Winter is coming. The days are starting to draw in, and I think we’re all feeling we’ve lost that summer glow.
However, with Party Season around the corner there are a whole host of things we can be doing to set ourselves up to SPARKLE.
Early December is the best time to start planning your skin prep for holiday season. This leaves time for any tweakments that might take a little time to see results, or for any that might be associated with a little ‘down-time’.
First and foremost, address your skincare
SKINCARE
There is no point spending money on plumping, relaxing or tightening, if the overlying skin isn’t in tip-top condition.
By now, most people will be aware of the benefits of active ingredients, and here are my go-to heroes to suit most skin types :
Cleanse
Most people should clean their skin twice daily.
Once in the morning to remove impurities that have built up overnight, and then a double- cleanse at night to remove makeup.
I use ZENii’s Papaya Cleanser – it is a mild and gentle formula that doesn’t stress or irritate my skin, but gently removes makeup and dry skin/debris.
For a really glowing complexion, try ZENii’s Exfoliating Cleanser, this daily exfoliating wash will remove debris, excess oil, control microbial growth and remove damaging pollution particles. It contains 5% Glycolic acid and 2% Salicylic acid, and is a potent exfoliating blend to leave your skin feeling smooth, fresh and luminous.
This sightly harder-hitting cleanser, is ideal for acne, photodamage, hyperpigmentation, mature skin and dehydrated skin.
Tone and Nourish
Argireline is known as ‘botox in a bottle’ and is scientifically evidenced to work in a similar way to botox, relaxing muscle to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. This makes it a perfect ingredient for ageing or sun-damaged skin. A component of ZENii’s Hyaluronic Tri-Peptide serum, this is a must for toning, rejuvenation and hydration.
For those with more mature skin, it is also contained in ZENii’s Rebalance cream which can be used in the next step as your main moisturiser.
Other ingredients to look for in your Tone/Nourish step are those containing peptides and antioxidants which protect and repair the skin, such as Vitamin C.
ZENii’s Antioxidant Power Serum contains a cocktail of high-performing ingredients including Vitamin C, Vitamin B3 (niacinamide), Vitamin E and Ferulic acid. This combination helps protect the skin against environmental and UV damage, improves texture, hydrates, and nourished the skin from within.
Moisturise and protect
I like to keep things simple, and as I’m always in a hurry, I try to use as few products as possible. Not only is it quicker, but also more favourable on the wallet.
I like to use a moisturiser with as many ingredients as can be bundled in, which is one of the reasons I love ZENii’s Stem Cell Renewal Day Cream. This contains hydrating hyaluronic acid as well as stem cells from citrus fruits to hydrate, protect and nourish the skin. It also contains SPF30 which is essential all year round – not just in summer.
For an extra shot of antiaging try Rebalance cream – specially designed for mature skin. This will need to be applied before an SPF.
To keep things simple, I like to keep my beauty routine to 3 steps
As we come into party season, I would also recommend a daily oral hyaluronic supplement such as ZENii’s Prohydate to optimise micronutrient support. It can take a week or so to start to notice results but after this, studies have shown that taking in oral hyaluronic acid really can reduce fine lines and wrinkles and hydrate the skin.
Once you’ve got your home skin skincare nailed, it’s time to start thinking beyond the bathroom and into the clinic...
Tweakments
For the most beautiful and natural results giving a radiant glow without changing your facial structure, there are two main tweakments I’d highly recommend for the holiday season.
Firstly, Morpheus 8
Not a cheap one, but in my opinion, it is worth the investment.
If you get in there early, there may be time for 1 treatment plus recovery time before the holidays.
Morpheus8 is a combined fractionated microneedling and radiofrequency treatment to lift, tighten, stimulate collagen production and improve skin quality. In the UK, it’s best used in winter when you don’t need to be so careful with sun exposure afterwards, but it is possible to have this treatment year-round and in all climates.
After application of numbing cream for 30-60mins, you’ll feel nice and tingly. The treatment takes around this time again and can be warm, but shouldn’t be painful. Afterwards, you skim may be red for a few days but in general, the downtime is quite minimal. It is a great treatment that is suitable for all skin tones.
When used in conjunction with other tweakments, Morpheus 8 delivers sensational results, and if you do this one before the festive season, you’ll be reaping the benefits of increased collagen and elastin well into the New Year.
My go-to ‘red carpet’ treatment is Profhilo.
Essentially, an injectable Hyaluronic acid moisturiser, this skin booster can give a very slightly plumped feeling to the face as well as a beautiful glow to the skin.
5 small injections are delivered into the skin on each side of the face. It can sting for a few minutes and you may be left with a few little bumps for a few hours afterwards. Once it has dispersed into the skin, the magic happens. A great entry-level treatment, Profhilo doesn’t change the structure of your face or your features, so no one should notice anything but fresh and glowing skin.
So, there we have it. A round-up of my pre-party, winter favourites.
For a more detailed, personalised treatment plan to suit your specific skin needs, book in with your Healthcare Professional for a face-to-face consultation.
