Take a new leaf from Organic Pharmacy founder Margo Marrone's book - and begin everyday with an invigorating dry body brush. Here's her failsafe technique - guaranteed to get the blood racing, it also boosts the circulation and the expulsion of toxins from the bloodstream, which has longer-term positive benefits for the complexion too. Here's how to get started:
1. Make sure that your body brush is completely clean, and then apply 4 drops neat rosemary essential oil to the brush. Starting with your right leg, place the body brush on the top of your right foot. Make small, very gentle, counterclockwise circular motions all over the foot (both on the top and underneath on the sole) before gradually moving all the way up your right leg. Then, make the same circular motions over the front and back of the leg. Repeat on your left foot and leg.
2. Now, starting at your right hand, make small, counterclockwise circular motions all over your hand and fingers and all the way up (both on the top and beneath) your right arm. Stop when you reach your right shoulder, then repeat on your left hand and arm as far as your shoulder.
3. Beginning on the lower left of your abdomen, make small, counterclockwise movements with the skin brush in a big counterclockwise circle around your belly button. When you reach the start again, move up your abdomen to your chest, always making circular movements, and brush the whole of your chest, moving across and upward until you reach your neck. When you have finished, rinse off the oil and dead skin cells with a warm shower.
With your body revved up, what about the face? Top facialist Sarah Chapman recommends a bit of self-diagnosis, before working out how best to proceed. ‘If the skin is not functioning well you will see a dull grey surface buildup of dead cells, lines and slackening of the skin. The first thing to notice is the skin colour and pores. Are the pores tight and clear (thumbs up) or getting blocked and sluggish indicating poor oil/lipid secretions and slow cell turnover (thumbs down)? If skin looks crepey, this could also be a sign of sluggish skin or dehydration.' If your skin is showing these warning signs, Sarah Chapman recommends wonder ingredient, Vitamin A, which can be found throughout her new, beauty editor-approved skincare range, Skinesis. Try Dynamic Defence SPF15, £42 (spacenk.com)
For skin that is dehydrated, Chapman suggests looking for ‘products containing moisture magnets such as hyaluronic acid, which acts as a molecular sponge attracting moisture and holding it in the skin. You should also increase water intake, avoid having central heating up too high or heating on in your car. Don't use a harsh cleanser, which will strip the skin, and opt for a gentle oil based cleanser instead.' Nude Cleansing Facial Oil, £28 and Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil, from £25, are both great options (spacenk.com).
For skin with sluggish cell turnover - does your skin often feel flaky or congested? Does it look dull? Does it lack ‘glow'? - exfoliation is key. Dry skins should exfoliate once a week; oily skins up to three times a week. Great exfoliants include Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, £28.40 (0800 591 818), Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel, £26 (timetospa.co.uk) and Guinot Gommage Biologique, £26.
If skin is uncharacteristically flushed or red, your complexion might have been aggravated by alcohol, spicy foods or extreme temperatures (or all of the above). To help calm the complexion, ‘increase omega intake and apply an omega-rich oil to the skin such as my Skinesis Overnight Facial, £42, which also contains vitamin C to support the capillary walls,' says Sarah Chapman. Other great omega-rich oils include Rose Synergy O12 Restoring Facial Serum, £39.25 (renskincare.com) and Trilogy 100% Organic Rosehip Oil, £15.65 (lovelula.com).
And there you have it - the skinny on skin-deep beauty. Happy new you.
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