My top 12 tips for achieving your best skin

Having healthy and glowing skin is not only about finding the right skincare routine, it’s also about adopting the right lifestyle habits. You don’t have to change everything overnight, but try to implement the following tips little by little and I can promise you, you will see great results!

1.     Wear SPF everyday

If you have to do one thing for your skin, and one thing only, it is to wear SPF. Every single day. And yes, even when it’s cloudy, as UV rays can get through heavy clouds. 80% to 90% of visible skin ageing is due to sun exposure and can lead to pigmentation, wrinkles, sagging skin, enlarged pores to name but a few! Staying out of the sun and protecting your skin from it is your best strategy for keeping your skin healthy in the long term – that also means no baking on the beach or sun beds. Thank me later!

For countries with relatively low sun exposure – like the UK – SPF 30 is sufficient for everyday use. But if you live in a sunnier country, if you go on holiday, or simply if you’re spending quite a bit of time outside, you should aim for SPF 50 or 50+. It’s important to pick a broad-spectrum sunscreen, meaning that it will protect you from both UVA and UVB.

2.     Cleanse properly 

Cleansing is essential for a healthy looking and feeling skin. It removes build-up from makeup, sebum, dead skin cells and pollution, helps to maintain clear skin and allows the rest of your skincare routine to work a lot better. A light cleanse is enough in the morning, with a toner or gentle face wash depending on your skin type. However, you always need to double cleanse at night, even if you are not wearing makeup, as SPF and pollution particles adhere strongly to the skin. To avoid stripping your skin barrier, use SLS/SLES-free cleansers and stay away from harsh physical scrubs.

3.     Layer your products in the right order

The rule of thumb is to layer products from the thinnest to the thickest consistency. After cleansing, you’ll want to start with a toner, followed by a serum, a moisturiser and finish off with an oil if needed. If you’re using a thick occlusive moisturiser and a lightweight oil (like squalane or hemp seed oil), you can reverse the two last steps. If you’re using two serums in the same routine and they both have similar consistency, start off with the one containing the most active ingredients (e.g. retinol, AHAs, BHAs, Vitamin C…). 

4.     Don’t skip on moisturiser 

Hydration is key for a dewy, plump, gorgeous looking skin. You can add hydration through toners, essences, mists and serums, but you will need a moisturiser – and/or a face oil – to lock the moisture into the skin. 

Even if you’re on the oily side, don’t skip on moisturiser: it will help balance sebum production and prevent dehydration (which could end up making your skin even oilier). 

5.     Don’t overdo it

When you want to target different skin concerns at the same time, it’s easy to get overboard and end up with a long and unnecessarily complicated routine. But in skincare, less is more. Piling up too many products may result in irritating your skin and having the opposite effect.  

Prioritise what skin goal you want to achieve first and pick the right ingredients and formulas to help with this specific concern. Once you’ve tackled it, you can adapt your routine to address other issues. 

6.     Change your face towels and pillowcases often

This tip may be particularly useful if you are prone to breakouts. Because of moisture, sweat and skin debris, face towels and pillowcases are a trap for bacteria and can lead to clogged pores and pimples. To avoid this, buy a pack of flannels – so you have enough for the week without having to do a laundry too often – and replace them every day. For your pillowcases, I would recommend to change them at least once a weak, and to flip them mid-week to get the “fresh side” in contact with your skin.

7.     Cleanse your make-up brushes every week

In the same vein as tip no.6, it is really important to keep your make-up brushes clean: one, to prevent breakouts, and two, because no one wants to smear dirt and germs across their face when applying make-up! Clean your brushes at least once a week with soap and warm water, and let them air dry horizontally. If you’re using beauty sponges, clean them at least every other day and never put them in a closed make-up bag or drawer as they can grow mould. 

8.     Don’t pop it

I know this one is a challenge, and I know how hard it can be to resist when a nasty pimple makes an appearance. But trust me, the best you can do for your skin is to not pop it. The damage resulting from doing so will, without a doubt, be greater than the satisfaction you’ll get from it! When you pop a pimple, you can spread bacteria on the surface and further down your skin, which will cause new breakouts to appear. It can also lead to scarring and pigmentation. Targeted spot treatments and hydrocolloid patches are your best options!

9.     Drink enough water

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and it’s mostly made of water (64% to be exact). Drinking at least 2 litres of water a day is the best – and cheapest – beauty treatment you can get. By keeping optimum hydration levels and flushing toxins, the benefits of a sufficient water intake are numerous:  plumper and more glowy skin, reduced puffiness, less breakouts, greater skin density and thickness… If you struggle drinking that much water every day, a good tip is to use a water bottle with a time marking to help spread out the intake throughout the day more evenly. And if you don’t like drinking plain water, infuse it with organic lemon, cucumber or strawberries!

10.  Get your beauty sleep

At night, the skin goes into a process of repair and regeneration, with skin cells dividing much faster than during the day. This is why it’s essential to sleep enough – on average, an adult needs 7 to 9 hours – and to sleep well. Skimping on sleep can increase inflammation and impact the immune system, aggravating skin issues like acne or eczema.

Also, good to note: at night, the skin is more permeable and loses more water than during the day, hence the importance of a dedicated evening routine!

11.  Get your nutrients in

Nourishing the skin from inside out is crucial to support its normal function. By eating a healthy and diverse diet, you will provide your skin with a variety of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. 

-       Healthy Fats: The most important fats for your skin are omega-3: your body can’t synthesise them, so you’ll need to get them through your diet. The main source of omega-3 is fatty fishes (salmon or mackerel for example). They help to decrease inflammation, which aggravates or can cause many skin issues like acne, psoriasis, rosacea or eczema. 

-       Antioxidants: Found in foods like fruits, vegetables, or green tea, they help to fight free radicals and inflammation caused by pollution and UV rays.

-       Probiotics: Gut and skin are strongly connected – having the right balance of bacteria in your gut will help to lower inflammation, strengthen the immune system and boost the overall skin glow. Probiotics can be found in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kombucha or kimchi.

12.  Keep your stress in check

Stress has multiple negative effects on the body, and the skin is not spared. When you’re stressed, your body will increase the production of inflammatory hormones – and as we know inflammation is linked to skin many concerns. As a response to this inflammation, the body produces cortisol, which has a downstream effect on the pores and oil glands. This is why you can get more breakouts when you’re stressed! Exercise, meditation, yoga or even facial massage are good options to reduce stress. Easier said than done, I know – but it’s worth a try for the sake of your skin!