Do you remember the television ads for Simple Ph. Test? A bar of soap and a strip of litmus paper? Probably one of our 1st introductions to the “acid mantle” of the skin. The acid mantle and its health are so important for healthy skin but unfortunately can be damaged so easily by poor cosmetic choices and over treatment. The acid mantle is often one of the first things we look at during skin consultation as an impaired barrier function gives rise to many skin issues, such as dehydration, reactive or very sensitised skin.   Why its important The first and most important role is sk ..read more

As a facialist I often discuss tips on improving complexions with my clients but in so many skin consultations I hear clients repeat the same mistakes that I thought it would be worth looking at some habits that are certainly doing your skin more harm than good.   The basic premise of most of these points is personalised skin care.  There are so many products and treatments available to suit all skins.  The problem with this is if you were to take all of your friends and put them together you probably wouldn’t have the exact same skin as one of them – why then are you all u ..read more

  Sensitive skin is a common complaint, but sensitized skin is everywhere! So, what is the difference?  If you have sensitive skin you would have been born with it, you most probably have high colouring and its something that you have pretty much always had. Sensitised skin on the other hand usually comes about later.  It can appear at any time and on any skin type. No one is unfortunately immune.  Ironically, the more skin care is becoming popular the more I am seeing sensitised skin in my practise.  I believe a lot of the time this is down to over use of products an ..read more

  Your guide to oily skin Oily skin is one of the most misunderstood skin types I come across and probably the most difficult to get handle on without expert advice.  That being said there are some basic rules that you can put in place easily without risking dreaded breakouts or the other extreme (that I probably see more regularly) a skin that started out oily that is now screaming for mercy from all the oil targeting products that were thrown at it. This skin now feels and looks dry, flaky and irritated.  This can be from lifestyle like very central heated environments or mor ..read more

Calling all Face Pickers You know who you are!  I get it, it’s difficult to leave those pesky lumps alone.  Rest assured though your skin is much better at dealing with them than you are.  Let me tell you why you should stop. You are making more spots When you squeeze an infected spot, we can’t unfortunately see the damage we are doing underneath the skin.  Squeezing where there is infection will spread the infection into the surrounding skin underneath the spot.  This invariably ends up as the characteristic cluster of breakouts beside each other that shows me you ar ..read more

As our skin gets older, capillaries can weaken and start to permanently dilate in certain areas. This can leave us with redness or obvious telangiectasia/broken capillaries at the surface which can give an uneven appearance to the skin. What can we do? Vitamin C as an ingredient both internally and topically can help to strengthen the skin and is worth having as part of your routine. Avoid smoking and alcohol Use sunscreen daily Is there any treatment and how does it work? IPL is a commonly used treatment for telangiectasia. Using a hand-piece placed on the skin, controlled pulses of light ..read more

Blackheads and congestion are two things I hear consistently as concerns in skin consultations. Whilst it is impossible to permanently remove blackheads, there is plenty you can do to make them less obvious and also make your skin less prone to congesting. For anyone lucky enough to have never seen a blackhead on their own skin, lets start with what they are. Blackheads are clogged pores containing oil/sebum and dead skin cells that have oxidized on the surface of the skin giving that characteristic black appearance. They are completely harmless but nonetheless seem to drive people crazy! Wha ..read more

Do you worry about your skin losing tone? Fine lines or general lack of volume? Radio Frequency may be the treatment for you! Endymed Glow uses clinically proven radiofrequency technology to smooth wrinkles, lift sagging skin and contour the face and neck. What is it Radio Frequency or RF is a treatment that is used in aesthetics to heat skin tissue. The heat causes a tightening effect within the skin, this is often seen immediately post treatment. The heat also induces tissue remodelling and stimulates the production of collagen and elastin. The loss of collagen and elastin as we age leads t ..read more

I am commonly asked by clients if I think they should get botox. This decision is such a personal choice but I think it is important to always start with the same question…… When you look in mirror, what about your skin is bothering you? If it is deep lines between the brows or upper forehead these can be indications for muscle relaxant treatments like botox so may be worth considering. If, however your concern is dullness, uneven skin tone, pigmentation, pores, marks, lack of tone these may all be better served with a good skin care routine and prescribed treatments. The reality is most of u ..read more

LED Light Therapy As most of my clients know I have been an advocate of light therapy as part of facial treatments for many years and add it into many of my skin treatments.  I love its effects on the skin but It’s often a part of the facial that many clients are intrigued as to what it does.  Here is why I use it…. Light therapy works on the principle that cells can absorb and be influenced by light.  Think of one of your summer holidays where you burnt your skin or got a little too much sun – we have all seen the negative impact over exposure to light can cause but light also ..read more