When was the last time you looked at yourself in the mirror? Really looked, we mean, to understand what your skin really needs, right now.
It’s easy to fall into believing we’re one skin type for life. Perhaps you were declared ‘normal’, ‘dry’ or ‘combination’, decades ago, by someone on a beauty counter or via a magazine quiz in Just Seventeen or Cosmopolitan, and it’s stuck with you.
The fact is that skin changes as we get older. Lifestyle, diet, stress, hormones, genetics, environment can all play a part along with the passing of time. Getting to know your skin better is key to making sure you’re giving it what it needs and helping you to look your best in the process.
Your skin in three steps
Look: Get comfortable in front of a mirror, making sure you’re in good light. Really look at your skin, noticing its characteristics. Does it look particularly smooth, or oily, or flaky? Are there any patches of redness or breakouts?
Feel: How does your skin feel as you go about your day? Be mindful of whether it feels comfortable or tight? Is there any itchiness or irritation?
Touch: Use your fingers to explore your skin. How does it feel to the touch? Dry? Oily? Smooth?
You are your own expert
Nobody knows your skin as well as you do. You live in it! So don’t be intimidated thinking that you don’t have enough knowledge, or that you don’t have a dermatologist on hand. Trust your instincts.
By paying attention to your skin, you can adapt your skincare routine to best suit its needs at any given time. For example, if your skin is flaky and feels tight then you may need to boost hydration levels with a more nourishing moisturiser.
If your skin is oily and prone to breakouts, then it’s worth balancing sebum production with a gentle cleanser and being careful not to strip the skin’s natural oils with overly harsh products.
If your eye area needs targeted attention, add a good eye cream into your daily skincare routine.
If your skin needs smoothing, use a gentle exfoliator that is specifically created for daily use.
As we get older, we may find our skin becoming more sensitive or prone to inflammation and irritation. Again, by being aware of these changes we can help our skin to adapt by taking care to nourish it rather than slavishly sticking to the same routine we’ve used for years.
The best skincare routine for mature skin…
…is whatever works for you. Don’t be afraid to change your routine if what you’re using doesn’t best serve your skin’s needs right now. If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t right.
There is a tendency as we get older to reach for ever stronger products in a bid to recapture our twenty-year-old skin, but this can lead to skin that is hypersensitive and reactive. Try taking a gentler approach. At Willowberry we believe in nutritious natural skincare that protects the natural barrier function to nourish and revive grown-up skin.
Willowberry is nutritious natural skincare for grown-ups, for your best skin.
A favourite with top make-up artists, Willowberry's luxurious award-winning products protect skin’s natural barrier function, to nourish and revive grown-up skin without telling women to be 'anti-ageing'.
As seen in Vogue, Independent, The Telegraph, This Morning and more.
