Four Essential Steps in Skincare

"There are no such things as ugly women, only lazy ones"- Helena Rubinstein

What annoys me is that a lot of women seem to think that makeup is there to cover up all the lumps and bumps on your face. While it can certainly be used to hide dark circles, a few spots etc., makeup shouldn't be used as a mask- instead it should be used to enhance your skin, to show off your natural beauty. There's nothing beautiful about an inch thick layer of makeup trying and failing to cover up badly looked-after skin.

Obviously some women do unfortunately suffer from bad skin, but a lot of women just don't bother caring for it. They're lazy. A good way of looking at this is by thinking of makeup as paint, and your face as a canvas- you wouldn't use a dirty canvas to paint a picture on, would you?

The key is to look after your skin. And yes, this might take some time out of your daily routine, but there are only four essential steps you really need to follow, and once you get into a routine, it'll become second nature.

And all those that use face wipes? Don't kid yourself you're looking after your skin. They should only be used in absolute emergencies. 

So, the four essential steps in skincare are:

Cleanse

Do this twice a day- once before bed, to wipe away the grime and dirt that builds up during the day, and once in the morning, to get rid of the sebum produced during the night. Don't bother getting a separate eye make up remover as well- just get a cleanser that does it for you.

Tone

People often neglect this step, but it is just as important as the others. Toners restore the skin to its natural pH after cleansing, and help to re-hydrate it. One thing i would say is try and stay away from toners that are mainly alcohol, as they won't do your skin any favours.

Moisturise

Regardless what people say, those with oily skin do need to moisturise- it's an important step for anyone. What a lot of people don't realise, however, is that our skin changes with the seasons- most people need to move to a richer moisturiser in the winter, and a lighter one in summer.

Exfoliate

The fourth step in your routine only needs to be done once a week (after cleansing, before toning). There's really no point in piling on the moisturiser or using masks if you don’t exfoliate, otherwise you’re just applying product to dead skin. People with sensitive skin might have reservations, but there are plenty of exfoliators out there that are gentle on the skin, instead of scrubbing half your face off. 

So, if you follow these four steps, you should get closer to achieving skin that serves as a blank canvas for whatever makeup (if any) you decide to wear! 

My First Post

'Let's start at the very beginning... it's a very good place to start.'

It took me a while to think of exactly what to write in My First Post, and then I thought of good old Maria from SofM, and took her advice. Let's start at the beginning, 'cause let's face it, where else would you start?

I love beauty. I love skincare, bodycare, haircare, makeup, perfume... I love reading about new products, I love testing them out, I love going to shops like Boots, Superdrug, the beauty stands in Debenhams, the glorious SpaceNK, and spending ages walking up and down the aisle, spritzing, applying, trying out new colours.... My dressing table is so full of products, there's not actually any space left, and a whole shelf on my book case is dedicated to old magazines (and since i get the travel sizes, there's a LOT of them).

So, this blog is going to be a mixture of things- advice on skincare, musings on makeup, and testing out any new products that catch my eye...

Some of the things rolling around in my makeup bag at the moment