I am super happy to bring you a brilliant guest blog post by Ruth from "The Beauty Bolt".
Ruth is an excellent writer with a passion for skincare and makeup. Her fun and colourful Instagram page is an great space to read about her latest beauty finds and current faves. Her posts always have a good dose of wit and are super authentic, with no paid ads or sponsored posts, just stuff she genuinely enjoys discovering and wants to share. I really enjoying reading about her routines and products. Catch more of her here: https://www.instagram.com/thebeautybolt/
In this post Ruth is giving you tips on how to get into a great skincare routine in preparation for a wedding - a question I get asked a lot... it's honestly where great makeup starts, with great skin so read on!
--------------
NAILING A SOLID SKINCARE ROUTINE
in the months before your wedding is a no brainer.
However brilliant your makeup artist, if the skin hasn’t been cared for, there’s only so much an expertly applied foundation can do.
We all know the (slightly tedious yet annoyingly effective) lifestyle drill: drink lots of water; limit the coffee and booze; eat properly and nourish yourself; sleep.
Many brides-to-be also suddenly go mad for pricy skincare treatments. A facial or two in the lead up to the wedding can indeed be lovely, but your day-to-day routine is where the real groundwork takes place. It’s the slow and steady workhorse. While there are a host of other products/ingredients you may fancy slotting into the mix, the basics remain universal:
1. Cleanse properly twice a day.
Cleansing ‘properly’ in my book is firmly massaging a coin-sized amount of cleanser into a dry face, and then wiping away with a warm wrung-out flannel.
A gel is sufficient the morning (Great budget option: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser.) A balm is excellent at shifting things at night (Great budget option: Inky List Oat Cleansing Balm.)
2. Exfoliate.
Use a resurfacing acid (also called exfoliating toners and liquid exfoliants). Some products have a single acid; some a combination. Frequency of use depends on the product. Regular use of something mild is far better than blasting your face with a super potent concoction right before the wedding.
Common exfoliating acids include:
Glycolic… exfoliates and assists in evening out tone. Helps with signs of ageing as small molecules penetrate deeply and help stimulate collagen production.
Lactic... larger molecules make it a more gentle option than glycolic. It’s still extremely effective, and great at perking up dull skin.
Salicylic... the gold standard ingredient when battling spots and congestion, as its oil-soluble molecules can get down into the pores.
Mandelic... good at oil control. Has antibacterial qualities and helps regulate sebum production over time. Less irritating than salicylic so sensitive skin may prefer. Less effective at spot-fighting, but ideal if just plagued by oily skin rather than breakouts.
PHAs (Polyhydroxy Acids)... exfoliate super gently so are great for sensitive skin. PHAs also help other skincare products to penetrate; this can be particularly helpful for dehydrated skin.
3. Hydrate hydrate hydrate.
Well hydrated skin is far more likely to be fresh and perky. Two ingredients to look out for are hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Both help skin hold onto water, and the great thing is you can use them as much as you darn well like. Cleansers, serums, moisturisers, facial spritzs etc can be loaded with both without causing issue. Go for your life.
With thanks to Guest Blog Writer: Ruth Ellen Davis, The Beauty Bolt
