IMPROVE YOUR SKIN IN 7 DAYS

We all have that one big day that we had planned for ages right? We have been to planned the clothes, the makeup and then suddenly, the week before we are hit with a breakout… cue panic! Once you are over the panic though, what can actually be done to help your skin look it’s best?

Your daily beauty routine

In the morning it is best not to strip the skin of all of it’s natural oils so for the majority of people, just a gentle splash of water is enough to keep our skin from drying out first thing.

Vitamin C serum

Adding a serum rich in vitamin V will not only help bolster sun cream protection, but protect your skin throughout the day and help keep it moisturised. For more information on all the benefits of vitamin C read our blog here, but to summarise, it will help you to radiate, smooth your skin and even out the skin tone – You will literally get your youthful glow back!

Don’t forget using it under your eyes! It will help to diminish the dark circles that may have formed there, leaving you looking more awake, and can be used with other serums, like Hyaluronic acid too.

Consider adding hyaluronic acid

“If you have dry, dull skin, consider using a hyaluronic acid as part of your skin care regime,” says Kathryn Jones, who makes all the serums for Kathryn Jones Serums.

Also an antioxidant, the term acid is misleading to the extent that it’s calming and hydrating properties make it a great choice for anyone, including people with rosacea-prone and eczema-prone skin.

The best thing about a hyaluronic acid is that it sits on the skins surface to catch water hydrating the top layers during the day. In fact, it’s ability to lock in water is astonishing – One gram (0.03 ounce) of hyaluronic acid can hold up to six litres of water. Do not be afraid though, the properties within Hyaluronic acid mean that it will only distribute the amount of moisture that your skin needs.

Basically, hyaluronic acid has powerful anti-aging properties and is also one of the premier hydrating ingredients for skin, even for oily, sensitive, or breakout-prone skin. It will leave all skin feeling softer, smoother and radiantly hydrated.

Moisturise

Yes, even after using a hyalyronic acid, it is sensible to moisturise using a water based moisturiser if you feel need it. The Hyaluronic acid will regulate the amount of moisture that is distributed to your skin.

ALWAYS apply a sun cream

Ok, so this won’t have a profound affect on your skin over the next week, but it will stop your skin from looking bad in the longer term. UVA and UVB not only cause premature aging, but can lead to cancer and other illness.

Stop using makeup with silicone

It may give you the best primer available, but the silicone in your makeup is the worst culprit for clogging up pores and therefore best avoided where possible. There are other good primers on the market that you may want to swap to using.

At the earliest opportunity, it is best to wash your face free of make up, and daily grime. In fact, washing your face twice at night is a game changer for great skin.

Double Cleanse at night

Washing your face twice at night (or double cleansing as it is known in the beauty industry) is an excellent way to improve your skin. Remove your make up first using a micellar water which will also remove your eye makeup, and then wash it using a gentle cleanser. You don’t want a wash that is too harsh as this will irritate your skin. Models swear by using cetaphil when they have a breakout.

Saying double cleanse is a bit misleading though. Using a toner will also get rid of any remaining makeup residue that would stop topical products working properly on your skin.

Toner

A Glycolic acid as a toner is especially useful if you have large pores, but can be irritating if you use it regularly, so proceed with caution before embarking on this route. If you do want to try it, use it for one or two nights depending on how your skin feels. Give it a break and use a vitamin c serum during the break. The science behind them means that they won’t work together so to avoid waste, use separately.

Otherwise, there are a huge array of toners that are available for use that you can also use with your Vitamin C serum. They will prep your skin so it is ready to absorb the most moisture it can, and then you can also get the amazing results from your serum.

Moisturise

Vitamin C serums are great to use after toning as the skin is fully prepped. 

Hyaluronic acid,is a great moisturiser to use after toning especially when coupled with a glycolic acid toner or a vitamin C serum.

Like in the day, you can also use a moisturiser. Something heavier is more suitable at night so it doesn’t wear off onto your pillow so easily. You can then lock in the moisture with an oil. A normal rosehip oil is great last thing at night to use.

Drink plenty of water

It isn’t just about making the most of your daily and night time beauty routines though if you want to improve your skin almost overnight. You need to eat and drink the right things too.
Drink as much water as possible. We know it is recommended that you drink 3 litres of water a day. This can be tough, increasing your water intake to even just half of this means you will see noticeable results the following day and stop you feeling sluggish.

You are what you eat

You may love chocolate and milkshakes, but how good are they for your skin? While a little in moderation is OK, that full bar of cadbury’s choc and nut probably isn’t the best idea, “Reducing your sugar intake will do wonders for your skin,” explains Kathryn.

Instead invest in fruit and vegetables. Packed with vitamins and natural fibre, they nourish your skin from the inside says Kathryn, “Vitamin C is a great antioxidant. Not only will it work wonders when applied to your skin, but eating fruit and vegetables rich in it like broccoli, Kiwi fruit and oranges, will also benefit your skin.”

Getting 7 hours sleep at night

Whilst fruit and vegetables can nourish you from the inside out, sleeping is where the days healing happens, so making sure you get the full 7 hours of sleep at night is paramount to good skin, both immediately and in the future. Not only will it naturally help the dark circles and puffy eyes, but it will help you to feel better yourself, which in turn will increase your confidence. And at the end of the day, isn’t this actually what we want. We know that great skin is the icing on the cake to making us feel fabulous. We won’t hide our faces when talking to people. Why? Because we have more confidence.