LOOKING younger is high on the wish list for many of us, and our skin can often be a big giveaway as to how old we are.
Wrinkles, fine lines, pigmentation and sun spots are just some of the signs that our skin is ageing.
According to Roma Sumskiene, Senior Aesthetic Therapist at London’s Dr Joney De Souza, there are several reasons why you might see your skin starting to age, aside from the obvious factor of age itself.
She says: “The number one reason behind skin ageing is genetics, so look at your family and how their skin aged.
"The sun, smoking and alcohol are also big factors that age skin.”
Stress can also have a huge negative impact on the youthfulness of skin. Even over-exercising is a stressor.
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Roma says: “This can be stressful on the body and therefore skin.”
After all, the skin is an organ and it feels stress just like our other organs.
It makes sense that caring for our skin should be a priority when it comes to our fight against ageing.
Of course, you can turn to Botox and expensive treatments which certainly have their place.
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But how about a five-minute, everyday regime that helps to rejuvenate and reboot skin, clearing away dead skin and leaving you with that youthful, hydrated glow?
Roma has put together a simple routine that involves minimal spend but can lead to maximum results….
1. Give yourself a facial massage
You might think you hold all your tension in your neck and shoulders – after all, so many of us are slouched over keyboards and phones all day.
But Roma says that our face actually holds a lot of tension.
She says: “When you’re applying your serum, make lots of very, very quick movements in an upward direction on either side of the face as this stimulates circulation.”
It also helps to release the tension in our face which otherwise could lead to headaches, painful eyes and a painful jaw.
“This facial massage also allows for better penetration for your serum,” adds Roma, who recommends doing this massage for about 30 seconds.
For the next 30 seconds, pinch your eyebrows with your thumb and forefinger from the top of the nose all along the eyebrows.
Roma says: “Make lots of little pinches all the way along to the temples.
“In this part of the face, we carry so much tension. If you do this massage it also helps to open the eyes which is especially useful on these groggy mornings.”
Roma adds that 30 seconds of mouth movements will also help release tension. Roma suggests opening and closing your mouth several times as wide as you can.
2. Cleanse
As part of your five-minute morning routine, as well as in the evening, cleansing is important to remove makeup, dirt and other grime your skin picks up.
Cleanser is basically like soap, but less harsh and designed specifically for the face’s needs.
“Always remove makeup in the evening even if you’re tired, because if you don't remove everything it clogs the pores and can lead to a dull complexion,” says Roma.
“You don’t need to spend a lot on your cleanser, and make sure it’s a very mild, gentle cleanser.”
Good ingredients to look for in your cleanser include glycerine, which Roma says attracts water making it good for hydration, and also hyaluronic acid, which helps retain skin’s moisture.
“Look for a cleanser that’s scent-free; keep it simple,” adds Roma. Apply your cleanser in circular motions over damp skin.
- The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser 50ml, £6.16 – buy here
3. Exfoliate
A step missed by many, it’s exfoliation that removes dry, dead skin, leaving a smooth flawless base for makeup application.
Exfoliation also helps to even out skin texture.
We're not talking about exfoliators that have small salts or scrubs inside, that are rough on the skin.
Roma recommends using an acid for your exfoliation step, such as AHA or BHA.
“You get a build-up of product in your skin pores when you use creams and makeup; this acid clears it out,” she says.
“If you have oily skin, I recommend salicylic acid as it removes oil and cleanses pores.
“If you want an exfoliator for normal skin or drier skin, turn to lactic acid as a milder option, or glycolic acid, which goes a little deeper. Both help to dissolve dead skin.”
Not used to exfoliating?
Turn to stronger acids two to three times a week, depending on your skin’s sensitivity. But for every day, Roma says a toner with 2% acid is a good option.
- Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant 118ML, £35 – buy here
4. Hydrate
Dehydrated skin is far more prone to lines and wrinkles.
It’s important to not only hydrate from the inside by drinking plenty of fluids and eating colourful fruits and vegetables, but also from the outside with hydrating skin care products.
“After cleansing and exfoliating, then you hydrate with a serum,” says Roma.
“When everything is removed and all the dead skin and impurities have been removed, you use serum. Hyaluronic acid is my favourite as it attracts water.”
Roma says she loves serums with vitamin C, however, very oily skins and those who suffer from acne, may struggle to tolerate this.
“Vitamin C is great for sun-damaged skin as it’s an antioxidant which helps to stop free radicals from forming,” Roma says.
“These can ruin skin. Vitamin C also helps to brighten the skin.”
When applying your serum, use a few drops over your face and then pat.
- Superdrug Me+ Hyalouronic Acid Booster 9ml, £3 – buy here
5. Seal
This is where your moisturiser comes in.
We know sun is one of the biggest skin saboteurs, so ensuring your moisturiser contains sun protection is important.
“If your moisturiser doesn’t have SPF in it, then make sure you put SPF on top,” says Roma, who says SPF 50 should be applied every morning, even in winter.
“If you have lots of pigmentation, reapply SPF two to three times a day, even in winter.”
Peptides are a good thing to look for. These are amino acids – the building blocks of protein – and they penetrate into the skin.
“The type of moisturiser you go for will depend on your skin type,” says Roma.
“Acne skin should go for a lotion however if you have dry skin or menopausal skin, go for something a little thicker,” says Roma.
A moisturiser with vitamin B3 (niacinamide) can be useful as it protects the skin barrier and can help with redness.
- CeraVe AM Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF 50 for Normal to Dry Skin 52ml, £11.05 – buy here
6. Go for retinol
If you’re doing your routine at night, then Roma highly recommends using retinol which she says is good for ageing and sun damaged skin.
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“Start with a low retinol percentage and gradually build up,” says Roma.
- The Ordinary Retinol Serum 0.2% in Squalane 30ml, £5.31 – buy here
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