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10 Skincare Tips

My top 10 skincare tips for healthy, happy skin.

Apply products thinnest to thickest

When layering serums and creams in your routine, apply products with the thinnest texture first. This helps your skin to absorb each layer effectively. E.g. if your antioxidant or Vitamin C serum is a lighter, more watery texture than your Hyaluronic Acid, then it should be applied first.

Apply serums to damp skin

Damp skin is significantly more permeable than dry skin. Spritz your skin with water before applying any water-loving serums or moisturiser, and it will enhance absorption.

Moisturiser doesn’t moisturise 

Moisturiser is essential for locking in the moisture that your serums have added, but it’s too thick to penetrate the skin on its own. This is why it’s so important to use serums in your routine, as they do most of the heavy lifting.

 


Always use a separate SPF

The sole purpose of SPF is to provide a protective layer on top of the skin. SPF is not designed to be combined with other products. E.g., moisturiser. When you use a combined product, there is no guarantee that you are achieving the right level of protection. It’s likely that your moisturiser with SPF30 is actually only giving you a coverage level of SPF10. Always apply a separate SPF of 30 or preferably 50 after your moisturiser.

Read all about SPF and check out my favourite SPF products in this guide.

 

 

If you have very dry skin, think about skipping your morning cleanse

Just wash your face gently with water instead, and then carry on with your regular routine. This can help you retain moisture levels and your skin’s natural barrier – which you worked hard at building up while you were asleep. However, if you have very oily skin or acne-prone skin, a morning cleanse is recommended.

10 Skincare Tips | Simone Scribes

If your skin is freaking out, go back to basics

If you’ve had a reaction to a product or if your skin is generally irritated and over sensitised, go back to basics until your skin barrier repairs. Remove all actives from your routine; retinol, Vitamin C, exfoliating acids, etc. Just use a gentle cleanser and a gentle barrier repairing moisturiser morning and evening. Read my guide to how to repair a damaged skin barrier here.

Use the right acids 

If your skin is dull and lacklustre, if you have pigmentation, uneven skin tone, or if your skin is showing general signs of ageing, try using AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) in your routine. AHAs such as Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid remove dead skin cells, help with uneven skin tone, resurface and smooth, and have anti-ageing properties.

 

 

If you have oily or acne-prone skin and if you want to reduce breakouts without irritating your skin, try using BHAs (Beta Hydroxy Acids) in your routine, which is Salicylic Acid. Salicyclic Acid goes deep into the skin, unblocks pores, helps fight acne, and reduces breakouts. AHAs and BHAs deliver exceptional results, can be used daily, and can also be used together as they target different layers of the skin. If you’d like to read more about skincare acids and find out which ones are right for you, check out this guide.

 

 

Take care of your under-eye area

When used routinely, eye creams and eye serums can treat, hydrate, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and minimise the appearance of dark circles. Think about using eye gels, too. They give the skin an intense dose of moisture and instantly depuff, refresh, rejuvenate, and hydrate (I use them 2-3 times a week).

Check the lifespan of your products

Most of the products you own have a ‘Period After Opening’ symbol on the packaging. It’s usually a small open jar symbol with a number and the letter M, which stands for month. It’s not always 100% accurate, but it gives you a ballpark of when you should throw the product after opening. As a general rule, products containing water have the shortest shelf life as they’re most prone to bacterial contamination. So, your cleansers, toners, serums, and moisturisers are usually good for six months to a year. With any product, however, if you notice that it smells odd, if the texture has changed, if the formula has separated, or if it feels or looks funky – bin it.

Invest in your skin

There are plenty of steps in your routine that can and should be budget-friendly such as cleansers, masks and moisturiser (check out my best budget buys guide here).

However, when it comes to spending a bit more, invest in products that will have the most significant impact on your skin, such as a good antioxidant or Vitamin C serum and a hydrating serum.

 

Bonus Tip: Never have dry or chapped lips again

If you regularly suffer from dry or chapped lips, try layering your regular skincare products. Start by spritzing or tapping water onto your lips, then apply your regular everyday moisturiser, and then apply a thick balm (e.g. Vaseline). This helps to lock in moisture and hydrate your lips for longer, helping them to heal/repair. Do this for a few days, and you won’t know yourself!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed my top 10 skincare tips!

Some of the links in this post are affiliate, which means if you click on them and buy something, I make a small commission. Thank you for your support 🙂

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Categories: Beauty, Skincare Guides

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Let’s talk about SPF 🧴 SPF stands for Sun P Let’s talk about SPF 🧴 

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, and is a measure of protection from UV rays. 

The sun emits two types of ultraviolet rays; UVA and UVB. When we think about SPF a lot of the time, we think about sunburn on the surface of our skin. This is caused by UVB rays. UVA rays on the other hand, penetrate the skin deeper, and can cause damage on a deeper level; think uneven skin tone, hyper-pigmentation, and sagging skin. UVA rays can also lead to skin cancer. 

We’re all familiar with the different levels of SPF available in products in the market; SPF15, 20, 30, and so on. But what do those numbers mean and how much protection do they actually give you?

The number on the tube tells you how long you can stay in the sun while wearing that sunscreen without burning, compared to staying the same amount of time in the sun and not wearing that sunscreen. So, for example, if you apply SPF30, it would take you 30 times longer to burn than if you used no sunscreen.

In terms of blocking the suns rays, an SPF of 15 blocks 93% of UV rays. An SPF of 30 blocks 97%, and an SPF of 50 blocks 98%.

It’s important to remember, however, that no sunscreen can ever block sunburn and associated skin damage completely. Wearing sunscreen is only one part of effective sun protection; stay in the shade, wear a hat, apply sunscreen 😇 

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As it’s Skin Cancer Awareness Month, I’m talking all things SPF on my Stories today, in partnership with Millie’s; why it’s important to wear SPF every day, how much to apply, reapplication, and some of my top SPF picks. 

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I also have an amazing giveaway - one lucky person will win a €300 voucher for Millie’s! 

All you have to do to enter is:
✨ LIKE this post 
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AD #skincancerawarenessmonth #spf #sunscreen #skincareroutine #dublin
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If you’re on the hunt for some delicious rosé this summer, here are some of my favourite rosé producers:

@maisonmirabeau 
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One of my favorite cleansers to use before applyin One of my favorite cleansers to use before applying a full face of makeup ❤️ 

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I’ve been having a hard time with neck and muscl I’ve been having a hard time with neck and muscle pain the last couple of days. This is something I experience pretty regularly because of chronic anxiety. 
My anxiety is mostly physical, and so a ‘flare up’ (as I like to call it) usually looks like one or a mixture of these things: 
Neck pain, muscle tension, muscle weakness, headaches, dizziness, brain fog, night terrors, and poor sleep in general. 
In the past, it has also showed up as breathlessness, slurred speech, extreme dizziness, tingling in my hands and feet, muscle spasms and heart palpitations. 
I have spoken about, and written about, my experience with anxiety many times, and I think it’s important to keep talking about it because so many of us are struggling. 
I started taking anxiety medication last year, under guidance from my brilliant GP. It was one of the best decisions I made. 
It turned my life around, and helped me - in the words of my GP; ‘start living again.’
This decision was stigmatized by some, which I found interesting. As it had absolutely nothing to do with them. 
Of course, medication is not for everyone, and it’s not forever - but it does changes lives. It saves lives. 
People who continue to stigmatize medication and mental illness in general, are the problem. Not you. 
If you have anxiety or depression, it’s important that you know there is nothing ‘wrong with you’. You are not a lesser person because of it. 
You are a person. And you are not alone. 
So let’s keep talking about it ❤️
A sunny afternoon in Ranelagh ☀️ (Living in t A sunny afternoon in Ranelagh ☀️ 
(Living in this trench until I figure out what’s going on with the weather).

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I don’t know if I’m more excited about the pro I don’t know if I’m more excited about the products or the makeup bag they came in 😂 

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