At 20 years old, (or at least when we were 20 years old) our skincare routines consisted of nothing but makeup wipes, the classic tin of Vaseline for dried lips and the occasional face mask. Around 25, we started to experience sun damage, age spots and fine lines alongside the realisation that preserving our glowing complexions well into our 30s was going to take a bit of work.
So, as we’re always preaching the good skincare is the baseline for good tanning results we thought we’d share 3 of the skincare facts we wish we’d known before we turning 25, that could also impact your tanning.
Nothing you put on your skin is going to work unless you exfoliate.
We’ve all been taught that the formula for clear, beautiful skin starts with the double cleanse. However, many of our teachers left out the fact that in order to maintain our radiant skin, we must begin this formula with regular exfoliation.
Although they're too tiny to actually see, dead skin cells that your body isn’t self-shedding can make your skin appear dull, discoloured, and broken out from clogged pores. Even worse, they can potentially cancel out all the hard work you’re putting into your skincare by creating a barrier to your formulas.
The same goes for makeup and tanning: A smooth, even application is never gonna happen if the surface of your skin is rough from microscopic dead cells.
What we are doing through exfoliation is removing those cells to make way for newer, happier, and healthier skin. The results? A glowing, even, smooth complexion from head to toe and the perfect canvas for a sunless tan.
Hyaluronic acid needs moisture… and lots of it!
Hyaluronic acid has become an ingredient staple thanks to its incredible moisturising abilities which leave the skin pillowy and hydrated.
Like a magnet it can draw moisture from the air in our environment and basically attach it to our skin’s cells. When the skin is protected and hydrated, increased cell production can take place, as the skin isn't busy fighting for hydration which leads to a smoother and plumper appearance… perfect for tanning.
However, depending on where you live, there probably isn’t that much water in your air in which case HA will pull any residual moisture from the deeper layers of skin to hydrate the surface.
This hero ingredient needs to be applied to damp skin in order to work. In fact, applying it to a dry complexion can have the opposite effect to what is intended, and actually leave skin more dehydrated. That’s why we created Moisturising Mist.
And if your using it in serums you should always mist first, then apply the hyaluronic acid treatment afterwards and Primer is the perfect product for that job!
It makes sense when you think about it – HA doesn’t contain any water itself, therefore the more hydration you combine it with, the better it performs. Think of your regime as a hydration 'sandwich' – spritz your face, apply the hyaluronic acid, then spritz again.
SPF is non-negotiable
Up to 90% of how your skin ages is within your control – and it’s directly linked to sun exposure!
Which basically means that SPF is the most effective anti-aging product on the planet and the absolute essential everyone should have in their routine.
More crucially, it could actually save your life! Skin cancer is on the top of the list of most common cancers diagnosed in Ireland with over 13k per year and that figure surpasses 16k in the UK.
Which not only means that SPF is non-negotiable, it means that you should CHOOSE. SUNLESS. TANNING. ALWAYS. Take this as advice from a big sister to her little sister and as women in our forties who have spent the last 8+ years trying to undo the sun damage caused in our twenties!