Seriously Serum

According to celebrity esthetician, Renee Rouleau, the following are key active ingredients to look for in any serum, regardless of the price.

Soluble Beta Glucans – for lessening breakouts from inside out

White or Red Tea – for providing anti-inflammatory relief

Glycolic Acid – for exfoliation

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate ( Vitamin C ) – for fading brown spots

Anti-oxidants, such as vitamin E, for fighting off free radical damage

Peptides for skin firming.

“Any skin serum will do a great job at carrying active ingredients deep within the skin,” says Rouleau. “For daytime, use antioxidants and sunscreens as your skin is on the defense. At night, use repair ingredients like acids, enzymes and peptides.”

Skin Essentials & Make Up Tricks for 40+

While you wouldn’t expect to have the peachiness of youth at 40-something, you can still have lovely skin.

The big change is likely to be the breakdown of collagen, with a loss of elasticity. Sun damage in the form of brown spots and patches may appear, though less so if you’ve been vigilant with your suncare.

Skin Care

The key products are a creamy cleanser, gentle facial scrub, non-drying skin toner, day moisturiser, night cream and oil or serum, face mask, plus a multipurpose balm for lips, cuticles and the rest!

Moisturise as much as you can. Face, neck and cleavage in the morning and top to toe at night or after bathing.  A serum is a must to supplement & augment your moisturiser. LPB would recommend products that loaded with antioxidants, retinol, fruit acids & essential fatty acids. You will be spoilt with choices, from Neutrogena to N.V Perricones. My favourites are Dr Sebagh’s High Maintenance, Trilogy’s Age Proof & Elemis’s Pro-collagen range

I also like to use Estee Lauder’s Perfectionist as a serum / primer.

I love rosehip seed, borage seed, passionflower seed, camellia oils, with argan oil being my favourite. There is evidence that botanicals can be as effective as high-tech ‘anti-ageing’ synthetic compounds, sometimes more so.

Gently exfoliate at least once a day with a soft face cloth. Use a more intensive exfoliating treatment once a week. Choose a type with smooth, spherical beads that buff wouldn’t scratch. Manual scrubbing will enhances the sluggish circulation.

Never under estimate the power of massage, this can helps to tone & perk up your facial musculature. I would recommend using essential oils from reputable manufacturers such as Aromatherapy Associates,  Amanda Lacey, Caudalie & Darphin.

If thread veins and broken capillaries are a problem, go to a dermatologist or specialist vein clinic. The only effective method of removal I have found is laser therapy.

Stress can affects collagen production, as does lack of sleep, so find ways to relax, such as yoga and meditation, and balance these with exercise you enjoy, which can be as simple as a walking.

Make-up

I would recommend foundations that are sheer and moisturising; Forget about matte finish foundations that tend to accentuate flakiness or fine lines; Also beware of opaque, full coverage bases as these will age you more. Estée Lauder’s Futurist Age-Resisting or Re-Nutrix range is a good choice, so as NARS’s Sheer Glow, Lancome’s Photogenic range. Dewy finish is the key word here.

Make-up artist Bobbi Brown has a silky shimmer blush that looks fresh and natural; At 40s, you need some radiance to give your complexion a lift but beware of glitters that might lodge into your dilated pores. I like NARS Multiples for cheeks and eyes; the naughtily named Orgasm shade gives skin a fabulous glow.

For eyelids, I like beige and earthy tones ( Bobbi Brown or Laura Mercier has a great palette ), plus a thin trace of gel eyeliner ( M.A.C. or Bobbi Brown ) over the upper lid line only. Apply the thin line close to your lashes with a thin, stiff brush. I find that rimming your eyes completely ( full lower lash lining ) at 40s seems to accentuate the lost of tone around your eyes.

To help define your complexion, contour / sculpt the cheekbones after ” popping ” the apples of your cheek with a rosier /pinkier  blush ( cream blusher preferred ). I would recommend a cream bronzer such as NARS’s Multiples ( Malibu, Malaysia ) or By Terry’s liquid bronzer.

Barbara Daly advises using a lipliner pencil to create a crisp outline which looks youthful, but it must be in a natural colour – a dark line round paler lips is very ageing. I personally think a nude / pale/ beige lip colour is extremely ageing in your 40s. Perhaps you should be more adventurous as you are wittier, more resourceful, confident & charismatic by now, after what you have been through in life.

Artwork by Matt Armstrong.

Elemis skincare

I am busy bargain hunting during this sales season, and would love to try some products from this British beauty house / spa.

Absolute Eye Serum – dynamic, concentrated treatment that helps minimise the ravages of time and dark circles around the eye area. Herbal actives of Rosewood, Osmanthus, soothing Comfrey, Lavender and Chamomile gently preserve and refine eye contours. GBP 26

Bright Eyes Recovery Gel – instant relief from eye strain! Aromatic water of Blue Cornflower is blended with cooling extract of German Chamomile and Mallow, to help revive tired eyes. Horsetail gently tones and supports the puffy, delicate skin around the eye contour. GBP36

Pro-collagen Eye Renewal –  In just 28 days the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles around the delicate eye area is visibly smoothed by up to 60%,* with 67% of volunteers experiencing a significant restructuring effect. GBP 57

Visible Brilliance - new double-action serum that actively brightens & re-energises dull, fatigued and stressed skin.  Multi-minerals Copper, Zinc and Magnesium, combined with Red Seaweed, Swiss Garden Cress, Blonde Pea Protein, Dew Bean and a complex of Vitamins, offer instant luminosity and exceptional brightening. GBP 40

Herbal Lavender Repair Mask – powerful regenerating mask contains antiseptic Rosemary, Thyme and Lavender Essential Oils, which synergistically rebalance and purify the skin. GBP 26

Fruit Active Rejuvenating Mask – packed with active extracts of mouth-watering Strawberry and Kiwi fruit,  restores the glow to dulled complexions. GBP 26

About Elemis:

Elemis is available in over 1200 luxurious spas and salons, 130 lavish cruise ship spas, British Airways Elemis travel spas and over 100 retail stores around the globe.

The successful combination of natural active ingredients with cutting-edge technology has enabled Elemis to bring to market some of the most influential anti-ageing products and professional spa-therapies the beauty industry has ever seen.

SK II Facial Treatment Essence

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence was the first SK-II product to be released. It was launched in Japan in 1980 and the formula has not changed since. This single product had helped SK II to establish itself as a prestigious skin care line in the Far East.

The Facial Essence contains more than 90% Pitera (SK-II signature ingredient) and works like a miracle to restore the skin’s vitality and promote skin cells regeneration.

Pitera® is the signature ingredient used in all SK-II skincare products.  It’s a Yeast Ferment Filtrate, containing a proprietary blend of vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids that work together to boost the skin’s natural rejuvenation.

Pitera, the seemingly magical ingredient found in all SK-II products, helps restore vital balance by promoting the skin’s natural 28-day surface renewal process.

Facial Treatment Essence boosts skin moisture level and stimulates the renewal of the skin’s outer layer to improve texture and clarity.  The result is supple, smooth, radiant skin.

Facial Treatment Essence is marketed as the core treatment for all, regardless of age, skin condition or skin type.

Although it’s known as essence,  SK II FTE is not a serum. It is a liquid that you are supposed to pad on your skin after cleansing & before your nourisher. It’s neither a toner nor a moisturiser.

Does it live up to its hype?

Well, marketing strategies and celebrities endorsements definitely help in grooming the so called ” miracle ” status of this yeast extract; not to mention it’s price tag.

As a user of this essence, since it’s launch in the 80s ( yes, I still remember how affordable it used to be, before marketing gimmicks were recruited to establish its cult status; back in the days where this bottle was sold under the umbrella of Max Factor ), I can confidently state that this is not a holy grail product.

The only miracle is how this SK II FTE manage to get to where it is today!

Don’t get me wrong, I do like SK II products, I just think that this product is neither a breakthrough in cosmetic science nor it deserves the cult status ( price? ) it enjoy today.

First of all, this yeast ferment has a rather unpleasant odour ( I mean odour ); and it becomes worse as time goes by ( so I strongly advise you to buy the smallest bottle available ) once it’s opened. I find that cold weather may delay this ( so refrigerating  it is an option ).

It can be irritating at times, especially after sun bathing / skin peeling or dermabrasion.

It an extra step in the skin care regime, which can be easily substituted by using a more sophisticated product ( the market is saturated with loads of high-tech, quasi-cosmeceutical products nowadays ).

I would like to caution you that you will inevitably be disappointed if you naively expect this essence to turn back time, fight acne or lift contour.

It should be regarded as a skin tonic that hydrates & clarify skin, a light nourisher to supplement your skin care regime. It’s not a miracle.

I use this on nights when I am too tired or couldn’t be bothered to complete my usual regime; I use this as my night cream detox regime. It manages to protect my skin from dehydration & dullness, to a certain extent whenever I want to give my skin a break from all other beauty products.

PS: Londonprettyboy had used this product since his teens, in a few continents, under various climate conditions and still using it……

Art work by Amy Sol

Skin Essentials ( 30s )

What your skin really needs  - an article from dailymail.co.uk, Liz Earle’s secrets of a fabulous complexion.

My opinion is type written in red

There’s bound to be some environmental damage to the epidermis. Look at your mother to see how particular areas age, then take action.

Have your eyebrows professionally shaped – it can be the equivalent of  a nonsurgical face-lift.

Find a good hairstylist & colourist as well.

This is the time to really boost hydration outside – and from the inside – so sip at least eight large glasses of water daily.

I like drinking Evian or Fiji water. I loves Avene thermal spring water facial mist.

The basic products you need are cleanser, toner, day moisturiser, night cream and/or oil, eye cream, exfoliator and mask – and sun protection for every bit of exposed skin.

Mask, mask, mask; at least 3 times a week; alternates between hydrating & deep cleansing mask depending on the seasons. Origins has a decent range of mask that delivers, and smells divine too. Liz Earle’s range are affordable yet effective.

Choose a cream-based, detergent-free facial cleanser to work in harmony with the skin’s slightly acidic pH balance. Use a soft cotton muslin cloth to remove cleanser and whisk off dead skin cells. Follow with a sweep of skin tonic/toner sprinkled on a soft cotton wool pad. Choose an alcohol-free formulation for your skin type that is based on plant oils, not pore-clogging mineral oil.

All skin types will reap rewards from a nightly application of facial oil. Look for blends based on pure plant oils, including hazelnut, passionflower, peach and apricot kernel. Lightly massage into your face and neck, last thing.

Facial oil should be included in your weekly nocturnal treat. I loves Sarah Chapman’s overnight facial oil; an excellent skin nutrient packed with sophisticated skin saving molecules.

For small ‘age’ spots, massage in a little rosehip oil mixed with the contents of a vitamin E capsule every night; during the day cover with a concealer or sun block.

I believes in kojic acids, arbutin, lactic acids; have a gentle, at – home chemical peel once a month. You should be wise enough to use an SPF product  religiously by now.

An eye cream will help to keep the finer skin around your eyes smooth. Look for one that contains natural skin plumpers such as GLA, antioxidants and richer plant oils, such as borage seed, rosehip seed, cranberry seed and avocado.

A decent eye cream formulated with antioxidants, anti-ageing ingredients is an absolute necessity;  A tonic eye gel that de-puff is a godsend in the morning, since our metabolisms is a bit sluggish by this age.

Make-up

If your skin is looking a little tired and in need of an instant ‘lift’, try Chanel’s Base Lumière, an illuminating primer that you can use under foundation or even on its own to give skin a natural luminosity: it looks as if you’ve had several nights’ excellent sleep.

Any primer / base with optical illusion / light diffusion technology will do. Remember the mantra: soft focus does hocus pocus to your complexion.

As a foundation, I suggest Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation; it’s oil-free, leaving your face matt but not dry (beauty editors have raved about it for years). L’Oréal’s oil-free formulations are also good.

Only use loose powder over your T zone.

Eye pencils add instant colour and are brilliant for travelling. Deep, soft grey works well on all colourings: I like RMK Deep Grey, and there are plenty of good, budget-priced pencils by brands such as Max Factor and Bourjois.

Avoid harsh jet black liner, unless you want to look 5 years older.

For make-up on the run, my instant kit consists of an eye pencil, plus a Stila Convertible Colour cream blush in ‘petunia’ for cheeks and lips, which I top with a Stila ‘Mango’ lip gloss.

You will need a blush to give you an innocent flush. Cream blusher is more forgiving than powder one ( remember those laugh lines and sagging, enlarged pores? )

To create a fabulous pout, dab a touch of white-ish highlighter, such as Benefit’s High Beam (or any pale pearly shade from your eyeshadow compact), in the cupid’s bow of your upper lip, to emphasise the lip line.

Only use lip product that has a built in plumping technology; Like eye cream, lip balm is a life saver and should be part of your skin care routine.

Use a lipliner to prevent feathering.

Skin Essential ( 20s )

What your skin really needs  - an article from dailymail.co.uk, Liz Earle’s secrets of a fabulous complexion.

My opinion is type written in red

Your face should still be silky smooth, but fair skin that hasn’t been protected from the sun may show the beginnings of sun spots and crow’s-feet.

Those who drink too much or smoke may see the beginnings of broken blood vessels, bags and a dull, spotty complexion.

The core products for your face are a cleanser, an alcohol-free skin tonic, light daily moisturiser, slightly richer night cream, facial oil and mask – plus suncare for face and body.

Whatever your skin type, start exfoliating very gently. In the mornings, buff your face with a soft muslin cloth (or fine towelling flannel) wrung out in warm water.

Gentle but regular exfoliation is the key. I like Clinique 7 days scrub cream ( rinse off formula ).

Follow with a sweep of alcohol-free skin tonic and a light dab of daily moisturiser. Useful ingredients in both skin tonics and moisturisers include antioxidants to protect against free-radical damage and essential fatty acids to help keep skin smooth. I also like echinacea for its skin-toning properties and calendula or camomile for their mildly anti-inflammatory benefits.

Calendula balm is essential for soothing your eyes. I like to mix calendula ointment  with arnica ointment ( check out your local drug store / healthfood supplier ) to get rid of bags & dark circles. The lipids in balm also acts as an excellent lash nourisher.

Oily and combination skins can benefit from the same light daytime moisturiser at night. But normal or dry skins may lap up a slightly richer, more hydrating night cream with ingredients such as avocado, borage seed or evening primrose seed oils.

A secret is to massage in a facial oil last thing at night, as plant oils help balance and regulate the skin. Dry or normal skin responds well to avocado, argan and rosehip oils. Lightweight plant oils such as peach, apricot kernel and rosehip suit oily or combination skin.

Argan oil suits most skin type, while greasy skin is more likely to benefit from grapeseed oil. I loves Amanda Lacey range of face oil. Ila also has an exceptional face oil.

Make-up

For shiny faces, use a water-based foundation and carry shine-absorbing facial blotters. Translucent powder blots shine and also sets foundation, giving it more staying power. I like Laura Mercier’s Translucent Powder, which isn’t cheap but lasts for ages.

My London-based make-up artist and friend Kerry September swears by Guerlain’s Teint de Matte foundation.

MAC also make excellent oil-free bases, including Studio Fix Fluid SPF15 and Select SPF15, plus a water-based tinted moisturiser, Select Tint SPF15.

If you have spots, leave your face bare of make-up for a couple of days so it can heal; draw attention to your eyes and lips instead, with mascara and a little shimmer on the eyelids, plus a gorgeous lip gloss.

When you really must conceal spots or other blemishes – including dark circles – remember, the aim is to make the concealer look like a second skin, not a mask.

Bobbi Brown Foundation Sticks may do everything you need, or try mixing a tiny amount of Yves St Laurent Radiant Touch (Touche Eclat) in your palm – to warm it – with the same quantity of a liquid/cream foundation; Chanel Teint Innocence is a wonderful light fluid base for any skin. Ruby and Millie’s Concealer Duo, which you apply after a base, is brilliant too.

Whatever you choose, dot it on very lightly with your ring finger, building up thin layers to cover.

Chanel Teint Innocence rocks, as it’s sheer enough to let your natural youthfulness radiates through yet; if you need more concealing, Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick has an adjustable, medium to full coverage. YSL Radiant Touch is a must the night before & the day after.

A ‘pop’ or dot of pure colour, blended well into the fleshiest part of cheeks gives an instant lift and glow when you smile. NARS blusher in Desire – a super-bright fuchsia which tones down on the skin – looks amazing.

Orgasms – if you are lucky enough to have the authentic one daily; otherwise NARS  has a powder and a cream version for that oh-so-lovely glow.

MAC Face and Body Make-up is an excellent, lightweight liquid foundation. It comes in an array of shades.

Experiment with colours & falsies, before it’s too late to be rebellious.

Artwork by Shiori Matsumoto, Marion Bolognesi.

Skin Essentials ( Teens )

What your skin really needs  - an article from dailymail.co.uk, Liz Earle’s secrets of a fabulous complexion.

My opinion is type written in red

Your complexion should be peachy, plump and bright, but hormonal changes can contribute to problems like blackheads, whiteheads and acne.

Your skin tends to be shiny due to fluctuating hormones exacerbating the production of oil from the sebaceous glands beneath the skin.

The pizza face phase  - greasy, juicy, meaty

The basic products you need are a cleanser, toner and daytime moisturiser, plus sun protection if you’re outside or on holiday.

Hello? Sunscreen all the time or the damage would be done, there is something call premature ageing & UV irradiation is the main culprit.

Thorough yet gentle cleansing is essential – even after the wildest night out, when you just want to flop into bed; don’t strip your skin of its natural moisturising oils / barrier.

A minute’s massage with a creamy cleanser ( not soap: it won’t shift oil or oil-based make-up effectively ), wiped off with a clean muslin cloth or flannel, wrung out in warm water, is all you need.

My skin reacted badly to cocoa butter, natural oils can be occlusive can causing eruptions; Abrasive washing technique or any form of over stimulation like rubbing with muslin cloth can worsen skin inflammation or leaving the skin vulnerable.

Wash off the creamy cleanser you use to dissolve your make up or sunscreen with a water activated foaming cleanser.

Toners are useful just after cleansing, to remove any residue and to brighten and refresh the face. For spot-prone, inflamed skin, you could use aloe vera juice, which is healing and soothing: choose a brand that is sold fresh in the refrigerated section of health food stores and keep in the fridge to help preserve its vitamins and enzymes. For oilier skin, mix three parts rose water with one part witch hazel.

Rosewater or Witch Hazel distillate are the best tonic for young skin.

During daytime, follow with a moisturiser based on lightweight but emollient plant oils, such as a mix of coconut and palm oils (look for coco-caprylate/caprate on labels). This mix has very good spreadability, yet non-greasy, almost dry – feel. Also, look for products with added antioxidants, such as betacarotene and vitamin E.

With today’s technology, never settle with something less than a cocktail of powerful, sophisticated antioxidants, emollients & oil absorbants.

Although most teens aspire to look tanned, a safer option is to self-tan.

Pale can be interesting, so as wash off bronzers.

Zap spots with milk of magnesia or lavender or tea tree essential oils dabbed on a cotton bud – or a tiny spot of toothpaste. All these are sebum drying and antiseptic.

I prefer AHA, BHA when it comes to blemish fighting, although milk of magnesia or zinc paste works.

Teenage make-up

My teenage daughter Lily loves Benefit’s High Beam, a pearly pink liquid which you dot on cheeks and brow bone for a healthy glow.

NARS multiples has a better selection of colour, and the finish is less trashy.

The best eyelash curlers are Shu Uemura: they are expensive, but a good investment – and a great present.

Shu is the best when it comes to curlers, you should experiment with mascaras at this phase of your life, most of the drug store brands will do fine, just remember not to share it with your best pal and replace it every 3 months; go wild with colours if you want.

To subdue shine, try Origins Zero Oil, which blots shine to an instant matt finish without drying, or Body Shop Matte It Face & Lips, which suits all skin types.

Use an oil absorbing, long lasting foundation; this is the only make up item you should splurge on. Armani nude skin, Bobbi Brown  oil-free compact & Estee Lauder doublewear lite are my picks.

If you have a breakout, dot on a cream concealer with a (very clean) eyeliner brush, pinpointing the red epicentre – then cover with a fine brushing of translucent powder.

Blotting papers are useful for on-the-spot shine treatments (try MAC or Barbara Daly for Tesco), or simply peel apart a paper tissue.

The best blotting paper is the aeroplane toilet seat cover, I am not joking!

Mineral make-up, which contains skin-healing zinc oxide, sits better on the skin than thick foundation and gives some sun protection. Prescriptives’ All Skin Mineral Foundation SPF15 (a powder) claims to be concealer, base and finisher in one, and is good for hiding teenage blemishes without clogging.

Beware of Bismuth Oxide in those so called mineral make up, choose from a reputable manufacturer, and Prescriptives is closing down by end of the year, stock up before it’s too late.