There’s no denying we love dressing up, looking glam and wearing beautiful makeup that covers any blemishes. But now and again it pays to give our skin a rest and return to our au naturale roots. After all, the French approach to skincare is to enhance natural features, not hide them (that includes the occasional imperfection!). Here are our beauty tips for clean, clear skin that won’t need dressing up. 1/ Use a combination of actives daily Use a combination of actives every day, including Vitamin A. Did you know that vitamin A increases your cell metabolism, therefore, coaching your skin into acting younger?! Use Ultra A Skin Perfecting Serum to keep your skin looking smooth and even so that you’re confident in your skin every day with or without make-up! In addition to actives, getting monthly lactic peels will exfoliate by removing dead skin cells and stimulating hyaluronic acid to hydrate which leaves skin refined and glowing make-up free! 2/ Exfoliate! Easily integrated into your nightly routine on a weekly basis, exfoliating is one of the most essential steps because it removes dead skin cells that can dull the surface of the skin and creates a silky smooth, clean and clear base. It clears the pores to give a fresh feeling and creates a wonderful base and is the easiest way to boost glow immediately. Exfoliate, whether it’s in the form of a chemical exfoliant (AHA’s & BHA’s) in your daily serum, or using a manual granular exfoliant once to twice a week. They are essential for removing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin, this allows healthy new cells to shine and give your skin a smooth & glowing appearance. Exfoliants also aid in decongesting the skin and reducing scarring. This is how to keep skin looking rejuvenated and healthy without feeling the need to wear makeup! 3/ Stick to your morning and evening skincare routines Finding, and sticking to your morning and evening skincare routines will help you effectively address any skin concerns you may have, and keep your skin in check. The steps you take in your bathroom, morning and night, will set you up for an amazing complexion well into the future. It’s important to note that as you age and change, so should your skincare routine. If you can, use products that have been prescribed to you by a skincare professional. At Total Body Concept we offer skin consultations that allow us to assess the condition your skin is in and the skin type you have, whether it be oily, dehydrated, dry, sensitive or combination. 4/ SPF – Don’t go without it! We can’t stress this enough, you must wear sunscreen every day of the year, whatever the weather! When in the sun, it’s important to reapply sunscreen to exposed areas every 90 to 120 minutes and even more if you’re in and out of the water (yes, even the water-resistant ones). Keep the skin’s appearance and function strong with the promise you still get a soft tan and healthy summer glow but without the burn and harmful rays reaching your skin, leading to danger zones of cancerous cells and aging. 5/ Moisturise; Hydration is your skin’s best friend Moisturisers both hydrate and seal in hydration. That is why moisturisers are a little richer than the products we apply to our skin beforehand. Use a lighter one for the day as a good base before a BB cream or of course, go it alone. Use a richer cream for the evening and feel pampered and hydrated to the max! If you use a vitamin C serum in the morning, you can layer a moisturiser right on top to push your vitamin C in deeper and nourish the surface of your skin. If you have a big event looming, reach for instant skin-plumping and glow-boosting benefits using a face mask. Also reach for hyaluronic acid, a highly praised skincare ingredient for good reason. It’s a molecule that is naturally found in your skin as well as the connective tissue in your body which acts as a cushioning and lubrication agent for our joints, nerves, hair, skin, and eyes. So in short, it hydrates and alleviates dryness. Hyaluronic acid works wonders to fast absorb and aids as a deterrent to fine lines and wrinkles. Remarkably powerful, it’s also suitable for all skin types. A goddess of an ingredient indeed. 6/ Stay Hydrated Motivate, hydrate, feel great. Drinking water is necessary for our bodies to function optimally, and to help nutrients reach the skin through blood flow. Although it’s not directly hydrating the skin, drinking water is great on a cellular level as it flushes the system and hydrates our bodies at the same time so continue to fill up! There are so many pretty water bottles out there and they’ve become the latest accessory and it’s money well spent if it means you hydrate more. 7/ Avoid air conditioning where possible as it drys out the skin During those balmy summer nights we are AC happy but what are the effects on our skin? Air conditioners pull moisture from the air to reduce humidity, but of course, this intern can zap your skin of moisture too. Removing too much water from your skin means dehydration, leading to dull and dry skin but also skin that is less likely to heal/regenerate leading to fine lines and wrinkles. Sleeping when it’s warm can lead to restless nights and gorging mornings (and we all know we need good sleep for glowing skin), but how cold is too cold, and how warm is too warm? Play around with the temp settings on various occasions and note your results. Also remember to clean your AC regularly as dust, bacteria, and germs can build up and be distributed through the vent. If you really need to cool the air on those crazy hot evenings, ensure you slather on the moisturiser first. Serums are also superheroes of hydration for those with oily skin who want to avoid overdosing on a moisturiser. Basically, whatever you use needs to act to retain skin moisture. Ceiling fans also get the go-ahead from us although we realise that could be a big ask! Silk pillowcases might be an easier purchase and cool the skin and cause less irritation (and installing)!! 8/ Nurture from the inside out with a diet rich in beta-carotene “You are what you eat” or more accurately “you are what you absorb”. Your skin reflects your health and what you put in ultimately echoes on the outer! A healthy hue comes from eating fruits and vegetables and it can last all year round. The good news is you can eat to glow so skip the rays of the sun and eat the rainbow! Adding orange fruit and veggies is particularly beneficial for the skin. Yellow-orange fruits and dark green veggies are packed with a family of pigments called carotenoids. Without getting too scientific, the body converts beta-carotene into active vitamin A, or retinol, which is required for healthy skin (with the added benefits to healthy eyes, reproduction, and organs). Make small, positive changes to your diet and lifestyle to prevent the overwhelm of trying everything new at once. Little changes help when working towards bright, luminous skin. Phasing out alcohol, caffeine and high sugar foods are at the top of our list if we want to see the changes. Help rid toxins which dull your skin by sipping on hot water and lemon (jam-packed with antioxidants), at the start of the day, and be sure to top up with the H20 throughout. 9/ Manage stress through meditation, exercise, or whatever works for you Meditate to receive mental clarity and find our positive zones. The goal is to focus and understand your mind – eventually reaching a higher level of awareness and inner calm. Like most things, meditation can take practice but the key is to start today to achieve a sense of tranquillity and peace, no matter what is going on around you. Feel the connections of your surroundings. Reduce emotions and stress and enhance your concentration. Try to make this moment of mindfulness a part of your daily rituals. Having a healthy lifestyle enhances the benefits of meditation. We recommend a healthy diet, movement, and sleep. Some people prefer to get the cardio going to start the day or pump those weights to leave the thoughts of the day behind and set yourself free. Those endorphins are magical. Increasing your circulation means more oxygen and nutrients can be delivered to the skin cells so more toxins and waste products are carried away from them. 10/ Massage your face Muscle stimulation through massage will improve the overall appearance of your skin. It’s the ultimate anti-aging technique and you can do it daily at home. Facial muscles require exercise just as the rest of your body if younger and firmer are your skin goals. Light pinching and strokes of the skin stimulates blood flow and will help flush excess fluids and enhance blood flow for an instant glow and longer-term lift. Massage boosts our serotonin levels as we reach a state of pure relaxation through stimulation, which in turn lifts mood, spirits and reduces stress levels. To facilitate the absorption of the active ingredients found in your moisturiser, a good massage technique works wonders. Deflate puffiness by massaging your creams into your skin in a circular motion with your fingertips or grab a gadget… the facial roller! The tool of the now! It will increase circulation to help bring fresh blood and new nutrients to the skin cells as well as giving you some relaxation and ‘me time. They are easy to come by, easy on the purse strings, and look pretty good in your overnight bag! You can always try our Yoga Workout Facial for a quick, easy solution to face massage too. 11/ Get some sleep! Quality and restorative sleep in sufficient amounts have a huge impact on our lifestyles and the way we feel, deal and heal! Cozy up under the covers with a warm herbal cuppa to relax into a deep sense of relaxation. Sleep in relation to skincare has everything to do with collagen as collagen repairs itself while we sleep. Collagen gives our skin firmness and glow. Age affects our collagen levels which can lead to dullness of complexion and a few extra wrinkles. Collagen provides the body with structure and is a protein, ensuring elasticity and strength of the body’s connective tissue so sleep is a vital part of replenishment. All a part of the body maintaining its matrix! But not only that, here are some of our top ten sleep saviours. Sleep: Helps reduce stress Helps your body to fight back Can lower your blood pressure Puts you in a better mood Can help you maintain your weight and support weight loss Can improve your memory Could reduce your chances of diabetes Helps keep your heart healthy Can be a painkiller Can make you smarter — If you liked this blog, head over to our Journal page to read more of our helpful skincare guides! If you live in Christchurch and new to the world of facials, get in contact with us or make a facial appointment here. Meet the Total Body Concept team on this page, or head over to our online store for some skincare retail therapy!
— If you liked this blog, head over to our Journal page to read more of our helpful skincare guides! If you live in Christchurch and new to the world of facials, get in contact with us or make a facial appointment here. Meet the Total Body Concept team on this page, or head over to our online store for some skincare retail therapy!
