Times have changed. Your skincare regime and rules will need to change too. Today’s woman knows better and desires more for her skin. Here’s how to maintain a youthful, modern looking U :-
1) Forget the 3 steps, remember the 7 steps! You need to cleanse, tone and moisturise, but dont’ forget to apply an eye cream to the delicate area, use a serum before your moisturiser to boost the efficacy of the latter, never forget to use a sunscreen, and lastly, foundation! Foundations are now considered the last step of skincare – especially those that offer skincare elements for example, lifting, hydrating, anti-blemish etc. Why? Simply because foundation, like skincare is the means to the end in the pursuit to a flawless complexion. You need good skin and an even base to start so that makeup can be applied smoothly.
2) Wear Sunscreen all over! Sunscreen for the face might be essential, but you need sun protection everywhere too! There’s no point flaunting a radiant complexion if the harmful rays are frying the rest of your body. So sooth lips with a lip balm containing SPF protection and slather on sunscreen on areas exposed to the sun such as the back of your neck, arms and shoulders. Dark spots anywhere on the body is unwelcome!
3) Go NUDE! A natural face with a hint of natural colour is desirable. Cheeks should be flushed with the softest hint of blush, puckers and pink and healthy and complexion shows enough skin that radiates with an even glow. Cover up with a base that corrects a dull, ashen complexion and smooths out uneven skin tone. You can start off with some tinted moisturiser, or a liquid foundation that offers an ultra-sheer and dewy finish. Nude definitely does not equate with zombie like brown and boring earthy tones. Colours that make up the new nude include rose pink, apricot and coral. Even metallic shades like gold, bronze and copper fit this look as long as you keep it sheer, natural and pretty.
4) Love your Eyeliner! Promote the eyeliner to New best friend status. Apart from defining your eyes, it can also be worn as eyeshadow. Pencil eyeliners are easy to use. they provide a deeper intensity of the shade compared to eye shadows and are great for creating bold eyes. Simply slant your eyeliner and shade your lids with them. Enjoy that your eye pencil is moist enough to shade smoothly. A rounded blunt tip will also work better. To ensure the liner doesn’t smudge or crease, layer over the liner with power eyeshadow in a similar shade.
5) Use foundation where only needed! Be prudent, not liberal with your liquid foundations. Do not treat your foundation like war paint. Instead invest in one that not just matches your flesh tone, but is very blendable, allowing you to build coverage wherever necessary. It’s trendier today to treat the foundation like a concealer. Allow the skin to breathe by applying only where needed such as spotty uneven areas. Your complexion looks smoother and less cakey in this way!
6) DO NOT OVERSLEEP! Sleep is only as good as your need it to repair the skin and recharge your body. Snoozing too much is just as bad as sleeping too little. Research shows that long sleepers who rest more than eight hours a day consistently report fatigue and lethary. Extended hours in bed stifle circulation too, your skin could look all the more worn and puffy for it. Get out of bed and exercise!
7) Groom your nails! Get rid of chapped, dry cuticles, file them into a neat shape and paint your nails in your favourite colour – be it sophisticated burgundy or understated pink. Dont’ forget the toe nails. feet look so much sexier in peep toe heels when you’ve had a pedicure done!
Treat your hands with respect! Hands are the first to show signs of ageing. Age spots and wrinkly hands arent’ uncommon before you hit 30. Massage with a hand cream to keep them soft and smooth every night before bed.
9) Match Scent with Fashion! Do you wear your scent according to your moods, Yawn!!! Double yawn if you stick to one fragrance everyday. Wear a scent to match your threads!
10) Dress up your hair! Hair needs a retouch or a shine boost. Even a fantastic haircut needs a little helping hand. Use good styling products to give it that extra oomph. Volume up or use a shine serum to add lustre. If you’ve long hair, polish it up with a serum or bundle it up into different styles. Occasionally book in an appointment at the hairdressers for a conditioning treatment!