So here is my take on some skincare projects, to give you something to up the ante on with looking after yourself. This is for the menfolk too! I think my BF is glad he doesn’t live with me as I would endlessly be trying out new treatments and packs on him. I did however manage to get him to start using an SPF when playing golf… It’s a start!

We are all aware of having ‘clean’ beauty. I must admit I get really confused about that statement, as well as ‘clean’ eating. In my books that just means don’t buy biscuits for the hoose!

Whilst I am cooped up, I am making sure that I keep up good routines, although, as I mentioned in my last blog post possibly, I wish I owned more leisure wear….

Since I hit menopause, I have really noticed a change in the appearance of my skin in some areas of my face (and body! yikes!), everyone is different, I just notice the texture has change quite a bit in terms of dryness, so I am uber faithful to a good skincare regime! Have a look at my Instragram page (@bestevermassage) for facial massage videos to follow along with.

I am a huge fan of a skincare guru called Caroline Hirons, and she is of the firm belief that no matter what you do with your skin, the cornerstone of good skincare starts with a good cleanse, taking it off with a hot flannel (or face cloth to you and me), and treating yourself to a good moisturiser.

So, I am going to mention a few of my favourites here and name brands, so just to be clear, I am NOT an influencer, I’m nae that popular, so I’m only naming these products because I am a fan. I will also mention a few homemade ideas too. There’s nothing quite like being able to up cycle your ground coffee!

If you are man, please be aware of using any perfumed products on your face post shave! I would stick to what you know or do a patch test on your skin.

So lets start with a cleanse:

Ponds cold cream : My Grandma used this. It can be used as a cleanser, a mask and a moisturiser. As a cleaser get a dollop about the same size as a 10p and smother it all over your face, including eyes to get make up off, then use a hot face cloth to take it off. For extra effect I repeat the process and do a double cleanse. We’ve all got the time to do this just now! (if you are not home schooling and being the entertainments committee that is).

If I was going to up the ante and go fancy pants I would use Emma Hardie Moringa cleansing balm. A little goes a long way and it just smells divine. Take a bit about the size of a 5p. Warm it up between your hands and all over your face and eyes too. Hot face cloth for the win here too.

Next up is toning:

You need to practice a bit of self agency here, I am writing this from my own point of view, that being I don’t have sensitive skin. I use a toner called Glow Tonic by Pixi. It has a very low % of glycolic acid in it which is great for sweeping off dead skin cells and promoting a brighter complexion.

Another option you could use, is using Apple Cider Vinegar! It naturally contains AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids - Anyone remember Clinique Turnaround cream? I remember that came about 30 years ago and it turned my beans on toast skin into being virtually blemish free!) Sweep it over your face with a cotton wool pad. I’ll warn you now its smells funky! Its really great to dab on a blemish if one creeps up on you.

Something else uber messy you could get up to is using your left over coffee ground. Notice how I say coffee ground and NOT instant coffee! The coffee you get at the bottom of your caffetiere ideally. Guess what? Mix it up with an equal part of coconut oil and smoosh it together, and hey presto you’ve made yourself an all over scrub! This is going to sound a bit bitchy, sorry. Some people think that the harsher the scrub you use on your face, the better. Please don’t let that be you! Be nice to your skin. You can massage this concoction lightly onto your face and then leave it for 5 mins as a mask. Again, use the hot face cloth to take it off. Personally I gie it laldy using this one on my legs. Even though we’re in lock down, I’m getting my skin short dress ready for summer.

So let’s move on to moisturising!

For me, the gloopier the better! My favourite moisturisers are not the ‘clean’ variety at all. More the ‘throw everything including the kitchen sink’ at it variety. Again, I’m writing this from my view point. I love creams and foundations that give me skin a ‘glow’ as opposed to looking matte.

A longtime favourite of mine is Marks and Spencer Sleep Cream. I just love everything about it, gloopy, smells lovely and just makes my skin look plump AF. Its a night cream essentially so it doesn’t have an SPF in it, so I layer it up with an SPF during the day. Another firm favourite is the No7 brand. They really can’t put a foot wrong with any of their products. Dig in!

A tip from the top would be also to not forget your neck and chest area when it comes to applying, especially in the SPF department as well. When we are lucky enough to get to wear T shirts in Scotland, be aware of how much the sun hits your neck. When i go on holiday, my chums always wonder why I wear a scarf round my neck when out and about when it’s sunny. I have been burnt badly twice in my life. It made me feel sick. the first time I was on an island 30 miles off the coast of Belize. It was really windy. I thought I was ok. Nope. My skin was trashed. I thought I would come home from my holiday looking like Ursula Andres in a bikini and instead the skin was sloughing off me. Awful. Look after you skin!

So anyway I hope you enjoyed this post!

I just thought I would give you an insight to a few of my favourite things, and give you a couple of lockdown ideas.

In best health,

Elizabeth