The foundation of my skincare is the Oils of Life range from the Body Shop, and you can read my full review of these products here: The Body Shop Oils of Life.
If you don't have the time for a Korean 10 step beauty routine and want great skin without investing hours every day, these Oils of Life are the products for you.
With regards to keeping spots, redness, brown marks and my ever-present milia at bay I use 2 Paula's Choice exfoliants - the skin perfecting 8% AHA gel and skin perfecting 2% BHA gel. These are chemical exfoliants as in they don't need you to rub or scrub to remove old skin, but do it with AHA/BHA chemicals. Before using these products my milia were out of control, I had frequent spots and a big blackhead problem. At this time of year I use these exfoliants before bed (as they make your skin more susceptible to sun damage - if you use them in the day time make sure to use SPF). I'm actually being a slacker with regards to skincare at the moment as I'm prioritising decluttering my home above all else, so I'm using the AHA one about once a week before bed and the same for the BHA one. You could use one every day (if your skin can tolerate daily use, some can't) for better results. The Paula's Choice website has a wealth of skincare advice - it's well worth a look! Here's how to exfoliate skin.
Pictured below are a couple of other things I'm using on my skin currently, which I'll mention briefly, but again cleansers are interchangeable as far as I'm concerned. The Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean wash off cleanser is great as it makes my skin glow. I use it on my dry face and rub it off with a slightly rough flannel (skincare goddess Caroline Hirons recommends using all cleansers on dry skin and taking them off on a clean dry flannel for the exfoliating benefits). I use the Nivea micellar water if I'm being a lazy ho and want to take my makeup off in a hurry. It isn't as good as a proper cleanse but sometimes at bedtime I really cannot be bothered.
- Firstly, it's boring but I drink a lot of water. I have a bottle of water by my side at all times - by the side of the bed, on the sofa, when I'm out walking.
- I avoid caffeine. I might have 2 diet Pepsi's a week, drinking water 75% of the time and lemonade & lime for a bit of flavour, and one cup of tea a day.
- I don't smoke. Smoking isn't good for your skin, and neither is lots of sugar. I do have a sweet tooth but I try to deny it. I recently went from agave nectar in my tea to nothing and I survived. ;)
- Sleep! If I have a few days of poor sleep I look awful - my eye bags are dark, lined and huge and my whole face looks dry and parched. It also looks parched if I go a couple of days without doing anything to my face, which I sometimes do. I'm not perfect. After a couple of days of neglect my wrinkles are far more pronounced, but after a good moisturise it'll look much better.
- Avoid the sun. The most damage our faces get over the years is due to exposure to the sun. Work out how you want to avoid it - high facial SPF, avoiding going out at midday, wearing a big hat or becoming a vampire. ;)
- Get some fresh air. If I look a bit grey about the gills going out for a bracing walk in the wind/rain will soon perk my face up. If you're physically able, get a sweat on, it's the perfect antidote to dull skin.
L xoxo
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