Winter Beauty – Top Tips from Portobello Institute’s Audrey Manning

With the wintry weather kicking in with a bang, chances are you’ve already given thought to your autumn/winter wardrobe. But, you shouldn’t forget that your beauty regime may need a little bit of a shake-up too! We’ve called on the expertise of Audrey Manning, Head Beauty Tutor at Portobello Institute, for some hints and tips when it comes to your skincare and beauty buys this season. 

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What is the best tip to keep skin moisturised as we move into autumn?

It’s time to put away the tinted moisturiser and the BB creams. As we put the central heating back on, these products will not have enough hydrating properties. So the mantra for now is moisturise, moisturise, moisturise... but before you do that you need to exfoliate!

Make your own in a clean jar. Mix five tablespoons of olive oil to one tablespoon of ground course sea salt and add few drops of lemon and lime juice to give a fresh smell. This gentle scrub will leave your skin feeling silky smooth.

 

Eye cream – a marketing tool or a must?

A must have after the age of 25. The skin in this area is so fine and delicate that regular moisturiser will cause the eye area to puff up! For extra lifting, put your eye cream in the fridge five minutes before use.

 

Cleanser vs face wipes?

Face wipes are great for an emergency or after a night out, but most of the time they will leave a residue of product on the skin. For a deep down cleanse use a dedicated cleansing product. The best-selling brand world wide by volume of sales is Nivea.

 

High street vs high end for face cream and eye cream?

Far better to being using something than nothing! Both have their place and if you have the cash to spare why not treat yourself? One brand that has great research behind its products is Boots No7 range. Now in different categories to suit different skin types, this range offers great value for money. Estee Lauder is at the other end of the spectrum but with the same focus on research plus their products have won so many beauty awards. For salon treatments, especially facials, Dermalogica is a constant favourite of mine.

 

What colour lips are trending for Autumn?

A key trend for autumn/winter 2013 are reds and deep berry colours as seen on Emma Willis of CBB fame. Check out MAC for the latest colours.

 

What is your best kept makeup secret “must have” in your beauty bag?

My make up brushes. Well cared for, these will last you a life time and give you a flawless application. Check out Nima brush for a selection to suit every budget.

 

What brand are you loving at the moment overall and why? 

If you really want to treat your self and as time is precious I love Elemis @ spa home skin nourishing Milk bath as this starts the moisturising process during bath time.

I can't forget about nails and a desert island product for me is Leighton Denny Crystal nail file. It's gentle enough it can be used on babies, but seals the nail plate and lasts a lifetime! This is available now in Ireland in Marks & Spencer.