A/W Skincare Tips From Geraldine Howard, Co-Founder of Aromatherapy Associates*
*one of my fave beauty/body brands
Make sure your skin stays soft, supple and radiant during the harsh winter months, with a pick of some of the best-smelling, most gorgeous-to-use products around, and tips on getting the most from them.
“As we move through the seasons, it’s important to adapt your skincare regime accordingly as the climate dramatically affects the state of the skin. As you begin to have to wear thicker clothing and deal with colder weather, the skin can become more temperamental, generally dehydrated and more sensitive. Here are my top tips to help keep your face and body looking super radiant as we move into autumn….” Geraldine Howard, August 2011.
Geraldine’s A/W skin strategies:
Tip 1: Once a week, apply a layer of products to the face and body before bed. Begin on the face, with a serum, facial oil and moisturiser. If your skin is feeling dry and generally looking a little lacklustre, also apply a mask as an additional layer under the moisturiser to seal in the goodness. Then, layer a body gel, body oil and cream over the whole body. Wrap yourself in loose bed clothing and leave to absorb overnight. You’ll notice an immediate benefit.
Tip 2: Get into the habit of looking after the skin as well in the winter as you do all summer. Whilst not as many areas of skin are on show, the better condition you keep your body in throughout the year, the easier it will be when you do wear dresses or sleeveless items in the colder weather.
Tip 3: The circulation can be more sluggish in the winter, so it’s important to incorporate massage into your daily routine to keep a radiant complexion. Rather than viewing cleansing as just removing make up each evening, consider it an opportunity to perform a mini-treatment on the whole face. Carry out lots of small circular movements as you apply the product – this is an invaluable way to boost capillary circulation, helping to remove impurities and generate radiant, healthy skin.
Tip 4: I recommend a full body exfoliation at least once a week, and the same for the face. But always be conscious of which of your products actually contain a form of exfoliation, so that you don’t overdo it. One of the biggest causes of premature aging is over exfoliation of the skin, which causes inflammation.
Tip 5: If you wear a hat in the cooler months, hair can get very dry and become static. Treat it weekly with a nourishing hair oil, massing into the scalp through to the ends of the hair.
Geraldine’s Autumn/Winter Wish-list:
Geraldine says: “This winter I will be reaching for deeply nourishing oils and creams.
For the face, the Instant Skin Firming Serum (£41.50), Nourishing Face Oil (£37), Rich Repair Nourishing Cream (£53) and award winning Overnight Repair Mask (£46) deliver a boost of moisture and vital nutrients to skin, leaving it perfecctly nourished and protected against the harsh weather coditions.
For the body, the Enrich Body Serum (£24.50), Enrich Massage & Body Oil (£33), Enrich Body Butter (£33) and Enrich Hair Oil (£24) will ensure your skin, and hair, is deeply nourished. Uplifting geranium, ylang ylang and vanilla leave skin exotically scented and silky smooth”.
All the above products (which I for one will be relying on heavily this season), are available from Liberty, Space NK, Fortnum & Mason and online at www.aromatherapyassociates.com.