Unsightly breakouts are the kissing cousin of too much Christmas pud and endless selection boxes. If you’re looking for short or long-term cosmetic gains, this is where you will find those magic-etched “top tips” that will help to successfully minimize any skin stresses this Lent term.
PRODUCTS
The face wash is a bathroom-sink-cupboard essential, a potentially skin-changing bottle of magic, but it’s no longer a case of popping to the shops and picking up the bottle with the shiniest packaging (sob). It’s time to invest in a face wash that works for you and your particular skin type, the general types being ‘normal skin’, ‘dry skin’, ‘oily skin’, ‘sensitive skin’, and ‘combination skin’. You can determine your skin type by simply washing your face, letting it dry, and leaving it completely untouched for an hour: once you have examined the evidence, all you need to do is a spot of extra reading – sorry to add to that ever-growing list – to find out which unique ingredients will work well with your skin type and successfully cater to its needs. Tip: Skin cells are self-renewing so do not use your face wash day-in and day-out as this may clog your pores and lead to even more pimples. Instead, use it two or three times a week when your skin needs a bit of a ‘pick-up’, i.e. on a Saturday morning after that long week of work, work, and more work.
Going that extra mile with your skin-care regime always pays dividends. If you’re partial to an alcohol-fuelled weekend – which, er, let’s face it, most of us are – then why not treat your skin to a face-mask on a lazy, hung-over, kind of Sunday? Boys, this ain’t just a fluffy, sleepover, pyjama kinda thing: simply grab the most macho film from your DVD stash, and your best boy mates, and embrace the green goo and cucumber eyes. You won’t regret it.
Last week’s bad-boy spot left you with an unsightly red mark? One that you just know is going to linger there forever? Well, fear not, because the good old high-street drugstores now stock the most popular skin product in celebville: Bio-oil. This fabulous little bottle contains the breakthrough ingredient PurCellin Oil, which effectively tends to scars and uneven skin tone. Oh, and the benefits don’t stop there! Bio-oil is perfect for dehydrated skin so don’t be afraid to use a drop or two with your moisturizer when you’ve got that frazzled Friday feelin’.
If your bank account has taken a battering recently, what with Christmas celebrations and Lent term rent payment, then not to worry, because your kitchen cupboard just might save the day! Honey, believe it or not, is a fantastic natural remedy for the skin. With its anti-bacterial properties and hefty serving of skin-saving antioxidants, honey is the perfect ingredient for both acne treatment and prevention. If honey is good enough to rub into your skin, then surely an extra blob (or two) with your morning porridge or cup o’ tea won’t harm, right? Either way, a perfect excuse.
TIPS
My mum’s always said that ‘how you feel on the inside affects how you look on the outside’, and she’s right, just as mum’s always are. If you’re feeling low about your skin, it’s almost natural to want to hide behind your baggiest and most sombre looking jumper, but this can actually have the opposite effect of what you want, and magnify the appearance of any just-come-through zits – nooo! So! Take a deep breath, and slip on your freshest and most colourful number. This is guaranteed to give you an instant lift and direct any unwanted attention away from your skin – a fantastic bonus!
