BUT FIRST, SKIN
Even backstage make-up artists – those charged with setting trends and pushing the boundaries – attest that a flawless look starts with skincare. Giorgio Armani make-up director and backstage veteran Linda Cantello will use up to 80 per cent of her “make-up time” prepping models’ skin with moistureinducing products and the little time left for actually applying make-up. The key takeaway? Start from the skin up.
EMBRACE EXFOLIATION
While stripping off layers of dead skin cells is not the most pleasant skincare ritual, exfoliation is one of the most important. “Exfoliation is what we do naturally. Aiding in that process is most important because it allows your serum and moisturiser to work better,” says John Krites, brand trainer at Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare. While sensitive-skin types might have shied away from those fruity, grainy and downright abrasive scrubs, Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel is a gentle two-step treatment that first buffs exfoliating acids onto the skin and is followed by anti-ageing actives and colloidal oatmeal, which calms and protects.cts. Meanwhile, when used twice a week Arcona The Solution Pads RRepairpair PM stimulastimulate rapid cell turnover and deeper exfoliation for more resilient skin types. Follow exfoliation with a hard-working serum like Clarins Double Serum.
EYES ON THE PRIZE
They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, but the area around them is also one of the first parts of the face to show signs of ageing. “The skin around our eyes is much thinner … With little to no oil glands to keep the skin supple and lubricated, fine lines can appear as early as our 20s, along with dark circles and hollowing,” says Melanie Grant, clinical facialist and founder of Melanie Grant Skin Health. Sallow skin around the delicate eye area can be plumped up with products that focus on hydration, like Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Gel Yeux – applied in the morning it drip-feeds hydration throughout the day to plump out fine lines. Likewise, Neutrogena HydroBoost Eye Roll-On is drenched with moisturising actives like hyaluronic acid applied via a nifty roll-on for easy application to the contours of the eyes.