Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Beauty saint or sinner?
Seven beauty sins and five must follow beauty rules.…
It’s easy to get into a sloppy routine where you don’t think too hard about how you’re treating your skin,
hair and body. But, as any beauty guru will tell you, it’s the little things you do – or don’t do – over time that add up to the bigger picture of healthy, glowing and youthful skin and hair. So, do you deserve a halo or a red card for your beauty routine?
Red card offences: if you’re guilty as charged, you need to shape up your beauty routine as quickly as you possibly can to keep ageing at bay:
1. Lounge lizard: apart from the fact that sun beds hugely increase the likelihood of skin cancer, use them often enough and you are guaranteed a mock-croc complexion with added pigmentation and premature wrinkles.
2. Hot head: daily use of hot irons to straighten out any little hair kinks will eventually wreak havoc on your crowning glory, causing dry, frizzy hair with split and damaged ends. It isn’t so much the heat, but the amount of time you allow the irons to linger on your ha
3. No protection: using a moisturiser or foundation with an integral SPF is a no-brainer – do you really want to wear sun damage on your face for the rest of your life? Always protect your complexion, and don’t worry that you won’t get enough Vitamin D. Experts say that 15 minutes of sunshine on your arms per day is plenty.
ir. Always use a heat protection spray, swipe the irons quickly through your locks and factor in a straightener-detox week once in a while to give your hair time to recover.
4. Grime crime: it certainly isn’t a red card offence to forget to remove your make-up once in a while, but make a habit of it and your skin will soon start to look dull and clogged. Night time is when your complexion regenerates best at every age, so keeping a layer of old make up over the top will inhibit the process: use make-up removing wipes as an occasional lazy girl option; do a thorough cleanse with either a rinse off or tissue off formula and follow with night cream every evening.
5. Mismatch miss: even if you are meticulous in using moisturiser on your complexion, neglect your body skin by leaving it dry and you’ll find it ages way before your face, especially over your chest and hands. Bodies don’t need the same intensity and complexity of moisture as faces, but you should be using a hydrating body cream or oil at least three times a week to keep your skin flexible, comfortable and soft. Bodies that are moisturised regularly look smoother, healthier and younger.
Polish your halo: if you’re already onto these beauty must-do’s you are too good to be true!
1. Good grains: using an exfoliator on both face and body ensures that dead skin cells are whisked away to leave younger, fresher and brighter looking skin beneath. Beauty experts agree that it can also help the absorption of skin care products, making them more effective at keeping you pretty!
2. On the run: not only does exercise keep your heart in peak condition and excess weight at bay, but it also increases circulation and blood flow which eliminates toxins. You’ll be seeing smoother skin, less cellulite and a gorgeously toned body.
3. Once a week: if you’re already following the once a week rule, you’ll know that a weekly face mask to deeply cleanse or ultra-hydrate your skin makes all the difference to the condition and look of your complexion. If you’re pairing it with a weekly hair conditioning mask to keep locks glossy and moisturised you are nothing short of perfect.
4. How handy: so you’re using a daily hand cream, but does it have SPF? Always pick a moisturiser for your hands with sun screen (at least SPF15); hands are exposed just as much as faces and are highly susceptible to showing signs of ageing such as pigmentation and wrinkles.
5. Eau: yes, it’s completely free with no cals and yet water is one of the best things you can ever do for your skin and health. A hydrated body feels energised and your skin looks and feels amazing. However, don’t let the worry-mongers scare you with the gazillion litres a day story; unless it is post-exercise when you may need more, your two to three large glasses is plenty.