diy skincare
I'm a big believer in giving you the tools to help yourself
In any appointment with me (facial or acupuncture) I am always giving you the tools to enhance your treatment.
Today we are going to look at how else you can help your skin. That is going to include:
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SPF and sunscreen
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Foods
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What 'active' ingredients in skincare are right for you?
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How you sleep
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Looking at your menstrual cycle
I show the brilliant experts who I really admire when it comes to skincare. You can click on each of the pictures to see what they have to say. I promise you, it is good!
Let me know what you think. As always the messages are always open.
See you tomorrow
Love Andrea
Sunscreen
Sunscreen is the easiest and best thing you can do for your skin. I'm a HUGE fan of these Instagram accounts 👇🏻 when it comes to sunscreen tips.
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Are you covering all your face? Eyelids, lips, ears?
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Are you applying enough sunscreen to your face? At least two fingers are 1/4 of a teaspoon and are the minimum. 1/2 a teaspoon is the recommended amount to get the full 'quota' of SPF protection
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What SPF are you buying? Take a look around. There are lots of choices and not always that great quality. High price doesn't always equal best.
British Dermatology also has some fab resources and for a really interesting listen about sunscreen labels listen to this episode of Sliced Bread.
Do you know the difference between UVA, SPF, mineral, UVB, and water-resistance sunscreen? That episode will really enlighten you as to what is important when choosing your sunscreen.
Sonia is an MBChB MRCGP PGDip Clinical Dermatology
GP with Special Interest in Dermatology, Cosmetic Dermatology | Lasers(!) so I always really appreciate her insights. She is on @dermgp on IG.
I feature Michelle (@labmuffinbeautyscience on IG) a lot when it comes to skincare. She is a Chem PhD and cosmetic chemist and her videos and tutorials are just so helpful.
I love Julian (@scamander14 on IG) who is a BioMath/Stat PhDc and Clinical Researcher. He creates great guides to various sunscreen products which I have found hugely helpful. He is US-based but I have also been able to find his recommendations.
Food
What goes in, must come out on your skin.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, your overall health constitution and diagnosis will relate to your skin concerns so I will always offer guidance around foods you should avoid/replace/add.
This is also shown by Chinese face reading and will also determine what foods might be suitable for you.
I really believe in no one size fits all and we probably know what foods might be best to avoid! Below you will see my favourite accounts talking about foods and supplements.
And when it comes to supplements, do we really need them when it comes to skincare?
Tai is a registered dietician and I really rate her advice and guidance. What she says here should be listened to! She is on IG as @taitalksnutrition
An article from Harpers Bazaar all about how to increase collagen (and supplements may not be it)!
Mark Hyman is a functional doctor and has plenty to say on lots of things! His advice around food and skin care will not be very surprising, but sometimes we need reminding. He is on IG as @drmarkhyman
Active Ingredients
If like me, you find the big list of ingredients and products confusing then well you are in a good space. And also you shouldn't use the same ingredients all the time. 🤯
I have created a little table below that shows "active" ingredients to have in your skincare. And some active ingredients can work on multiple things.
As always some of my favourite accounts are below talking about skincare ingredients.
My favourite, Julian, has these great guides which are just so helpful!
Laura from @sciencebecomesher on IG has these amazing infographics she creates. Her knowledge and simple guides make active ingredients and understanding them, so brilliant!
Slide along these pictures to read more about active ingedients
If you have been around me before, you will know I love evidence-based stuff....and my absolute fave is The Conversation which is "an independent source of news analysis and informed comment written by academic experts, working with professional journalists who help share their knowledge with the world".
They wrote this great piece about Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol and the studies behind their efficacy.
Sleep
Did you know your skin has a circadian rhythm? Certain products might be best to apply at different times of the day.
In the morning it is best to use Vitamin C with a sunscreen. In the evening you might want to use a retinol for skin concerns or a peptide, hyaluronic or a ceramide for hydration.
Also, how you sleep might be affecting your wrinkles. For example, I sleep on my side with one arm underneath and the other arm on the top of my face. Creating a squashing effect for my face! In a couple of days' time, we are going to look at products which claim they can help with this......I tried one and it definitely didn't work!
This is a brilliant post from Sonia about how the time of day will impact our skin and what products are best to use, and at what time of day.
Menstruation
If you are a long term follower, you will know I am a HUGE fan of living according to your cycle. You can read more here about that here. But I found this amazing infographic about skincare and your menstrual cycle which I think is fascinating!
If you have periods, do you live according to your cycle? Do you notice any of these changes?
Click below on these pictures to find out more information from Sonia and Laura.