As the post-Christmas haze begins to lift, it’s time to embrace fresh starts and go back to basics. The start of the new year is the perfect time to set goals for the year ahead and the same applies to your skincare regime. 2021 did a fabulous job of keeping us guessing so it feels right to set some positive goals for 2022 especially getting up close and personal with your skin. So let me bring you the lowdown on what I believe are some of the best habits to embrace for a better skin all year long……

Stripping it back

The foundation of any good skincare regime is an effective cleansing ritual to help rid skin of impurities, dirt and grime that have built up during the day. My number one tip for a healthy ‘new year skin’ and to take it up a notch is to perform a double cleanse every evening before bed. These days the reality is that a quick once over won’t ever effectively remove lingering pollutants, dirt and grime or long-wearing makeup all of which can suffocate the pores and cause premature ageing. Double cleansing does not need to be long and drawn out. In fact, Therapie Pureté Foaming Cleanser is the ideal cleansing companion for any skin type, and is an ultra-refreshing indulgent cleansing gel which, when mixed with water, creates the most luxurious creamy foam. It quickly and gently dissolves make up and impurities eliminating every last speck of residual everyday grunge and pollutants without stripping skin of natural moisture. What makes it really special is that it has been charged with Ultra Mineralised Seawater, which is packed with an abundance of trace elements and minerals and so really feels like it is delivering ‘a splash of the sea’ to the skin.  More importantly those minerals are fueling the complexion helping to rebalance and reinvigorate whilst an ultra-gentle coconut derivative elevates moisture levels so that you have that immediate comfortable, never tight-feeling skin. Your skin will thank you for it!

Prep and Prime

December is always the month where it is easy to slip into some bad skincare habits as most of us are guilty of burning the candle at both ends. Over-indulging in Christmas festivities together with a fair few late nights (and add in some serious skincare neglect) can really throw the skin off balance leaving it floundering so it is important to get it back on track and this is where a booster can come to the rescue. Skincare boosters are highly concentrated concoctions that target specific skincare woes and supercharge your routine – consider them a pick-me-up and the secret weapon to skin that is out of whack! Perfection Ultime Pro-Defence Booster creates the perfect concoction for any complexion that is underperforming. Concentrating on boosting the health and vitality of the skin, this booster has been formulated with Rock Samphire, otherwise known as ‘retinol of the sea’ and an age defying powerhouse. Designed to stimulate the synthesis of skin essential scaffolding it plumps and smooths whilst the pairing of moisture-inducing Glasswort Extract and probiotic-rich Kefir support the skin’s microbiome revealing a clear complexion that's glowing with health.  What makes this extra special is it’s weightless formula which sinks in without a trace recharging and restoring balance and allowing you to reap the rewards from your other skincare products.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation is a really important step towards unleashing your skin's natural radiance and restoring that all important glow. As we age, cell renewal slows down and skin can look dry, dull and overly matte. By gently sloughing away dead cells and dulling surface debris, you instantly brighten and rejuvenate your complexion. Exfoliation comes down to two choices – there’s physical exfoliants which work by mechanically sloughing off the dead cells using granules and then there’s chemical exfoliants which use gentle acids to dissolve the glue that holds the dead skin cells onto the skin allowing them to gently fall away. Ask any skincare expert out there and we will ALL agree physical exfoliants are a thing of the past and inherently bad as the particles can cause micro-tears in the skin surface which over time weakens the skin barrier (plus no-one wants to feel like they are sandpapering their skin)!  Our iconic Radiance Enhancing Gommage is a scientifically developed granular free facial exfoliator with over two decades of legacy. Fuelled by a dream team of skin refining AHA’s (aka fruit acids) from apple and sugar cane which work in unison, they buff away the appearance of dead and tired skin cells whilst providing quick and cumulative benefits ridding your pores of embedded impurities, whilst drenching the skin with vital moisture. A twice weekly treatment, for me this is an undisputed skin reviving hero you will not want to be without.    

Night-time

There is no better time to undo the day’s (or December’s) damage than by using a specific night-time treatment. Night treatments are essential to a good skin care regime as they catch cells at their most industrious. In the small hours of the morning (around 1-4am) when your body is catching some much-needed zzzs, your skin cells work overtime on a quest to repair damage and regenerate themselves.   Gatineau’s Hydra Aura Sleeping Mask brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘beauty sleep’! This hardworking mask, with its decadent gel-cream formula makes dreams a reality providing a one-way ticket to ‘complexion perfection’ leaving you with little to do than rest your eyes. This indulgent overnight mask boasts a cocktail of red and green seaweeds designed to protect, revitalise and rebalance skin whilst the healing and calming benefits of Alpine Skullcap, soothes stresses and reduces inflammation to easily offended skin types. I love the addition of Dead Sea Salt (conjures up a relaxing spa day) renowned for its detoxifying and revitalising properties, because it eliminates skin-dulling toxins and breathes fresh air into the skin.  For me this overnight mask really is the night owl that your dull, parched complexion is waiting for!

So, look out 2022, it is time to put your best face forward - We all love a quick win, but it’s the long term slow and steady ‘skinvestment’ that works the best.

Lucy x