol, flavonoids) — tea, coffee, fruit, olive oil, chocolate, cinnamon, red wine.
- Carotenoids (lycopene, carotenes, lutein) — fresh fruit and vegetables.