Beauty Clinic: I want my skin to 'glow'
Q. I'm 44 and my skin is really dehydrated (due to early menopause) and just looks dull. I am getting married shortly and have had regular facials which have vastly improved my skin. But I am looking for a serum to help give my skin a boost of ‘glow’. Do you have any advice? A. First of all, many congratulations on your approaching wedding day. We hope it is completely wonderful.
Good facials are a great help as you have found and adding in great topicals will also help. We also urge you to eat and drink well, and consider taking well-chosen supplements.
Serums as you probably know are a means of getting lots of nutrients into the skin in a small amount of product. So you only need a very few drops to make a difference – often they are expensive but do bear in mind that they will last for ages. You can mix them into your day and night moisturiser and even into your foundation for a super-boost.
In the latest edition of our best seller, The Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible, two certified organic products romped in with top marks. These are:
La Clarée Oliv Radiance Elixir/£37 for 15 ml at www.lovelula.com, a longtime personal favourite of Sarah’s, which gained a stellar average with our ten-woman tester panel.
Pinks Boutique Anti-Aging Serum/£29.95 for 30 ml from www.lovelula.com, another favourite brand and like the La Claree light and easily absorbed.
On the mainstream side, the very close contenders for top serum were:
YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum/£61 for 30 ml at www.boots.com. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Age Repair Concentrate/£80 for 30 ml at www.feelunique.com
Whatever skincare you use, do massage it in very well, working up from your jawline, and out from your nose. You will notice a real difference to the glow factor if you do this regularly. And don't forget that exercise is not just good for your figure, it’s fantastic for oxygenating your complexion (as well as pretty well everything else).
Eating well, with protein and vegetables at every meal, will help hugely and, of course, sipping lots of still water and herbal teas through the day.
Additionally, good supplements can make a lot of difference to the condition of your skin. Pharmacist Shabir Daya at Victoria Health recommends:
NHS LabsHyaluronic Acid Capsules High Strength/£35 for 30 capsules, take one daily. This nutrient, found in many creams and serums, works from within the body to hydrate and plump skin cells aside from helping with collagen synthesis.
Life Extension Skin Restoring Phytoceramides/£25 for 30 capsules, take one daily. Ceramides can help to strengthen the skin barrier preventing dehydration.