6 Tips for Radiant Skin this Christmas

1. Double cleanse with a microfibre cloth

Double cleansing every morning and evening maintains healthy and radiant skin – it removes the grime that’s accumulated on the surface of the skin and preps a blank canvas that’s ready for the glow-boosting skincare that follows. Making sure that your skin is properly cleansed means that the active ingredients in your serums can work their magic without contending with a barrier of dead skin cells and sebum (aka oil).

If you want to enhance skin luminosity, we recommend performing your first cleanse with a microfibre or muslin cloth – a skincare tool that’s become a mainstay in my cleansing routine. It gently exfoliates the skin without irritation and lifts sebum, makeup, debris, pollution and SPF from the skin. A cloth won’t remove all daily grime, which is why it’s essential that you follow up with a cleansing product. You could even complete your double cleanse with a cleanser that contains glow-boosting ingredients like vitamin C. It’s a hero antioxidant that’s renowned for giving the skin a radiant glow by increasing cell turnover rates and boosting collagen production, which plumps and firms.



2. Exfoliate away dulling dead skin

Using an exfoliant will assist your skin’s natural exfoliation process and slough off the dead skin cells that are potentially dulling your skin. I recommend using a chemical exfoliant – like an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) – over harsh manual exfoliants that contain scrubs or grit, which can irritate the skin.

Glycolic acid and lactic acid are alpha-hydroxy acids, which work by dissolving the “glue” that keeps dead skin cells attached to the surface of the skin to reveal a brighter, clearer complexion. Lactic acid is fabulous for sensitive skin because it’s got a larger molecular size than glycolic acid – that means it’s more skin respectful and gentler on the skin.

Remember the skin is an organ and must be treated accordingly. It's easy to fall in love with AHA’s and want to use them every day, but the sad truth is that overusing them can result in a compromised skin barrier and irritation if you’re not careful. For this reason, we recommend using AHA’s on alternate nights for the best skin results.

If oiliness or congestion is a skin concern of yours, but you still want in on the exfoliating action, we would point you in the direction of salicylic acid – an oil-soluble beta-hydroxy acid (BHA). It’s got a smaller molecular size which means it can permeate further into the skin than an AHA to purge pores of sebum and dead skin cells. What’s more, salicylic acid is antibacterial, helps to prevent post inflammatory erythema (PIE), redness in the skin, caused by acne, and will encourage the skin to exfoliate itself for smooth, glowy results. However, salicylic acid is a powerful active ingredient, which is why you should use it twice a week maximum.



3. Enlist vitamin A and other antioxidants

Vitamin A should be the cornerstone of most skincare routines – apart from mamas-to-be who should try to avoid using the active ingredient. Vitamin A is firmly in the skincare hall of fame because it encourages the skin to speed up cell renewal, which reveals fresher, smoother skin. It also helps to regulate melanin production in the skin, which helps to reduce pigmentation caused by UV exposure or acne.

If your skin is dull from exposure to pollution – a concern that affects many city-dwellers, antioxidants are the rockstar ingredients that you’ll want to incorporate into your skincare regimen. Put simply, pollutants can trigger the skin to enter a state of oxidative stress, which results in free radicals (read: unpaired electrons) attacking healthy skin cells. Antioxidants neutralise free radical activity by giving the unstable molecules a spare electron, thereby reducing the damage to skin.



4. Try a DIY facial massage

This is a super easy way you can treat yourself (and your skin) to a little “me-time.” Massaging your skin promotes increased blood circulation, which encourages healthy, plump and radiant skin. With proper technique, a facial massage can also help to drain lymphatic fluid that’s built up which can make the skin appear puffy and swollen.



5. Treat yourself to a salon treatment

A favourite in-clinic treatment of Jennifer Rock’s is galvanic therapy, which uses low-level currents to penetrate the dermal layer of the skin to boost skin regeneration at a cellular level. To name just a few benefits, a galvanic facial can help to address uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation and dull, lacklustre skin.

LED therapy masks are also ideal. These use different wavelengths of light to permeate the skin at different levels. Our skin absorbs the light and uses it to boost collagen production, which helps to increase skin elasticity, and promote skin healing.



6. Be mindful of your diet

For your skin to shine from within, we encourage you to be mindful of what you’re feeding your body – that means eating a rainbow of fruit and vegetables, drinking plenty of water, and consuming fatty acids galore from nuts and seeds. Your gut and skin might seem unrelated, but studies suggest that there’s a direct connection between the two, which is why gut and skin issues often occur simultaneously.

Should you choose to, supplements with good-for-skin ingredients are a fabulous way to compliment following a healthy lifestyle and eating a balanced diet. Look out for supplements that contain omegas, which are like your skin’s internal moisturisers, vitamin A, which helps to re-educate the skin, and hyaluronic acid, to replenish your skin’s stores of moisture for plump, hydrated skin.