When it comes to beautiful skin goals, my ultimate dream is to look like I’m wearing foundation just by using skin care. I’m makeup’s biggest fan on a work day – nothing makes me feel more powerful in a meeting than a bright pink lip. But come the weekend, instead of spending hours in the front of the mirror applying a full face, I’d rather dedicate it to important matters like long lunches, shopping for a new summer dress or just laying about in the sun. Agree? Thought you would!
RELATED: 10 of the best cleansers for dry skin
RELATED: The best skin care routine for your 40s
The easy solution would be to get weekly facials or monthly laser treatments, right?! But who has the time or the money for that matter? You’ll be stoked to know that the solution to beautiful skin is much cheaper and less painful.
The good news is we’ve got an abundance of tips for glowing skin. Get ready to ditch the foundation ladies, here’s how to get beautiful skin without a scrap of make-up.
Work out your skin type
First up, you need to put together the best skin care routine for your skin type by determining which category it falls into. The more products you use that target your skin type, the better the results you’ll actually see. Considering the four main skin types are normal, dry, oily and sensitive, ask yourself the below questions. If you answer with the same response more than twice, you’ve established your skin type…
1.What does your skin feel like when you wake up in the morning? Normal, dry, oily or sensitive
2.What does your skin feel like 30 minutes after cleansing? Normal, dry, oily or sensitive
3.How does your skin feel after a day in the office? Normal, dry, oily or sensitive
4.My biggest skin care concern is? I don’t have one, it’s normal, dryness, sensitivity, oiliness
Upgrade your skin care routine
We all know the drill when it comes to a basic, yet essential regime. Cleanser, tick. Moisturiser, tick. Sunscreen, tick. But if you want to make your beautiful-skin dream a reality, you need to give your complexion some extra TLC. Take your regime from basic to advanced just by adding a serum and exfoliator to your routine.
If you’re not already using a serum, you need to start asap. There are so many benefits from adding it to your skin care routine. They may cost more than a moisturiser but they actually give visible results. The molecules in serums are smaller than moisturiser so they can penetrate the skin deeper to help deliver active ingredients. So when your skin is super dehydrated, a serum can give a much-needed hit of intense moisture. But it’s also great for oily skin types. Serums can help heal inflammation and prevent future breakouts.
bh loves: Botáni Olive Skin Serum, Sukin Super Greens Facial Recovery Serum, Elucent Anti Ageing Serum
In order to slough off dead skin cells to reveal brighter, newer ones, you must learn how to correctly exfoliate. There are mixed opinions on how often you should exfoliate but if you’re prone to pimples and acne you need to be gentle on your skin. Too much exfoliation, no matter how you choose to do it, can injure your skin and lead to blotchiness, sensitivity and even more breakouts. Salicylic acid is great at removing pore-clogging oil and sugar scrubs are the most gentle on your skin. But if you’re looking for an anti-ageing exfoliant, try a peel containing ahas or a serum with retinol.
bh loves: Paula’s Choice Resist Intensive Wrinkle-Repair Retinol Serum, Paula’s Choice Resist Weekly Resurfacing Treatment with 10% AHA, Swisse Bamboo Face Exfoliant
Healthy skin is a must
Skin health translates to having good skin that glows and radiates. According to Dr Obaji, a leading dermatologist and skin care expert, healthy skin should be smooth, even in colour tone, firm and tight, hydrated, tolerant, contour rich and free from disease.
A great way to ensure your skin is healthy is from the inside out. Kick start your healthy-skin regime by switching up your diet to an antioxidant-rich one that’s also high in vitamin C. It will help fight free-radical damage that can speed up the signs of ageing. Start by cutting up a banana and berries for breakfast, eating two brazil nuts at morning tea and munching on a carrot for an arvo snack.
Then tie up your laces and get moving. Studies have shown that exercise can have a positive effect on your skin. Cardio exercise increases blood flow to your skin cells which helps to nourish them. It also helps to remove any waste products away from your cells that can do damage to them.
How happy are you to go makeup free? Do you use a serum?