Hello everyone! Today we wanted to share some tips and tricks we've used over the years, or words of wisdom we picked up with each passing birthday.
Water- You don’t need us to tell you to guzzle H20. If you want a healthy body (and mind) you need to keep it hydrated! Up to 60% of our body is made up of WATER! You should be aiming to drink 1 litre per 23kg of body weight. Water will not only keep you alive, it will also fill out lines – even ones you thought were wrinkles- they may just be dehydration lines! Bottoms up!
Scrub -a -dub- dub- CLEAN YOUR FACE. ‘But I don’t wear too much (or any) makeup’, ‘I’m too tired to wash my face at night’. OK, we hear you, and we have been there. But, did you know that your skin ages by THREE days every time you sleep in your make up? Pass the cleanser please.
And again- We never said this was going to be easy. It will be worth it. Double cleanse to really clean your face and prepare it for the rest of your regime (yes, there’s more!). Whether it’s step one with Micellar Water, step two cream or foam cleaner, or Pestle & Mortar’s luxe double cleanse, just do it. You’ll thank us when you wake up looking like an Amazonian.
Tone – This is one step that is like marmite. People either love it or hate it. We’re always chatting to our customers about this, and the same reason comes up time and time again – ‘toning is harsh on the skin’! When we think of using toners we remember using alcohol-heavy liquid on our skin that would result in a stinging sensation and lack of facial movement. It is also widely thought that toners are made for oily skin types, which is another reason why people stay away. There are so many types of toners for different skin types, and it’s important to choose the one correct for you. Once you find a toner to suit your skin you might be pleasantly surprised! Toning is considered as an essential part of skincare, as it fully removes any residue left after cleansing, it also helps restore PH Balance of skin, and depending on type can mattify oils (without stripping), soothe skin, or hydrate. Have we convinced you yet?
Serum – Your serum is the first part of addressing your skincare concerns. A serum contains smaller molecules of active ingredients that penetrate deeper in the skin. Serums also have a higher concentrate of those active ingredients present, meaning it’s going to work a lot harder to target your concern areas & make sure that your moisturiser will work to its full potential. We like to recommend mix & matching to our skincare customers when it comes to serums. So, if you have dry skin but your main concern is ageing, we would recommend an anti-ageing serum, and follow up with a hydrating night cream or moisturiser.
Night cream/Oil – Did you know that your skin works hardest from the hours of 10pm-4am? During this time your skin works to repair damage done to it that day. As we get older, (like everything), our skin’s ability to repair itself slows down. This is when we need to start using products that will help it do its job! A night cream will target areas of concern specifically, while benefiting the overall health of the skin. Type depending, a night cream will contain collagen-boosting, skin-smoothing, hydrating, and soothing ingredients. Night cream/oil is quite like giving your skin a cup of coffee, it gives it a kick so it knows exactly what it should be doing, (sounds like 3pm in Foo Phar).
SPF- Come rain or shine (literally) SPF should be an essential part of your daily regimen. (SPF) Sun Protection Factor is needed ALL YEAR ROUND, regardless of Mediterranean climates or thunderstorms. On cloudy days the sun is lower in the sky meaning that your skin is more susceptible to UVA rays. 80% of UVA rays can penetrate through clouds, and while your skin won’t burn, it will, over time, age the skin. (We like to think of it as UVA for ageing, UVB for burning). It’s simple, if you want to protect your skin from premature ageing then use sun screen. Every day.
Gently, gently – We remember aged 14 or so, scrubbing every layer of our skin with Simple/Clearasil/*insert budget skincare equivalent advertised in Sugar Mag here*, and our mums SCREAMING at us to be careful or we wouldn’t have any skin left to clean! Be sure to be gentle when cleansing, toning, moisturising – your face is delicate, use upward gentle strokes, and only use eye-specific creams around the eye contour. Don’t forget your neck! Upward strokes, gently, gently.
Eye cream – there’s a reason it’s called eye cream – it should be used only for eye areas! Imagine that your body is cardboard, your face is paper and your eyes are tissue – keep that in mind during skincare! Another rule of thumb with eye area is to not go past the bone before the eye socket; the pores around the eye are so fine you have to be careful to not block them with product which can cause raised spots under the eye (milia). Tap gently along the under-eye bone with your ring finger and tap above the brow bone. Eye creams are smart and will know where to go – so trust this process! Also, as with all creams, less is more. By using more product it will not increase its benefits, so keep to pea sized amount for both eyes.
Don’t forget your body! We tend to moisturise our skin on our face and neck every day, but when was the last time your moisturised your body from top to bottom? Our body ages too, so be sure to keep it nourished! Apply a hydrating body lotion every day after showering to restore hydration and keep the skin nice and firm.
So, there you have it, our top 10 tips on achieving younger-looking skin. Anything we missed? Please let us know, we would love to hear your thoughts!
Until next time,
Team Foo Phar x
