SKINCARE SERIES - CLAUDE
I’ve never had perfect skin – mainly because it doesn’t actually exist and is something only filters and Photoshop can achieve. Like most people, if I’m particularly stressed, hormonal or rundown – and it’s usually a combination of the three – I’ll experience a bad breakout. In the past, I’ve attempted to combat this by drinking more water, eating a bit better and getting a proper night’s sleep. Now, I do all of the above but with a simple yet effective skincare routine thrown in. If you and your skin are in need of a bit of TLC (and are a bit lazy like me), have a read of the steps I take to achieving happier skin.
1. Living in London, I often feel as though my skin attracts dirt and pollution while I’m out and about. To tackle this and get rid of any unwanted substances, I’ll take a relatively hot shower to wash the day away. After singing badly for a few minutes, I use Clean Slate to detoxify both my body and my face. This handy soap-on-a-rope is great for giving my skin a deep clean without stripping it of any essential oils, leaving me feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. If I’ve had a long day, I’ll make sure to spend a good minute or two massaging the soap’s lather into my face and neck, inhaling as I go to encourage my body to destress.
2. After patting my face and body down with a nice, fresh towel – I try to avoid rubbing as it can irritate already irritated skin! - I’ll hydrate with an oil. Because I tend to shower at night, I tend to reach for the Dreamy Skin oil which is perfect to slot into your nighttime routine. As it contains a form of vitamin A called Retinyl which works to permeate the outer layers of your skin, I wake up with a truly hydrated face and a glow like no other; the number of Instagram selfies I’ve posted on my story before even leaving my bed in the morning is a testament to its powers!
3. When this has sunken into my skin, I’ll then whiz over any problem areas with What Spot. This tiny roll-on wonder uses an array of natural ingredients to calm down any inflammation I may have, reduce the sometimes monstrous hormonal spots I get and minimise the chance of further breakouts. All I do here is simply apply a small amount to the zones in needed and then try to avoid touching them for the rest of the night.
4. At this point, I’m feeling cute and pampered; my skin looks a lot calmer and it feels like the day’s stress are but a distant memory. For an added touch of luxury and a little treat to round my routine off, I’ll spritz my face with a few bursts of Balancing Mist. Its lightweight solution contains copper peptides which can help to encourage the production of collagen and the scent of geranium is just really lovely when inhaled as it settles onto your skin.
I try not to overload my skin with products, especially before going to bed, so this minimal routine suits me perfectly. Combined with achieving a full eight hours of sleep and a pint of water as soon as I wake up, I start the day with gorgeous, perfectly imperfect skin!
By Claude, brand ambassador.