How to....

Take off your makeup

The most important step in any skin care routine is cleansing. 

Lets face it you can't have clear skin without clean skin.

However despite our good intentions most of us don't spend long enough cleaning our faces. We happily spend an hour in front of the mirror piling on the product, but only allow 20 seconds to take it off. 

Research shows that it is impossible to remove all of the makeup, oils and dirt on the face with a mere twenty seconds of cleansing. Furthermore most cleansers aren't capable of breaking through the thick layer of surface debris we accumulate on our skin throughout the day on their own. Insufficient cleansing is likely to lead to clogged pores and breakouts, whilst also preventing those expensive toners, moisturizers and serums from working to their full potential. 

Personally I like to remove my makeup with a makeup remover first. Bioderma is my current go to, but in situations like this makeup wipes can also be a godsend. I then follow with an oil based cleanser, at the moment this task falls to my trusty Eve Lom.

(Note how much makeup has come off on my first cleanse)

When it comes to finding partners an often sprouted phrase is 'opposite attracts', however when it comes to skincare likes like. Ever get yourself covered in bicycle grease and remember your mum using butter to clean you up? Oil likes oil. It breaks it down.

Oil based balms are the thang. They thoroughly cleanse the skin without stripping it of its natural oils. Hello hydration. Goodbye that feeling of tightness. No one wants their face to feel like an over blown up balloon. Balms can remove even the most stubborn makeup, even that waterproof eye makeup that NOTHING seems to budge. 

Various top facialists have created their own version of balm based cleansers. My favourite? The original. Eve Lom. It cleanses, tones, moisturizes, exfoliates AND removes makeup. Who knew one pony could do so many tricks? But my favourite technique to remove the balm? Emma Hardie.

Getting the product onto the skin is simple. A small scoop of balm, warmed up between your hands, onto dry skin, massaged, does the trick nicely. Hardie then advocates removing our balms through lines not circles. Seeing as our facial muscles are organised in linear fibres it makes sense to work with them not against them. Simply lift sections of your skin, pulling tightly, and run your muslin cloth in lines along the skin. Any direction is fine as long as the lines are there.  You can literally feel the tension in your face being eradicated, you really have no idea how much tension you hold in your face till you give this a go. 

This simple, cheap as chips technique, energises and boots the skin. Stimulating the lymph to flow and muscles to lift.  It detoxifies the skin, erases dark circles and puffiness, helping you achieve luminous, deeply clean, moisturised, lifted skin. 

Oil based balms suit  all skin types, however some are more appropriate for certain conditions than others. Eve Lom is ideal for congested, troublesome skin, Sarah Chapman is THE anti-ageing pro fighter, whilst Emma Hardie is perfect for sensitive souls.

My secret weapon?  Use a WHITE muslin cloth. This way I can whether or not I still have makeup on my face.

(That lovely yellow coloured area is my second go with my muslin cloth, the cloth only remained white after my third scrub) 

Muslin cloths should ideally be changed daily to prevent bacteria hot footing it back onto your skin. Whilst you can go all out and purchase the luxe cloths on offer from a range of brands I got a pack of 10 from ebay for about £4. #Savvyshopper.

Give it a go, you will be shocked how much makeup you've been letting linger on your face. 

This may take longer than 20 seconds but as they say what is really worth investing in more than your skin?

Talk to you soon i'm off to perform some yoga on my face!