Brighter Days

Dull tired skin doesn’t sit too well with summer makeup, which is usually lighter and with less coverage. A range of new products focus on brightening and illuminating facial skin, evening out skin tone and reducing pigmentation. Here’s our guide to getting your skin glowing again.

Protect 

First and foremost, protect the skin you have. Nothing damages it quite like the sun’s rays. With summer comes longer UVB rays, so a good quality, broad spectrum SPF is a must. SPF in makeup doesn’t count. For winter SPF 30 should suffice but consider upping to SPF in summer. Apply it every day, making it the last layer before you put on makeup. Don’t forget the neck and décolletage, especially the non-fleshy part of your chest where the sun can do most damage. Remember too, there’s only so much an SPF can do. Cover up with a hat or lightweight scarf if you’re out in the sun for an extended period of time.

Product Recommendation:

Avène Intense Protect SPF50+ €19 at pharmadirect.ie

New to the market, this is ideal for sensitive or reactive skin. Light and gentle on the skin, it still packs a powerful punch against harmful rays. It contains anti-oxidants, which prevent or slow damage to the skin cells caused by free radicals. It also has one of the first organic sun screens against blue light, emitted by the sun and also, by electronic devices such as computer and phone screens.

Maintain

Maintaining the natural skin barrier is critical in ensuring healthy, bright skin. The barrier can be damaged by the use of soap or the over use of acids (AHAs and BHAs) and exfoliants. Use a good quality cleanser every day. At night you need to wash off makeup, break down the SPF you applied that morning and clear away and free radicals you’ve picked up that day, all without stripping away the natural functioning of the skin. Wash again in the morning to clean away an residual night creams and refresh the skin.

Product Recommendations:

Image Skincare Iluma Intense Brightening Exfoliating Cleanser €43 at millies.ie

Another new product aimed at buffing away winter dullness. It’s applies as a thick cream with biodegradable microbeads which disappear when pressed too hard, so no risk of physical damage to the skin. Add a little water and it foams up. Containing a range of soothing and nourishing ingredients massage for at least a minute before wiping off with a damp cloth. Will remove makeup, spf and anything else you’ve picked up during the day in one go. Recommended use is twice daily.

CeraVe Cleansers, from €9.99 at boots.ie

Beloved by dermatologists everywhere, CeraVe’s range of cleanser are excellent for thoroughly cleaning the skin while protecting its natural barrier. There are a range of offerings to suit pretty much every skin type. All contain three types of ceramides (hence the name) which seal in moisture and seal out impurities. Excellent affordable option.

Nourish

Serums are the workhorse of your skincare regime, according to Valerie Osborne of Elysium Day Spa in Galway. She recommends investing in a good quality serum and chose a moisturiser “just to moisturise”. Because the molecule size of serums is smaller it is able to penetrate the skin and get to work on repairing damage and strengthening the skin’s natural defences. A range of new serums have been launched aimed specifically at brightening the skin. Bear in mind, serums take time to work, often as long as 90 days. 

Codex Beauty Antü Brightening Serum, €90 at mccabespharmacy.com

This product doesn’t come cheap but it is packed with antioxidants, hyaluronic acid and a range of botanicals to soothe irritation and reduce inflammation. Codex is a Californian biotech company focusing on plant technology in skincare. All packaging is eco-friendly and includes an ‘efficacy panel’ showing data to prove the product’s claims. A good investment buy for anyone with dull, dry or uneven skin. Use once daily.

Ultraceuticals Ultra Brightening Serum, €100 at elysium.ie

Another high end serum but, again, one that can improve the appearance of excess pigmentation and enhance the skin’s clarity and luminosity. It’s part of a range of brightening products which includes a cleanser and a moisturising cream. Ultraceuticals is an Australian company that specialises in cosmeceuticals, products with bioactive ingredients. Recommended use, once a day in the morning. 

Moisturise

Serums don’t moisturise the skin and moisturiser is still an important step in any beauty regime. Moisturising reduces the change of skin problems by maintaining the skin’s natural balance. It can even out the appearance of blemishes and help the skin repair itself. If you’re using a good serum with plenty of nourishing ingredients, then just choose a good quality moisturiser to maintain the skin. 

Product Recommendation:

Bioderma Sensibo AR, €16.50 at llyodspharmacy.ie

The AR stands for anti-redness. This is a three-in-one product that moisturises, contains an spf of 30 and soothes redness. It’s recommended for sensitive skins and those prone to Rosacea. Ingredients work on reducing heating sensations in the skin and increasing its tolerance threshold. According to Bioderma, 86 per cent of testers saw an improvement in the redness of their skin. 

As we age, and even when we’re still relatively young, all sort of unwanted blobs of colour start appearing on our skin. Age-spots, hyperpigmentation, spider veins and rosacea are the most common. Here’s our guide to recognising them and what to do with them.

Age-spots: Age-spots, also called liver spots, are small flat dark areas of skin that usually show up on parts of the body exposed to the sun – the face, hands and arms for example. They can be lightened by a range of treatments including prescription bleaching creams, laser, freezing, dermabrasion and chemical peel. Over the counter creams also work but need to be applied regularly and will take time.

Hyperpigmentation: Melanin is the pigment that gives skin its colour. An excess of melanin causes patches of dark skin known as hyperpigmentation. Laser, intense pulsed light (IPL), chemical peels and microdermabrasion will reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation. Again, over the counter remedies can also work. 

Spider Veins: These are small damaged veins that appear on the legs and face, often around the nose and cheek area. The can be blue, purple or red and come in lines or webs. IPL treatments are effective. Topical treatments can reduce the appearance of the veins but can’t get rid of them. Products can also strengthen the blood vessel wall to protect against further damage. Vitamin K creams can provide a short-term fading effect. 

Rosacea: A potentially serious disease, one in ten people suffer from Rosacea, and twice as many women as men. It begins with episodes of flushing and can escalate to persistent redness, visible blood vessels and, at its worst, thickening of the skin. A serious outbreak should be treated by a medical doctor. Rosacea can’t be cured but it can be managed. If using over the counter treatments look for those with soothing botanicals like aloe vera and oatmeal. Go easy of exfoliation