When I started looking at skincare as the basis of good, clean makeup, I was surprised at just how much I learned.  I’m not skincare trained, but I do know the basics, and understand that every skin is different and every skin needs different products in different combinations.

I asked the question, is it possible to reteach a generation of women who’ve grown up using soap and water, and does skincare need to be quite as complicated as it seems?

I came to the conclusion that yes, we can reteach women, and no, it doesn’t need to be overcomplicated.

I was also fortunate enough to try out the new skincare consultation bar at Clinique’s counter in Selfridges in London where those fabulous/horrific consultation mirrors point out every part of your skin that needs work!

Clinique has been around for many years, in fact, generations, and their philosophy has always been simple, 3 small steps.  In fact, they have a range called 3-step, comprising of a cleansing product, exfoliating product and a moisturising product.

This is their basic skincare plan, after that you ‘bolt on’ the additional treatment products that you need for your personal skincare plan.  A bit like buying a mobile phone, you buy the basics and add on the call/text plan that is specific to your needs!

But is it really that simple?   Well yes! You choose the 3 step plan according to your skin type, and in my case, I don’t like bar soap, so chose the facial wash instead, the clarifying lotion in number 2, and everyone has the dramatically different moisturising lotion, regardless of skin type.

After that, I felt, at 35, that I needed to be looking at age sign prevention, so I then added on the super rescue day cream, night cream and eye cream.  All of them are layered over the top of the 3 step.  Had I been older or had blemishes, I’d have chosen the appropriate products for those issues.

I also have the odd dry day here and there, so we decided that I ought to have the Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief, and I have to say, it does a wonderful job of flooding my skin with extra moisture on those days when I need it.

See, simple, start with the base skincare, then add on the bits you need to treat certain areas!

Over the last 2 months, I’ve been using these products and I have to say, that my skin is looking much better.  The lines around my eyes are never going to disappear, unless I’m prepared to go under the knife, but that’s actually okay, I laugh a lot, and am happy to show that!

What I have noticed is that my skin is considerably smoother and I get less dry patches.

I’ve always maintained that for someone who doesn’t know much about makeup or skincare, then they should head for clinique, and I certainly reinforce that now.  The makeup is easy and well thought out with great quality behind it, and the skincare system is simple.

Sam Donald

www.SamDonald.com

When I decided to write a skincare article back in August, I asked lots of friends, family, contacts what their skincare worries and woes were, the first thing that many of them asked was ‘Sam, what’s a pentapaptide?’  Well, I’m still not completely convinced that I’ve found an answer, but from my own research, it’s a mild skin irritant that forces collagen into your skin, that makes your skin renew itself faster, therefore making your skin look younger and softer.

However, if you’re going to go down the ‘scientific’ route and get blinded a bit more by the terminology and technology in the market place, then what is Retinol?  What does it do?

It’s a derivative of Vitamin A, a product that is considerably weaker (try 10 times weaker) than the prescription only cream that really does make skin look younger, Retina A.

But all this knowledge is well and good if you have the time to research the advertising campaigns and their buzz words, but what about for the busy woman who really doesn’t have that sort of spare time on her hands and just wants to buy a moisturiser without having to take a dictionary with her?

There are so many to choose from.  Moisturiser with anti aging properties, with anti wrinkle properties, some for sun damaged skin, then there are serums, boosters, eye creams, eye serums, oils for oily skin, creams for dry skin.  It’s so confusing?

No wonder so many women revert back to the Soap and Water that their mothers and grandmothers used.  Or worse still, baby wipes.  That one scares me.  I have children, if something like a baby wipe is designed to remove welded-on-baby-poop, then its too strong for my face thank you very much!

So where to start?  well, Superdrug has recently launched Purity Organic Skincare, a range of products, just 7 of them, which meet pretty much all our needs.  They are missing an eye cream; however, the rest is there.  They aren’t complicated or overly fancily packaged, simple clean lines with 2 cleansing choices (wash or cream) 1exfoliator, 2 moisturisers (1 day and 1 night), 1 anti aging moisturiser and 1 anti aging serum/mask duo.  Simple!

So what do the experts say about the over complication of the current skincare market?

Katie May, creator of the Yin Yang Organic Skincare range says  “The market place for skin care has always been exciting – not just because it is big Global business ($55.38billion) – but also because it is complex, diverse and for ever evolving.   It is claimed that skin care started in the fourth millennium BC and is, in the 21 millennium AD, controlled by 5 large companies.  These companies invest infinite sums in advertising and promotion, to share the majority of this market.

Having been involved with skin care for almost 40 years, I have seen much come and go and evolve in many directions but, fundamentally, it remains the same.    It is full of mysteries and alchemy yet makes giant claims for eternal youth. During the last 40 years, there has been a growing use of the words natural and organic often inappropriately.   Smaller companies have made the first moves in this direction but they have been copied, outshone or taken over by the largest global players.”

Kirstie Allen, Founder of Pinks Boutique agrees “Your skin and skincare aren’t entirely simple – let’s face it, if they were, we would all have a blemish free complexion like a baby’s bottom! In reality our bodies, hormones and lifestyles are complicated and thus affect our skin.

However, it would be wrong to presume it is as complicated as some of the major non-organic brands make out. There is a great deal of product manufacture just for the sake of it, which makes these brands millions of pounds each time they bring out a new cream. In truth these ‘new’ products may not be entirely dissimilar to the last ones, and more sadly, they are usually full of chemicals which are used for effect and to make the product cheap to produce. Worryingly these chemicals are then absorbed into our bodies.

Pinks Boutique organic skincare is about working with your skin in balance and not overcomplicating it. We aim to ensure your skin has enough moisture, flower and plant extracts to help it stay naturally radiant. You do need to put some work in though, it won’t happen on its own. At a minimum you should aim to cleanse tone and moisturise both morning and night and ensure you exfoliate once a week. Enjoy it – it is a few minutes of each day you can care about yourself!”

So is simplicity the answer?  Is there room for science and technology in this apparently over complicated market place?

Planet Skincare, forerunners for current modern scientific skincare are honest about their products.  It’s there on the packaging, and certainly inside the information sheet.  Nothing complicated about them, and Caroline Clapperton, MD of Planet Skincare herself says ” Speaking from purely my point of view, I myself do believe in products that are backed by science and technology, but I do think that some companies do take this too far with the way in which they market their products to the end consumer and over complicate the marketing of their products with their science and technology

At the end of the day the consumer just wants to know what it is going to do for their skin.

Science and technology is constantly evolving which is a good thing in my opinion and help companies like mine treat specific skin conditions for both men and women.

I feel it is much better to layer products such as serums, put directly onto skin followed by a product with a great active such as planet skincare and finish with sunscreen

Our skin is subjected to more stress than it ever was and needs much better support. For example: the hole in the ozone, the decrease of vitamin and mineral content in our food, chemicals in our food and containers and last but by no means least, the damage from our stress filled lives.”

So is it really possible to re-teach a generation of women who have grown up hearing ‘I used soap and water on my face, it should be good enough for you’?

Well, as Caroline says, our lives are stress filled now in a way they never were, and our diets are dramatically different – gone are the home-grown vegetables and in with the processed packaged stuff.  Yes, they really do sit hand in hand together with how our skin looks.

Katie May explains it really well ” Once man had invented alkaline soaps and detergents more than a hundred years ago, soap and water was never good enough.  Added to this is our modern tap water supply, which is often a high pH,   This combination of soap and water is extremely detrimental to good skin condition.   It may clean surface grime and dead skin cells but it will leave the skin alkaline with a surface scum of detergent which prevents exfoliation and traps the skin’s sebum.   This is a mess, which left to continue over any period of time will cause skin function to close down.   The result is dry flaky dead skin cells trapping spots and lumps. This result is usually masked with make-up, which is “papering over the cracks”

Kirstie Allen puts it even more simply “From a science perspective, the problem with soap is that in general, it’s ph level is entirely different to that of female skin – it sits at approximately 10 on the ph scale, which is towards the alkaline side, whereas female skin has a level of 5.5, which is towards the acidic side.  Technically soap makes no sense!”

With all of this in mind, is it possible to buy products off the shelf without the potential ‘embarrassment’ of not knowing what you’re asking for?  Too many friends of mine have said that they feel foolish going to a cosmetics or beauty counter because they just don’t know what they’re asking for, or what they need, and are frightened of walking away with a £100 bill for products that they really don’t need.

Bharti Vyas created the Skin Wisdom range for Tesco and says ‘I am from the soap and water generation, and back then soap and water was and still is, a very effective way to clean the skin.  The difficulty presented to women today is that the environment we live in has changed, and there are more pollutants and impurities in the water and air around us that affect the condition of our skin and its aging process.’

Basically though, yes, the market is flooded with over complicated scientific sales pitches and marketing campaigns, however, with the right education, we can re-teach a generation of women who feel that soap and water is okay and get them on the right road.  It might need to be simple steps at first, but with experience comes knowledge, and as a woman gets to know her skin, she finds out where her problem areas are, for herself, not as bolt-on products sold in a bid to raise sales commissions, but as a real experience of her own skin.

Sam Donald

www.SamDonald.com

by Tracy Hamilton

Sometimes we take our skin for granted.  We live in it each sleeping and waking moment.  Why do we have skin?  Why is it so important?  Is it really necessary to go a few extra steps each day just to care for our skin?  Life is hectic, so how can we set aside precious time for those few extra steps?

 Actually, it does not take long at all, to include a skin care regimen into our daily routine.  Men and women alike take time to care for their teeth, hair and nails.  We may be happy to spend time and money on expensive make-up, yet are we willing to spend a little extra on caring for our skin, especially our faces which are exposed daily to the elements?

 I believe that the benefits are definitely worth it.  I would like to share with you why I think a regular skin care regime, using the correct products, will help you reap the rewards of a healthy skin now and later in life.   My former years of experience as a nurse encouraged me to enter the beauty profession in my early forties.  I would like to share my passion for what I believe should be an important part of valuing yourself each day.

 First, I think it is important to understand the primary Functions of Skin:  remember SHAPES.

 Sensitivity to touch, temperature, pain and pressure

Heat and temperature regulation

Absorption

Protection

Excretion

Secretion

 There is also the function of Storage and the synthesis of essential Vitamin D. 

 The following factors affect our skin type and the way it ages; sunlight, extreme weather conditions, air pollutants, smoking, alcohol, genetics, diet, puberty, pregnancy, menopause, illness and medication. 

 Without boring you, I would also like to help you understand how pH of our skin can be affected by the skin care products we use.  A normal skin is mildly acidic and has a pH of 5.5 to 5.6.  Extremely oily to mildly oily skin has a lower pH of 4 to 5.4 which is more acidic, whilst a dry to very dry skin has a much weaker acid pH of 5.7 to 6.

 Without becoming too technical, this acid pH is vital in helping to protect our skin against breakouts (those dreaded spots and blackheads) and infection.  Choosing the wrong product for your skin can wreak havoc which is why it is important to get your skin care routine right.

Your Skin Care Routine

How many times have you heard the words ‘cleanse, tone and moisturize’?  This simple routine honestly does not have to take long at all and you deserve this little time out for yourself.  In the morning it refreshes your skin for the day and helps to prepare it for your make-up.  In the evening before bedtime, it cleanses and prepares your skin for when you sleep, as this is when your body is at rest, thus allowing your skin care products to work their magic.  Yes it is true.

 Before painting or papering, a decorator will prepare the wall.  He will sand down and smooth the plaster and ensure that all rough edges are removed and tidied.  If you imagine your face as a blank artist’s canvas, you want this canvas to be thoroughly prepared i.e. fresh, clean and smooth.

Cleansing

Cleansing removes dirt, bacteria, dead skin cells and make-up.  You will be amazed how much environmental pollution can build up on your face in the course of day!  A good facial cleanser will effectively remove make-up without causing irritation.

 As tempting as it may be, don’t go to bed with your make-up on. Your foundation ends up smeared into your pillow and your mascara ends up in your eyes… ouch!  Quick wipes can be very handy for ultra fast removal of make-up, however, I don’t recommend these as a regular daily option.  

 Eyes:  Begin by removing all traces of eye make-up.   There are many products specifically designed for removing eye make-up.  The eyes and surrounding skin are delicate and sensitive areas.  There are smaller and fewer pores in this area and they are therefore, not able to absorb products as in other areas of your face.   Incorrect use of products around your eyes can result in uncomfortable and unsightly puffiness and irritation.

 If you wear waterproof mascara and eye liner, use an eye make-up remover specifically designed for this.  Regular eye make-up removers may result in the need for scrubbing the delicate eye area.  You also stand the chance of prematurely loosing some of your lashes.

 If you are wearing lash enhancements and wish to keep them in place, remove your eye make-up using non oil based make-up remover.  The oil based products can usually be identified by separated layers of oil/liquid when left standing for a few minutes.   

 Procedure:   Dampen and squeeze 2 cotton pads between the palms of clean hands.  Apply the product to the centre of each pad and place one over each closed eye.  Hold in place for 5 to 10 seconds (without rubbing), then in a gentle yet firm down ward and outward motion, simultaneously sweep the pads over the eyes.  If necessary,

turn the pads over and repeat the process.  You can use a cotton bud dampened with eye make-up remover to gently cleanse away stubborn traces of mascara and eye-liner from the lash line.

 Tip:  By using a damp cotton pad you prevent the pad soaking up excess amounts of make-up remover.  You can also save money by splitting your cotton pad in half.  Most good quality pads are made in layers.  Once dampened, these layers can be separated quite easily.    

 Face:   Facial cleansing preparations may be found in the following formulations: milks, lotions, creams, medicated, soap less and liquefying gels.  

 The use of soap as a cleanser on the face is not recommended as it can have a very harsh and drying effect.  Previously, I briefly mentioned that the pH of your facial skin can be affected by the use of incorrect products.  Soap is an alkaline with a pH of about 8.5 to 10.  This is a far cry from the mildly acidic nature of your facial skin.

 Procedure:  Apply cleanser to palms of your hands or finger tips.  Dot all over your neck, chin, cheeks, nose and forehead.  With flattened fingertips and beginning at the base of your neck, use alternating hand movements to move the product in an upward direction towards your jaw line from one side of your neck to the other.  Repeat this step.  It only takes a few seconds.

 The reason for this movement and for the movements I describe is (a) it prevents unnecessary dragging on the skin, and (b) stimulates blood flow in the direction of facial lymph nodes.  This assists with removal of waste products from your circulatory system.        

 From the neck, move onto your chin using small upward and outward circular movements with your middle and ring fingers (these have the least strength).  Don’t forget to include your lower and upper lip area.  Then move out towards your cheeks and sides of your face, gradually increasing the size of the circular movements.  With small circles, move to the corners of your nose, then incorporate the rest of your nose, over the bridge and up onto your forehead.  Follow with a couple of gentle circular movements around your eyes (follow socket bones), then continue in upward and outward circular movements from the centre of your forehead to your temples.

 Remove your chosen cleanser according to product instructions.  If using cotton pads, follow the same routine.

 Sounds complicated?  Trust me, once you have practised this a few times, you won’t need to think about it when you do it and it will become second nature.

Toning

Some people skip this important step as they believe it is not really necessary.  In fact, using a toner after cleansing is just as important as the other steps.

 Toning helps to remove any remaining traces of cleanser, but also helps to refine the skin’s texture by tightening the pores.  It refreshes your skin and prepares it for application of make-up and moisturizer.

 Some toners are astringent based and contain up to 20% alcohol.  These are suitable for oily skin types but need to be used with caution as they can have a very drying effect.   Overuse of astringents can also stimulate the skin’s pores to produce excess oil (sebum), therefore making an oily skin more oily!

 Procedure:  Follow product instructions.  These are usually as simple as damping onto cotton pads and applying in the same way as for cleansers (described above).  Alternatively, you can apply the toner directly to your hands and pat gently into your neck and face.

Exfoliation

Our skin is made up of several different layers, of which the outer layer is constantly being shed.  The technique for artificially speeding up this process is called ‘exfoliation’, thus making way for new skin.

 Comedones, more commonly referred to as blackheads, are clogged up pores which consist of oil secretions (sebum), dead skin cells and dirt.  Exfoliation helps to open the pores and loosen and remove blackheads.  This process should ideally be carried out once or twice a week as more often than this can result in making your skin raw and irritated.  Existing oily skin can also be over stimulated, encouraging the production of more oil (sebum) which can result in spotty outbreaks and more blackheads!  It is recommended that you gently exfoliate only once a week if prone to oily skin.

 Most exfoliants contain tiny granules which remove the build up of dead cells when rubbed against your skin.  Facial exfoliants differ from the products used for the rest of your body, in that the granules are much smaller.  Never attempt to use body exfoliants on your face as they are simply too coarse and harsh.

 Procedure:  Follow manufacturer’s instructions, however, most products require a large pea sized application to fingertips or facial cleansing brush.  Dab over wet skin onto your neck and face, avoiding the eye area at all costs!  Once again, follow the steps recommended for the cleansing procedure but using only gentle finger tip pressure.  Concentrate on the areas which appear flaky and pay particular attention the chin, corners and body of the nose and the forehead as these are the areas which are prone to blackheads. . 

Masks

Think you don’t have time for a applying a mask?  Think again.  Masks can be nourishing, soothing, deep cleansing and hydrating.  A luxuriating mask can be so easy to apply and can work its magic whilst you bathe, shave, wash your hair or brush your teeth.  A vast range of affordable masks are available to suit a variety of needs.  There are setting and non setting masks as well as masks which can be peeled off and those which can be simply rinsed off. 

 Ingredients such as fruit, plant, herb and sea extracts which are rich in vitamins, minerals and enzymes, penetrate deep into your skin to help cleanse, nourish and balance your skin’s pH.  Clay masks work by absorbing oil and dirt and stimulate your circulation which helps to improve skin colour.   These masks can have a dehydrating effect which should be avoided in dry and mature skins.  Some masks contain soothing and calming ingredients such as calamine, aloe vera and cucumber. 

 Whatever your choice of masks, 10 minutes once a week, can leave your skin feeling fresh and invigorated!

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

I cannot stress enough the importance of daily moisturizing!  In fact, if there are really only two steps you can fit into your daily routine, then I recommend cleansing and moisturizing.  Please do not ignore this important step as moisturizers mimic the natural secretions of the skin (sweat and sebum) helping to keep it soft and supple.  Even if you have oily skin, please do not be mistaken into thinking that you don’t need to moisturize.  This excess oil does not actually moisturize your skin, but rather blocks pores and acts as a trap for environmental dirt.

 Moisturizers protect the skin from external factors such as wind, extremes of temperature, central heating and air conditioning etc…, all of which have a very drying effect on your skin.  Some moisturizers contain SPF (Sun Protection Factor) which helps to protect your skin from the damaging and potentially harmful UV (ultra violet) rays of the sun.

 Moisturizers vary in the form of emulsions, light or heavy creams, gels and mousses.   Special preparations include products for the eyes and neck.  Remember that the delicate and sensitive eye area has fewer and smaller pores which are unable to absorb the moisture rich molecules designed for the rest of your face.  The neck area, although less sensitive, consists of very few underlying sebaceous glands to provide natural lubrication, hence the importance of paying attention to your neck as well as your face. 

 Night time moisturizers are more heavily based preparations.  Under the heading ‘Your Skin care Routine’, I mentioned that at night whilst asleep and at rest, these moisture rich products work at plumping out tired cells restoring your skin’s suppleness.  If you are on a tight budget and do not feel that you can afford a night time moisturizer, then be sure to apply your day time moisturizer before you go to bed.  At least you are moisturizing!

 Procedure:  This is simplicity in a jar or tube.  Apply the required amount to your fingertips and dab from the base of your neck and then up and onto your face….. Then pat in.  This is what I do and it only takes a few seconds.

One last thing, remember, that drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy and balanced diet and getting plenty of restful sleep, helps you to maintain a glowing and youthful skin.  With your skin taken care of, you are now ready to apply your choice of fabulous make-up.  Have fun!

Tracey Hamilton

Beauty Therapist, CIBTAC Diploma, MGPBT. 

Indigo Beauty Room