The Complete Make-Up and Beauty Book. Leigh Toselli
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Apply the face mask, taking care to avoid the eye and lip areas. Don’t forget your neck, which must be included in each and every step of the cleansing routine.
Remove the mask gently with a wet face cloth. Using clean cotton-wool pads soaked in warm water to remove any remaining traces, splash face and finish off with your moisturizer.
To get the most out of a DIY facial:
Keep hair off face with a shower cap or thick towelling band when cleansing.
Wash with a gentle cleanser applied to dry skin and remove with damp cotton wool to prevent the skin from drying out.
Scrubs with harsh granules can irritate and damage blood vessels. Opt for an exfoliator the texture of oatmeal, but test it on your hand.
Always include the entire neck area in your skin-care routine. It needs as much care and consideration as your face; besides, you’ll be thankful in your 40s.
Don’t wait for breakouts – prevention is always better than cure.
Keep all sponges, face cloths, beauty brushes and tools meticulously clean.
Always be gentle with your skin – no harsh rubbing, pummelling or squeezing.
Rather than steaming your skin, which can be harsh, cover it with a warm wet towel sprinkled with a few drops of revitalizing essential oils, such as peppermint or lavender, breathing deeply for a minute or two.
Make sure there is nobody at home when you indulge in DIY facials and masks – the sight of a woman enveloped in an avocado face mask with teabags on her eyelids will send most men scurrying for cover!
THE BASICS
Cream cleansers make light work of lifting make-up and impurities, and are ideal for use at night. Massage into the skin in small circular motions, and leave for a few seconds to dissolve impurities. Remove with damp cotton wool or moistened sponge.
Wash-off cleansers or pH-balanced soaps are ideal for use in the bath or shower. Together with facial cleansing brushes, these allow you to exfoliate and cleanse in one go.
Night creams are good investments when the skin’s recuperative powers are at their height – from 23.00 to 01:00. They contain special ingredients to help the skin recover.
Moisturizers used daily are essential for all skin types. Look for formulations that contain a sunscreen, as well as antioxidants to prevent premature ageing, and sufficient hydration to suit your skin type.
Eye make-up removers are essential for cleansing the delicate eye area. Don’t think you can use normal cleansers in this area – look for a gentler formulation, ideally containing no oil or fragrance. Work gently from the outer corner of the eye, taking care not to drag or pull the skin.
“Look for formulations that contain a sunscreen, as well as antioxidants to prevent premature ageing, and sufficient hydration to suit your skin type.”
BEYOND THE BASICS
Cleansing, moisturizing and sun screening may be the mainstay of good skin care but cosmetic counters are filled to capacity with all sorts of other skin-care products – from masks and exfoliators to serums and eye creams. So how do these products fit into a sound beauty routine?
Masks
Face masks are considered more of a luxury than a necessity, but they infuse the skin with beneficial ingredients and offer a quick, albeit termporary, way to exfoliate, moisturize, cleanse or soothe.
Choose a mask formulated for your skin type. A clay mask can dry out and further irritate dry skin, while a moisturizing mask could aggravate acne-prone skin. If a mask stings, remove it immediately, unless you are using an AHA or BHA product where a mild tingling is not unusual.
Exfoliators
Exfoliators are essential for sloughing off dead skin cells. Use once a week to boost circulation. Dead cells and dirt sit on the surface, clogging pores, and make your complexion look dull.
However, moderation is the key. The top layer of the stratum corneum defends the skin, so you don’t want to strip it. Avoid physical exfoliators like sponges, brushes, and loofahs – they are generally too abrasive and provide a breeding ground for bacteria. Also avoid cream-based exfoliators that are abrasive; the formulations should feel gentle on the skin.
Chemical exfoliators don’t require rubbing and rinsing. For example, alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) dissolve the protein bonds that bind dead skin cells together, allowing you to shed the cells easily. If your skin tolerates AHAs, this is the best way to control the level of exfoliation. When it comes to exfoliating, more is not better! If you notice pink or raw patches on your skin, you know you’ve overdone it.
Eye creams
Eye creams are usually lighter in texture than most facial moisturizers and specially formulated not to harm the eye’s delicate tissue. However fragrance, emulsifiers, and emollients are not uncommon and may cause sensitivity in the ultra-sensitive eye area.
For daywear choose a formula enriched with UV protectors and antioxidants. Gently pat into the skin under the eyes and along the orbital and brow bones. The skin’s warmth helps to deliver it where it’s needed. Avoid applying the product too close to the eyes. If it enters the tear duct it can aggravate the mucous membranes and cause puffiness.
Serums
Today’s serums are usually a cocktail of potent but lightweight, anti-ageing ingredients. Some are designed to be used every day, others when your skin needs to generate new cells or deliver a burst of radiance. They are usually worn underneath your moisturizer, and many brands have cult followings.
SKIN PROBLEMS
Decode your skin’s SOS signals. Here’s how to rescue skin in distress:
Skin changes to take to a doctor
While you can learn to read and respond to certain skin signals on your own, the following demand a doctor’s attention:
▪ Sore or bleeding bumps that don’t heal within a month
▪ Moles that change colour, size or shape
▪ Inexplicable blisters that itch or burn
▪ Any sudden, persistent or unexplained swelling.
Sensitive skin
• This troublesome condition affects every type of skin in the form of redness, scaling, swelling and irritation. Skin can react to skin-care products and detergents just as it can to the sun, wind and pollution.
Do
• Use a sunscreen containing titanium dioxide
• Wash your face with lukewarm, not hot, water
• Use a fragrance-free moisturizer
• Try products that contain anti-inflammatories like camomile
• Use a liquid