After many years of ignoring my skin, abusing it with face wipes from Pound Land & using the same Clean & Clear moisturiser for my oily teenage face, in the past year or so I’ve gradually gained a proper skincare regime.
I’m glad I’m taking more care of my skin as it has definitely shown improvement, and I know I’m not getting any younger, therefore anti-aging is important as I aim to look youthful for as long as possible!
One person who knows exactly how to get beautiful skin is beauty therapist Holly Weilding, 23, who specialises in skincare. Her most recent job role was working for Virgin Active as a Spa Therapist, and with almost two years of experience she has helped clients day in, day out to achieve the beautiful skin we all hope for!
Holly is originally from Warrington, Cheshire but has recently moved to London to embark on a new career. She is about to start work at Cowshed Spa, before she moves onto a skincare salon at the Oxford Street Selfridges which opens in May.
Although she offers treatments that give her clients instant results, she stresses that a follow up routine should be maintained at home. “After all, you wouldn’t have a deep clean at the dentist and then not brush your teeth til your next appointment!”
Holly’s Top Tips:
- A thorough cleanse – “I have so many clients who come in telling me they use all sorts of luxurious serums and moisturisers, yet ‘cleanse’ with baby wipes. It’s my job to help them understand that if they haven’t got a clean surface in which to apply their follow up products, they might as well be pouring them down the sink!”
Holly uses Dr Murad’s Refreshing Cleanser – “It’s gentle enough to remove even my eye makeup, and takes the same amount of time as it would to use a wipe.”
- Double cleanse – “The first cleanse will remove makeup, surface oil and debris that builds up on the skin throughout the day, whereas the second will really deeply clean and nourish the skin, preparing it for those all important follow up products.”
Look for soothing ingredients in your cleanser, for example cucumber extract, to prevent irritation and dryness.
- Use products that work with your skin type – “I have normal/combination skin (oily T-zone and chin, dry cheeks and eye area), so my main concern is occasional breakouts, oiliness and congestion, as well as preventing (prevention is better than cure, right?) the inevitable signs of ageing.” Following cleansing she applies Dr Murad’s Pore Refining Serum, which contains glycolic and salicylic acid, to her T-zone. “These active ingredients, also known as hydroxy-acids, work to continuously gently exfoliate dead skin cells to help clear blackheads and reduce pore size, leaving your skin with an amazing matt finish.”
Look for glycolic, salicylic or lactic acid in your products, especially if you’re an oily skin type, as it will boost cell turnover and leave your skin visibly clearer and brighter.
- Stay away from abrasive ingredients – “I always like to steer clear of benzoyl peroxide (which can pop up in a lot of acne products). It can cause severe dryness, irritation and in some cases, burns. I much prefer the less irritating hydrogen peroxide, which, when paired with hydroxy-acids, enables them to really penetrate into the skin, to encourage deep, yet gentle, exfoliation.”
- Beware of skin myths – One myth for oily skin; “the more you use an exfoliating scrub, the more it will help to clear your skin. The truth is, in fact, the opposite! If you exfoliate using a scrub twice a week or more, your skin will panic, and instead of clearing the skin, the sebaceous (oil) gland will go into over drive and over-produce, leaving you oilier than when you started! For an oily/combination skin, once weekly or even every 10 days is suitable.”
A dry skin should also exfoliate weekly to encourage cell renewal and reduce dead skin cells.
- Repair the damage to your skin both externally & internally – “Another great ingredient to look for in your products is anti-oxidants, such as pomegranate extract or goji extract. These extremely kind molecules help to neutralise damage from aggressive ‘free radicals’ (environmental damage; sun, pollution etc) combating external ageing such as brown spots and lines and wrinkles.”
Also ensure that you incorporate anti oxidants into your diet, blueberries, raspberries and goji berries are great, as this will help the skin to repair and prevent against environmental damage internally.
Although she was modest, Holly showed just how beautiful her skin is last week with the ‘no makeup selfie’ for cancer awareness!
- Keep your skin hydrated – “Even the oiliest of skins need plenty of hydration to achieve optimum health, and for this type of client I would always recommend a water based moisturiser, usually a light lotion texture. If you are acne, blemish prone or even sensitive, I would recommend moisturisers rich in anti-inflammatories such as arnica, peppermint leaf extract and chamomile, to reduce irritation caused by the acne bacteria. Dry skins can opt for something a little richer: shea butter and avocado oil are amazing deeply nourishing ingredients to keep an eye out for. I also use an eye cream containing caffeine and retinol twice a day to prevent dry, flaky skin and wakes my eyes up, reducing puffiness.”
Hydrate from the inside by always remembering to drink water throughout the day.
Holly’s bonus tip – “Always, ALWAYS remember your sun protection! SPF 15 being the absolute minimum, ideally SPF 30.”
Let me know if you enjoyed these tips!