When it comes to presenting a face that looks first class, the secret is in the skin care. As you know from my previous posts on the topic, it is as much about what you put in as what you put on your skin. So when it comes to the old argument about where to spend your cash, good quality skin care wins out for me over makeup every time. This is not to say that it needs to cost a fortune, but I do believe in buying the best you can afford and doing your research to make sure that you know what you are really getting in those fancy packages.
Here is what I am using at the moment…
The Neutrogena eye makeup remover is an absolute lifesaver! With the amount of eyeliner I use put together with eyelash glue and all manner of colours, it can be a big job to get it all off. I came across this one in a moment of desperation after many of the fancier brands had failed to handle the job. It is a two part type of liquid that has to be shaken before application, but then removes EVERY trace of eye makeup within two gentle passes!
My other super skin care secret is a salon product range called Sothy’s. It is a french skin care line and has done the most amazing job of restoring my skin to great condition after I gave it a bit of a beating. I used to get broken capillaries all across my cheeks and it wasn’t until my beautician put me onto the Sothy’s range especially for this that they healed and stopped occurring. The Beauty Milk has a light texture and is fantastic for cleansing the whole face slowly, gently and retaining the moisture without ending up “squeaky clean”. (In case you’re wondering, squeaky clean is actually a very bad thing for your skin. If it squeaks it’s in pain!)
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I also use the Sothy’s “Morning Cleanser” which is fabulous for a deep clean and does the trick after a day of heavy makeup, like photo shoots and such. I spend the time to remove my eye makeup first, then massage this one in for about two minutes. I also use a fresh, warm wash cloth it ensure that every remaining trace of makeup is removed. It is a good idea to add something as simple as a flannel washcloth to your daily cleansing routine as it provides a super gentle exfoliation and helps to clean the areas that can be left out if you just splash with water (like the hairline).
I cleanse my skin morning and night and always follow up with a gentle toner. In this case I’m using the Sothy’s toner as I like to stick to the same brands for the best results. This toner is specifically designed for skin with fragile capillaries, so it doesn’t make the issue worse. I’m also one of those people who bruise very easily, so I know I have to be careful with how I treat my skin.
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A few more from Sothy’s as I also use their day cream and Secrets eye cream. One of the tricks to keeping your eyes looking good that I am glad I learnt at a young age is NOT to use moisturiser around your eyes! The moisturiser increases the water content in the cells which stretches out the cell walls. So it is like inflating and deflating a balloon each day. Not a pretty picture.
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I talk a lot about wearing sunscreen on this blog, and many of you have asked which formula I use that is non greasy and goes very well under makeup to still keep it looking matt. This is the one – Sun Sense Daily Matt Formula by Ego. It can be found in most chemists and I think Priceline also carry it. It has a fantastic texture that is absorbed quite quickly and is perfect for face and neck. It is a little more expensive than the regular kind, so I keep this one for my face and use a regular 30+ for the rest of my body. And if you’re wondering, yes, I use these all year around not just in summer.
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I do regular at home facials at least once a week, and use a stronger exfoliate once a week to help renew the skin surface. There are a few different products I use for this type of regime but this Bubble Peeling by Shills I bought in Singapore simply because I loved the packaging. I’m not going to recommend a particular exfoliating product because I find that this can be a difficult area for a lot of people, particularly if you have very sensitive skin. After a good clean and exfoliation, I also like to use a deep cleansing mask and the Vitality Mask from Sothy’s has lasted me for a good twelve months.
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The Palmer’s body oil is one of my all time favorite products that I use almost everyday. I believe it is designed as a bath oil, but I apply it all over my skin after a nice warm shower and let in soak in. It has a somewhat chocolaty smell and makes you skin super silky. It’s inexpensive, quickly and easy to put on (but don’t use too much!) and leaves you feeling far more strokable than before.
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Last but no means least is the Paw Paw ointment. This stuff is fantastic for lip conditioning, but I only ever use it at night. I know a lot of people like to apply this all day or under their lipstick, but I find that as it has a low melting temperature, it cause lipstick to bleed! So I stick to using it when I’m sleeping so my lips are all plump and kissable in the morning. And the Vaseline? Well this stuff is handy to keep around for all manner of things but two in particular. Using a little Vaseline on your eyebrows helps to keep them in shape and nice and glossy. The other trick I use this for is on my teeth to stop my lips sticking, but only if I’m doing a particularly long photo shoot or something of that nature. You can’t always grab a drink on the catwalk, so it helps to know that you’re not going to have any lipstick malfunctions.
And that is all the basic skin care products I’m using at present in a nutshell. If you have any specific questions about these please feel free to shoot them through, but remember I can only give you generic advice on which products I like and not the perfect thing for you. The Internet hasn’t quite reached the touch and feel level just yet!
