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After a couple of long-haul flights, and with it feeling distinctly more autumnal, my skin is now taking the hit with dryness and peeling . So….I have started to adjust my skincare regime to winter mode. This is one of my saviours… @biodermauk Hydrabio solution micellaire. A few drops of this lovely stuff soaked into a cotton pad and gently wiped across my face and neck removes all traces of make-up and leaves my skin squeaky clean without that miserable feeling of dehydration and tightness. You may be more familiar with it’s more famous sister Sensibio solution micellaire (for sensitive skin types), which I also love.  This week I will be sharing my personal favourite post-summer skincare products so keep an eye out!! Day 2 of my winter skincare saviours. I LOVE Aveeno cream. Love it, love it, love it. I apply this generously all over my body after the shower and it leaves my skin feeling super soft and silky. Soaks in beautifully so no problems with sticky residue on clothes or keyboards. Day 3 winter skincare saviour. Nipple balm, you may ask??!! This little beauty works wonders for dry, cracked lips. Pop it in your handbag and dab on frequently and liberally for soft kissable lips. Day 4 of my winter skincare saviours. Do you suffer with small rough bumps on your upper outer arms? The so-called “chicken skin” appearance is due to a common inherited skin complaint called Keratosis Pilaris. My sisters and I are all prone to this, and mine tends to be more bothersome at this time of year when my skin is generally drier. I cannot recommend@ameliorate_skincare Skin Smoothing Body Lotion enough. I apply it to my arms and any other particularly dry or rough patches and have always been pleased with the outcome after a few days of use. It works best in combination with regular gentle exfoliation and I use a Buf Puf in the shower for this. Alternatives are Eucerin body lotion and Neostrata Ultra Smoothing Lotion. Ameliorate also have a fab body polish (seen above), mitt and shower cream in the range, but I will give you some tips on my favourite body washes and skin exfoliation techniques later.   Day 5 winter skincare saviour. This little beauty @flexitol_@flexitolireland is the antidote to hard cracked heels caused by months of sandal wearing. The best way to use it? Apply a thick layer to affected areas at night (ideally after a bath or shower so the skin is softer) and massage firmly for a couple of minutes. To stop the product from sticking to your bed sheets, and to increase penetration of the balm, wear a pair of cotton socks overnight. It works pretty quickly so you can usually see an improvement after a week or so, but I would suggest maintaining results by continuing to use it a couple of times a week throughout winter. Sandal-ready feet by Spring!! Day 6 of my winter skincare saviours is Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser by Galderma. Available at most chemists including @bootsuk. I have used this simple cleanser for many years as it helped my skin tolerate the drying effects of multiple acne treatments through my teens and twenties. These days, some of the creams I use to prevent premature skin ageing cause dryness (and a bit of redness and peeling on occasion) so I am grateful for this stalwart which is also perfect for dry winter skin. Apply morning and evening to a wet face, massage gently for a minute or so, rinse off and dab dry. Follow with a micellar water such as the @biodermauk products I suggested on Day 1. And voila…clean skin, less dryness and irritation. Day 7 of my winter skincare saviours…shower gels. I told you guys about Aveeno cream on Day 2. Well, I have been an unwavering fan of their body wash for years and it is one of my most frequently recommended skincare products. Just love it. One of my patients recently told me about these two beauties from @biodermauk so I’ve been trying them out. Both are soap-free cleansers so ideal for dry, taut, irritated skin which is often more pronounced in winter. The oil and the shower gel both have a very pleasant, but subtle fragrance and leave the skin feeling very comfortable after the shower. The shower gel is foaming for those who can’t get their heads around non-foaming skin cleansers! Very pleased I tried them and love how they look on my bathroom shelf…gorgeous packaging. © 2016 Dr Justine Kluk. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents of this post in any form is prohibited. You may not, except with our express written permission, copy, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

In my role as Dermatologist for Garnier UK discussing the importance of knowing what’s contained in your skincare products. © 2017 Dr Justine Kluk. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents of this post in any form is prohibited. You may not, except with our express written permission, copy, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

Peak wedding season might be drawing to a close just about now, however if you’re getting married in the next few months like me or if you’re beginning to make preparations for a wedding next Spring or Summer, this is the perfect time to start thinking about getting your skin ready for your big day too. Breakouts, pigmentation and redness can take several months to bring under control even in the best hands so consulting a Dermatologist earlier rather than later can be critical. If you’re hoping for even skin tone, silky smooth skin and a juicy glow, remember to allow time for your skincare routine to take effect and factor in some downtime or bedding in if little tweaks and procedures are also needed for that extra boost. In the spirit of sharing, I thought I’d give you my top 10 tips for radiant wedding skin so that the only thing that can go wrong at the last minute is the weather! The first 5 are below and I’ll be adding the others same time next week: 1. Plan ahead. It is not unusual for women who have battled with problem skin for years to finally pluck up the courage to seek expert advice when their wedding is just around the corner. Breakouts, scarring, pigmentation and redness are the most common reasons for brides to book an appointment, panicked about how their skin might behave on the day and how they will look in their photos. I always do the best that I can to get them to where they want to be with whatever time we still have available, however really getting on top of any of these problems can take 6 (or even 12) months in some cases, so the earlier you plan for it, the better your chances of having clear skin on your big day. 2. Get your skincare routine right. We all want a glowing complexion and to look healthy and rested when we appear for the first time before our family and friends. Sadly, many of us get carried away in the beauty aisles and end up with skin that is congested and confused as a result of fussy, overcomplicated skincare routines. Keep it simple and stick to a few key products that contain proven active ingredients. 3. Wash your face morning and night with a cleanser containing AHAs or BHAs to exfoliate the surface of your skin and revive a dull, lacklustre complexion. Glycolic, lactic or salicylic acid prevent a build-up of dead skin cells leading to a smoother texture and a brighter skin tone. They also prepare your skin for the next steps in your routine by improving how effectively ingredients are absorbed. 4. Apply an antioxidant serum to your face, neck and the front of your chest every morning after cleansing. Antioxidants, for example vitamin C, neutralise free radicals from UV rays and city pollution which destroy our collagen leading to loss of skin firmness and elasticity. 5. Use an SPF30+ sun protection moisturiser every morning. This prevents pigmentation from becoming even more blotchy and noticeable. Skin lightening serums containing kojic acid or niacinamide can be added to your routine to help even your skin tone and fade dark marks. 6. Booking in for a course of chemical peels can supercharge your skin by giving an extra boost of brightness and radiance. Dark spots, acne scars and fine lines can all be targeted. Allow a few days post-peel for redness, dryness and peeling after your treatment when you may feel less presentable. Remember that peels shouldn’t be attempted in sunny weather as they can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. For this reason, it is important to start planning treatment in September or October if your wedding is the following Spring or Summer.  7. Use a retinol cream at night to get rid of blackheads, tighten pores and reduce fine lines. These take 3-6 months to demonstrate an obvious effect, but it keeps getting better the longer they are used so it is vital to start early and persevere. For even more dramatic results, particularly if you also have scarring from old acne spots, a course of medical needling can be considered. This uses a very fine needle to make microscopic punctures into the skin that stimulate your cells to produce more collagen. Pores are refined, fine lines are softened and scars appear more shallow. Treatments are performed at 4 – 6 weekly intervals over a 6 to 8 month period so this is another one to plan well in advance. It is mildly uncomfortable, but definitely tolerable when you consider the potential benefits. Your skin is likely to be pink after each session, a bit like a mild sunburn, but this tends to completely settle over the following 24 – 48 hours. 8. If you’re worried about dark circles or tired eyes, pick an eye cream containing vitamin K oxide to banish sunken shadows or peptides to plump crepey skin. 9. In the last few weeks before your wedding, if a dewy and glowing complexion is your goal, mesotherapy is definitely worth exploring. This technique involves placing droplets of a powerful cocktail of vitamins, antioxidants and growth factors just below the surface of the skin to inject a bit of juiciness and glow. It is also a fantastic solution for rejuvenating a sun-damaged neck and decollete. 5 treatments are performed at approximately 15 day intervals so you would need to leave yourself 2 – 3 months before the wedding for this. 10. Spare a thought for your mum. The idea of your children growing up and starting a new life of their own as a married couple can make mums reflect on the passing of time, just as they’re about to be thrown into the spotlight by your side. This might be the time to see a Dermatologist for a few subtle tweaks to freshen the skin and improve a tired or sad appearance. Ask your Dermatologist

Number 1: Protect your skin from the sun every day. Whether spending a day at the beach on holiday or out and about in London running errands, sun protection is essential. Choose a broad spectrum (UVA/ UVB) sun protection moisturiser with SPF 30 or higher and use it under your make-up every single day without fail, 365 days per year, come rain or come shine. There are lots of really nice, cosmetically acceptable sunscreens available these days that don’t feel sticky or leave white marks. I tend to use a tinted one which doubles as a primer or base layer for my make-up. If you have acne prone skin, remember to ensure that the product is labelled non-comedogenic. Number 2: Don’t sunbathe to get a tan, use self-tanner instead. Not only does tanning increase your risk of skin cancer, it also prematurely ages your skin. The same goes for sunbeds and other indoor tanning devices. Just don’t do it. Ever. Enjoy time outdoors when the weather is good, but do it sensibly. To avoid ending up with crepey skin and brown spots, apply sunscreen to your face and any other exposed skin 15 minutes before going outside otherwise your neck, chest and hands will give the game away. Accessorise with a hat to keep the sun off your face. Cover up or reapply sunscreen after swimming, sweating or towelling yourself. If you’re new to the party, pale is in. If you can’t get used to it, fake it. Number 3: If you smoke, stop. We all know that it increases your risk of heart disease and cancer, limits your exercise capacity and gives you bad breath. If all of these aren’t off-putting enough, it also rapidly accelerates skin ageing causing wrinkles and a dull, sallow complexion. Repeated pursing of the lips over time in order to drag on a cigarette also causes vertical furrows to form around the lips. These are sometimes unflatteringly referred to as “barcode lines” for obvious reasons and often necessitate Botox, filler, peels or laser resurfacing (and sometimes a combination of these) to reduce them. Extra tip for free…drinking through a straw or straight out of a bottle also forces you to purse your lips in order to form a seal so carries the same risk of forming creases around the mouth if you do it frequently over time. Pour your drink into a glass to avoid this. And ditch the cigarettes! Do your future self a favour, aim for brighter skin and a healthier body and go get yourself some fresh air. Number 4: Avoid repetitive facial expressions. One of the first signs of skin ageing is the appearance of fine lines. These are usually first spotted around the corners of the eyes (AKA crow’s feet) and may be noticed as early as our twenties. So what causes these? When you smile, laugh, frown or squint, you contract your facial muscles. If you repeatedly contract the same muscles over and over again for many years, the lines produced by facial expression stay put when you return to your resting face. Over time, they become deeper and more pronounced. Wearing glasses for reading and sunglasses in brighter weather can help reduce the lines caused by squinting. What else? Well…don’t stop smiling or laughing for goodness sake, but if you’re bothered by the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, get your skincare routine right and think about wrinkle relaxing procedures to stop those subtle crinkles becoming deep creases! Number 5: Drink less alcohol. Or at the very least stick to recommended limits of 21 units per week for men and 14 units per week for women. Alcohol significantly dehydrates the skin resulting in a coarse texture, dull skin tone and dark sunken eyes. Number 6: Exercise most days of the week. Moderate exercise can improve circulation and boost the immune system. This, in turn, may give the skin a more healthy, luminous appearance. Number 7: Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Sorry to sound like the fun police again, but there a few studies suggesting that getting plenty of fresh fruit and veg in your diet helps prevent damage that leads to premature skin ageing. This may be due to the presence of antioxidants in these foods. Antioxidants block or neutralise collagen-damaging free radicals generated by pollution, cigarette smoke, our own metabolic processes and various other nasties in the environment. Findings from research studies also suggest that a diet containing lots of sugar or other refined carbohydrates can accelerate ageing. So, eat your greens…and your reds, blues, oranges and yellows! Number 8: Wash your face twice a day and after sweating heavily. Sweat irritates the skin, so you should try to cleanse as soon as possible after exercise. If you can’t get to a sink, pop a small bottle of micellar water into your gym bag or backpack and wipe your face with moistened cotton pads as a halfway house till you get home. Always cleanse gently. Scrubbing your skin clean can cause irritation and irritating your skin accelerates skin ageing. Gentle washing helps to remove pollution, makeup, and other substances without irritation. Happy to share some of my current favourites…just ask! Number 9: Thou shalt moisturise. The skincare aisle is crowded. Whilst there are a few things that you can totally ignore, there are also some that you shouldn’t and moisturiser is one of them. The good news is that you don’t need to spend a fortune to find a good moisturiser. So how do you pick? An effective moisturiser contains two types of hydrating ingredients: a humectant (to draw water into the skin) and an emollient (to prevent water loss). Common humectants are glycerin, lactic acid and hyaluronic acid. Apply your moisturiser on top of your retinoid at night (more about retinoids and retinol in my final commandment about key active skincare ingredients). If you’re prone to greasy skin or breakouts, pick a non-comedogenic (non pore-blocking) or oil-free formulation wherever possible. In the morning, apply