Facials leave us feeling fantastic, but just because salons are closed it doesn’t mean we have to forego this little luxury, according to skin specialist Frances Turner Traill.
“Life has changed beyond recognition for most of us,” says Frances. “Those of us not on the frontline have time to reflect on life and ourselves and how we feel, inside and out. And, for some of us, a rare opportunity to do something about what we don’t like about ourselves in our own time.
“Caring for your skin morning and night is a ritual that most us carry out twice a day. Lockdown is the ideal time to up the ante and to treat ourselves to a home facial to keep skin looking its very best despite the circumstances.”
Get into the habit
In the way regular exercise and a balanced diet is good for your body, a good facial is like a skin gym.
“With the right products, know-how and frequency, your skin will soon be glowing,” says Frances.
The FTT Skin Clinic founder says forming a good, daily facial routine is key.
“Cleanse morning and night. Use an antioxidant serum and follow up with SPF50,” she adds. “Think about deeper cleansing using masks such as charcoal and exfoliation to remove superficial dead skin and to allow more active ingredients to penetrate that little bit more deeply. Having a facial at home can be just as good as an ‘in clinic’ one but you must claim that hour as yours and plan it to a tee.
“Lay everything out, it is your skin ritual time, enjoy a nice bath, a glass of something lovely, get the candles on, some good tunes – and give yourself permission to relax for an hour.
“Start off with a double cleanse and exfoliation, then a mask and relax, followed up by some layering of serums that are suitable for your skin.
The eyes have it
“Pay special attention to your eye area and only use eye cream that’s specially formulated for eyes as the skin here is very thin; some products can make this area look worse as they’re too hydrophilic so will puff your eye area. Don’t forget your neck and décolletage and also your hands either.”
Try a scrub
Remember there are lots of things you can use in your kitchen cupboards, such as mixing oats and yogurt for a lovely little scrub.
“Many excellent skin care products are available online but you need to know what you’re looking for.
“We would suggest an online consultation with skin experts. They’ll consider your concerns, diet and lifestyle over platforms such as Zoom and analyse your skin virtually to give you the right advice.”
Visit francesturnertraill.co.uk
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