THE BEAUTY INSIDER:

BLOGGER CAROLINE HIRONS' SKINCARE SAVIOURS TO GET
YOU THROUGH PARTY SEASON

Party season is here (hip, hip!). And while it’s fun to swill endless glasses of prosecco and dine out for a month, let’s face it, our skin won’t thank us for it. Luckily, beauty blogger and all-round skincare fanatic Caroline Hirons is here to help, with her seven super skincare tips that’ll have you glowing through to the new year and beyond.

THE BEAUTY INSIDER:

BLOGGER CAROLINE HIRONS' SKINCARE SAVIOURS TO GET YOU THROUGH
PARTY SEASON

Party season is here (hip, hip!). And while it’s fun to swill endless glasses of prosecco and dine out for a month, let’s face it, our skin won’t thank us for it. Luckily, beauty blogger and all-round skincare fanatic Caroline Hirons is here to help, with her seven super skincare tips that’ll have you glowing through to the new year and beyond.

Super Elixir Greens Travel set / Clinique Fresh Pressed Daily Booster / Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting Liquid / Oskia Micro Exfoliating Balm

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1. Prep your skin & system

A good foundation is essential for a good glow – and I’m talking about your skin, not make-up. Preparing your skin for party season not only adds radiance, it can also get you into good habits that will keep your skin in great condition post party.

Regular exfoliation ensures a smooth, prepared skin that leaves the coast clear for all the product that you are applying afterwards. There are two types of exfoliation: physical and liquid.

Physical exfoliants

Physical exfoliants are often very mild or ground powders, such as rice bran. They are abrasive enough to work, yet gentle enough to cause no harm. Cleanse, apply your exfoliator of choice, work through the skin as instructed, and remove with a warm flannel and lots of fresh, warm water. Your skin should feel smooth and soft afterwards, not dry and tight.

Liquid exfoliants

Liquid exfoliants are acid-based and vary depending on the type of acid you are looking for. Polyhydroxy acids not only exfoliate, but work as a humectant, attracting moisture into the skin as they work. Glycolic is great for an older skin, gently resurfacing and helping signs of scarring, pigmentation and skin firmness. While lactic is your mildest choice and a nice first acid for most skins, salicylic is for you if breakouts are your main worry.

Caroline’s top picks:

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Keep your system boosted with good doses of omegas and antioxidants. They’ll help with over-indulging and ease your system back to normality, cutting down the risk of inflammation and flushing – neither of which are good for your skin.

Vita Liberata Body Blur / Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream / Charlotte Tilbury Healthy Glow / Dr. Jart Ceramidin Cream

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2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Keeping your skin hydrated is a must for a glowing, healthy complexion at this time of year. Use hyaluronic acid-based serums to give instant comfort to the skin and lock it in with a moisturiser on top.

3. Up your vitamin C

A vitamin C serum will not only give you antioxidant protection, it is also clinically proven to stimulate collagen production and increase skin firmness. A brilliant double whammy, and a great product to add to your routine every day for glow, protection and stimulation that happens under the skin without you even being aware of it. Hard to go wrong.

Caroline’s top picks:

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4. Moisturise

Don’t be tempted to use a thick cream just because the temperature has changed. Lighter formulations are what the skin needs and the industry makes them in abundance. Think of your moisturiser as your coat – although it needs to be changed with the seasons, its job is to protect, not make your skin feel greasy. A light moisturiser allows your foundation to sit better, your powder to set better and your colour to last longer.

Caroline’s top picks:

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Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser / Zelens Transformer Instant Renewal Mask / Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm / Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask

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5. Up your glow

Fake it ’til you make it – we can’t all have the perfect glow 24/7, after all. If you find yourself in need of a quick boost, try adding any of these brilliant colour enhancers. From Vita Liberata’s Body Blur which adds believable colour to the palest of skins, to Clarins Radiance-Plus that gives glow exactly when and where you need it.

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6. Don't forget to remove your make-up

It doesn’t matter how much fun you have, you must remove your make-up before bed. No excuses. If you think you’re going to come home a little worse for wear, leave some cotton pads and cleanser or micellar water by your bedside. Your skin will thank you for the extra effort; very little is as dehydrating for your skin as sleeping in your make-up. All your hard work will be undone, and you’ll have to fix it all the next day.

7. Apologise to your skin

If you do have too much fun, over-indulge and/or sleep in your make-up, don’t worry, help is at hand. Applying some quick fixes via various masks can go a long way towards repairing the damage in an efficient and efficacious way. Choose something preferably loaded with hyaluronic acid, apply, let it soak in, and reapply if you feel it’s necessary. You’ll be ready to go again in no time.