My much younger friend has immaculate skin but has recently had a baby. She feels as her skin is becoming “droppy” and has new brown spots. She desperately wants an eye cream too…
In an ideal world, I would suggest she needs to relax and get more sleep. But that world doesn’t exist and I am pretty sure hormonal changes and stress are taking a toil on her skin.
This blog is my next best suggestion.
What do I think?
She is showing some of the first signs of ageing – sagging skin, pores enlarging as well as pigmentation. That may also be because of weight loss – change in the amount of fat and water that your skin holds as well as the protein structure. We therefore need to address these changes. Its all about hydration and collagen building.
Her existing products are Chanel’s sublimage range. This is an excellent range, but her skin may have “fatigue” from using the same products.
What does she need?
As we are friends, I like to believe (or I may be kidding myself), that she knows I am all for long-term fixes. She needs to follow these steps for at least 3 months but changes will be apparent within a week. Through topical treatment, the aim is to:
- Add back some of the hydration to her skin
- Help her skin build some collagen
- Inhibit the pigmentation – and that means inhibit melanin
What am I suggesting?
Morning routine
Cleanser
Washing is essential to removing dirt, grim and sweat (especially from the gym), but you want to be kind to your skin as well. So, use an oil-free and mild cleanser. The amount also matters. Imagine a pea and then half the pea. That’s how much you want to put on the palm of your hand, bring it to a lather and then put it on your face.
Recommended cleansers (in descending order of preference):
Delicate Facial Cleanser Kashmiri Saffron & Neem
This product will help with the small eruptions that she appears to be getting.
Delicate Facial Cleanser Mashobra Honey, Lemon & Rosewater
Avene’s Cleansing foam (normal to combination skin)
I would avoid Micellar Water, as it can be too drying.
Toner/Softener
The fashionable name is softener – you want to use this to close your pores and to help but (eg) Shiseido’s White Lucent softener is designed to penetrate into the third layer of the skin, the hypodermis (where the blood vessels and the nutrients are).
If you use a toner every day, then twice a day is fine.
Otherwise, once a day (preferably at night) works too.
Recommended products
Vitamin C + oil base
Two drops + 2 drops of oil are more than enough. Pat / push the serum into your skin.
She is a first time Vitamin C user and because Vitamin C stings, I am suggesting she use Clinique’s 10% Ascorbic Acid with 1 or 2 drops of prickly pear oil. The Clinique sales assistants recommend mixing the Vitamin C with a moisturiser. This does not work – it just creates a rubbery consistency that peels off.
Moisturiser
You need a really small amount if you are using Chanel Sublimage.
Otherwise, any ordinary inexpensive moisturiser that you have used before works – Clinique or Estee Lauder will do fine.
Evening routine
This is identical to the morning regime, except when you use the nu face device. Use the NuFace device following the instructions below and then, wipe off any excess and start with the Vitamin C serum + oil base, finishing with a tiny amount of moisturiser.
After the gym
If I have been to the gym, I will wash my face thoroughly and redo my morning routine. I know a lot of folk think this is unnecessary, but the truth is its expensive – its not unnecessary. If that means packing a few products inside your gym bag and less make-up, then I am OK with that.
NuFace device
Personally, I had to watch this Youtube video a couple of times before I started with the device.
She does go too quickly if you are a beginner.
BUT she does show you the complete range of movements and notice how much pressure she applies. You can see how she visibly pushes the device into her skin and after the routine how her skin is visibly lifted.
The first time I used the device, I nearly threw up and it gave me a headache. There was more than a metallic taste in my mouth. The next time the device did give me slight headache but not the third time.
The lady in the video doesn’t seem to mind the blue light – but it is initially quite blinding and ALSO the device is tricky to use. You will feel like you have butter fingers until you get used to it.
Plus I do both my left and right face at the same time. I perform one set of movements on the left and then repeat on the right.
The gel primer is stupidly expensive, so I end up using it every alternate day.
