By Olivia Andrews, Second Year History of Art
The Croft Magazine // After reading countless blogs online about the prospect that my skin could have become lazy, I was horrified! Could layering on all my serums and moisturisers actually do more harm than good?
Layering on rich creamy formulas, especially when these lotions aren’t designed for your skin type can cause your skin to not regenerate cells as quickly causing your skin to become lacklustre and lifeless. However, there is an answer to all your woes. To prevent lazy skin and get that youthful dewy glow, the goal is to encourage cell turnover.
First, you need to scrape away all the dead skin cells which are shielding your natural shine. Exfoliating is a great place to start however, you really can have too much of a good thing. Over exfoliating causes irritation and strips away the skin's natural healthy oil forcing your skin to create excess oil and overcompensate. Therefore, making you land back at square one.
Opt for something gentler like a facial peel, personally I really like The Body Shop’s Vitamin C Facial Peel. It is a really strange feeling at first, but also grossly satisfying feeling all the dead skin peel off - at least you know it is doing its job. Also, that extra vitamin C will give your skin an added boost.
To really stimulate that cell renewal, vitamin C is perfect for repair of all body tissues, which is why it is great when you are sick and for rejuvenating your skin. What’s more, vitamin C is an antioxidant meaning it can counterbalance pollution, smoke, alcohol, fried foods, stress and the sun, all known as free radicals.
It’s important to add hydration, though not too much unless your skin can really handle it. A really key ingredient is hyaluronic acid, try The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5. Don’t be scared by ‘acid’ it’s not corrosive or harmful and is something that we all naturally have in our skin, so adding in more is going to keep your skin plump and youthful.
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Retinol also revitalises the skin and isn’t just for aging skin. Yes, it boosts collagen production, but by focusing on cell renewal it reduces pigmentation and brightens tired skin. Retinol is super effective at minimising acne scarring as it restores the skin’s surface and thus, revealing a newer, fresher complexion.
However, just because previous products might have caused your skin to become lazy, doesn’t mean you can skimp on the moisturiser. This is absolutely essential to lock in all the moisture in your skin.
Facial tools can be really effective for cell renewal, especially those slightly terrifying looking rollers with needles on. However, if that isn’t really your cup of tea then the classic go-to prescription of a healthy diet is no doubt still beneficial. So next time you actually remember to pack your lunch rather than jumping straight in the queue at Parsons, try to load up on foods which are loaded with antioxidants such as, peppers, broccoli, avocado, berries and spinach.
I am not a qualified dermatologist just offering my advice, if you have serious concerns please seek professional help.
Featured: Epigram / Laura Mallinson
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