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SKIN

  • How to achieve Glass Skin?

    How to achieve Glass Skin?

    Glass skin is everywhere right now as clients seek to achieve a fresh, ‘better than natural’ aesthetic. The glass skin trend evolved in the K-beauty scene deriving from Korea. It refers to skin that is smooth, flawless and luminous with a sheen that literally resembles glass. The look is achieved through a skincare regime that prioritises intense hydration, exfoliation, and nourishment to create a radiant, pore-less finish that appears as refined and reflective as glass. Many people opt to go make up free once they have achieve the glass skin look for their skin to help maintain the clarity of their skin. Note that creating the full translucence and refinement of the skin this look requires, also requires clients to be healthy from within both in their water intake, diet and lifestyle choices. Now let’s look at how to begin achieving this look…

    Step 1: identifying your skin type and condition

    This is vital to ensuring the products you are using will meet the needs of your skin. Skin can only be perfected when the products used remedy the concerns or provide the support the skin requires to look and feel its best. For example if you have dehydrated skin, this is down to a lack of water but this can cause the skin to overproduce sebum to compensate so understanding this will help you pick products with the right formulation and active ingredients to effectively hydrate your skin,

    Step 2: Cleansing

    You want to be using a cleanser formulated for your skin type. Oil or gel cleansers work well as part of a glass skin regime as they effectively remove environmental pollutants from the pores but donโ€™t strip the skinโ€™s natural oils when used daily. A double cleanse (cleansing your face twice) works best for thoroughly cleaning the skin. For your second cleanse, a foaming cleanser such as CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser works well.

    Step 3: Exfoliation

    Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells and blockages from the pores, revealing the newer, more radiant skin cells beneath. This also allows moisturising products to be better absorbed. To avoid irritation or creating tightness in the skin, it is recommended to exfoliate only once or twice per week. Use a gentle chemical exfoliator such as Neogen Dermalogy Real Cica Pad.

    Step 4: Use a Toner

    Toners help to reduce pore size, restore the pH (acid mantle) of the skin after cleansing to avoid irritation or tightness of the skin. They also help further products such as serums to be better absorbed. Avoid toners containing alcohol or witch hazel to avoid drying out the skin, which is the opposite of what the glass facial seeks to achieve.

    Step 5: Try an Essence

    Essence products are water-based products that add moisture to the skin. They are becoming popular with the K-beauty trendsetters as they deliver potent ingredients to the skin for anti aging, hydrating, healing and soothing properties that make them suitable for almost all skin types. One product well recommended is Then I Met You The Giving Essence.

    Step 6: Hydrate with Serums

    This step is about applying serums tailored to your specific skin needs to actively improve the skinโ€™s condition and appearance through greater hydration. Serums containing Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Hyaluronic Acid will all be effectively absorbed by skin that has now been thoroughly cleansed and exfoliated. Some products have been formulated to combine the most useful active ingredients such as Peach & Lilyโ€™s Glass Skin Refining Serum which is great for oily or acne prone skin, whereas The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane is a natural oil that is greater for drier skin types.

    Step 7: Lock in moisture with a moisturiser with SPF

    Seal in the benefits of your chosen serum or oil, using a high quality moisturiser. One product highly recommended for glass skin results is Origins GinZing Energy-Boosting Gel Moisturiser as it is quickly absorbed into skin but leaves it feeling supple without any sticky or oily residue. Moisturisers which contain SPF benefits are great as an all-rounder to also help protect skin from the effects of sun damage, otherwise be sure to apply an SPF with a protection factor of 15 or above at least once daily.

    Step 8: Weekly Maintenance with Masks

    Once a week you want to use an exfoliating mask such as one formulated with 10% glycolic acid and around 1% salicylic acid. Alternatively a clay mask works well to deeply cleanse the skin. This works well for those prone to oilier skin or blemishes, but is equally kind to dry or sensitive skin to shed dead skin cells and keep the skin feeling smooth. Youโ€™ll also want to follow this with a once weekly hydrating face sheet mask such as Original Glow Sheet Mask is great to leave skin feeling plumped, fresh and radiant.

    Natural steps to achieve glass skin from the inside out include:

    • Avoid excessive sun exposure.
    • Eat blueberries which are high in anthocyanins which are high in antioxidants and avocados which are high in oleic acid which are a healthy fat that helps fight inflammation. Eating cold water fish such as salmon or tuna which are high in Omega-3 fatty acids are also great for maintaining healthy skin.
    • Drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol, caffeine, smoking and environmental pollution will also help keep skin looking its best.
    • Regular sleep is essential for skin renewal and avoiding dull skin or dark circles undereye.

    Learn the essential skills to work in skincare, providing therapeutic treatments to your clients (and earning up to ยฃ100 per treatment) with our Accredited Coursesโ€ฆ

  • Skincare: Why is it so Important?

    Skincare: Why is it so Important?

    An effective skincare regime can help your skin to look healthy, youthful and radiant. Daily skincare can aid in preventing breakouts, sun damage and reduce the appearance of aging and pigmentation. The skin is our largest organ, so it is imperative that we look after it. A basic skincare routine should include a cleanse, tone, exfoliate and moisturise. However, introducing serums, oils and masks are great too, and remember to always use your sun protection! If we are not regularly looking after our skin, this can lead to acne, hyperpigmentation and age spots! It is important to be well equipped with the science and knowledge regarding our skin, so we know how to look after it!

    Your morning versus evening skincare routine: This will depend on the products you are using. Products that make your skin photosensitive should be applied in the evening. Exfoliation should be done in the evening as well, to remove all the dirt and grime from the day. Relaxing night oils and serum containing meditative ingredients, such as lavender, can be used at night time to encourage sleep. Your morning routine should always consist of your UV protection, even during the winter season, as there is still harmful ultraviolet radiation even when its cold and wet. It is important to keep the skin feeling plump and hydrated during the colder months as well, this could include using a hydrating serum and drinking plenty of water!

    Here are some helpful tips and techniques when thinking about your skincare! When applying products such as cleansers, oils, serums and moisturisers, itโ€™s always a good idea to perform a massage movement over the skin, this helps the products so be absorbs deeper into the different layers of the skin. Choose a morning and evening skincare regime that suits you and your lifestyle. A complicated routine could soon become too time consuming, meaning you will lack motivation in your skincare. Too many products could overwhelm the skin, causing breakouts and blemishes. Starting off with a simple regime, and building this up is always a good place to begin if you are new to the world of skincare!