Liz Earle shares her springtime skin secrets
We're big fans of Liz Earle's Wellbeing digital magazine. And because we know you're long-standing fans of Liz herself, we wanted to share her spring beauty secrets for radiant, glowing skin... So: from the beauty guru's own, perfectly-exfoliated lips, here goes... Cleansing is the cornerstone of all good skincare regime. When combined with exfoliation it works wonders to whisk away dead skin cells that make skin look drab and feel dry. One reason why beauty treatments do actually work is that our skin is an ever-changing organ, shedding tens of thousands of dead skin cells every minute of every day. This constant creation of new skin cells is why our complexion improves when we use good skincare.
As we age though, this process of skin cell renewal slows down; skin takes on a dull, greyish tinge and feels less plumped up. Exfoliation helps speed up this process. Exfoliators fall into two main camps: mechanical and chemical.
The mechanical kind range from a simple muslin buffing cloth or gentle facial scrub with smooth, rounded buffing beads, to steel-pad dermabrasion to sandpaper the skin (fortunately carried out under anaesthetic). The chemical kind uses a range of acids, such as Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) from fruits such as apples and grapes, or Beta-hydroxy acids (BHAs) such as salicylic acid, from willow bark (same as aspirin). These acids work by dissolving the intercellular ‘glue’ that bonds dead skin cells onto the surface of the skin.
For me, I firmly believe that it is the gentle twice-daily buffing of the skin with a soft muslin cloth that keeps so many Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser users looking so radiantly youthful. Little and often is always a good rule to follow – and the beauty of a muslin cloth is that it doesn’t upset sensitive skins in the way some ingredients can. It’s simple, inexpensive and it’s virtually impossible to over-scrub.
Liz's tips for buffing up...
Start with the scalp The skin on our scalp benefits from an invigorating weekly scrub. Tip your head upside down and use a natural bristle or Tangle Teezer-style brush. Work around the scalp in circular movements before brushing through hair ends. Focus around the crown and behind the ears to release pockets of stored tension. Throw your head back and enjoy the feeling of re-invigoration!
Face first Our faces are too fragile for scratchy skin scrubs, so choose one made with spherical beads (such as Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator, made with smooth round jojoba beads), or fine sugar granules that dissolve, making it impossible to over-scrub. Avoid jagged minerals or nut kernel particles that can cause microscopic skin scratches to the face, leading to inflammation and premature skin ageing.
Lip tips Winter lips are prone to dryness and flaking and benefit from a gentle buff up. Dot with a small amount of lip balm and gently buff with a baby’s soft-bristled toothbrush. The perfect way to dislodge dead skin and keep lips kissably smooth and soft.
Hands and feet Nails and cuticles can use some post-cold weather care. Use a leftover half-lemon shell sprinkled with fine salt to massage over nails and cuticles to cleanse and scrub. A great nail-brightener too – remove all nail polish so the natural acids in lemon juice help whiten and brighten. Pumice scrubs are good for feet as they have just the right amount of abrasive action. Use over lower legs to slough away the months of dead skin that can linger on legs from encasement in thick tights.
More beauty tips to keep you glowing this spring can be found in the Spring 2015 edition of Liz Earle Wellbeing, available now to download from Zinio (for all devices), Apple (for iPhone or iPad) or Amazon (for Kindle Fire) for £2.99, or subscribe to 4 issues per year for £9.99.
