It may seem a little counterintuitive to say that the effect can be refreshing and soothing but a great skincare routine can do that. Routines and rituals bring us comfort and wellbeing. Our products can deliver results only if applied 1) in the right way, 2) to the right area and 3) addressing what your skin truly needs.
My 25 years of research and 10 years of running the clinic have taught me that skincare routine is like a piece of music – there are notes (the products and the best way of applying them) and pauses (time to allow our skin to rest and repair).
Are you doing too much or too little – using too many different products and applying too large amounts? Be always guided by your skin – it is in the way it feels and responds. Take time to bring your daily routine together, choose the intensity of touch that feels right for each of your facial areas.
In my 9 Step Routine, I suggest a way of refreshing and soothing your skin daily, prior to applying a moisturiser. Using only a few drops of my distinct serums – ‘4’ to firm up the ‘hardworking muscles’ on our forehead and cheeks and alleviate signs of ageing; ‘9’ to refine delicate zones of our eyes and lips – lays a flawless base for a moisturiser. Results come only with daily practice.
The AM Focus
There is more to come about longer evening meditative gentle facial massage in my blogs but, in terms of day care, let’s focus on the elements of our face that age us most. Our ‘vertical lines’ convey negative emotions. Paying attention to them daily – even more so now when we spend all day frowning on Zoom – makes the difference!
Retracing the contours of your face and the eye area, relaxing the eyebrow pressure points explored in Traditional Chinese Medicine and stretching the forehead by following the meridians can open our face and sweep away our worries. Contours of our lips reveal our age easily. Therefore, enhancing plumpness of the lip lines, breathing life into the facial tissue to reflect on the day as well as sweeping away the tiredness in gentle lymphatic drainage; these are the massage technique elements that bring my products alive.
Each of my products has been designed for a distinct functional step, with a specific texture, active ingredients and applied in a way that benefits both our skin and the mind.
Here are the 9 steps of my AM Signature Routine.
1) Cleanse with Calming Cleanser ‘1’ – apply a pea size amount on your face, after washing with water
2) Pat your skin dry gently
3) Vertical line massage
4) Apply a small number of drops of my Anti-Ageing Serum ‘4’
5) Relax and focus
6) Smooth out
7) Breathe in the scent
8) Smile
9) Apply Radiance Eye & Lip Serum ‘9’
I provide clients with instructions for gentle techniques such as Vertical Line Massage and applying my Anti-Ageing Serum ‘4’.
Try this new approach this autumn, be it in a private tuition with a sample pack and joining our pre-Christmas Zoom event in November.