Secret to good skin? Keep it simple...
When it comes to skincare, less is more. Indeed while you may think the more products you use the better your complexion will look, the reality is that skin can have too much of a good thing.
Overdoing lotions and potions can result in a weakened skin barrier, redness and irritation.
Enter the multitasker – ingenious products that can do it all, cutting out the need for multiple steps or layering numerous formulas. And the high street has taken note.
A growing number of brands are creating products containing a concoction of skin-nourishing ingredients – think retinol, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide – expertly formulated to work together as one.
It’s a win-win, removing the guesswork, saving us time and reducing the amount we spend. Not to mention that the fewer products purchased means less waste.
At our London clinic, combination tweakments are also gaining ground.
Patients are choosing to stack non-invasive procedures and have them all at once – fillers, Botox and laser procedures – to save multiple appointments and maximise the benefits. So if you want to streamline your skincare routine, read on. Here we share our guide to the best multitasking marvels on the market.
THE KNOW-HOW
● All skin shares the same everyday needs.
So to avoid buying two moisturisers – one for day and one for night – stick with one well-made formula. Eye creams can also double up as lip moisturisers or to moisturise damaged cuticles.
A pea-sized dollop of moisturiser can also be used as a hair conditioner. Apply to hands and run through towel-dried hair.
● Make your make-up work harder. Just because it says blusher on the packaging doesn’t mean it can’t be swept across your eyes, cheeks or lips.
Bronzer makes the most amazing eyeshadow or eyeliner. Highlighters can be used on your arms and legs. Mascara can be used on your brows or to cover greys or roots, while eyeliner
pencils can be used on brows.
MARVELLOUS MULTITASKERS
Romilly Wilde Light & Energy Serum Cleanser, £58 (harveynichols.com), simultaneously cleanses, hydrates and nourishes the skin. This treatment-style cleanser boosts skin cell metabolism while
triggering a natural change in how the skin repairs. Leave it on as a mask for 20 minutes following your initial cleanse for an extra moisture surge.
● Embryolisse LaitCreme Concentre Nourishing Moisturiser,
£13 (Boots) isn’t your typical moisturiser, it’s a multi-purpose six-in-one treatment for all skin types. Use as an everyday face cream, a primer, hydrating face mask, calming skin treatment, and even make-up remover.
● Skinceuticals Silymarin CF, £145 (lookfantastic. com) combines 15 per cent pure vitamin C with ferulic and salicylic acids to protect skin against the environment.
● Green People
One Balm, £20 (greenpeople.co.uk) is a multipurpose balm that gives instant relief to dry lips, rough cuticles, flaky knees and elbows as well as rough skin patches on hands and heels. This contains soothing myrrh to heal, and rosehip to repair.
Use it to highlight cheekbones or brow bones and rub a little on fingers to tame flyaway hair ends.
● No7 Lift & Luminate Serum
Concealer, £14 (Boots) instantly blurs fine lines and wrinkles while concealing pigmentation marks and blemishes.
● Saltee Daily Protection Formula SPF50, £29 (saltee.co.uk) has active ingredients that provide protection against UVA, UVB and infrared radiation. Plus it has nourishing and glow-inducing properties.
AT THE CLINIC The Four-In-One Lift
This uses a combination of non-invasive procedures to rejuvenate the face. It combines muscle-relaxing injections to smooth lines and balance features, dermal fillers and threads to enhance cheeks, restore facial contours and replace lost volume, and platelet-rich plasma therapy to brighten and tighten dull ageing skin. From £1,000.
Hydrafacial
The king of multitasking facials, this tackles signs of ageing, helps balance skin tone and plumps and protects the complexion. The six-step facial takes 90 minutes and combines the latest hi-tech ingredients including stem cells and peptides with microdermabrasion, glycolic peel, intense pulsed light (IPL) and red light therapy.
Post-treatment skin will look smoother, radiant and nourished. Costs from £120.
● For more of Lesley’s tips, visit lesleyreynolds.com