9-5 skincare & beyond
Adopting seasonal skincare regimes, that’s a given, right? But did you know your skin is pickier than that? Yep, it changes daily – and we don’t just mean day-to-day. Your skin goes through a series of transitions from the moment you wake up to the moment you hit the hay. Confused? Don’t be, we’re here to clear it up.
Waking up
Catching some ZZZs often leads to dehydrated skin, as epidermal water loss is at its peak when you’re asleep. The easiest way to combat dehydrated skin in the morning is to moisturise your body before bedtime – that way you’ll lock in hydration and help skin cells restore and regenerate. Applying a night cream to your face every night packs a hydration punch, too. Designed to help your skin rejuvenate overnight, simply slather on a layer for fuss-free hydration.
Showering
There’s nothing like a warm shower on cold mornings or after a hard day at work is there? But it turns out having too hot a shower can actually be damaging to your skin – who knew? Hot showers can strip the skin of its natural oils and can also irritate existing skin conditions. Luckily, you can help to combat the loss of moisture with nourishing shower gels and body washes. If you’re prone to dry skin during the winter months, look out for body washes with occlusive agents like mineral oils next time you’re in Boots – they can help your skin to seal in moisture.
Wearing make-up
Make-up sliding off your face mid-morning? We hear you. Oil production is on the rise as the day goes on, often causing pores to block and your fave foundation to create a surface shine on your skin. Not good. The solution? Toner, of course! Apply to your skin before your make-up and after a cleanser at night, to help remove excess oil and dirt.
Dry skin can also be an issue during the day as certain types of make-up can dry out skin, making it look flaky. Treating yourself to facemask Friday (or any day of the week) can help to keep your skin hydrated from your morning meeting until home time.
Going to work
If you’re walking to work come rain or shine, braving rush hour on the roads or taking public transport, your skin could be affected by the elements around you – no, really. We all know about the dangers of being exposed to the sun’s rays, so sun cream or a daily SPF moisturiser is a must to help protect your skin (even in cloudy weather) from UVA and UVB rays. Air pollution on your commute can often lead to blocked pores causing spots to appear. Cleansing is key to removing the daily dirt and grime build-up – simply cleanse every day for a shine-free face. Psst! You could even give double cleansing a go – check out our tips and tricks of the trade.
Sitting in the office
For those of you on the 9-5, the environment you sit in at work could be affecting your skin. Air conditioning may be our friend in the summer, but as it takes the moisture out of the air, it also affects the water content of the outer layer of our skin, causing it to become dry and rough. Drinking plenty of water, as well as using a daily moisturiser, can help to keep your hydration on track and your skin looking flawless (you’re welcome).
Going to the gym
If you hit the gym after work (well done you), your skin goes through yet another change as you sweat it out on the treadmill. Sweating is natural and helps to remove impurities from your skin, but it can be bad news if you let the sweat sit on your skin. It carries the grime of what’s been building up in your pores, and letting it settle back in your skin can cause spot breakouts. Keep a cleanser in your gym bag to wash your face in the shower after you’ve finished your workout – your skin deserves it.
Sleeping
The saying ‘getting your beauty sleep’ may actually have some truth to it – thanks Cinderella. Our skin’s repair mechanism kicks in when in the land of nod, allowing our blood to transport even more nutrients and vitamins to our skin. A few bad nights’ sleep in a row (we’ve all been there) can give your skin an oily appearance, and over a long period of time, cause it to become less elastic. Fear not, ingredients in skincare like retinol and hyaluronic acid can help to accelerate your skin’s overnight repair and avoid an oily build-up – fab.
And there you have it! Your skin works harder than you, day to day – don’t worry, we’ll keep that between ourselves.
