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Saturday 6 November 2010

7 Deadly Skin Sins

Want gorgeous-looking skin a dermatologist would be proud of? By making a few simple tweaks to your skincare regime you can have glowing, flawless skin in a flash.

Skin Sin…Skipping SPF
Bad because…Approximately 90% of ageing is down to sun exposure.
Atone with…An SPF 25+, worn daily.
Try...Dove Spa In My Defence SPF 25 Anti-Pollution Fluid, £31 (dovespa.co.uk). I use this everyday and it really is a skin treat. Not only does it leave me safe in the knowledge that my skin is shielded from the sun, but it lends my complexion a dewiness that you couldn't feign with makeup!

*NEW PRODUCT ALERT*
Skin Sin…Ignoring your eyes
Bad because…The skin around your eyes is up to ten times thinner than the rest of your face, meaning it’s more prone to wrinkling.
Atone with…An anti-aging eye cream that targets fine lines, wrinkles and crow's feet.
Try...Roc Sublime Energy Eye, £29.99 (Boots). This much-hyped technology from Roc claims to show visible improvement in just 3 hours. How? Your cells send electrical signals to one another to promote skin regeneration. As we age these currents decline, leading to lines, wrinkles and loss of firmness. Roc's Sublime Energy uses Electro Stimulation Technology to deliver bioelectricity to tired skin cells to reboot cell-to-cell communication, thereby triggering skin regeneration. In a somewhat coarse analogy, think of your skin as a broken-down car and Roc Sublime Eye as a set of jump leads, there to kick-start a current to get the car back in top condition. I tried the product for the first time yesterday - first I applied the E-Pulse Concentrate to the eye area. It has the look of squid ink (thankfully a hue that is not transferred on to the skin) and it's soft, velvety texture soaked in effortlessly. I did experience a slight tingling sensation after applying the next step - the activating moisturiser (perhaps my eye area, a stranger to more powerful anti-wrinkle creams, is sensitive). This wore off after about 10 minutes. Within an hour the skin around my eye felt more taught and soft to the touch. By the end of the day, I did notice a slightly smoother appearance to my eye area but unfortunately can't make any greater claims on the product's line-smoothing capabilities (see my aforementioned wrinkle-deficiency).

Skin Sin…Using the wrong products for oily skin
Bad because…Those with oily skins might be tempted to use skin-stripping, oil-free products, but in fact, your skin then over-compensates and secretes more oil.
Atone with…An oil cleanser.
Try...Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil, £27 (spacenk.co.uk). They might be renowned for their to-die-for lashes and cult eyelash curlers, but Mr Uemura first launched the brand in 1960 with a single cleansing oil. Great for removing tough makeup, this nourishing oil has reigned in my oily/combination skin.

Skin Sin…Using dirty makeup brushes
Bad because…You end up smearing old grease and grime back on to the face with each makeup application, which can cause breakouts. Duh!
Atone with…A weekly wash with a mild shampoo.
Try...Johnson's Baby Shampoo, £2.99, 500ml (nationwide). After rinsing in lukewarm water, place on a kitchen towel and allow to dry naturally.


Skin Sin…Having a hot shower
Bad because…During the colder months, a piping-hot shower (however comforting) actually further dries out winter-parched skin.
Atone with…A lukewarm bath or shower.
Try...Locking in vital moisture with a post-shower body oil. The key is to apply the oil while the skin is still damp. I adore Darphin's Aromatic Bath & Body Oil, £37 (houseoffraser.co.uk). Not only does it smell divine but it leaves the skin with a non-greasy, gorgeous glow.

Skin Sin…Neglecting your neck and décolletage
Bad because…Unless your wardrobe is full of polo necks, your neck and chest are constantly exposed to the aging effects of the sun. The result? Jowls and a crepey-looking chest worthy of Deirdre Barlow. Oh the horror!
Atone with…A nourishing body cream with an SPF of at least 15.
Try...Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula SPF 15 Body Lotion, £4.99 (boots.com). When it comes to ultra-rich skin nourishment, Palmer's is my winner every time. This lotion, with the added benefit of SPF 15, helps to smooth and hydrate crepey areas using Vitamin E and, of course, cocoa butter.

Skin Sin…Getting stressed
Bad because…Okay so it might be easier said than done, but stress can actually cause chemical changes within the body that result in the production of wrinkle-inducing free radicals.
Atone with…A skin cream that supports your skin's nocturnal repair.
Try...Elizabeth Arden Intervene Stress Recovery Night Cream, £40 (boots.com). Like Ronseal for the face, it does exactly what it says on the tin. Unlike most night creams, which can sit heavily on the skin, this cream boasts a deliciously lightweight formula that helps the skin recover from the day's stresses. Phew! Sx

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for trying and sharing your thoughts on the new RoC Sublime Energy product. I and my team at RoC been working on it for years, and enjoy reading and hearing people's thoughts and experiences.

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  2. No problem Gary. As a beauty journalist, I'm truly excited about the technology. Keep up the good work! S

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