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Beauty

18th Jan 2019

3 super simple changes to your skincare that will leave your skin flawless

Trine Jensen-Burke

cleansers

Gorgeous, glowy, flawless skin is the holy grail for most of us, no?

But did you know that from your early 20s, your cell renewal process starts slowing down, and this, combined with outside factors like lack of sleep, exposure to sunshine and a less than ideal diet can leave your skin looking lackluster and, well, old?

And while every skincare professional agree that the most important things you can do for your face is to eat right, sleep enough and wear sunscreen (not just on the beach, every time you leave the house!), there are other tricks experts also swear by when it comes to keeping their face looking its luminous best.

Want to get your glow on? Here are three easy steps that require very little effort, but will yield you gorgeous results:

1. Double Cleanse

Having written about beauty for years, and in the name of research tried many a new “revolutionary” facial and wonder-product, I have yet to come across any tip or method as effective (and yet simple) as this: Always double cleanse your face at night.

Why you may ask? Is once not enough? Well, according to the many experts who have bestowed this brilliant tip on me, no, it is not.

By cleansing twice, you will get to first remove all the make-up and dirt that is sitting on your face, and then, when that has been washed off, you will get to indulge in a deeper clean. This one that will rid your skin of buildup that the first cleanse did not get rid of, will clean your actual skin, not just what’s on it and will leave your skin feeling – and looking – more glowing than ever.

You can use the same cleanser for both cleans, or you can mix it up. I always start with a gentle cream cleanser to get my make-up off, and will then cleanse a second time with a cleansing balm or paste, which, when I remove it with a muslin cloth, will also act as an exfoliant and leaves my skin super clean and ready for serums and night cream.

Tip: I have fallen in love with the cleansing products from organic skincare brand Antipodes. This cream cleanser is now a staple in my make-up bag, and they also have a cleansing balm that is great too. The bonus? These products are super gentle on your skin and chock-a-block with gorgeous natural ingredients.

Antipodes-Grace-Gentle-Cream-Cleanser-1

2. Exfoliate

We lose 50 million skin cells a day, and without a little extra nudge, they may hang around leaving your skin looking grey and dull – which you don’t want.

Exfoliating will help your skin shed all those dead skin cells, and will not only bring out that glowy new skin underneath, but will also mean that your serums and moisturisers can get to work quicker, not having to penetrate layers of dead skin cells before reaching your fresh new ones.

And while many think of scrubs containing a gritty exfoliant when they think of exfoliating, know that this is not the only way to achieve results. Especially is you suffer from dry or sensitive skin. My personal favourite when it comes to exfoliating is to use a cleansing balm or cream in combination with a muslin cloth, meaning the cloth will gently exfoliate your skin as you use it to rub and remove the cleanser from your skin.

Liz Earl’s award-winning Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser is a great option, and if you really want to treat yourself, Eve Lom‘s cleanser (hailed by Vogue as the best cleanser in the world!) is the only product I can’t live without and need to now always keep on my bathroom shelf. It leaves my skin feeling so clean, feels gentle enough to use every day and I swear it makes my skin look as if I have facials every week (which, trust me, I don’t).

Another option is to opt for skincare containing enzymes, as these will also gently exfoliate your face.

Eve-Lom

3. Massage your face

A facial massage is a bit of a no-brainer, and can completely change the clarity and tone of your skin. And the best bit? It doesn’t cost a thing. And if you do it as part of your cleansing ritual every night, sure you are killing two birds with one easy peasy stone – and getting prettier by the second.

According to skin genius Abigail James, who just happens to be one of the UK’s top celebrity facialists, massaging your face increases blood flow to your skin, giving you that plump, glowing look, as well as firming sagging areas by increasing muscle tone. Bonus? It is also really relaxing, making it the perfect activity to do before bedtime.

Wondering how to do it? Use your fingertips to press and sweep outwards, starting down at your chin, moving up to your cheeks, and finish up at the hairline. Make sure you apply enough pressure to stimulate the muscle underneath the skin. Finish up my massaging your jawline, as this is one area you don’t want to start sagging.

Want my top tip? Put a drop or two of face oil into your cleanser before you massage, and your skin will feel like a million dollars after. Word! (PS: I LOVE Aveda‘s Beautifying oil, as it is such a multitasker and can be used for anything from cuticles to the bath).

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Topics:

skincare