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Sometimes skin needs a little extra TLC. Breakouts, stress, changes in season, too many late nights and any number of things can disrupt your skin. Fortunately there are some great “fix-it” products that help with damage control however “upset” your skin is…

Primers: when the concept of skin priming prior to make up application first emerged I was cynical – just another product to complicate my routine. However, of late I have become a convert. Primers work much like an extra layer of moisturizer under your foundation by easing application and creating a barrier between foundation and skin. Primers are are particularly useful if you have dry skin as it will smooth out fine lines and wrinkles by lightly filling them in and creating a flat. It can also diminishes the appearance of larger pores and uneven skin texture. Remedica Recovery Lift Gel does all this and more. It is a unique complex used to hydrate, protect and smooth vale with the addition of Acaci Senegal and Hydrolized Rhizobian gums for an immediate lifting and smoothing effect.

Conceal: with a good concealer you can skip foundation entirely. The key is finding the correct colour for your skin type. Fortunately Ere Perez provides 4 different colour options each with two shades for different areas of the face or for blending to find the perfect shade for your skin tone. To get the best results when using concealer, apply several dots of concealer under the eyes, then use the pad of your finger to tap it in (no rubbing). Then if needed apply concealer on other uneven spots on the face including the chin, and around the nose and mouth. Finally brush on a light layer of loose powder over your face to set your makeup.

Hydrate: sometimes in the drier months, mineral make up can appear a little…well dry. This is easily fixed by the application of a hydration mist once you applied your mineral powder. Have no fear, your foundation won’t slide off your face, rather the mist will settle down the make up creating a smooth and dewy look. Three or four quick pumps of mist is all you need.

Bronze: there is nothing better for a healthy glow than a touch of bronzer. However, you want to choose a bronzer that isn’t too dark. Also avoid shimmer in your bronzer as the idea is that it looks like your real skin. Use a fluffy blush brush and apply on your face where you would naturally get sun such as the cheeks, the top of the nose, the top of the forehead, the side of the forehead, and the chin. Stop when you start to see a hint of colour.

Every year I feel the change of season in my skin. It feels tighter, drier and any colour I achieved during summer starts to fade. The change of season has a big impact on the look and feel of our skin and no amount of makeup will make our skin look good if we haven’t done the prep work (or are genetically gifted) for the oncoming cold weather. Here is how to get prepared…

1. Start by changing your cleanser. If you are using a gel or foaming cleanser it will likely be too strong for the drier winter months. Use a cream cleanser such as La Mav Hydra Calm Cream Cleanser. For very dry, sensitive skin use Haven Scent Coconut Cream Cleanser or oil cleansing with Jojoba oil.

2. Scrub away dead skin cells. This allows the nutrients in your moisturiser or serum to penetrate more deeply as they don’t have to work through layers of dead skin cells. It also prevents your skin becoming clogged due to the richer ingredients used during the cooler months. Your skin will feel smoother and refreshed.

3. Use a Night Serum. Oils are so important for skin nutrition. They penetrate the skin more deeply carrying antioxidants and vitamins with them. Ensuring the cellular membrane of the skin cells is healthy allows nutrients and moisture to be retained within the cell and toxins to be effectively eliminated. Just what we want.

4. Keep your lips moist. Dry, chapped lips are a pain in winter. The wind and cold make it difficult for the thin skin of the lips to retain moisture. Give them a hand by applying lip balm regularly. Those containing beeswax will have greater moisture holding capacity that those based on oils alone.

5. Fake your colour. If having a tan makes you feel good then achieve one…the fake way. Sunless tanners used during Winter will help you hold on to the Summer glow a little longer.

Considered to be the benchmark in topical anti-wrinkle agents the much studied prescription medicine retinoic acid works by triggering the retinoid (vitamin A) receptors in skin cells. Once activated, these receptors affect many cellular processes including the renewal of epidermal cells, prevention of oxidative stress (associated with skin cell damage and ageing), control of surface skin bacteria by reducing sebum production and improvement in skin ageing and sun damage.

Unfortunately retinoic acid comes with significant skin tolerance issues including increased sun sensitivity, redness and irritation, all of which affect compliance. For many years vitamin A precursors have been considered less effective than retinoic acid as they first have to be converted to the active form via specialised enzymes in skin cells as below (http://www.smartskincare.com):

Retinyl palmitate <=> Retinol <=> Retinaldehyde => Retinoic acid

However, recent research supports the use of cosmetic retinal esters as significant anti-wrinkle agents comparable to retinoic acid (Retin-A or Trentinoin). The two important findings of the study (Fu et al. 2010) are that retinyl esters at 0.3% lead to significant improvement in wrinkles and that this effect is achieved without the irritation commonly experienced with prescribed retinoids. Specifically the use of retinyl esters was associated with improved wrinkle appearance after 8 weeks with continued improvement through to the end of the 24-week trial.

This is great news as it supports the use of retinyl palmitate in cosmetic formulations, more than just the label claim. Mismo ACE Vitamin Serum is my pick of natural retinyl palmitate formulations as it also contains the other significant anti-ageing vitamin, C. I have discussed the many benefits of vitamin C before (read more here) but the key difference is the type of vitamin C used in this formulation. Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant and for this reason it has been traditionally formulated in water based ingredients such as Aloe Vera. However, the skin prefers fat-soluble ingredients so the aim has been to ensure the skin effectively absorbs the vitamin C used. Recent innovation has lead to the development of Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, a vitamin C that has improved absorption, better stability and can be formulated in an oil base. The other unique quality of this vitamin C is that it doesn’t prickle the skin upon application, which means it is suitable for use on delicate areas of the skin such as around the eyes and as well as for those with sensitive skin.

Mismo ACE Vitamin Serum contains both retinyl palmitate and ascorbyl teraisopalmiate with some vitamin E in a triglyceride and jojoba oil base. This allows for effective transportation of the ingredients into the skin. Skin improvement with this product can be seen within 1-4 weeks with significant improvements within 12 weeks. Look at the difference below:

This blog is actually Jenni from Coconut Magic’s work. I just love coconut oil and use it for many things. In one of my recent posts I mention that a teaspoon in porridge in the morning adds to the creamy deliciousness of this dish. In any case, here are Jenni’s 6 clever ways to use Coconut Oil:

It seems that the toxic ingredients in skin care are really at the forefront of people’s minds again. I keep coming across articles and about this issue and one of the great resources I found is the infographic below from a blog page called EcoMom. I think they have done a great job at encapsulating the issues  that we face every time we pick up a new cosmetic product.

Unlike the toxins we ingest in food or drink which the liver has the opportunity to filter and excrete before it is stored, the toxins in cosmetics are absorbed directly into the blood stream and are therefore much more likely to be stored in our cells where they can wreak havoc. There are so many toxic assaults our body in this day and age, from the xenobiotics found in carpet and plastics, to toxins in our cleaning products, food and the environment. However, there is a lot we can do to minimise the toxic load we face every day. Changing to non-toxic skin care that is natural and/or organic is a big step in the right direction.

Check out the infographic:

View our range of natural and organic skin care.