Every Day Skincare.
I get asked about my skin every day! I first wrote about my new skincare routine in 2016 and it still is one of my most read posts. I use Rationale Skincare and their slogan ‘Luminous Skin for Life’ is completely true. Designed by Richard Parker the products mimic the natural skin cycle with a preference to use less, harder working products then a multi-product, overbearing, routine.
Living in London I am constantly battling pollution, dry heated air, hard water and sun exposure as well as my own mental stress. All of this shows on my skin! I use The Essential Six and a few serum boosters, alternating depending on how my skin is behaving. If, like my sister, you live in a different city and have less pollution you can use less products. Natasha uses only three products from The Essential Six and Rationale always prescribes based on the less is more theory.
You can purchase the products in Australia and the UK with international delivery also offered. I recommend you visit a store or have a skype consultation before getting started. They don’t like individuals to switch all their products at once as they are investments. For budgeting purposes, the cleanser lasts 6 months and I have found anything in the tubs typically lasts 3-4 months.
Treatments and Pampering.
Throughout my late teens and early twenties, I spent a lot of time at the beauticians getting facials. Booking in for a regular monthly facial was a treat I miss now for both the skincare but also the massage! Being loyal to my beauticians meant I received what were at the time high end addons, including acid peels. Always happy to have new treatments I believe my skin has benefited long term from all this pampering.
Face massages can make such a difference as we hold so much stress in our skin. I’d love to treat myself to a session at Face Gym regularly but at the moment I am using aBody Shop face massager. The difference in the morning using a massager for a few minutes is significant. I can tell in the mirror now when I’ve forgotten, and my face looks a bit sad!
At Home Indulgences.
I won’t change my basic skin care but give me a mask any day! Mixing them up once a week I typically do these the night before a morning hair wash. This way I don’t have to worry about residue of missing a bit of mask in my hair!
Rationale’s Immunologist Mask is my absolute favourite and it is a miracle worker. I use this after my period when my skin has broken. It’s ability to heal blemishes, whilst fixing dry skin from pimple cream, blows me away every time! For the rest of the month I alternate between Dr.Jart+ Rubber Mask Bright Lover and Garnier Skinactive Pure Charcoal Black Tissue Mask. Both are great, but I will be starting to look for alternatives. The wastage and potential environmental impact of these masks is not sitting well with me.
Technology. Adding In The SciFi!
In the last couple of years accessing a facial with a laser treatment has become relatively easy. The price has also dropped significantly. When I am in Australia I always head to Rationale for one of their High Volume + Amplified Luminosity facials that combines Enzymes and LED therapy. In London my budget is quite tight. If I do treat myself I head to Skin Laundry or Askinology for a similar treatment.
If you follow me on Instagram, you will have seen I am a fan of the Neutrogena Light Therapy Mask. This allows me to take the same light therapy from the salon at home for a fraction of the price. It is expensive if you keep replacing the activator but search youtube for some hacks. I have found this works best when used daily or every couple of days. It doesn’t and shouldn’t have the strength of an in salon treatment and needs more frequent use for results.
Injectables. Yep, I have had them!
For the past eight years as I reapplied for my UK visas I’d always have to supply a new passport photo. Lining these up over time allowed me to see how my face was aging. Whilst I have few lines around my eyes and across my forehead, I could visibly see my face was falling. It looked like it was slipping. At first it didn’t mean much to me or cause me any concern. I would occasionally read an article online or in a magazine about injectables, do some research more out of interest, and that was it.
However, after a particularly stressful year the next visa photo showed a significant difference in my face. I didn’t want to end up looking fake or plastic and researched for two years before I booked an appointment. I wasn’t sure what was possible, if anything, when I sat in the chair. As it turned out my version of the furrowed brow was the pulling down of my face. It is quite common, and most people have one or the other. In addition, my love of dance lessons with a laziness towards stretching had created a tension in my neck muscles that no massage could resolve!
A few small injections of Botox, in my neck, released the muscles pulling my face and it all went away. I also lost my top lip after the age of 30 which is something all the women in my family experience. A year later when I returned for a Botox top up I had some filler put in my lips.
I currently don’t have anything in my face as it isn’t cheap. It really concerns me when I hear about anyone who does this at a local beautician or because there was a cheap deal on. This is an area where you want to research and pay through the nose. In the past year there have been some amazing advancements especially around nose jobs and fillers rather than surgery. Now that I know what I am looking for I see how so many people have had some form of this done. Let’s be honest, Hollywood stars who haven’t aged in 10 years are getting injectables. It isn’t their raw food diet!
Pimples. They don’t go away!
I’ve tried so many different treatments and creams for breakouts. I am beyond frustrated that I still have pimples after my teenage years. Recently I have used Apple Cider Vinegar and it works so well. As well as reducing inflammation and redness it doesn’t dry out the area around the spot. A side effect is that it got rid of all my pigmentation and you can use it to get rid of certain types of moles too! I also use Differin Gel pimple cream sparingly when I can’t get a pimple to leave! This one has to be prescribed by my doctor.
Sleep and Food!
Yeah, yeah I know everyone says this and changing just these two things won’t result in miracles. However, I do see quite clearly my skin breaking out if I eat too much sugar. Or bags under my eyes and my face droopy if I haven’t had enough sleep. This sort of immediate reaction didn’t happen in my 20’s but the 30’s show things quicker and it takes longer to recover. So like me make the most of your younger days and sleep a lot when your aging starts!
Let me know if there is anything you do on this list. I’d love to hear about it. PF xo
