I hate taking my makeup off. If I had money like the Kardashians, I would pay someone to come to my house every night before bedtime and take my makeup off. They would be my official makeup taker offer. Yes I am just that lazy. So when it comes to skin care, I want something quick and easy. Sadly I have had to come to terms with the fact that there is nothing really quick and easy about skin care. No ladies. Good skin takes time and effort and just taking the makeup off itself is sadly not enough.
Recently I took part in a Kohl Cosmetics intensive makeup course in Brown sugar Blackrock. Over the coming weeks I am going to be featuring a number of posts detailing what I have learned throughout this course and guess what the first topic is? Yup, Skin care. Kohl have their own range of skin care which I have had the pleasure of trying during the course, and they were so beautiful on the skin. You can contact Kohl here to find out more. While I am neither am certainly no skin care expert, here are some of the tips I picked up on the Kohl course, along with my own little tips I have picked up over the years. Here are my top 10 tips for a good skin care regime
1. Ditch the wipes
Yes ladies you heard me. Get rid of those pesky wipes. I know they are handy and I know it is better to use these than sleep with your makeup on, but trust me, wipes are not good. Makeup wipes contain lots of harsh chemicals that you are then rubbing all over your skin and around the eye area. This can cause dryness, premature ageing and they can irritate the skin. Once you ditch the wipes and begin a proper skin care regime, you will feel and see a huge difference in your skin.
2. Pick a good cleanser
Everyone has a cleanser that works for them. Be it a cream cleanser, a balm or a facial wash, when you find what works with your skin type, go with it. I had been using the Liz Earle hot cloth cleanse and polish to cleanse my skin, and while I still rate it highly, it is just not cutting it for my skin and I am now on the hunt for a new cream cleanser. Remember when picking a cleanser what works for my skin, might not work on yours. Avoid irritating ingredients such as perfumes, colourings and other irritating ingredients such as alcohol.Research different cleansers for your skin type and have a chat with the beauticians on the counter of your choice about the areas you are concerned about and get them to recommend a product that they think will work. I love the Arnotts beauty haul for this as they have a specific skin care area.
3. Use a separate oil cleanser on the eye area
When taking off makeup, I know I want to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. However, it is important to use a separate oil cleanser around the eye area. These are designed to break down eye makeup and not damage the lashes when taking off mascara. Do not be tempted to use the same oil eye makeup cleanser on your face. This will just leave your skin feeling gross and oily.
4. Use as little product as possible
When using a cleanser, less is more. While it might be easier to lash loads of cleanser on the cotton pad, it is better for you skin to use small amounts. Too much cleanser can cause it’s own problems and to be honest more doesn’t mean better.
5. Use a luke warm damp cloth
After cleansing use a luke warm damp cloth such as a muslin cloth or face cloth, to take off and residue from the cleanser. This might seem like a step you can skip, but it will leave your skin feeling fab.
6. Use a toner
It is so important not to skip this step. Using a toner on your skin removes any excess oils from cleansing. They also tighten your pores, which reduces the amount of oils and toxins that can settle in pores and cause breakouts. Look for toners with cucumber and rose water. In fact you can use pure rose water as a toner if you like.
7. Moisturise
This is the step that most of us do anyway, but are you using the right moisturiser for your skin? Personally I would always recommend a moisturiser with a good hyaluronic acid content. Again avoid anything that is perfumed as this can irritate the skin. One thing I would always say about moisturisers, no more than with cleansers and toners, is you don’t have to spend loads and loads of money to find a good one. Both Vichy and La Roche Posay have fantastic moisturisers to suit all skin types and they don’t cost a fortune.
8. Exfoliate
Exfoliation is a step people skip, but it one that should be done once a week. Exfoliation prevents a build up of dead skin, oil and dirt deep down in the skin. It helps reduce blocked pores and even helps with anti ageing. I use a gentle daily exfoliation from Philosophy, but once a week I use the philosophy micro delivery system. Both are really effective and yet gentle on the skin.
9. Water
I know I am stating the obvious here, but you need to hydrate your skin from the inside out. It is important to drink a good amount of water daily, as this will help with the appearance of your skin.
10. Sleep
I love my sleep, but when I am in a bit of a rut sleep wise, my skin tells the story. Not only does lack of sleep give dark circles, but it leave the skin looking lifeless and dull. Put down the phone and go to bed and a reasonable hour. Not only will you feel better in the morning, but your skin will look better too.
