24 Simple Beauty Hacks to help you Love Your Skin in 2018
If you follow us on Instagram or Facebook then perhaps you spotted our Love My Skin Advent posts in the run up to Christmas. We posted a new beauty tip or idea for every day of advent to help our social media friends find some inspiration for their beauty routine….which often takes a backseat during the craziness of Christmas and New Year.
Our skin care and beauty tips were so popular that we decided to put them all together into one place for you to read in one go!
Let us know which of them you have tried or tested, and if you have any genius beauty hacks of your own, send them in to us – we might just have to run a winter beauty feature to help everyone through the January Blues.
Beauty Tip #1: ICE ICE BABY
Ice your wrinkles away… this one is loved by the timeless Joan Collins. Wrap ice cubes in cotton pads and rest over your eyes to brighten and tighten. The cold will make your blood vessels contract and dilate for fresh peepers. Never use ice straight from the freezer – let it rest at room temp for a few minutes before putting it near your skin.
Beauty Tip #2: GO COCO LOCO
The beach might seem a lifetime away right now but you can bring it home with the amazingness that is Coconut Oil. This natural wonder of the beauty world has a million and one uses and benefits – and its moisturising super power is the best of all. Slather it on your cracked winter skin and use it as a mask on your dry fly away hair – it smells like heaven and it will leave you feeling like a smooth sun goddess too.
Beauty Tip #3: GET A PEPPERMINT POUT
Step away from the fillers… a perfect pout can be achieved au natural. Just add a few drops of peppermint oil into your lip gloss or lip balm to give your lips a little bit of plumped up power.
Beauty Tip #4: GOOD HYDRATIONS
Water is life – You know this. We don’t need to tell you that hydration is key for your all round health – not just for glowing skin. Think of water as washing away the toxins that seep into your skin every single day – especially during the festive whirlwind of party food, alcohol and stressy shopping. Keep a bottle with you always, sip it throughout the day, keep a glass by your bed – water is your BBF – your Best Beauty Friend, never forget that.
Beauty Tip #5: HONEY TO THE BEE
Raw honey has actual super powers. It’s loaded with antioxidants, nutrients and healing compounds. Add 2 heaped tablespoons of raw honey dissolved in a cup of hot water to your bath and soak away your dry, damaged skin – or apply 1 teaspoon of raw honey directly to your clean, dry skin and leave for 15 minutes before rinsing away.
Beauty Tip #6: YOGI FLOW
Not only does yoga relax the mind and leave you with the lithe, supple limbs of a teenager – it’s also amazing for your skin. You don’t even need to set foot into a class (though we recommend everyone tries it at least once) – your skin benefits massively from positions that send your blood rushing to your face, so get practising those Downward Dogs – holding the pose for 3-5 minutes will help you cheat your way to a healthy, post workout glow.
Beauty Tip #7: GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART
Letting your hair down now and again is a must, but don’t let the good times get in your way of a good night’s sleep. If you look tired, it’s because you are. Try to get at least 7-8 hours a night wherever possible. If you struggle to wind down, Lavender is a wonderful relaxant so spritz some around your pillows. For extra brownie points invest in some silk pillows, they will help to iron out creases in your skin and hair.
Beauty Tip #8: LEG IT
By now you should be on your way to gorgeous, smooth summer legs – courtesy of our Love My Skin Laser Hair Remover 😉 and we want to make sure you are taking good care of your pins. Legs are particularly prone to dryness so they need extra care… apply coconut oil immediately after you shower to help lock in moisture and get your legs dance floor ready.
Beauty Tip #9: DON’T BE A SCRUBBER
We ALL know that exfoliating removes dud skin cells to reveal the fresh skin hiding beneath. The key for successful and safer exfoliation is to go long, slow and gentle. Do NOT think of it as a scrub – excessive force on your skin is harmful and will cause more damage than good.
Extra tip…Try making your own salt or sugar scrub with coconut oil – it’s lush, and completely natural!
Beauty Tip #10: KEEP IT CLEAN
Whether you wear makeup or not, you need to cleanse your skin before you sleep. Even if you have been out partying and just want to collapse into bed! Use an oil-free cleanser to remove makeup or a soap-free face wash to avoid drying out your skin. Avoid washing your skin in excessively hot water (we’ll tell you more about the effects of hot water later on in this post).
In addition to this our Love My Skin Clear Skin Red Light Therapy Range will help you say goodbye to spotty skin. Red Light Therapy is so 2018 and it is proven to improve skin healing and reduce the inflammation associated with acne and spots. Use for 60 seconds a day and within a week you will be seeing a visible improvement to your skin brightness, tone and texture.
Beauty Tip #11: COVER GIRL
SPF is king – you need to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, even in winter when it is weaker but still powerful. If there is no SPF in your day cream, mix in a lightweight SPF lotion to give you extra cover.
Beauty Tip #12: PUT YOUR FEET UP
Keep your killer pins looking their best by elevating your feet whenever you can. This will improve circulation and help prevent the risk of veins appearing (use the time to partake in a little bit of laser hair removal with our laser hair remover…)
Beauty Tip #13: GO TROPICAL
Your skin loves moisture – it needs moisture, and central heating + harsh winter air just dries it right out. Moisture in the air keeps your skin looking dewy and more radiant so create your own tropical climate at home with a humidifier and place bowls of water beneath your radiators to stop the air drying out your skin.
Beauty Tip #14: GET HANDS ON
Your hands work hard and they need taking care of too. Dry areas of your body like hands, feet, elbows and knees have thinner skin and tend to dry out faster. Slather these areas in a natural moisturising balm at night and cover your hands and feet with cotton socks or gloves while you sleep – you’ll wake up with skin to rival the squishiest of newborn babies. Remember to keep it natural – Shea Butter is perfect for your skin.
Beauty Tip #15: KEEP YOUR COOL
A hot bath or shower might make you feel warmer but hot water is NOT good for your skin – it will wash away your skin’s natural oils and leave it dryer than ever. Reduce your shower time, and cool your jets to protect your skin’s natural state. A cold shower will do wonders for your skin, hair and sleep too.
Beauty Tip #16: BACK UP
Sleep is tonic to your skin. But sleeping with your face mushed into your pillow is basically the equivalent to leaving your washing scrunched up into a ball to dry. Sleeping on your back is the best way to protect your skin at night so lay back and stare at the stars… and invest in a silk pillow for extra smooth skin.
Beauty Tip #17: WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS – GET DRINKING
Fresh lemons are packed full of citrusy goodness and antioxidants. Squeeze fresh lemon juice into hot water and drink first thing in the morning to help flush out and purify you from the inside out – it’ll reduce those nasty spot inducing toxins and it’s way more refreshing that an Espresso shot (honest!)
Beauty Tip #18: BUT FIRST, COFFEE
Ah coffee, it runs like a magical elixir through our veins and keeps us super powered through the toughest of days. It can also be used as a super amaze skin booster with this nifty homemade skin brightener: Mix two parts of raw honey to one part of coffee grounds. Leave the mixture on your skin for about twenty minutes, and then rinse it off to reveal a younger, more alert version of you!
Beauty Tip #19: NURTURE NATURALLY
Do you ever read the ingredients on your favourite products to see what you are putting on your skin? Shop bought products and cosmetics (even the ones that claim to be natural) are packed with artificial colours, fragrances and chemicals that will be absorbed by your skin and could actually be causing more harm than good. Search for natural products – coconut oil, tea tree, shea butter, raw honey and sea salt (for exfoliation) – they are kinder to the environment, and kinder to you.
Beauty Tip #20: DUST BUST THOSE BRUSHES
A build-up of old makeup, dirt and bacteria on your makeup brushes will cause breakouts – so clean up your act. Treat your brushes to a monthly clean using mild baby shampoo and rinse with warm water, then leave to air dry.
Beauty Tip #21: FOOTLOOSE
Tearing up the dancefloor is tough on your feet – and dry, cracked heels don’t look pretty in party shoes either. Heels don’t do the balls of your feet any favours, try soothing them in ice the day after your party, then pat dry and moisturize to help them recover in time for your next outing.
Beauty Tip #22: HAVE A BERRY GOOD DAY
Treat yourself to a berry smoothie every day – berries are bursting with antioxidants which will help to neutralize those every day nasties that creep into your skin. They will also give you a nice collagen boost to contribute to firmer, smoother skin. Double whammy!
Beauty Tip #23: DITCH THE DIMPLES
Cellulite is a drag, but it can be combatted. Boosting circulation to your thigh area will benefit blood flow and can improve that orange peel affect too. Give your thighs some extra love with a super smoothing scrub after you shower – because the only dimples we want are the cute ones that appear when you smile 😉
Beauty Tip #24: CELEBRATE YOU
This is the most important tip of all…Celebrate YOU…it might sound like a cliché but beauty really truly does come from within. Remember that you are a gorgeous human being. Once you realise this and learn to be happy in your own beautiful skin, your glow will shine even brighter.
Which of our beauty hacks have you tried and tested? Let us know, we want to know how you got on.
Have a fabulous 2018, from your friends at Love My Skin xx
