top tips

The long, dark nights of Winter are disappearing, little buds are poking their heads through the soil, the birds sing their sweet dawn chorus every morning, and the sun shines a little longer every day... yep... Spring is breaking through.

Before long we'll gradually be shedding our layers, one by one, as we invite the warmth of the sun back onto our skin. But is your skin ready for this blossoming season?

Follow my top tips below and you'll be ready to enjoy this beautiful season of re-awakening.

Summer - the season when we invite our skin to breathe and enjoy a dose of healthy Vitamin D which we have been craving for since the long dark days of Winter first arrived.

Summer - the season of the big reveal.... but is your skin ready for it? Follow my tips below and you will be.

The long warm summer days are behind us and the shorter colder days of Winter are yet to come. When it comes to extremes, these seasons have it.

But in between stands Autumn, the season of transition when we focus on recovering our skin from Summer and preparing it for Winter.

Follow my tips below so your skin is ready before the dry Winter air arrives.

The days are shorter… and colder. You layer-up and wrap-up warm when you go outside. And in the evenings you just want to laze in front of the fire with a warm cup of cocoa. Yep – Winter has arrived.

And it can be pretty tough on your skin if you don’t know how best to look after your skin this season. Luckily I’m here with my top 10 tips for healthy Winter skin.

Wrinkles. We all get them. They’re a natural part of life and aging and something, I believe, we shouldn’t be ashamed of. They add character and definition to an aging face and are evidence of a life well-lived.

In saying that… I don’t want to sport too many wrinkles too soon so whilst I’m all supportive of aging naturally and gracefully, I also don’t want to age too fast.

Thankfully there are some simple steps you can take that will slow down the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

When I mention wrinkles to a woman, the response I tend to receive is something along the lines of "The joys of getting older".

But did you know that there are a number of elements that create wrinkles in our skin which have nothing to do with our age?

I'm listing 6 of the top causes, with the top 1 causing up to a whopping 75% of wrinkles! (yep... that was scientifically proven!).

The key to eating a diet that will slow down the signs of aging is to eat one that is rich in anti-oxidants.

Anti-oxidants as the word itself explains are anti (against) oxidants; they prevent cell damage caused by oxidants.

Oxidants are free radicals that you find both in the environment (e.g. via pollution, smoke, alcohol) and, naturally, within your body.

Our bodies create oxidants to fight off viruses and microbes. The problem arises when too many oxidants are present. Not only can this lead to disease but it also contributes to the aging process.

Acne is not a problem endured only by teens, we can all suffer from acne at any time in our lives. (To read about the main causes of adult acne, click here >)

So how do you treat acne to make sure it doesn’t get worse?

Below are a few easy-to-follow tips.

Your skin is covered with little openings, known as pores, which extend down from the outer epidermis through several layers below the skin. They enable the underlying sebaceous glands to release oil (also known as sebum).

If too much sebum is secreted, or if there are too many dead skin cells stuck on the skin, or if the pores are blocked for some other then the pores can become clogged.

When pores become clogged your skin is no longer able to breathe thus hindering the natural flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide, and dirt can get become trapped and no longer be excreted.

When your pores get clogged you may find that your skin develops blackheads, blemishes and even acne, no matter what your age. These skin problems are not confined to young adults and teenagers.

So what causes dry skin?

Lack of moisture, right? Possibly.

But there could also be other factors which may be contributing to your itchy, red, dry skin.

Discovering and removing these factors from your daily routine, may begin to alleviate your skin.

Introducing basic beauty habits into your daily routine doesn’t have to take a lot of time nor does it have to involve a ton of products. Giving your skin daily care and attention will keep it healthy and strong. Healthy skin isn’t just about beauty and slowing down the signs of aging, it also ensures you create a strong and healthy barrier between your body and environmental factors.

Incorporate these 6 beauty habits into your regime to keep your skin healthy and strong.

According to Wiktionary it is “sleep before midnight, on the belief that early sleep hours conduce to health and beauty”. Basically it captures the idea of getting sufficient sleep to keep one looking young and beautiful.

According to Lauren Hale, Ph.D., of the National Sleep Foundation adults over the age of 17 need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep. There’s no exact figure as each of us is unique and individual but this is a guideline.

As most of us already know, getting a good night’s sleep is important for our overall health and well-being but did you know that it also has an impact on your skin?

When it comes to taking a shower are you really getting the most out of this therapeutic experience?

When you consciously create a satisfying shower experience you'll set yourself up for the day ahead, no matter what may come your way... and you could turn one of life's simple, yet great, pleasures into something even better.

Below are my top 8 tips in creating the best shower experience that won't cost you any additional time... well... maybe just a minute.

I was surfing the internet recently and came across a bunch of articles on makeup with titles such as “Is Your Makeup Making You Sick?”, “What’s Living in Your Makeup Bag?”, “Dangers that Hide in Makeup”, “Why Your Makeup is More Harmful Than You Think”.

And, you know what? I felt disappointed (and a little bit angry too). Why does the media insist on focusing on the negative? It’s just not necessary. I mean, I didn’t see any articles entitled “Is the Food in Your Fridge Making Your Sick?”, or “What’s Living in that Block of Cheese in Your Fridge?”, or “Dangers that Hide in your Milk”, or even “Why Your Food is More Harmful Than You Think”. And, yet, the food in your fridge could be every bit as dangerous as the makeup in your bag, if you don’t treat either with respect.

So let me come from a more positive standpoint and ask “How Should You Look After Your Makeup?”