So many skin-reviving products, so little time. We’ve collected the best fixers to help your quest to a flawless complexion.
So many skin-reviving products, so little time. We’ve collected the best fixers to help your quest to a flawless complexion.
Your diet’s not nearly as consistent as it was when you were a teen, and that full-time job has introduced new stresses that your body isn’t used to. These factors affect your hormones, and consequently, it means you could experience everything from dry skin to adult acne in your twenties. The easiest way to bring the bounce back to your skin is to identify your exact skin concerns, and streamline the lotions and potions to target them.
Regulate Excess Shine
By Using Gentle Oils
When a greasy T-zone strikes, it feels natural to scrub until there’s not a slick of shine left. Unfortunately, doing this can really upset your “acid mantle” – a fancy name for the protective film on the top layer of your skin that helps to slow moisture loss. Skincare expert Sue Dann says overusing cleansers to treat oily skin can strip natural oils, resulting in dehydration. “The body then responds by producing more sebum so it turns into a vicious cycle,” she says.
New oil-based products are perfect for oily T-zones. This is because they’re scientifically proven to deliver long-lasting hydration that’s essential for bringing sebum production back to normal levels. All you have to do is swap your daily cleanser and moisturiser for an oil blend to rebalance your skin. Look for argan, marula and other light botanical oils in the ingredients list. It may take a couple of weeks to get used to the feel of oils, but the latest ranges feel almost as light as your water-based skincare products, all while delivering skinloving goodness.
Tackle Brown
Splotches From the Inside and Out
Pigmentation can come dressed as sun spots, freckles or brown patches. While changing hormone levels and genetics play a big part in why some people have more than others, there’s one thing we all know for sure – sun exposure is the number one instigator.
“Invariably, there is a 10- to 30-year lag time between getting sun damage and when it becomes visible on the skin,” says dermatologist Dr Natasha Cook. “Most of what you’re seeing when you’re 25 is a result of what you were doing between five to 10 years old.” This isn’t good news for those of us who enjoyed sun tanning or playing outdoor sports in our younger years, but thankfully, there are ways to treat pigmentation.
A daily application of broad-spectrum sunscreen, including physical blockers like zinc and titanium, is crucial to prevent further damage. Lotions containing the natural ingredient arbutin (a plant-derived alternative to prescription skin lightening agent hydroquinone) can also be applied to help hinder the production of melanin.
Brighten Sullen Skin
By Improving Your Diet
If just a little extra luminosity is all you’re after, focus on perfecting your complexion via your diet. You know the drill – an alkaline diet rich in brightly coloured veggies is crucial for achieving a healthy complexion. But, when you’re starving and time-poor, an organic super food supplement like The Beauty Chef Body Inner Beauty Powder makes a great healthy snack alternative. Available in chocolate and vanilla at www.thebeautychef. com, a single serving supplies 100 percent of your daily vitamin C needs, 50 percent of your vitamin D needs, lots of B vitamins, plus protein and fibre to keep you feeling full. Just take one scoop, add water or milk, and swirl.
Remove Rough Patches
With a Skin Brush
Is uneven texture one of your biggest skin enemies? Just swap out that micro-bead exfoliator for a waterproof skin-cleansing brush. This kind of brush is almost like a soft electric toothbrush for your complexion. The bristles lift impurities and buff away the dry dead skin cells, revealing smoother skin instantly. For best results, focus on congested areas like the nose and chin. A good quality skin brush can be used once every day in the shower or at the basin – either way, you’ll get a glowy result.
Prevent Eczema
With Hydration
Eczema is a skin condition that can flare up at the most annoying and unpredictable of times. From allergens like animal hair and dust, to stress and inadequate sleep, there’s a huge range of potential triggers that can be tricky to identify. Dermatologist Dr Nicholas Stewart tells us that eczema sufferers are usually lacking in a number of key components of the normal skin barrier. It becomes disrupted, leading to the formation of cracks and fissures, a common characteristic of eczema. “Into these cracks, microorganisms, irritants and allergens penetrate into the skin and result in inflammation,” he adds. The itch-scratch cycle then comes on, which can lead to severe irritation and infection, so seeking early treatment is essential. A dermatologist can suggest an active topical treatment or antibiotics, but to best prevent flare ups, Dr Nicholas recommends moisturising regularly with a simple low-irritant formula, sticking to a pH-balanced soap-free cleanser, keeping showers short (no more than once daily) and wearing breathable clothing fibres such as cotton instead of polyester.
Refine Open Pores
With a Cleansing Pebble
There’s no way to actually shrink pores, but you can make them appear more refined. The pulsations delivered through a pebble-shaped cleansing brush with silicone touch points help to manually remove muck. Using chemical exfoliants, like alpha and beta hydroxy acids, will also help to make them less noticeable. “I call these the superstars of cosmetic ingredients because they do everything,” says Dr Natasha. BBL (Broadband Light) or IPL (Intense Pulse Light) therapy are good treatment options if you have open pores. “The heat from these treatments causes collagen contraction, helping pores to look smaller,” Dr Natasha explains. However, they aren’t recommended if you’re after targeted improvement. The treatments tackle a number of concerns including pigmentation and redness at once, so a noticeable difference in pores isn’t always guaranteed. Request a patch test first and see how your pores react.
Treat Adult Acne
With More Than Just a Blemish Stick
Some women are just genetically more susceptible to acne than others. And it sucks big time. Everything that affects your hormones, including diet imbalances, stress and that time of the month are big triggers too. Speaking topically, the worst thing you can do to treat acne is strip the skin with harsh cleansers. “Ironically, if you’re drying the skin out, it can actually create more acne,” says Dr Natasha.
“Skin needs to be hydrated in order for the natural cell-exfoliating enzymes to work so you don’t get congestion.” With this in mind, you should go for a gentle hydrating formula to cleanse. Next up, apply a serum that contains between two to five percent of salicylic acid all over your face once daily, remembering to always avoid the eye area. This will deeply clean inside the pores and speed up that sluggish cell turnover cycle. A blemish balm will help calm down inflammation of sore, aggressive pimples, but to treat acne, all-over hydration and regular exfoliation are skincare essentials.
