If you get a reaction to an 'active' anti-ageing cream, cease and desist. Red, itchy patches, flaking, broken blood vessels, lumps and bumps – these are a sign that damage is being done, rather than improvements being made. Most anti-ageing creams will have been tested for years before they're put on the market, tested on humans – but there will always be people who react. Soreness, burning and irritation aren't a sign that 'something's happening' – they're a sign you need to stop using it.
Avoid using retinol or AHAs for 24 hours before tanning, as they tamper with absorption and can result in patchy colour. (That applies to face and body.)
If you’ve booked a spa treatment, get there early. It gives you time to relax before your session, and avoids a frenzied rush feeling. If you have to set your phone alarm to nudge you to leave in good time – well, that’s just a darned good idea.
Did you know that alcohol can affect how good your self-tanner looks? It dries out skin, which can result in a more uneven finish.
If you use an eyelash curler, never clamp down for more than a few seconds, otherwise you risk ripping out lashes.
This is peak blister season, as our feet adjust to wearing quite different shoes (and without a protective layer or tights or socks). Shake some talc or cornstarch into your shoes, to help keep feet dry. We also like to change our shoes more often than usual, right now – rather than wearing the same pair all day, which can lead to friction.
Soap is having a moment. It’s one of beauty’s simplest products – but some soaps, we’ve found, can turn to moosh quite quickly. Our solution is to dry the soap on a towel, when we dry our hands. Keeps it firm, so it lasts longer.
If your bath oil seems to do more for your tub than your skin, try a new approach. We like Aromatherapy Associates’ technique: massage the oil directly into the body, so the softening agents are right where you want them. Once you’re in the water, the warmth will help them penetrate.
Do you regularly wake up in the night? The liver is most active between 1 a.m. and 3 p.m., and this might be a sign that your liver could use some extra help. Try supplementing with milk thistle, taken in the morning. And if you find yourself wide awake between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m.? (And you’re not a ‘lark’?) This is when the large intestines are most active; you might want to supplement with pre- and probiotics.
When traversing a department store, never miss the opportunity to ask beauty consultants to demo a new make-up launch on you that you’ve read about (maybe here!) Our experience is that they’re always more than happy, especially during quiet hours. (We’d never shop for make-up – or indeed anything, in a department store – at lunchtime or after work – if we have a choice.)
Sensitive skin? Start checking ingredients lists on cleansers, avoiding sulfates and parabens (which can irritate some skins), and seeking out ‘buffered’, complexion-friendly formulations featuring glycerine (to maintain skin’s natural moisture balance, along with strengthening ceramides or panthenol.
‘Squoval’ (square with rounded corners) generally complements most hands – but if you’ve shorter fingers, this can be more flattering, creating the illusion of long nail beds and longer fingers.
If you get an eye infection, you need to replace your mascara. But wait until the condition’s cleared up to break out replacements…
To prevent flat, plastered-to-the-head hair in the morning, keep hair pulled up while you sleep. Gather long hair up into a ponytail on the top of your head (think: whale spout!) with a scrunchie, which won’t create a ridge in hair the way a smaller ponytail holder will.
If you use eyelash curlers, clean the curler and the pad frequently (ideally, daily). Use a cottons square and alcohol. If your curler has a rubber cushion, keep checking it’s still flexible and replace the pad when the rubber hardens or cracks.
Smudged your mascara? Slightly ‘ewwww’, but your best bet is either a cotton bud dipped in foundation, which you can use to ‘roll’ away the specks – or wet the cotton bud with your tongue. It’s not as runny as water, so won’t take off foundation underneath and leave a mark.
How do you fix a broken lipstick? Rotate the lipstick all the way up so that the broken base is exposed. Next, hold the decapitated top with a tissue so that it doesn’t slip, and slowly wave a match underneath the chunk of lipstick to warm it up. (Be careful not to burn yourself – and be sure the tissue is folded well out of the way.) When the bottom starts to soften, gently place it on top of the broken base. Then take a cotton swab and blend the seam. Finally, twist the lipstick all the way down and place it uncovered in the fridge for five minutes.
If you notice your skin’s shiny soon after cleansing, or you have enlarged pores, blackheads (or your skin often breaks out), look for products featuring salicylic acid. It soaks up sebum. (Clays are also good for drawing out dirt and oil without dehydrating skin.)
If your hair’s shoulder-length or longer, a ponytail is ideal for second-day hair and last-minute social outings. (A high ponytail has the bonus of offering a temporary facelift, sort of, too!) Glaze hair first with a pea-sized amount of gel, mixed with a dab of wax/pomade.
It may be counterintuitive, but hot baths are drying to skin. (If you have to lower yourself in slowly, it’s too hot.) We always like to counteract the drying effects of a bath with at least a few drops of oil, though.