Tips On How To Protect And Nourish Your Skin Against The Winter Cold

The last few months have seen some of the coldest weather across the country for decades, and many of us have been suffering from chapped lips and dry skin on our faces and hands. As it looks like the cold snap is due to continue for a good few weeks yet, we thought it would be a good time for some hints on how to protect yourself if you are out and about in the cold and wind and how you can treat your skin kindly to help it recover if you have been bitten by Jack Frost. Even celebrities like SJP need to keep themselves protected from the snow and cold in New York.

Here are a few facts about the cold weather's effect on your skin:

• Cold temperatures slow down the blood circulation to your face, so it can look pale and dull, and have a rough texture.
• Your skin has a protective layer of oils known as the "acid mantle", which is reduced in the cold weather as your oil glands become less active. In addition, cold winds and dry, heated or air-conditioned atmospheres drain even more moisture from your skin, which can be extremely damaging, particularly  for those over age 30 when moisture levels in your skin begin to decrease naturally anyway.
• The drying effects of cold weather can be multiplied by up to fourteen times when the air itself is dry and up to ten times in high winds.
• Skiiing is a fantastic holiday and great exercise, but it will give your face a tough time as at high altitudes the lack of oxygen increases the skin's sensitivity to cold and the sun's ultraviolet rays, which are magnified by the snow, will also dehydrate and age your skin.

So what can we do to help our skin out when it's vulnerable to these conditions? Here are some remedies and treatments to soothe and re-hydrate your skin if it has been suffering from the cold.

• It's tempting to exfoliate your skin if it feels dry and rough, however, go carefully, as scrubbing with an abrasive facial scrub will irritate and make your skin sore and even cracked. Avoid foaming cleansers that contain SLS (sodium laureth sulfate) as these can destroy the skin’s natural barrier function, leading to increased sensitivity, dryness and inflammation. Look for a very gentle exfoliator or facial wash and ideally one with natural ingredients such as natural oils which will cleanse your face gently.
• Moisturising adds lustre to your skin, and you should use the richest moisturiser your skin can stand. Again look for natural moisturising ingredients such as shea butter, borage oil and glycerin which are kinder to your skin than some "anti-wrinkle" creams which can contain strong ingredients which will irritate and sting your skin if it is feeling sensitive.
• Even if you usually don't bother, this is the time to invest in a night-cream for your face, as this will allow your skin to soak up lots of lovely moisturising ingredients whilst your skin is most receptive, giving your skin a luscious glow in the morning.
• Don't forget your hands at this time, even if you wear gloves, it's surprising how the cold can dry out the skin on your hands and fingers. Look for a rich hand cream, it doesn't need to be a premier brand - we look for reliable brands such as Neutrogena or Jergens. At night-time, before falling asleep, you can even apply a cream to your hands such as E45 cream which can be too greasy for daytime, but which is a lovely treat for your skin overnight.
• As for the rest of your body, remember to keep gently exfoliating with a body puff or exfoliating wash and then treat your skin from neck down with an application of baby oil whilst your skin is still wet, locking in lots of lovely moisture.
• If you are going on a winter skiing holiday, remember to apply lots of high factor suncream (preferably factor 30+) to your face and hands to keep your skin protected from the UV rays and to prevent premature aging.

Ten Top Tips On How To Wake Up Beautiful Every Day

We've all heard the term that we need to get enough "beauty sleep". But what does it actually mean, and how do we get the best out of the sleep time we have. In fact, can good quality sleep actually improve our looks?

Research into "beauty sleep" has shown that a few minutes extra sleep in the morning (you are ideally looking for eight hours sleep each night), can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is fantastic as raised levels of this hormone will accelerate the aging process.

If you are looking for a glowing complexion like that of Liv Tyler's or Cate Blanchett's then you do need to get enough, good quality sleep. Steer clear of vigorous exercise, starchy foods and alcohol before bedtime and your skin cells will have a chance to repair. Good sleep means lots of the human growth hormone will be released which is also called the youth hormone as it has anti-aging effects.

Here Are Ten Great Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Beauty Sleep

• Sleep on your back - not only does this save you from getting a crinkly chest, but sleeping on your front will also put a lot of pressure on your face, causing puffiness. Dermatologists can also tell the favourite side for a person to sleep on as they will have more wrinkles on that side of their face! Sleeping on our backs suddenly seems like a good idea.
• Wash your face thoroughly before sleep with a relaxing cleanser until your complexion is squeaky clean. Dirt and toxins left on your skin are just accelerating the aging of your skin.
• Make the most of the repairing and remoisturising process that happens overnight, and slather on a good quality, dry skin replenishing cream such as Eucerin Dry Skin Replenishing Face Cream.
• Get those romantic pillows propped up around you at bedtime - keeping your head slightly raised encourages blood flow and lymph glands to drain which means less puffiness in the morning. Another great way to avoid puffiness is to avoid alcohol!
• Before applying your repairing face cream for the night apply a small amount of self-tanning cream to your face and neck - you will wake up with a healthy glow, which is a nice surprise and creates an instant good mood on a cold, wintry morning.
• Avoid carbs when making your evening meal (bread, potatoes, pasta) and go for a light meal of proteins and salad. Too many carbs in the evening can lead to a less defined and doughy complexion.
• If you want to keep your hair silky smooth for the next day, slip on a silk pillowcase or tie up your hair in a silky scarf as this keeps hair from frizzing and knotting overnight.
• Another tip to create a fantastic hair-do overnight is to gather your hair together and twist it round and round, holding it in place on top of your head with a scrunchie. This will transform into a cascade of waves and curls with lots of body next day.
• If you are washing your hair in the morning, give your hair a pre-treatment overnight with a rich hair masque to replenish its natural beauty.
• Finally, you can get a little help from the inside by taking a slow release B-complex vitamin before going to bed. Slowly released B vitamins can promote energy and glow from the inside, helping you to wake up feeling more energised.

Beauty Tips For The Festive Party Season

The weeks leading up to the Festive Season are some of the busiest in the social calendar for many of us - and its fabulous, we see friends that we haven't seen all year, socialise with our work colleagues and party with family and best friends. I tdoes lots for our heart and soul - but it can also ravage our looks and particularly our skin. With excesses of food and alcohol and lack of sleep and rest, our bodies can suffer and so can our faces. Here are some of the causes of lackluster looks and some great tips to ensure you sparkle and glow throughout the party season.

Dull And Flaky Skin Caused By Poor Cleansing

Yes, its easy to preach that you must cleanse, tone and moisturise twice a day - but when you totter in during the early hours of the morning with the dreaded work-day alarm looming not too many hours away - who can really be bothered to do this. But waking up the next day with skin still smothered in blotchy foundation and mascara is not pleasant and more importantly this will cause dry patches and clogged pores. The simple solution to this is to keep some facial cleansing wipes handy - even by your bedside or next to your toothbrush. Even the most tired or tipsy of us can manage a facial wipe - you can give your face an extra cleanse or even use a gentle facial scrub in the morning to remove any bits you have missed.

Shadows And Bags Under Your Eyes

Excess alcohol can cause eye bags and shadows - as can lack of sleep. Once you are up and about in the morning fluids will begin to move around your body which can help to reduce bags, as can massaging and tapping in gently a soothing eye cream. Its also useful to have one of the caffeine enriched moisturising roll-ons for around the eye to sooth and refresh the area.

Spots And Blemishes Appearing On Normally FlawlessSkin

I particularly notice that I will get spots or blemishes in my t-zone area at times of excessive partying. A combination of rich foods, alcohol, lack of "good" sleep and burning the candle at both ends results in an immune system that doesn't work as well as normally. Try taking a Vitamin C supplement or eating foods rich in Vitamin C such as papaya, mango, peppers, strawberries, oranges and chillies as this vitamin is top-notch for your skin's health.

Pale and Dull Skin On Arms And Shoulders

At this time of year, unless you've been lucky enough to take a winter-sun break, its probably quite a few months since you saw some sunshine. If you feel a little pale and dull and you are wearing a strappy or strapless party dress, don't panic and definitely don't head for a sunbed. Try exfoliating your skin with a good body scrub and then applying an instant bronzer - try one such as Lancome Flash Bronzer Shimmering Instant Body Tan which I can recommend. There are also some amazing sparkling body powders which have a great shimmering golden effect.

Dry and Cracked Lips

Dry and cracked lips can be caused by dehydration (again too much alcohol!), but also some long-lasting lipsticks can be extremely drying and the combination of the two can lead to dry, crinkly and sore lips - not very attractive under the mistletoe. Look for long-lasting lipsticks which also contain moisturisers or a built in finishing gloss. A good tip is to keep a small tin of Vaseline with your cleansing wipes and before you dive under the duvet apply a good amount to your lips last thing at night. This will soak in and moisturise during the night and your lips will be plumped and smooth by morning.

The Perricone Diet That Can Help You Have Better Skin And A Smaller Waistline

Yes, it does seem too good to be true that following a diet can do this, however, I have always been a firm believer in you truly are what you eat ... I know that when I binge out on junk food and alcohol and stop exercising that within a few days I really start to feel sluggish and unhealthy. As soon as I get back on a diet which includes lots of raw salads, veggies, fruits and healthy proteins plus a little bit of exercise, I can totally feel those roses coming back into my cheeks and I just feel better altogether. I don't believe that we can all be "good" all the time, but I think that keeping some good diet rules always at the back of your mind means that its OK to splurge out sometimes, but you need to balance it with an overall healthy lifestyle. And, if this also keeps me younger and slimmer then I'm really happy to follow some simple guidelines.

I read about Dr Perricone, who is one of the leading dermatologists in the USA, and his "Wrinkle Cure Diet" which has a large celebrity following and was interested enough to buy his book.  There are skeptics that don't believe all he says is true and many of his points have never been scientifically proven, but when you read his diet many of his guidelines make a lot of sense, but see what you think - they are listed below:

Drink Lots Of Water

• Pretty obvious, we have all heard a thousand times how good drinking lots of water is for your skin. There are experts on both sides of the fence with this one, some who say we get enough water from eating sensibly (as there is  a lot of water in fruit and veg) and others who promote drinking at least 2 litres of pure water a day - which seems a lot.  I do try to incorporate at least 3 large glasses of water into my diet each day as well as eating fruit and vegetables.

Eat Lots of Brightly Coloured Fruits and Vegetables

• Dr Perricone advises eating lots of fruits which are brightly coloured such as peppers, avocados, all kinds of berries, dark leafy green vegetables like spinach or spring greens, tomatoes and orange squashes and melons. These types of fruit and vegetables are highest in antioxidants which fight off all those nasty free radicals which can cause chaos with our bodies and skin.

Eat The Right Kinds Of Fats

• Dr Perricone advises avoiding many kinds of fats such as saturated, trans-fats (those are the nasty hydrogenated ones found in cheaper brands of biscuits and cakes which can clog up your arteries), and polyunsaturated fats. He advises eating lots of extra virgin olive oil which is rich in oleic acid which helps Omega-3 fats to protect cells and also to eat lots of fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids such as mackerel, salmon, trout, herring and tuna.

Eat Good Quality Protein

• Look for wild salmon or if this is too expensive tinned Alaskan red or pink salmon, choose egg white omelettes, organic chicken without the skin or turkey breast. These are all healthy proteins and low in saturated fat.

Foods To Avoid With The Perricone Wrinkle Cure Diet

• All dairy products should be organic, and ideally should include plain yoghurt (which you can mix with berries), Feta cheese or organic Swiss or Cheddar cheese. You are recommended to limit your milk intake if you are lactose intolerant - but we all know that for girls its important that we get enough calcium, so I'll leave that one with you. Dr Perricone also recommends that all processed foods and carbohydrates are avoided, apart from those with a low glycemic content such as whole-grains, beans and non-instant oatmeal.

How To Avoid Making Mistakes With Your Nails And Keep Them Looking Fantastic

Yes, we seem to write a lot about nails, but that's because looking after them and making the most of our nails, long or short, is so important. They can make or break the look you want, and there is nothing so annoying as tatty, uneven, broken nails or cuticles .... it makes you just want to hide your hands away. If you are unhappy with your home manicure, it is unlikely to be the products you are using, such as your nail polish, which is at fault - it's more likely to be your nail care techniques which are not quite up to scratch - so here are some helpful hints to look after your pinkies.

File Your Nails In One Direction

Don't use your nail file like a see-saw on your nails as this causes the nail ends to split and flake. File gently from each corner towards the centre with smooth strokes.

Never Cut Your Cuticles

Your cuticle is there for a purpose - it seals your skin against bacteria. Cutting cuticles is not a good idea, they will normally end up ragged and sore. Instead soak your hands in warm water (you can add a few drops of almond oil to the water to moisturise as well), and then using a cotton bud or orange stick gently push your cuticles back from your nail.

If You Have Dry and Cracking Cuticles - Moisturise Them

If you have had your hands in water a lot or it is wintery weather you may experience dry and cracked cuticles. Use either a specially formulated cuticle cream or oil to moisturise them each night before going to bed to soothe them.

Change Your Nail Polish At Least Once A Week

Nail polish remover should not be used too often on your nails as it is very drying and you should avoid the ones containing acetone if possible. But make sure you remove any polish from your nails at least once a week as leaving on chipped nail polish does not only look horrible, it can also start peeling off the top layer of your nail as it comes away.

Always Use A Base Coat Before Applying Polish

Never use nail polish - particularly dark or vibrant shades - without a base coat first as your nails are likely to become stained a nasty yellow colour, which does not look good on anyone. Also some base coats contain Vitamin E and other nutrients which are good for your nails and help them remain strong.