Beauty Buzz

As you age your skin changes.  From adorable baby chubbiness to puberty’s unwanted acne, your skin, especially that which covers your face, is a map that gives information about your age, or life>  As you age however your skin type changes.  It can develop problems where there were none in your younger days, or miraculously overnight become void of blackheads that have plagued your entire adult life.  Strangely enough however, although many women see the changes happening when they look in the mirror, it’s not common that they would instantly think that the changes would require a change in their skincare routine – and in particular the kinds of products that they use.

With Christmas approaching take advantage of one of the free consultations that many of the cosmetic companies offer in larger department stores.  Most of these are without obligation because they work on the principle that you’ll be tempted to buy the products once they’ve showed you how wonderful they are!  Book a time when you’re not in a rush, and when you don’t need to wear a lot of make-up so that you can have bare (or almost bare if you’re not quite brave enough to go ‘all the way’) facial skin and the skincare specialist can see your skin in its natural state.

The specialist should clean your face with some kind of cleansing product and then assess the kind of skin you have, noting any issues that you may need to consider – such as enlarged pores or even darker skin under your eyes.  They will then advise you on what kind of products are best suited for your skin type.  Ask them any questions about your skincare routine that you may have, and ask for advice on such things as the amount of times you should use specific products such as masks etc.  You have this expert at your disposal for the short time they are trying to convert you into a shopper of their products, so use it to glean all the information about your skin type that you can!   Once you’re done, the specialist should give you a list of the products that they recommend for your particular type of skin – and there’s the ideal thing to hand a bewildered partner who’s looking for the perfect Christmas gift for you and will otherwise end up buying you yet another pair of house slippers in the wrong size!

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Hands and feet need extra attention during the cold winter months.  Feet often spend long periods of time inside fur-lined boots or frozen cold in shoes that look fabulous but would reveal blue toes if they were taken off.  Hands are often entombed in tight leather gloves, or smothered in wool or fleecy ones – or left bare completely so that they can grip shopping bag handles or the hands of small children.  None of this is particular healthy for the skin and so you need to take additional care of your hands and feet when you are doing your usual face skincare routine each evening.

Use a good hand cream on your hands.  This should be allowed to sink through the skin and then rub a little additional on so that it can work through the night as you sleep to replenish the skin.  Every couple of weeks use a face mask – leaving it on as you would on your face – to give a little additional nourishment to your hands and keep them soft.  If your finances allow for it, try to find time to have a manicure every 4-6 weeks so that your nails and cuticles are kept in tip-top condition, and if your finances don’t allow, then treat yourself to a self-manicure every few weeks to keep your nails healthy.

Feet either seem to be one of two extremes in the winter months – extremely hot or extremely cold.  You may not be able to do anything about the extremes whilst you’re out and about, but indoors you should try to ensure that you don’t wear outdoor shoes that will make your feet sweat when they aren’t in the lower temperatures outside, and when outdoors, ensure that you wear shoes that are weather appropriate where possible.  On a daily basis once you’re ready to climb into bed, massage your feet with a good thick cream that will soften the skin and help your feet to recover from the stresses of the day.  Once the cream is applied, put a pair of socks on top of it to stop it losing its effectiveness by being rubbed off onto your bed linen.  The socks will also keep your feet cozy through the night and stop them becoming cold if they escape from under the duvet!

The winter season is harsh on your skin, so make sure you find a few additional minutes each to keep your hands and feet in a healthy state and they’ll remain as soft as they are in the summer months.

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