Keeping our skin healthy shouldn’t be a difficult or complicated task. However, there are some really simple mistakes that we all make from time to time that can be detrimental to the health of our skin both short and long term. Here are the top 5 mistakes I commonly see:
1. Over cleansing
This is perhaps the most common skincare misstep. We all seem to think that squeaky clean skin is healthy skin but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Every time we cleanse our skin, we’re not only stripping it of dirt, food and make up, we also remove naturally produced oils in the skin, as well as some of the microbiome (the good bacteria, microorganisms etc) that helps maintain our skin’s barrier. Too much cleansing can both dry out skin and make it oily because the skin tries to compensate for the oils that have been taken away by producing more. This can cause an oily T zone and make acne more prevalent. Over cleansing also disrupts the microbiome, making skin more likely to be reactive and flare up skin conditions e.g., eczema and rosacea.
Tip: Most days skin only needs to be cleansed once and this is best done in the evening when skin is at its dirtiest. I also highly recommend using a cream cleanser (like our Refining Cleanser) as they are less likely to disrupt the skin. In the morning, simply splash your face with water and pat dry before applying skincare.
2. Using too much product
This one is unique to Clémence products because of their potency (you may have come from another skincare brand which you had to lather on to see an effect). So when you’re applying our products, remember that less is more. Clémence products don’t contain any water or fillers, and so you’re only applying ingredients designed to have a direct effect on skin. By applying too much product, you’re going to saturate your skin in actives and this makes it more likely to react and/or cause acne.
Tip: Take a look at the skincare routine recommendations card which shows roughly how much of each product you should be applying. As a rough guide, serums are 3-5 drops and moisturisers are pea sized amounts.
3. Not exfoliating regularly
Exfoliation is one of those skincare steps that most of us think is optional. The thing is, if you don’t exfoliate, you’re not getting the most from your skincare and you could be hampering your skin’s return to health. The primary goal of exfoliation is to remove the top layer of dead skin cells and uncleansed make-up and grime from your skin. This not only helps your skincare products to absorb better but it also helps to clarify skin, leaving skin looking more evenly toned and fresh. The secondary goal of exfoliation is to stimulate skin cell turnover, pushing fresh cells to the surface and speeding up skin repair. This is particularly important if you are trying to rejuvenate skin that has either been damaged by acne (scarring) and pigmentation.
Tip: Exfoliate with our 2 in 1 Face Exfoliant + Mask at least once a week. You can also exfoliate gently on a daily basis by using our organic bamboo face cloth with the Refining Cleanser.
4. Not giving skin time to adapt to new products
The thing about skin is that it’s a creature of habit, a bit like a toddler really. It gets used to what you put on it (or don’t put on it) on a regular basis and will generally get cranky if you change its routine. This is because of 2 things: the microbiome (the healthy, living bacteria and microorganisms that live on our skin) and the pattern of cleansing (which affects natural skin oil production). So when you change to Clémence from another brand you may well see a disruption in your skin. It’s important to give your skin time to adapt to the new routine and ingredients, and not pull the plug too soon.
Tip: skin cell turnover is generally around 30 days and so this is how much time you need to give your skin to adapt to new products. If something persists that you’re not sure about, please reach out to our team for advice.
5. Not applying skincare to neck and décolletage
I myself am guilty of this one sometimes. I get in a bit of a rush and just focus on looking after my face. Having said this, I know that its super important to also cleanse and moisturise my neck and décolletage because this skin is of a similar thinness and will start to show deterioration and ageing more quickly if not.
Tip: apply your products when you’re straight out of the shower or bath so that your neck and decolletage skin is exposed and you’re not worried about getting products on clothing.
As a naturopath, I’m always thinking about dietary and lifestyle recommendations to complement my organic skin care range. Drinking herbal teas has got to one of the easiest and most effective things you can do to further benefit skin. Not only do they taste great but the actives in herbs are absorbed and taken-up quicker than supplements.
Spring is the perfect time to take stock of your skincare products, reboot your beauty routine and get yourself set up for the sun to come.
Here's how: Step 1 - ‘Spring clean’ your skincare
Go through your beauty cabinet and get rid of anything you haven’t used for the last 12 months or anything that isn’t pulling its weight.
As a Naturopath I have treated many skin conditions over the years but some of them you see more than others. Eczema and dermatitis are most definitely my number one. And as the weather is cooling, now is the time when flare ups most commonly occur.
Although it can be caused by a multitude of factors, there are lots of ways to reduce eczema occurrence, and sometime eradicate it for good. Here is what I know about eczema and what you can do about it.
