This week is officially Halloween, and for those who celebrate this means it's time to plan a killer costume (even if you are staying in this year).
If your outfit involves make-up, don't let the fun spirit of Halloween cloud your judgment when it comes to your skin's well-being.
I don't know about you, but I want to wake up looking younger, not like an extra from the walking dead!
Knock off the years with these six beautifying hacks that will anti-age you from head-to-toe.
Get your beauty sleep.
Poor sleep leads to poor mood, poor skin and poor health. Research shows us time and time again that lack of sleep shows on your skin – from a sallow complexion to puffy eyes and fine lines and wrinkles. Lack of sleep disrupts the cell regeneration process so skin can't heal and renew itself fully.
Old and damaged cells are much rougher than newly formed ones and can't hold moisture as well, so they don't appear as plump or fleshy. Make the most of your beauty sleep by finding time to unwind before bed.
Try the Neals Yard Beauty sleep concentrate (£35). This best-selling, lightweight serum helps to support your skin's natural night-time regeneration while you sleep. With a soothing and calming blend of essential oils, it helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles so that you can wake up beautiful every day.
Lighten your hair.
It's not necessarily grey hair that adds years on you. Choosing the wrong hair colour is a mistake that can indeed age you. It's more important to look at your skin type and go with what suits you. Also, one dimensional, block colour can look very flat and have an ageing effect. Keep your hair looking beautiful and ask your hairdresser to add different tones in your hair to add dimension and depth.
To keep our hair looking healthy this winter, try the Rosemary and Cedarwood hair treatment (£8). A deep conditioning overnight treatment, it restores shine, body, and vitality. The nourishing blend of organic coconut oil with the essential oils of organic rosemary, cedarwood, and lavender make it ideal to use on lacklustre or coloured hair.
Give Facial massage a go.
Lift, sculpt, and tone your skin by spending a few minutes doing a facial massage. For this, I love the Rehydrating Rose Facial Oil (£26). It replenishes your skin's natural moisture levels while helping protect it from future moisture loss - useful in cold, dry weather when chilly winds and central heating may take a toll on your skin.
Using a few drops of oil, apply firm pressure to the skin and glide your hands upwards towards your hairline. Use your knuckles in circular motions to sculpt your cheeks, then pinch and release along your brows. Repeat this six times. Next, use your ring finger to perform some tapping motions under your eyes to de-puff and reduce dark circles. Finish by gently tipping your head upside for 60 seconds – this will flood the skin with blood, helping to feed and nourish the cells as well as drain toxins.
Lock in Moisture.
Over-cleansing your skin with water-based cleansers is likely to lead to premature skin ageing. Your skin has its own self-cleaning system that repels and neutralises environmental pathogens. Washing away this protective shield exposes skin and can dry it out. Oil-based cleansers contain just the active ingredients your skin needs.
The Frankincense Intense Cleansing Melt (£38), is a micro-emulsion of natural sugars and oils that bind with water to give a triple-texture effect, melting away even waterproof make-up, for skin that feels intensely cleansed, without drying.
Scrub up.
Getting rid of dry and dead skin cells on the surface of your body is one aspect of your home skincare routine. Regular exfoliation will increase blood circulation, which helps to build healthy, glowing and younger-looking skin. Aim to do this once a week to achieve a noticeable difference to your skin.
For facial exfoliation, try the best-selling honey and orange facial scrub (£18). This revitalising facial scrub exfoliates and deeply cleanses your skin. With skin-conditioning honey, natural neroli oil, distilled from the blossom of the bitter orange tree, and smoothing organic rice powder, it removes everyday impurities and leaves your skin soft and smooth.
Top up your collagen levels.
Seventy per cent of your skin is made from collagen. Yet sadly, from the age of 21, the body's production of collagen starts to decrease, with existing collagen breaking down. Easy ways to boost your collagen levels include staying hydrated, having regular facial massages to stimulate collagen production, or you could try cutting out excess sugar as this causes inflammation in the body which produces enzymes that break down collagen.
You could also give your collagen a boost with a vitamin C supplement. The Vitamin C Boost with Wild Rosehip (£12.50 for 60 capsules) is a good option. The advanced blend nutritional supplement provides Vitamin C, which not only gives nutritive support for collagen formation for healthy skin but also supports the blood vessels, bones, teeth and the maintenance of normal immune function.
Finally, the only mask I will be wearing this Halloween is the Reviving White Tea Face Mask – no trick, just a lovely treat 😊
Wishing you a BOO-tiful Halloween
Related posts: