SELF CARE SUNDAY: IMPROVE LOCKDOWN SKIN

With the majority of us now spending more time inside and encountering more stress, it’s no surprise our skin is feeling the effects. 
So why not take some time for some self-care and treat yourself to a facial and pamper session?
We caught up with Facial Therapist, Sadie Goodson to give us some top tips on how to achieve our skin goals.

The first question I ask every client is ‘do you have any skin complaints?’ closely followed by ‘what are your skin goals?’ These questions are key because regardless of whether I think a person has flawless skin at first glance, I might not be able to see that they struggle with monthly breakouts of cystic acne, or their Rosacea had a flare up the week before or that they’ve recently had a more invasive treatment or started a course of medication. The key to treating skin is to start with the full story. That’s why (unfortunately) it's not as easy as prescribing the PERFECT product for each skin type, however I’ve listed a few key ingredients below that might help you to achieve your dream skin.

Your skin goal is... to plump and hydrate

Hyaluronic acid is your go-to ingredient. It’s used as a serum in many products, it’s incredibly refreshing in a facial mist (and can be reapplied throughout the day), and is used as an active ingredient in many face masks. Hyaluronic acid can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water so it works as a sponge, boosting hydration on the surface of your skin. Other star ingredients for plumping and skin renewal are Peptides (proteins), natural Squalane to improve skin elasticity, aloe vera to heal the skin barrier and rose hip for collagen regeneration.

Your skin goal is... to achieve maximum glow

The hero ingredient for glowing skin is Vitamin C, a natural antioxidant, it will brighten any dark spots and pigmentation issues, as well as reducing signs of ageing. Vitamin C is generally used in a serum, to use before your oil or moisturiser. Another step in a skincare regime to achieve a glow is exfoliation, and in this case, a chemical exfoliation using an AHA (lactic or glycolic acid). This will work to slough off the top layer of dead skin which leaves skin looking dull, it works on the skin’s surface allowing other products to be better absorbed.

Your skin goal is... to calm the skin and reduce redness

A very general approach to treating redness is to address the sensitivity of the skin, for this reason it’s advisable to avoid any skincare products containing fragrance and always wearing an SPF. Any cleanser used needs to be gentle, and avoid a foaming cleanser as this can strip the skin of its natural moisture. For a few hero products to try, I would test out Niacinamide as this works to smooth the texture of rough and bumpy skin, also a chemical exfoliant that contains BHA (salicylic acid) could be good to work deeper into the skin to unclog pores and treat congestion.

Your skin goal is... to have an injection of moisture

Dry skin can have a number of other complaints, such as redness (see above), acne and premature ageing. To address treating the skin barrier a few food ingredients to start playing with are Omegas (fatty acids) which work to revitalise skin, an AHA (glycolic or lactic acid) to remove the top layer of dead skin, and Magnesium PCA for cell turnover and repair. Green tea is also a beautifully calming natural ingredient that works as an antioxidant for the skin.

Your skin goal is... to control oil and shine

There are many ways to treat excess oil production, but the most effective method is to look at each step of the skincare routine. Cleansers that foam tend to strip the skin of its moisture, and oily skin then overproduces sebum to counterbalance this, so a gel, oil or cream cleanser would be a good first step, remembering to use a cloth to ensure all the product is removed from the skin. Rose water is a great hydrator, but also really beneficial for oily skin as it works as an antibacterial and anti inflammatory. A chemical exfoliation using salicylic acid will work deeply into the skin to unblock pores before treating with a serum such as niacinamide to reduce the appearance of enlarged pores or zinc for excess oil production.

Sadie Goodson, Fix Up Feel Good
@fixupfeelgood