GET YOUR WINTER GLOW GOING ON

Get Your Winter Glow Going On

Is your face already starting to resemble a dried out old prune and crying out for moisture?  Looking it bit dull and lack lustre? Maybe it’s hyper sensitive, flaky, dehydrated, rough to the touch or even feeling a bit tight? Hydration, folks, is key for ANY skin type particularly as we head into Winter.  And all of these issues will only become exacerbated by applying makeup - particularly highligher products which we use to ‘fake the glow’ which will ultimately just highlight any skin textural irregularities and crepey, parched or flaky skin.

Low humidity cold winter air combined with the drying effect of central heating or open fires suck the life blood (or moisture in this case) from your skin.  Changes in temperature throughout Winter can wreak havoc on our skins and when combined with the dehydrating effects of excess booze and caffeine, hormonal fluctuations and various medications, our skin’s natural water content evaporates quickly resulting in our skin becoming as parched as the Gobi Desert and resembling sandpaper!  

Let me introduce you to my GAME-CHANGING WINTER BEAUTY PRODUCT:  the Facial Oil!

Wait……bear with me here!  Oils DO NOT equal greasiness.  This is expert luxury skin nutrition in a bottle! A GOOD quality facial oil equals glowy nurtured skin (trust me) and:

• will NOT make your face oily – in fact it can help to regulate sebum production and will promote HEALING for any acne or blemishes should you have them

• will NOT clog pores

The opposite in fact!    A good quality, and ideally organic, face oil can:

1. help reduce oily skin conditions

2. calm and heal acne (which I myself have suffered from) and soothe irritated sensitive skin

3. reduce wrinkles

4. alleviate dry and dehydrated skin by sealing in moisture and act as a great makeup primer

5. nourish deep down and protect the skin’s natural barrier

6. help to reduce enlarged pores

….and generally give you a beautiful healthy-looking, hydrated glow. I know, huh?!

Without natural oils, your skin would be dry and unsupple which is why our facial skin particularly produces its own natural oils using moisture from the air and what you choose to eat and drink.  Harsh skincare products can strip away the natural oils in the skin and so, to compensate, your skin produces more oil to keep itself hydrated and protected, thereby worsening oily skin conditions.

FOUR TIPS TO GET THE BEST OUT OF YOUR FACIAL OIL:

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Tip 1:  Use at night or in morning while skin is still damp from bathing or washing, to seal in moisture.  Equally, use a facial spritz and then apply.  If using in the morning, use your water-based products first such as hyaluronic or niacinamide serums and then follow with your choice of oil, thereby locking in the water content.

Tip 2:  Add 1-2 drops into your chosen foundation for a sheer finish and a luxurious looking glow boost - you will be amazed and may not even bother using highlighter makeup which is what we use to ‘fake that glow’.

Tip 3: If using prior to makeup application, I add just a couple of drops to my moisturiser for an extra moisture boost or use as directed in the evening.

Tip 4: Depending on your skin type, consider applying your oil just a few days a week instead of every day. Equally, if you start using an oil by using it just a few days a week and you still feel dehydrated or dry, consider adding a drop or 2 more at each application or use more often in the week. Your skin will tell you what it needs after all by how it appears and feels over time.

Top 5 Multitasking Facial Oils this Winter under £45

Here are my top recommendations suited to ALL skin types (including oily and acne prone skins because of their magical natural healing properties for scarring and blemishes). Take a look at these multi tasking christmas crackers if you are looking to:

1. BOOST hydration and elasticity

2. REFINE texture & BRIGHTEN skin tone

3. IMPROVE scarring and pigmentation issues

4. HEAL & SOOTHE all skins and CALMING sensitive, red and irritated skins

5. MINIMISE fine lines

6. NOURISH skin deep down

7. REGULATE sebum and CONTROL oil production

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Nini Organics Natura Detox Facial Oil £45 for 30ml

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Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate £40 for 30ml

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PAI Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil £24 ml for 30ml or £16 for 10ml

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GOW 100% Pure Prickly Pear Seed Oil £20 for 30ml

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BYBI Bakuchiol Booster £12 for 15ml

TOP 12 BEST EYE CONCEALERS (you will find at least 2 of these in every Pro MUA’s Kit)→

BAG ONE OF THESE TOP 12 BEST EYE CONCEALERS

(…at least 2 of these products will be in every Pro MUA’s Kit)

Modern life can be a bitch to our beauty, people! Step forward the miracle that is……CONCEALER: OUR KEY cosmetic weapon of choice, when in a hurry and zero time (or inclination) for a full face of makeup. Chuck in a lack of sleep, too much screen time, lack of fresh air, poor diet, the ageing process and so on; all these factors have a massive impact on our skin over the years and it is often the under eye zone in particular that gives the game away first. 

We expect a lot from our concealer and particularly our under-eye concealer.    Once applied:

• NO WAY, JOSÉ do we want our under eye concealer to crease, move, appear cakey or powdery (hell no….very ageing under the eyes)

• we most CERTAINLY DO WANT our chosen concealer to add luminosity, brightness, smooth the wrinkles, help conceal the ‘puff’, hide discolouration and frankly speaking we would like it to knock 10 years off us and to make us appear to enjoy 8 hours of unbroken sleep!  Quite a lot to expect from a product, no?!

Following my blog post ‘The Eyes Have It: Top Pro Tips for the Under Eye Area’ providing skincare tips for this most delicate area of the face, any of the following top notch under eye concealer choices, in no particular order) can be found in most Pro Makeup Artist’s kits and are considered the miracle products that seal the deal when concealing the under eye area.

“TOP TIP: try applying a thin veil of a concealer that matches your skin tone (or a colour corrector if you have particularly dark circles or pigmentation issues) before then applying a brighter concealer that is at least 2 shades lighter than your natural skin tone over the top to add brightness and luminosity thereby making you look instantly more fresh faced and youthful. JUST REMEMBER to prep the eye well with your choice of eye cream or serum prior to application, allowing time for your chosen product to settle into your skin thereby hydrating and preparing the under eye area for an easier makeup application without unnecessary dragging of the skin which contributes to creating puff and eye bags”

— The Good Tip Makeup Fairy