I was one of the first people to bring out night oils 15 years ago and now everyone else has followed suit. The difference is that I’m a therapist first and foremost, therefore all my products come straight from the massage bed and are beautifully executed. They may be a little more expensive, but it’s because we source the best ingredients from around the world using plant extracts and natural essential oils.
The hottest trend in skincare right now is oils. Although they’ve been around for a long time, they have come into their own this year and people are understanding them more than ever. But the key is to find the right one as a lot of oils are water-based which are diluted and don’t give your skin the benefits it needs. A fine, pure oil at night is best for your skin as they work in conjunction with the sebaceous gland (a small gland in the skin, which secretes an oily matter into the hair follicles to waterproof the skin and hair).
Skincare contouring is a growing trend, but I don’t believe in it. A lot of products like BB and CC creams seem great in theory, but the majority of the time, it’s down to good marketing. In my experience, creams can’t multi-task and there should be an individual treatment for each ailment for it to be truly effective.
As soon as autumn arrives, my clients say their skin is breaking out, it’s dry and misbehaving. This is because we’re going through the autumn equinox (when the seasons blend into each other) and just like the weather, our skin is unsettled. The sebaceous gland has become accustomed to the warm summer temperatures – your skin was hydrated (as we produce more oil in the sunshine), our vitamin D levels are up and our complexion glows. But when the season changes, reserves go down and the gland is not so active. Be patient, use a light serum and nourishing night oil rather than heavy cream for daily moisturisation. If you break out in blemishes, try to use a moisturiser with an antibiotic element to ease inflammation.
Despite what we’re often told, our pores don’t open and close like elevator doors. As we get older, pores naturally become larger, especially if you have an olive skintone. But if, like me, you have fair, dry skin then pores will be very small and tight. Whatever your skin type, they can’t be changed – the best thing you can do is make sure they’re kept clean. My Miracle Tonic (1) is perfect for this – it has a little bit of alcohol to tighten the skin, salicylic acid to hydrate, and mint leaf flavanones to calm the complexion. As a result, pores are cleansed and hardened which makes them shrink back slightly.
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