by In this new regular series, Ageless Beauty, The Telegraph’s beauty experts Annabel Jones and Lisa Armstrong tackle the beauty problems they face and share their favorite tips and tricks. This week, they discuss simple and effective skin care swaps for the new season. Ask them your questions below…
I’m an advocate for a simple skincare routine, especially as you get older – too many products at once can lead to chaos. That said, each season brings new skin foibles to face.
For me, the changes usually start when the central heating goes off and the weather outside improves. Whereas in winter I rely on balmy cleansers to stop dehydration, in spring and summer pores need a deeper cleansing from the heat and humidity. I find that foam cleansers are best for catching dirt and impurities but foam can get old, so I had to shop for one that leaves my skin’s barrier intact. Cetaphil Gentle Soothing Foam Wash for dry to sensitive skin (£9.35) is unrivaled in that it removes all impurities – including make-up – but leaves skin satiny soft thanks to the addition of ceramides and glycerin. I follow a serum, and in the summer that’s usually vitamin C to boost intrinsic radiance (the glow of the skin is real), and to boost the skin’s defenses against free radicals.
Skinceuticals CE Ferulic Serum, £165, although expensive, is the one I go back to time after time as it combines 15% vitamin C with vitamin E and Ferulic acid for extra protection. I put two drops on my face, two on my bum (skincare should stop on your chest) and one on each hand before massaging in. I save on serum over moisturiser, because in the spring and summer I skip face creams for a hydrating SPF (you don’t necessarily need both). Advanced Ultra Violette Hydrating Face Screen SPF50, £34, offers broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection as well as skincare ingredients such as peptides and kakadu plum, negating the need for a separate face cream.
If your skin is sensitive or oily, try Lean Screen, a zinc-only formula that doesn’t leave a white cast behind. I use the same cleanser at night, but may include an exfoliating toner once or twice a week to relieve dullness. At the moment I’m enjoying Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting Liquid Exfoliant with 6% Mandelic and 2% lactic acid, from £13. Although I don’t go in for aggressive acids, AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) are molecules that delay the absorption of resurfacing acids, leaving the skin looking brighter and smoother, without undue sensitivity.
Annabel’s skin care team
Skinceuticals CE Ferulic Serum£165; Cetaphil Gentle Soothing Foam Wash£9.35
Paula’s Skin Choice perfecting liquid exfoliantfrom £13; Supreme Ultra Violette Hydrating Face Screen SPF50£34
Just as we’re transitioning our wardrobes for warmer weather, it’s helpful to swap around some seasonal beauty ingredients and routines. At 62, I stick year-round to a rich, balmy cleanser – The UpCircle one is packed with fatty acids and vitamin E and is a reasonable £20.99.
I love how soft and nourishing balms feel and the relaxing process of massaging them in and wiping them off with a warm flannel. (Never been very hot since a skin expert told me that hot water is bad for the skin. South Koreans with very sensitive skin often use cold water to clean).
But when I’m using more SPF, I add a power cleanser to the mix two or three times a week, depending on how my skin feels. I don’t usually use designer skincare – it’s too scented and packaged for my liking, but Chanel Powder-to-Foam Cleanser, £46, mixed with water, is brilliant (although speaking of packaging, my dispenser didn’t break, apparently a rare problem. I had to pour it into a glass jar.) It’s not really gross – good thing – no potentially harmful ingredients, and, thanks to the It contains Camellia Japonica seed oil, it is non-drying. It makes my pores feel like they are spring cleaned and lasts ages. It has to be the right water though. Princess, me? I live in London. The water is hard and medium. Since I started using the KLEAN water filter attachment to remove the less desirable minerals, my hair and skin feel incredibly soft.
I don’t really use Vitamin C – I think all acids should be treated with respect and not be treated willy-nilly. I know people who swear by it but I couldn’t see any difference when I used it. Maybe it’s because my daily face massage and face brushing routine with these special soft brushes, £30 for two from Alexandra Soveral keeps my skin glowing. All her products are amazing.
After cleansing, if my skin feels dry, I add hyaluronic acid which is not an acid despite the name. Face oil is essential, especially if I’m flying. My skin soaks it up – maybe I’ve developed a dependency. I rotate – rosehip, rose…right now I love the Prickly Pear. You can see a visible difference in your skin really quickly. The Victoria Health version is well priced.
At night I use an eye cream, currently Frankincense Neal’s Yard eye cream, £35, as I’m also using their lovely renewing Frankincense Moisturiser. It is rich but easily absorbed.
I add SPF separately. I don’t think there is a high enough percentage of the stuff in moisturiers to be properly effective. I hate the feel of most liquid SPFs, but I can live with the sticks and they’re less messy. Heliocare Translucent Stick Sport SPF 50, £11.49, is excellent and highly rated on the Yuka app, which gives the lowdown on the ingredients of hundreds of beauty and household products if you don’t already know.s
And voila. High, low, simple and effective.
Lisa’s skin care team
Prickly pear oil from Victoria Health£22; Chanel Powder-to-Foam Cleanser£46
UpCircle Cleaner£20.99; Heliocare Sport Translucent Stick SPF 50£11.49; Neal’s Yard Frankincense Eye Cream£35
