Skin Health Magazine Issue #11 / Spring 2019 | Page 11

Antioxidant Overnight Treatment Your skin is exposed to a wide range of envi- ronmental stressors during the day, all of which can weaken and damage the cells leading to changes in skin structure, tone and condition. An antioxidant-packed product, which would ideally be a serum, can protect your skin against the daily aggressors found in the atmosphere and keep issues like pigmentation, redness and fine lines to a minimum. This step works best when applied as part of your morning routine so in the evening, you can switch it for an over- night treatment to combat any damage or imperfections while you sleep. During the night, your skin goes into repair mode so switch your antioxidant serum for a product that supports these processes and works to correct any imperfections without being interrupted. “At night your skin’s ‘To Do List’ is low,” explains Jane. “During the day, we face many more external elements that can affect our skincare, from make-up and central heating to air conditioning – all these factors can leave our products fighting for attention, while at night this is less so.” Ingredients such as acids, Retinol, oils and rejuvenating peptides are ideal for this step in your routine; just choose a product that addresses your most problematic skin con- cerns and introduce it slowly to your routine to avoid a reaction. Moisturiser Whether your skin is as dry as a desert or as greasy as an oil slick, hydration should play an important role in both your day and night time routines. As your face is exposed to the elements on a daily basis, the skin can quickly become unbalanced leading to impaired barrier function which makes it easier for the skin to lose water throughout the day. A good moisturiser will not only replenish the skin’s moisture reserves but will help to strengthen the epidermal barrier and lock all the ingredients you applied before- hand into the skin. At night, your moisturiser provides much needed hydration to prevent the associated irritation and dryness that comes with using a strong corrective treatment. Stick to this five-step routine for a few months before you start adding extras like exfoliators, eye creams and face masks. That way, you can be sure that your routine only includes products that you feel your skin really needs over the ones you think you should be using. Jane sums this up perfectly: “I am very much of the view that less is more. Taking the time to find products that work for you and using them little and often is far better than overloading your skin with lots of products so that they barely get a chance to work the way they are formulated to.” Sunscreen Of all the products in your morning routine, sunscreen is probably the most important. It is the only product that can protect the skin against premature ageing, pigmentation, inflammation and damage. “80% of wrinkles are caused by sun exposure, not to mention pigmentation, so if you are going to be in the sun, then a high factor SPF with UVA and UVB protection is essential to protect your skin,” says Jane. Sunscreens come in all shapes and sizes; just make sure you use one that provides broad spectrum protection and is at least factor 30. Jane Scrivner ISSUE #11 | 2019 | SkinHealthMagazine.com 11