I find it hard to make time to relax and take good care of my skin. Right now, at the age of 32, I am getting away with it. Only just. I remember my mum banging on at me 10 years ago about the importance of a skincare regime. That was back when I thought I was invincible. Back when I didn’t think I would ever have back pain, wrinkles, or a tendency to talk out loud whilst I write a text message. The soft traces of what will soon become my fully-fledged crow’s feet are a twinkling nod to the many joy-filled hours I have spent over the course of my life laughing with the friends with whom I have been blessed to have had these eye-creasing moments with. Endless laughs and incessant holidays have made less of a dent on my bank account than they have on my skin; I should have listened to mum and started Facial Exercise earlier. Still, it’s never too late, and it’s never too little.

Skincare done well can heal from both the outside and inside. You can use it for both prevent and reverse the signs of ageing. Let me tell you about my 3 most useful ways to relax and feed my skin, even for a girl who’s busy, travels light, and doesn’t like to waste money on products she knows she’ll never use up before their sell by date.

• hydration

• facial exercise

• pick or rotate your desert island product - currently Ishga

HYDRATION

Water is so important for your skin! It helps rid the body of toxins, keep skin clear and can give you a more radiant glow. You can learn more about what water does for your body in my article Effortless improvements in your fitness and body fat composition just by drinking enough WATER.

FACIAL EXERCISE

Facial Yoga, Facial Fitness, it has many different names but all boils down to the same thing: the face has muscles of its own and these can be worked to support healthier complexion and skin. Exercising the muscles of the face gives your skin a firmer foundation (which means less likelihood of wrinkles) and it increases blood flow to skin cells (more nutrients!) and lymphatic drainage. Working the muscles of your face is a vital health and beauty practice that is both preventative and can help reverse the signs of ageing. Our faces are on show far more than anything from the neck down. When we place so much importance on the appearance of our bodies, why not pay some attention to the muscles of the face?

If you’d like to know more about Facial Exercise, join me at The Yoga + Beauty Retreat next weekend 5th-7th April in the Cotswolds.

MY SKINCARE SAVIOURS: seaweed, sea salt and water

Seaweed is one of the world’s most naturally abundant sources of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, anti-oxidants and essential fatty acids. Seaweed extracts and powders deliver many anti-aging, hydrating and skin renewing properties.

Pure natural unrefined sea salt retains over sixty naturally occurring trace elements such as Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc. All of which are essential for good health and well-being. I love swimming in the ocean as the sea water it makes a clear difference to the appearance of both my skin and hair after a dip. Minerals found in seawater and natural anti-oxidants have anti-ageing properties which help nourish, hydrate and protect the skin.

If making sure I’ve drunk 8 glasses of water and doing the odd scrub and face mask makes me feel happier about the prospect of bumping into my ex boyfriend and his new lady in the shops, then that’s a sound reason to make sure I do it.

Ishga is an organic seaweed skincare brand from Scotland. Its name, Ishga, is derived from the Gaelic word for water. Every product is packed with Hebridean seaweed and sea-rich minerals from coastal waters surrounding the Outer Hebrides that are recognised as being amongst the most pristine in the world. They collect seawater from the surf as the waves break on many of the beautiful island beaches, and pure water from the Isle of Lewis’ blue-clay bottomed spring which, according to folklore had healing and therapeutic properties. This is hydration and nutrition on a cellular level (with a nod to its origin and keeping it ethically on fleek).