When I was little, like most, I was taught the everyday basics of general self-care, such as brushing teeth, bathing and exercise for health, but taking care of my skin was never something that I prioritised.
Fast forward to a childhood holiday in Barbados, when I burnt so badly, my skin blistered. Ouch.
Having an eighties childhood, meant applying sunscreen as a token gesture to my mother in an attempt to protect myself, as news had shocked the world that the sun was actually bad for us, due to a hole in the ozone layer which was emitting damaging rays. This obviously didn't apply to my mother, who would be slathering herself in 'Tropical Blend', a pure oil bottled with an exotic model on the cover, in the hope that she would achieve that orange skin glow associated with wealth and status of that decade.
Nowadays, we understand so much more about the damaging effects the sun, or bad weather can have on our skin. And as I age, there is a certain enjoyment that comes from applying a beautifully scented suncream, with the smugness of knowing I may be actually defending myself from this gaping hole in our atmosphere and preventing wrinkles at the same time.
The same can be said of skincare. The skin on our faces is sensitive to damage and I cannot stress enough the importance of a good skincare routine. All make up looks better over good skin. You cannot hide bad skin, damaged skin, BUT you can repair it. Personally, my skincare routine has become a sort of therapy, ritual if you like, whereby I am mindful of every pressure point on my face, inhaling the relaxing aroma of the cream I am using and taking the time to apply evenly and gently. And once this becomes habit, like anything routinely followed, it becomes second nature and an important part of my everyday. I highly recommend it!
Your skin cells repair overnight, so before bedtime is the best time to cleanse well, removing all make up and then apply a good night cream and eye cream. I tend to use more natural products, that don't contain any SLS's or parabens. Who needs nasty chemicals on their face? Not me thank you. Anyway here are a few facts you may not know about your skin: 1. Our skin is the largest organ in our body. 2. Skin cells renew themselves. Cells in the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, constantly divide to produce more cells, but it take about a month for the new cells to reach the surface. 3. Drinking plenty of water will prevent dehydration and improve skin radiance, but there is no fixed amount that is recommended: so 2 litres a day may not be the ideal amount for you. 4. Human skin is composed of three layers of tissue: the epidermis, dermis and hypodermis 5. Skin accounts for approximately 16% skin on an adults body, which is roughly 2m squared. 6. The skin has different thicknesses depending where on the body it is. The skin under the eyes is the thinnest and the soles of the feet are the thickest. 7. Melanin is what make our skin dark, we produce it naturally, but when exposed to sun, we produce more of it to protect our skin from the damaging effects of the sun.
