Timely skincare, blowdrying, coconut oil

Sync your skincare with the best time of day for your complexion

7am Tackle puffy eyes

Waking up with tired eyes is inevitable! But did you know you can help prevent under-eye bags by tweaking your daily habits? First, get a good night’s sleep. Also avoid excess salt, reduce your alcohol intake and quit smoking. Next, try a few depuffing tricks. To help decrease the fluid that makes eyes appear puffy, turn to an early morning eye patch. Pop it on while you’re eating brekkie. With such ingredients as marine collagen, green tea, vitamin A and aloe extract, the Skin Republic Collagen Under Eye Patch $9.99 helps target the visible signs of ageing.

7.30 am Protect against the sun

Make it a daily habit to apply sunscreen to your face before you leave the house. Sunburn doesn’t just happen at the beach, but incidental UV damage can contribute to your risk of cancer and premature ageing. Apply an SPF sunscreen like Elucent Anti Ageing Moisturiser SPF 50+ $49.99. You can also stash a small tube of sunscreen in your handbag like Aspect Gold Envirostat Dry Touch SPF 50 $26 that you can easily whip out whenever you head out for that stroll around the block.

8am

Combat environmental pollution

Packed trains and busy roads can cause us stress, but the physical commute to work is also impacting on our complexions.

Studies have shown environmental pollution is causing premature ageing. Traffic fumes are toxic to our skin and can accelerate the appearance of wrinkles and age spots.

Anti-pollution skincare creates a barrier to help prevent nasty particles entering your pores. Go for a serum containing antioxidants like Elizabeth Arden Prevage Anti-pollution With Sunscreens Hydrating Shield $89 that can help neutralise free-radical damage caused by toxic air. Then follow it up with a mask to give your skin a purifying boost. Try Sukin Oil Balancing Anti-pollution Facial Masque $15.95.

9am Screenproof your skin

Claimed to be as damaging as UV rays, high-energy visible (HEV or blue) light – omitted by our screens – has the potential to prematurely age your skin. While the jury is still out, if you want to lower your risk, apply a cream packed with antioxidants like A’kin Hydrating Antioxidant Day Cream $39.95 to fight off free-radical damage occurring to your skin.

Deflect 11.30 am the sun

Heading outdoors for a lunchtime stroll? Since the sun is at its strongest at this time of year from 10am-2pm, you need to reapply sunscreen. But make sure it’s labelled broad spectrum so you’re protected from both UVA and UVB rays.

Clean 1pm up oil

Got a big meeting coming up? A deadline looming? It could be the reason behind your midday oily nose. When stress hits, your cortisol level rises, which can cause an increase in oil production. Instead of piling on powder that can make your face look too dark or light, go for a liquid blotting formula like Murad Matteffect Blotting Perfector $45. It’s the latest in blotting technology and works by using a cushion compact to minimise excess oil, reduce pores and refresh the skin.

3pm Cool down

Feeling a bit hot and flustered come the afternoon? Your body’s temperature changes as the day progresses and starts to rise from the morning until late afternoon. Give your face a spritz with a mist to help chill out. Hold the bottle at least 10cm from your face to refresh your skin as well as your makeup. We like The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist $18.

9pm Deep cleanse

Dermatologists agree you need to cleanse your face twice daily to remove bacteria, makeup and grime collected throughout the day. Do it as soon as you get home so you can’t use tiredness as an excuse not to do it. Use one that will exfoliate at the same time to give your face a deep cleanse like Natio Ageless Dual Action Cleanser and Exfoliator $16.95.

10pm Repair your complexion

The best time to apply night cream is 9pm11pm, when your skin goes into recovery mode. Try Olay Regenerist MicroSculpting Night Cream $48.99. Or a reparative cream, such as retinol, to help combat the signs of ageing. Try Paula’s Choice Resist Retinol Serum $56.