I’ve been meaning to do this post for the longest time after having a few questions posed my way regarding my skincare regimen. I’ve been very lucky as I’ve never had spots of any kind; the only flaws I have regarding my skin is hyperpigmentation around my eyes and mouth, as well as a few blemishes here and there, depending on the weather.
Anyhoo, I thought I’d compose some of my favourite tips that I use daily in order to maintain clear skin! If you were lucky enough to be blessed with good genes, amazing! But maintenance is always key!
1) Identify your skin type. Different skin types need different types of care. It’s very important to know what type of care you need in order to pick the best methods for clearing your skin.
- Dry Skin: Dry skin usually has a dull appearance, feels dry and itchy and is sometimes sensitive. Dry skin needs to be hydrated from the inside (water) and outside (water mists), as well as rich, hydrating oils and lotions.
- Oily Skin: Oily skin usually looks slippery and and shiny and sometimes has a greasy texture. This sort of skin is typically prone to acne and benefits mostly from herbal steam treatments and clay masks.
- Normal Skin: Not too oily and not too dry. Normal skin looks consistently plump, moist and vibrant and benefits from toning, cleansing and moisturising.
- Combination Skin: Normally a mixture of at least two of the above.
2) WATER! Extreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeemely cliche, however the stuff really works! Water flushes out your system completely and works to eliminate toxins, whilst hydrating your skin from the inside. I try (and i stress on the “try” as I’m very rarely thirsty) to drink at least 1.5l a day. An easy way to monitor this is to buy a 1 or 2 litre bottle of water from your local supermarket or shop and keep drinking throughout the day until it’s all gone.
3) Try and use a natural cleanser. Facial cleansers with too many harsh chemicals can be harmful to skin. Harsher chemicals have been known to strip paint off walls and even bleach certain fabrics! Using natural, organic cleansers will help your skin clear up faster and be much more effective than unnatural cleansers. I use Antipodes Grace Gentle Cream Cleanser which is rich in antioxidants and nutrient-rich avocado oil which protects the skin from free radicals and keeps my skin immensely hydrated. Also great for removing stubborn makeup!
4) Wearing less makeup. I don’t wear makeup to work. Luckily for me, I work in the kind of environment where you don’t really need to wear makeup; I just slick on some vaseline and head on out. Wearing less makeup reduces clogging up of the skin and allows it to breathe. On weekends when I go out, I will normally use my beloved GOSH BB Cream in Espresso and top it with a setting powder.
5) Minimize sun exposure. If you’re very light, then you’ll already know not to stay in the sun too long, especially if not wearing the proper SPF! There was a myth that I used to believe about black people not needed to wear sunscreen; THIS IS A LIE. People of ALL skin tones should always wear the appropriate SPF when out in the sun. For me, In summer I’d normally spritz on a transparent sun spray with an SPF of around 8, which is okay for me.
6) Natural Face Masks. I love a good natural face mask! Most of the leading masks on the market today claim to use natural every day ingredients; so why not skip the £$ and make the mask from scratch?
My favourite is the honey facial mask as it calms down inflammation of the skin and naturally moisturises. See this article for a great honey mask recipe that I frequently use.
- Oatmeal soothes dry, irritated skin
- Cucumber, avocado, yogurt and honey moisturise skin
- Aloe Vera, also a moisturiser, helps protect skin from the sun’s UV radiation.
- Jojoba, a moisturiser is an antioxidant.
- Tea tree helps treat acne and oily skin
- Kaolin and clay helps cleanse pores in oily skin
- Sugar, salt and honey are exfoliants
- Soy is a rejuvenator.
I hope the above tips have been somewhat helpful; I know a lot of these are very obvious tips, but hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it right??
Steph x
In the words of Beyonce, Steph your skin is FLAWLESS! Cheers for the tips 🙂
IN MY SUNDAY BEST BLOG
Sade xo
Steph, your skin looks so good! I wish I had them!
Cindy XO
Your skin looks amazing!
simplybymoi.blogspot.co.uk
Skin is looking beautiful. Great tips and it's obviously working for you. I definitely agree with tip 4 skin needs time to breathe instead of being clogged up daily xo