What are the key ingredients for maintaining good skin?

There the three main pillars of good skincare ingredients:

1) Nourishment – From good vegetable oils rich in Fatty acids, naturally & occurring vitamins.

2) Hydration – From good sources of naturally hydrating ingredients such a floral waters and Aloe Vera. Also moisture binding ingredients and prevent water from evaporating from the skin such as vegetable glycerine and Hyaluronic Acid.

3) Protection – From products that fight free radicals such as antioxidants and those that create a protective film against pollution and dirt such as butters & waxes.

The range of skincare products on the market can feel overwhelming…in your opinion, what products should we be applying to our skin on a daily basis, and in what order? 

Skin only really needs three things:

• A good yet simple cleanser that in non-foaming and non-abrasive.
• A nourishing vegetable-based oil.
• A protective moisturiser.

Everything else is optional for those that want to go the extra mile.

What should differentiate our morning skin care routine from our nightly routine? So many brands on the high street offer day and night options for creams etc. is this just marketing or are there key differences we should be aware of?

During the day the skin has to fight all kinds of pollutants so we need to be diligent with the moisturiser application. During the night the skin wants to regenerate so we should feed it with what it needs and do what we can to aid it that process, we should invest in doing a good detoxifying oil face massage.

We only need moisturiser overnight (on the top of the oil) if we keep the central heating on during the night or have dry skin.

We know you are a real advocate for facial massage (a key pillar of facial yoga) for maintaining a healthy and youthful face, have you ever tried face exercise too?

Face exercise is a fundamental part of a good skincare regime as it extends the muscles and facial tissues, thus releasing tension and accumulated toxins. However, one must always ensure that the skin is well nourished with a face oil so that it becomes more ‘elastic’ to perform the face exercises without causing damage. My mother always did what I used to call ‘Facial Stretching’ as a child and now realise its very similar to Facial Yoga. She would massage her face whilst practicing her Facial Stretching, it was fascinating to watch.

There has been much talk about the profhilo injections, they claim to be a natural and hydrating filler, do you have a view?

All injectables, natural or otherwise, it’s a personal choice that once one knows the risks involved should be free of judgment from all others. However, to me personally the risk of infection, the inflammation it causes and the fact you have to go through it all every six months is not appealing.

We get lots of questions about retinol – do you support the use of retinol?

The problem with retinol and everything else that has the potential or claim to reverse aging is that it is always abused. A little retinol every now and then then one is in need of a boost can go a long way, but the way the cosmetic industry has latched on to the retinol effects and claims is very disturbing, I believe it can have many adverse effects on our health when overused.

Many of our members have complained they have experienced bouts of acne in their 30s, often having never suffered before – what advice do you have for any one suffering from adult acne?

I believe the increase of adult acne is partially caused by the increase of added hormones and antibiotics in the food chain. Therefore, switching to either eating only organic animal products or giving them up all together for at least a year would definitely help.  Also ensuring the skin is not stripped of its acid-mantle is another main step, clean up your skincare routine and get rid of everything that is stripping and foaming.

How much do genetics play a part in the way we age? 

Our genes give us our advantages as well as our disadvantages in life, its our choice of lifestyle that depict such genes are expressed or suppressed.

What would you say has been the key to your brands success?

I follow my own research instead of trends, I have been talking about face massage, the power of essential oils and the importance of the skin’s microbiome for almost 20 years, I patiently waited until it became mainstream.

What’s next in skin care?

Hopefully what working on! But generally, I believe it’s all health related… or maybe that’s just wishful thinking!