The beauty industry constantly comes up
with new ways to help us spend money. Yes, they pry on our insecurities and yes
we women fall for it. On the other hand, I’m all for prevention if we can
actually do it with products that work. I’m not talking about products which
‘give the impression of improving the appearance of the skin’ like the
mainstream TV ads would lead you to believe.
I want to know about the products that
actually really make a difference, whether we are talking about the skin tone,
pore size, fine lines. And I’m talking about the results that are there a few
days after using the product, not when you actually have the cream on.
Some of the treatments available are salon-based
procedures such as massage, skin needling that inject vitamins, exfoliation and
micro-current muscle and tone stimulation. A lot of those treatments work. The
problems are not just the cost, but also time we are required to actually set
aside to actually visit the clinics. I have no idea how the average woman
manages all these maintenance appointments, we have hair, nails, waxing,
eyebrow shaping, facials, tanning etc. Seriously. That’s just of the top of my
head. It’s difficult and time-consuming to be a woman. Full stop.
So what are the salon alternatives for an
average woman to use at home at her own convenience and that actually make a difference?
I’ve tried quite a few, some I liked more than the others, but as always it’s
also about the needs of my skin and my preferences.
The most affordable product I’ve tried was
Sarah Chapman Facialift massager. Sarah Chapman is a famous facialist who has
developed her signature skinesis radiance facial massage. The home version
massager has eight heads and massaging nodules that, when used, replicate the
massage that Sarah has created. Of course, it’s not the same, but if you’re not
a dab hand at massage, it’s a nifty thing to use at home.
The Facialift relies heavily at lymphatic
drainage and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you’re not familiar
with massage or what lymph system does in our bodies, I’ll explain.
Lymphatic system is a secondary circulatory
network system in the body that carries a clear fluid called lymph. Lymphatic
massage helps body get rid of the waste and toxins, relieves tension and speeds
up the metabolism. Lymph vessels and nodes are present in our bodies, as well
as on our faces, mainly on the side and jaw line. The lymph vessels solely rely
on our muscles to make them work, so they can always use a little nudge to make
them work better.
If you want to feel the effect of lymphatic
massage, then try and press the area just between cheekbones and jaw and on the
temples. You should feel an immediate release of tension.
The Facialift massager makes this process
really easy to use. The design of the massager targets the jaw line, stimulates
toxin elimination and tones the muscles.
It’s made out of plastic so it’s easy to clean.
You should not use it on dry and
unmoisturised skin – you don’t want to stretch and damage the dry skin.
Instead, try and use mild massage oil suitable for face and give it a go. With
regular use your skin tone should improve and you should also get rid of any
spots that are appearing on the jaw line. Massage is beneficial for all skin
types and feels good. Yes the massager is not the same as the salon treatment
but it’s a fraction of the price and so convenient to use when you’re at home
watching TV.
Genuine Dermaroller is another product that
has filtered down from the successful salon treatments and found its use in our
DIY home treatments.
The roller contains micro needles that
puncture the skin and stimulate the regeneration process and collagen
production and also allow some nutrients to penetrate further into epidermis. Sounds
scary? Only a little bit..
As the Dermaroller works by puncturing the
skin, special care has to be taken with the hygiene, so you need to disinfect
your roller before and after each use. The needles are superfine, and the way
to use the roller, is to press gently on the skin using horizontal, vertical and
diagonal movements. The gentle rolling should stimulate the skin enough and
allow the penetration of products.
Yes, what you use with the Dermaroller is
equally important as the microneedling. I personally like to use vitamic C
serum that I make myself. It will sting
in the beginning, but your skin should get used to it very quickly. Other
products to try would be the face masks rich in hyalruonic acid, a well known
plumping and mositurising agent. In any case, Genuine Dermaroller will improve
the penetration and make the most out of your skincare products.
Although the results are cumulative, Alison
Telfer, a dermaroller practicioner, advises using the roller a day or two before
a big night out where you want your skin to look more radiant.
It would be a good idea to perhaps try the
treatment in a salon that offers it, then you can be sure if that’s something
you would actually use at home. The salon treatment uses longer needles so the
effects should be more dramatic, but I’ve been happy with the results of my
home use Genuine dermaroller. It really works. Once you get it, use it
regularly, two-three times per week, and never share the roller with anyone.
The roller is mainly targeted to use with wrinkles and scars so it’s not good
for use with acne and rosacea and other skin irritations.
I’ve always preached that good cleansing is
very underrated as it’s helps the skin ‘breathe’, it gets rid of the daily
pollution and the dead skin cells. Cleansing and exfoliation helps the skin
absorb the mositurisers. One product that is designed for this purpose is
Magnitone Pulsar. Its especially good if you’re ageing and also plagued with
spots and blackheads as well as fine lines.
It’s a cleansing brush attached to a
battery-operated device that can massage, exfoliate and cleanse the skin. It
will be weird to use at first, it reminds me of the first time I used an
electric toothbrush, such a strange sensation that feels so normal to me now.
Magnitone is quite fabulous. Once you
charge it, the battery should last for ages and just use it morning and night
after taking make up off or in conjunction with the face wash if you use one.
You will, of course, need to start slowly and get used to it. In the beginning
the skin will feel dry and tight, you may also break out in spots, but after a
few days it will settle and reveal a plump and soft skin. Your pores will
shrink to nothing! Your make up will look amazing and you will end up using
less of it. I have a combination skin and am quite lucky to be relatively
smooth and wrinkle free at the age of 43, but I still get the odd spot and
Magnitone has been brilliant. It also tones, has an exfoliation and a massage
setting. Brushes can be easily replaced when worn and you can use it on your
body too. I have to say I’m a total convert. Once you get over the initial
tightness, the skin looks soft, clear and fabulous. The major plus point of use
is that you can actually keep it in the shower – such a convenience. You can do
your face and skin on the body – it’s amazing for preventing ingrown hairs
after waxing.
The last home treatment I’ll cover is the
CACI Microlift. I cannot stress enough that ageing is not all about wrinkles,
it’s mainly about skin tone and sagging. You can be totally wrinkle free and
have a sagging jaw line. Gravity sucks, I know. But you can have very toned and
plump skin and have a few expression lines and still look amazing and young.
CACI Microlift is the treatment that will
help to keep skin in the toned and plump shape. It’s not very cheap, but it is
much cheaper than having an ongoing salon treatment. CACI salon treatment has
been established for a long time as it works in keeping the skin lifted and
plump. Plus it’s a good maintenance tool. So how does it work? The system emits
tiny micro impulses at low frequencies that stimulate collagen and promote
healing. The impulses work on the facial muscles that are either over stretched
or slack, so it’s a bit like Pilates for your face. Gentle and redefining.
Word of warning - space out the treatments.
Don’t go crazy and use everything at once. If you want to try microneedling,
use it twice per week in the evening and definitely don’t use it straight after
Magnitone or exfoliation. Your goal is to stimulate the skin, and not irritate
it.
Your brand new skin is sensitive, so use a
sun block. Your skin cell production is not unlimited. There is something
called “a hayflick limit” and it basically tells us that the cell regeneration
process is limited to a specific amount of times our skin cells can renew. In a
nutshell, our skin cells are not immortal so can’t regenerate indefinitely.
What it means, is that you can’t abuse the skin daily and expect your face not
to suffer. Be sensible.
