BC Skin Journal

BC Blog

by Jo Boyden on Oct 27 2022

Fed up with looking at your tired, dull skin in the mirror every morning? Miss that radiant complexion you once had and wonder if it’s possible you’ll ever get it back? Well, you can wonder no more as the answer is yes, and we are here to tell you how! Keep reading as we give you the lowdown on why your complexion is looking so lacklustre and 5 ways you can brighten skin naturally!Firstly though, what exactly is dull skin?Dull skin is skin that lacks radiance. It can appear lacklustre, dry, patchy and even a little rough to touch at times. Dullness can also be accompanied by an uneven skin texture because its less able to reflect light uniformly.Why is your skin looking dull and 6 simple solutions to brighten it Dead skin cells Dull skin is often the result of dead skin cell build up on the skin’s surface. It can happen at any age but is more common as we get older and our body’s ability to naturally shed dead skin cells and replace with new ones decreases!SOLUTION: Exfoliate skin weekly. Twice if your skin tends to be on the oily/combination side.Exfoliation is an essential step to any skincare routine because it’s the most effective way of removing dull, dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, making way for the new cells to come through and pores to remain unclogged. To learn more about exfoliation and the best exfoliators for your skin type click here. Fatigue If you’re feeling fatigued your skin will visibly reflect it by looking pale, dull and devitalized, often accompanied with dark, puffy peepers and exacerbated fine lines too! This is because when we are tired the blood in our body is not flowing efficiently which normally results in a lack of oxygen in the blood.SOLUTION: Use an oxygenating serumPhytomer’s Souffle Marin Energizing Oxygenating Serum is a beautifully lightweight serum that literally coats the skin in pure oxygen, providing the cells with the vivid rejuvenation they need. Formulated with marine extracts, the invigorating, moisturising blend, ensures fresher, more youthful skin with an overall increase in visible radiance. Free radical damage Free radicals (from pollution) can really take its toll on our skin. It damages collagen and stimulates pigment production causing our complexion to look tired and drab.SOLUTION: Introduce Vitamin C into your skincare routineIt can totally transform your skin! Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and THE go-to ingredient to dramatically brighten skin.For more information on Vitamin C and its multitude of benefits click here. Lack of sleep While you sleep, your skin is active. It’s the time your skin renews and repairs itself. Lack of sufficient sleep means your skin is not able to do this which in turn can dramatically affect its appearance from dull skin to dehydration, blemishes and premature ageing!SOLUTION: Use relaxation enhancing products before bed and try to get more sleep!If you find it hard to relax and fall asleep use products that will not only benefit your skin but calm your mind and senses too!Try Pevonia’s Vitaminic Concentrate. The radical treatment oil for skin lacking lustre, combats dullness and dehydration with a burst of vitamins A and E and Mandarin Essential Oil, so your complexion will look beautifully brighter and rejuvenated by morning. What’s more it has the most amazing aroma which alone helps calm the senses, and even though it’s an oil, it’s fast absorbing so you know it’s doing great stuff to your skin! Lack of water When you don’t drink enough water a day, the amount of water in your skin's surface dramatically declines leaving you with skin that looks deflated and dull instead of visibly plumped.SOLUTION: Replenish dull, dehydrated skin cells with hydration hero Hyaluronic AcidThanks to its sponge like effect, this super skincare ingredient has the ability to hold 1,000 times its weight in moisture, in other words, one gram of hyaluronic acid is able to hold up to six litres of water! Crazy right? And now, thanks to its molecular structure Hyaluronic acid has the ability to deeply penetrate to instantly deliver supple, dewy skin in a matter of seconds! In fact, it literally binds moisture to skin cells to keep skin smooth, firm, plump, and undeniably radiant!We are literally in LOVE with Pevonia’s New Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Mist! It feels a-mazing when spritzed all over the face and literally binds moisture to skin cells, instantly delivering supple, dewy skin in a matter of seconds!And if you need a nourishing cream, you can’t go wrong with Pevonia’s Power Repair Age Correction Marine Collagen Cream. This global best-seller is in fact abundant in Hyaluronic acid and Collagen, and acts like a moisture magnet, plumping and firming the skin immediately. Not removing your makeup before bed I’m sure we’ve ALL been guilty of this once or many a time! Especially when we are exhausted after the daily juggle, or perhaps have had one too many and ooh how that bed looks so inviting but removing the days makeup and grime off your face is a must! In fact not cleansing before bed means your skin is unable to regenerate effectively while you sleep, pores clog, and fatigue (ageing!) signs start to appear.SOLUTION: Use a cleanser you’ll LOVEFor a fantastic makeup remover which effectively melts away makeup and grime with minimum effort try Phytomer’s Doux Contour Eye and Lip Waterproof Makeup Remover. Combining the effectiveness of an oil (a trio of oils in fact) and the gentleness of a lotion, this ultra-hydrating makeup remover, eradicates even the most stubborn of lips and eye makeup fast! And my absolute favourite cleanser at the moment is Pevonia’s new CleanRefresh Foaming Oil Cleanser. Its oil formulation transforms into a luscious foamy cleanser on application when mixed with water and it leaves skin feeling fantastically refreshed and beautifully clean without the drying effects that other cleansers can leave. Plus, its subtle scent is just heavenly.

How a great cleanser will improve your skin ten fold

by Jo Boyden on Oct 18 2022

Updated Here at Beauty Collective, we are strong advocates of cleansing; after all it is one of the most effective ways to achieve skin that’s healthier, clearer and more radiant.And while you might think a quick swipe of a face wipe or micellar water might seem sufficient at times (I’m sure we’ve all been tempted to do this after a long day) taking the time to remove your make-up and really clean your skin daily will ensure that you see visible improvements in your complexion day after day, cleanse after cleanse.So, if you want to learn more about the benefits of cleansing and discover why a great cleanser is the foundation to any great skincare routine, keep reading. You’ll even learn about the cleansing tools you might well not be using but definitely should be…Firstly, what exactly is cleansing?The role of a cleanser is to totally remove the days remnants. We are talking everything from makeup, dirt and grime to other skin impurities.Whether your skincare routine consists of two or five products (eight if you’re a lover of the infamous Korean skincare routine) it should always start with a cleanser. Without this step impurities will cling to your skin and dead skin cells will build up. How does cleansing improve your skin? Skin will be clearer and more refined Without regular cleansing your pores will become congested, leading to breakouts and a lacklustre complexion. Washing your face every morning and evening will remove impurities (that have built up as a result of pollutants, bacteria, dead skin cells and sebum), decongest the pores and reveal clearer, healthier skin. Skin will look fresher and brighter While cleansing isn’t able to remove dead skin cells quite like an exfoliator it will help sweep away surface dry and dead skin cells, revealing a fresh layer of skin underneath for a beautifully brighter, natural glow. Skin will be more hydrated, soft, supple and youthful looking Cleansing is more than just cleaning your skin; it’s also the best way to prep your skin for other skincare products. This is because congested pores can not only cause breakouts but also prevent the absorption of other skincare products, cleansing daily will help to clear your pores and ensure that the active ingredients in your moisturisers and serums can penetrate the deeper layers of the skin, hydrating it more effectively. The cleansing tools you might be missingFirst is the humble muslin cloth. They might not be the top of your skincare wishlist, but these unsung heroes are one of the best ways to gently exfoliate your skin daily and ensure product is completely removed. After applying your cleanser, simply soak the muslin cloth in warm water and sweep in upwards motions away from the face to leave your skin looking and feeling, softer and smoother. Secondly for optimum cleansing results use a Facial Cleansing Brush. With this little genius gadget you can get your deepest clean yet as gentle but powerful sonic massage works with ultra-hygienic silicone touchpoints and your chosen cleanser to thoroughly remove any build-up of dead skin cells, dirt, oil and sweat, preventing skin problems and resulting in clean & radiant skin, but that’s not all! It preps your skin perfectly for the absorption of your favourite skincare products for maximum effect and results, the tiny pulses help awaken the skin by stimulating the circulation of blood in the skin’s layers (when the blood is stimulated more oxygen is produced in the blood and this feeds the skin cells) and the cleansing brush will aid in keeping your pores clear from debris banishing those breakouts! For the perfect cleanser it is also essential to find the best facial cleanser for your skin, a product that works with and not against your skin type. For our top recommendations click here.

10 skincare mistakes you could be making and how to fix them

by Jo Boyden on Aug 19 2022

You’re a stickler when it comes to your skincare routine, you eat an antioxidant rich diet, drink plenty of water and make sure you exercise daily, yet still your skin is dull and lifeless, or perhaps you’re finding yourself constantly prone to pesky pimples, or dryness even? If this is you, chances are you could be doing a few things wrong when it comes to your skincare and believe me, you’d not be the first! Keep reading as we count down 10 common skincare mistakes you may well be making and how to fix them! You are overloading your skin From cleansers to exfoliators, serums, moisturisers, masks, oils and more, it is easy to get carried away with skincare and believe that buying and applying all the products will be best for your skin! The problem is overloading it, particularly when you are using too many actives in your products can actually be detrimental and result in dryness, irritation and redness!The fix: Listen to your skin! The best approach is to understand your own individual needs rather than just adding layers of products because you are under the misconception that using them all will deliver optimum skin results! Remember if you are prone to sensitive skin simplicity is key, if you have an oily complexion cleansing, toning and a light mattifying moisturiser can be enough, and if your skin tends to be on the dry side, then a serum, moisturiser, mist and face oil to lock moisture in will be beneficial.Also, if you are adding in new steps to your skincare routine, do so one product at a time so that your skin has time to adjust. You are using toxic ingredients You think you’ve invested in a moisturiser that will deliver beautifully bright and blemish free results but it’s actually packed with toxins that can irritate skin, leading to reactions and more! Sadly, the products you put on your skin aren’t always safe. So many skincare products are formulated with toxic ingredients including Parabens, Phthalates, Triclosan, chemical sunscreen filter and synthetic fragrance.The fix: Choose natural skincare products, they’ll contain zero toxic nasties and always be aware of what you are buying, don’t just fall for the marketing hype! You aren’t updating your skincare as your skin changes with age You might have been loyal to the same moisturiser for many years but sadly the skincare you’ve used in your 20’s really won’t cut it in your 30’s, 40’s and beyond. This is because as we age our skin’s needs dramatically change. Skin becomes thinner, drier, more sensitive, and loses elasticity as collagen and elastin start to deplete, while fine lines and wrinkles start to form.The fix: As you start to age look for anti-ageing skincare rich in ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, collagen, and vitamin C. For more info on this read about the top 5 skincare ingredients as recommended by the experts and adjust your products accordingly. You are skipping your moisturiser because your skin is oily or prone to blemishes It’s that time of the month and a few pesky pimples have reared their ugly head, or you are often prone to adult acne or simply suffer from oily skin, so think it best to lay off the moisturiser which must be exacerbating the issue right? Wrong.The fix: While you are likely not alone in thinking lathering up on moisturiser seems counterproductive, everyone, no matter what your skin type or concern, needs to apply a moisturiser daily! This is because moisturiser maintains skin hydration throughout the day and therefore assists in fighting premature fine lines and wrinkles too. In fact, applying moisturiser will greatly reduce your chance of developing extreme dryness, skin sensitivity, or oiliness! Why? Dehydrated skin can lead to issues like inflammation, premature skin ageing, and even breakouts. When your skin becomes dry, your body responds by making more oil! And we all know excess oil can clog pores leading to more of those darn pesky pimples.When searching for the right moisturiser for your skin type they do tend to be categorised by skin concern so you just need to research and find the right one for your skin’s needs. Just be sure to opt for lighter moisturisers by day, especially in the warmer months, and richer creams at night.For oily skin types, we highly recommend Phytomer’s Oligopur Hydra Matifying Control Cream. It’s an ultra-light cream that controls oil and breakthrough shine throughout the day. No shine, no greasy feeling, no heaving feeling!If your skin is prone to pimples try Phytomer Acnipure Blemish Solution Fluid, it’s a lightweight gel-cream that fights acne without clogging pores or irritating skin. It also helps eliminate shine, diminishes the appearance of blemishes, and prevents future breakouts!! You are over exfoliating or not exfoliating enough As we age our skin’s natural ability to shed dead cells declines, our pores can get clogged and skin can become uneven, dull, lacklustre and spotty even! This is why exfoliation is so imperative, and not a step that should be ignored even if you are prone to acne or suffer from sensitive skin!I’m not talking daily exfoliation though! Just once or twice a week depending on your skin type will suffice, as too much exfoliation can be counterproductive! This is because exfoliators, especially physical ones with granules or beads can damage the outer most layer of your skin when overused. One sign of over exfoliating is skin hypersensitivity. This can cause irritation, breakouts, and even a stinging feeling when you apply products! Eek.The fix: Understand your skin and choose your exfoliator accordingly. We highly recommend Pevonia’s Clarigel Exfoliating Cleanser for blemish prone skin. It combines soapwort, Triclosan, Grapefruit Oil, Salicylic Acid and Citric Acid with Jojoba to gently remove impurities and delivers an intense exfoliating and deep cleansing experience!If your skin is a little on the sensitive side, just be sure to opt for a super gentle formula – I LOVE Pevonia’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, it gently polishes your skin with its unique creamy, granular texture. But if granules scare you, I also highly recommend Phytomer’s Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural Enzymes. It’s a soft exfoliant for even the most sensitive or rosacea prone skin and uses natural enzymes to encourage cell turnover without scrubbing or irritating your skin. You are not wearing sunscreen daily, all year round It’s easy to think why bother with sunscreen if we are in the middle of winter but as I’ve preached many a time before, sunscreen isn’t just a summertime skincare product, it’s necessary to religiously wear it All. Year. Round. Why? Because it is THE best protection against skin ageing. Oh, and if you are staying indoors, and happen to work next to a window like me, the sun has the ability to penetrate the glass and your skin too!And then there is the issue of blue light damage. To read all about it click here. But in short, just like the sun, your devices omit harmful ‘blue light’ rays, so it’s important to wear sunscreen to protect skin against them too!The fix: Sunscreens formulated with iron oxides provide enhanced protection against blue light, especially when combined with zinc oxide. A new favourite of mine is Medicalia’s Sunscreen SPF 30 with Blue Light Shield. If you’re a little reluctant to wear your sunscreen because quite frankly its smell and greasy texture puts you off, you are going to love this lightweight emulsion! This everyday sunscreen contains an exclusive mineral formula to shield skin from harmful sun rays, blue light and pollution. It delivers all-natural protection with the addition of zinc oxide which acts to form a protective seal over the skin to reflect blue light away. It also rubs into skin seamlessly without leaving a white cast or greasy residue behind. And even better, the formula is reef-safe and works for all skin types and tones! You are taking daily hot showers and baths Who doesn’t love soaking in a boiling bubble bath or indulging in a long hot shower every evening? But do you know how detrimental this actually is for your skin? Hot showers and baths can actually inflame the skin, causing redness, itching, and even peeling. They also can disrupt the skin's natural balance of moisture, robbing you of the natural oils that keep skin healthy. Eek.The Fix: To keep skin happy, healthy and supple, reduce time spent in the shower or bath, keep water to a warm temperature and always apply moisturiser immediately after while skin is still damp. By doing so will prevent damage, dryness, irritation, and itchiness. You are not using your retinol cream correctly We all know retinol is THE no. one ingredient when it comes to combatting skin ageing. The hero ingredient multi tasks like no other. Known for its ability to empower and enhance skin cellular performance it dramatically improves fine lines and wrinkles while repairing sun-damaged and mature skin. It’s also a free radical fighter! Who wouldn’t want to introduce this multitasking miracle ingredient into their daily life! But you need to know how to use it! Using it incorrectly can unfortunately have ramifications.The fix: Because retinol is unstable when exposed to heat and light avoid using it in your morning skincare routine, instead apply before bed. I'll ntroduce it slowly. Apply it only at night, one or two times a week for the first week and gradually increase application. Also it’s best not to layer your retinol cream with other potent ingredients such as your acids. And finally, give the product time to work its magic. This could take a few months, but the results are worth it. We promise! To learn more about this anti-ageing wonder ingredient click here. You are mixing skincare ingredients that are no compatible I’m certain many of us will have mixed our skincare products without knowing that some ingredients do not complement each other, in fact some combinations can actually counteract each other! These ingredients such as vitamin C, retinol, benzoyl peroxide, AHA’s and BHA’s are simply better suited on their own and can be detrimental to skin when mixed or layered leading to irritation, redness or just general lack of desired results! (Unless of course they’ve been carefully placed in the same product by the clever scientists!)The fix: Let your retinol, vitamin c, benzoyl peroxide, AHA’s and BHA’s be the star of their own show. This doesn’t mean you can’t use your retinol cream and your vitamin c serum! Just use the serum in the morning and your retinol cream at night!Also focus on the combinations that can be mixed! These include; Hyaluronic acid and most ingredients! SPF and vitamin c, AHA’s and BHA’s, vitamin c and vitamin e, retinol and SPF. You are not cleansing your face before bed I’m sure we’ve ALL been guilty of this once or many a time! Especially when we are exhausted after the daily juggle, or perhaps have had one too many and ooh how that bed looks so inviting but removing the days makeup and grime off your face is a must! In fact not cleansing before bed means your skin is unable to regenerate effectively while you sleep, pores clog, and fatigue (ageing!) signs start to appear.The fix: For a fantastic makeup remover which effectively melts away makeup and grime with minimum effort try Phytomer’s Doux Contour Eye and Lip Waterproof Makeup Remover. Combining the effectiveness of an oil (a trio of oils in fact) and the gentleness of a lotion, this ultra-hydrating makeup remover, eradicates even the most stubborn of lips and eye makeup fast! And my absolute favourite cleanser at the moment is Pevonia’s new CleanRefresh Foaming Oil Cleanser. Its oil formulation transforms into a luscious foamy cleanser on application when mixed with water and it leaves skin feeling fantastically refreshed and beautifully clean without the drying effects that other cleansers can leave. Plus its subtle scent is just heavenly. To read more about sleeping in makeup and what it really does to our skin click here.

7 causes of dry skin and how to treat it

by Jo Boyden on Jul 14 2022

If your skin has been feeling somewhat tight of late, itchy and irritated even, or if you’re prone to dry patches and flakiness on your face, it’s likely you have ‘dry’ skin. But what exactly is causing your dry complexion you might ask? And why doesn’t your current skincare routine appear to be working to help counteract this condition? If you’re looking for answers as well as effective remedies, look no further! But first what exactly is dry skin?Dry skin is a very common skin type and can affect anyone at any age. Typically, it happens when our sebaceous glands don’t produce enough oil (sebum) and our skin in turn loses too much water. This is because our natural oils help trap in moisture to keep the skin soft, smooth and supple, if there isn’t enough oil, moisture can escape, leaving the top layer of skin prone to dryness.Unfortunately, the lack of oil production is caused by a number of external factors, but fear not once you know what they are you can start to salvage your skin!Read on as we reveal the 7 main causes of dry skin and the best skincare solutions to treat it. Genetics That’s right, dry skin can indeed be inherited! Another thing we can thank our parents for!If you’ve always been prone to dry skin, it’s essential that you are diligent when it comes to daily skincare routine.Solution:Look for skincare specifically targeted for dry skin. You need to replace moisture in the form of hyaluronic acid and collagen, and natural oils such as squalane. Products rich in ceramides (fatty acids) such as safflower oil are also very important and will help build and reinforce your skin barrier – these include rich creams, balms and soothing cleansers that deliver intense and lasting hydration for visibly plump, smooth and radiant skin.Try: Pevonia Rejuvenating Dry Skin Cream. Formulated with some of the best natural ingredients to counteract dry skin including pear seed extract, hyaluronic acid, collagen, shea butter and squalane, this deeply nourishing and skin smoothing cream diminishes dry and flaky skin while combatting fine lines and wrinkles for a truly rejuvenated, hydrated appearance. Hard water When tap water contains a high concentration of minerals including calcium and magnesium it's known as hard water. Those minerals change the pH balance of your skin as well as leave a film over your skin’s surface that may clog pores, cause dryness and even trigger breakouts, itching and flaking! Aside from upsetting the delicate skin barrier, hard water also prevents skincare products such as your moisturiser from being absorbed into the skin, sapping it of moisture. Eek.Solution: Re-balancing and rehydration are key.Use pH balancing cleansers. They leave the skin with a healthy acidic pH so your moisturiser doesn’t have to work so hard.Try Pevonia CleanRefresh™ Foaming Oil Cleanser. Suitable for all skin types, but especially recommended for dry skin, this innovative, triple duty oil cleanser features an advanced, lipid rich, alcohol-free, soap-free, exclusive formula which transforms into a luscious, foamy cleanser for a truly luxurious cleansing experience! It’s outstanding!However, if your skin is a little on the dry/sensitive side opt for Phytomer’s Perfect Visage Gentle Cleansing Milk. Its creamy texture melts on your skin to gently remove makeup and impurities without disturbing the skin's protective barrier.Toners are great if you have hard water as they melt away any remaining residue also helping to maintain a healthy pH and optimise skin functioning. Using it while the skin is still damp will interrupt the process of the minerals from the water settling on the skin.Try Phytomer Rosee Visage Toning Cleansing Lotion. This genius all-in-one makeup remover and toner is THE perfect multi-tasking product for beautifully clean skin! It’s quick, effective and oh so easy to use. Plus, it’s alcohol-free and extremely gentle on the skin so perfect for all skin types! It removes any excess makeup and residue on the skin like a dream and tones without leaving an oily film, just a silky soft fresh-faced complexion instead!Add skin-care products that contain vitamin C to your routine because they also help counteract the coating deposited by hard water.Try Pevonia “C” Complexe with Oxyzomes, it’s a firm favourite of the team at BC and for very good reason.Follow with a moisturiser that will sufficiently restore your skin's softness. Harsh products Maybe your cleanser is too harsh or you’re using your Sonic facial cleansing brush too often. Or perhaps you’re overusing retinol or the salicylic acid in your cleanser is great at treating your blemishes but it’s also drying out your skin. Whatever the case may be, all these daily habits can damage your skin’s moisture barrier without you being aware! This in turn results in surface dryness and skin irritation.Solution;The good news is that you don't have to give up these skin-care heroes (after all they also offer a multitude of benefits), you just need to use them cautiously and reduce the frequency of which you are using them. Cutting down on their use may deliver the results you want without irritation. Over exfoliating Exfoliating is imperative, it allows you to clear your clogged pores, remove excess dry skin and encourage increased cell turnover making way for blemish free skin, but we can all fall victim to exfoliation which can have ramifications on our skin damaging the protective skin barrier which in turn can trigger excessive dryness! Eek.Solution:If your skin is dry exfoliate just once a week and try using a gentle exfoliator formulated with nourishing ingredients. A gentle exfoliant will help remove the dry cell barrier that prevents absorption of moisturising ingredients and brighten dull skin at the same time.Try Phytomer Vegetal Exfoliant. It’s seriously soft, silky and subtle scented plus it’s ideal for all skin types even the most sensitive or dry! It eliminates impurities by gently removing dead skin cells with natural enzymes (so no scrubbing or irritating the skin whatsoever) and naturally encourages cell turnover. The result? Beautifully luminous and youthful skin after every use – no jokes! Dry air and indoor heating Sometimes the air inside can be as punishing on your skin as the air outside (especially in winter when there is low humidity and cooler temperatures). Forced air, especially heat, can draw humidity levels down, making skin feel dry and itchy.Solution;Skin moisturisers which rehydrate the top layer of skin cells and seal in moisture are the first step in combating your dry skin. Moisturisers rich in humectants which help attract moisture, and emollients, like ceramides and oils are the way to go!Humidifiers are a great solution too! By adding moisture to the air you’ll be encouraging the moisture in your skin to stay put!Try: Phytomer Night Recharge Youth Enhancing Cream. This restorative anti-aging night cream restores youthful vitality to your skin with a nourishing blend of active marine botanicals, alpha hydroxy acids and conditioning oils. The rich texture cocoons skin in nourishing hydration so your complexion gets all the benefits while you slumber. Long hot showers Ahhh who doesn’t love a long, hot shower, especially on a cold winter’s day, it really is one of life’s little pleasures, the problem is though, that while it will indeed make you feel better, it’s not doing any good to your skin! Hot showers and baths can actually inflame the skin, causing redness, itching, and excessive dryness. They can also disrupt the skin's natural balance of moisture, robbing you of the natural oils, fats, and proteins that keep skin healthy!Solution;Now I’m not asking you to forgo your shower, or that long indulgent bath of an evening, but try to limit your shower time and keep the temperature down! Afterwards, apply a moisturising cream within one minute of getting out of the shower to seal in moisture whilst skin is damp as moisturisers work best on damp skin.At night up your game by applying a low molecular oil, they absorb into the skin to stimulate the cells and prevent water evaporation. Many people avoid using products at night in the belief they should allow their skin to ‘breathe’ but on the contrary skincare in the way of a moisturiser and oil at night is imperative. At night your skin is no longer having to play the position of defence, instead, skin is resting, and this is when its permeability is at its highest allowing the active ingredients in your skincare to absorb deep into the skin, and really tackle your dry skin concerns!Try Pevonia’s Vitaminic Concentrate. This soothing, silky oil with the most amazing mandarin aroma, is worth its weight in gold! It’s fast-absorbing and radically combats dryness by locking in hydration and delivering moisture that stays! So you’ll wake up to smooth, supple and seriously glowy skin every morning. Ageing! Dry skin tends to become more of an issue as we get older, this is because our skin produces less oil and gets drier. For women, it could also be due to the hormone changes associated with menopause.Solution;For those with advanced signs of ageing who need optimal cell turnover, choose sulphate-free dry skin skincare products that are infused with hyaluronic acid, glycerin and retinol. These ingredients help replenish lost moisture and quickly repair the skin barrier. We also recommend selecting skincare for dry skin that’s enriched with marine collagen to help preserve moisture and your skin’s hydrolipidic film. Hydrating Serums are great as they penetrate deep into the skin to hydrate between the skin cells and help skin weave new collagen and elastin. Make sure you moisturise every day too (or multiple times a day if needed).Try Pevonia Micro-Retinol Essential Serum formulated with retinol, hyaluronic, and glycerin, it deeply hydrates, smooths, brightens and firms!Worried about using retinol since your skin is sensitive and dry? Don’t stress! Simply check out our blog and learn all there is to know about this anti-ageing holy grail of the skincare world!

Want clear skin? 13 beauty tips you need to know

by Jo Boyden on Jun 30 2022

Whether you are currently dealing with adult acne, are prone to the occasional breakout, or get hormonal pimples when it’s ‘that time of month’, it is possible to get clear skin and maintain it, you just need to know how!From blemish busting products to best practices, we asked the BC pros how to get clear skin fast! Here’s their top 13 beauty tips…. Make sure you use skincare rich in blemish-fighting ingredients Just as you’d search for products rich in Hyaluronic Acid if we have dry or dehydrated skin, or collagen if you’re concerned about ageing, if you want to target any blemishes you may already have and urgently eliminate you need to make sure your skincare is formulated with a few key ingredients! These include;Salicylic AcidWhen it comes to breakouts, salicylic acid should always be your trusty go-to. This is because it’s calming, decongesting and antibacterial, as well as a proven superstar in reducing and preventing further pore clogging! Salicylic Acid is a BHA (beta-hydroxy acid) that penetrates deep into the skin to exfoliate sebum-filled pores, as well as dissolve oil build-up and dead cells from the skin’s surface!Benzoyl PeroxideBenzoyl Peroxide is the most effective ingredient for actually treating spots as opposed to preventing them. This is because it actually kills bacteria! It can however be a little drying and irritating which is why it’s best used in specific targeted spot treatments.AHA’s (Glycolic and Lactic Acids)These two alpha-hydroxy acids slough away the dead skin cells that cause pimple-producing clogged pores. The result? Smoother, softer skin.Vitamin COfficially known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties. It can help decrease redness and swelling in blemish-prone skin. Firstly though, when it comes to blemishes the first port of call is to understand what exactly you are dealing with, whether it be hormonal pimples around your chin to one big bulbus bump on your forehead to all out acne, blemishes come in all different shapes and sizes and the products you use can differ too! To find out more about the different types of blemishes and the best product for you click here. Use a facial cleansing brush daily The secret to getting clearer skin is not just in the formulas we use but the practices we establish too! Used in unison with your cleanser, a cleansing brush will provide skin with deeper cleaning, removing any remnants of dirt, bacteria and makeup from your skin you’re your cleanser alone may not have.A good facial cleansing brush will also exfoliate the skin’s surface, leaving it looking and feeling so much smoother. Just be sure that it is made with gentle silicon as some cleansing devices can be to harsh for blemish prone and reactive skin, causing any redness and sensitivity to be exacerbated. The best facial cleansing brush as recommended by the BC pros is the Sonic Facial Cleansing Brush. We all know about the importance of cleansing, but with this little genius gadget you can get your deepest clean yet as gentle but powerful sonic massage works with ultra-hygienic silicone touchpoints and your chosen cleanser to thoroughly remove any build-up of dead skin cells, dirt, oil and sweat, preventing skin problems and resulting in clean & radiant skin, But that’s not all! It preps your skin perfectly for the absorption of your favourite skincare products for maximum effect and results, the tiny pulses help awaken the skin by stimulating the circulation of blood in the skin’s layers (when the blood is stimulated more oxygen is produced in the blood and this feeds the skin cells) and the cleansing brush will aid in keeping your pores clear from debris banishing those breakouts!All it takes is 2 minutes per day! Watch what you eat Sadly, certain foods can exacerbate blemishes and cause full on acne breakouts eek! While other foods can actually help fight them! To pave the way to clear skin you want to follow an anti-acne diet stat. This is a diet rich in the following goodness; Fatty fish such as salmon and tuna Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apricots, and sweet potatoes Spinach, kale and other dark green and leafy vegetables Tomatoes Blueberries Avocados whole-wheat bread brown rice quinoa Soybeans Foods to avoid include; Refined grains and sugars Dairy products Fast food Chocolate Whey protein powder Stay hydrated Staying hydrated is imperative when it comes to maintaining clear skin. It’s important to consume your 8 glasses of water a day, as well as religiously moisturising your skin both morning and night to keep it supple, soft, well-nourished and blemish free! Never skip on your sunscreen Sun, heat and humidity can cause oil glands to become overactive, which in turn can lead to acne breakouts! To prevent these breakouts choose and oil-free, non-comedogenic sunscreen and apply it liberally daily! Keep your phone clean and try not to touch your face! We are all guilty of spending many an hour stuck to our phones but did you know the bacteria on your phone can lead to breakouts! It’s best to use earbuds instead of pressing the phone against your face or simply use an anti-bacterial wipe to clean your phone daily! It’s also important to be mindful of how often you touch your face with your hands (eek guilty as charged!) like your phone your hands pick up dirt and bacteria and transfer this onto your skin when you rub your face can lead to further blemishes! Exercise every day, even if it’s only a little Exercise is imperative for optimum skin health, by exercising we increase blood flow, by increasing blood flow we help nourish skin cells and keep them vital. Exercise has also been accountable for reducing stress-related acne. Take time out to relax In a fast-paced world where many of us barely stop it’s easy to fall victim to stress! The thing is stress can, unfortunately, trigger breakouts and if you already suffer from acne, stress will only make it worse! So it’s important to try and take time out of our busy schedule for some relaxation. Anything from practicing breathing techniques, reading a good book, taking a bubble bath, meditating, listening to music, or practicing yoga can and will help! Wear mineral makeup as opposed to traditional formulations If you want clear skin and you’re not willing to let makeup go, choose mineral makeup products. They don’t contain any chemical nasties or pore clogging ingredients like some traditional formulations and will allow skin to breath freely all day long. Here at BC from the staff to the experts we all love ELES Cosmetics Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation. And for more translucent coverage the ELES Mineral Foundation Powder. Both products are perfect for those with skin sensitives, are free of any chemical nasties, provide effortless and natural coverage and most importantly will allow your skin to brief freely (so no pore clogging in sight) and feel like you aren’t wearing makeup at all! What more could you ask for? Clean your makeup tools! I’m sure many of us are guilty of putting this off but regularly cleaning our makeup brushes and sponges can make a huge difference to our skin! Yes, that’s right! Your makeup tools are meant to be washed! Besides bacteria, both brushes and sponges also accumulate dead skin cells and oil which can clog your pores leading to skin irritation and pesky pimples! Also, if you apply your makeup with a dirty bush the end result can be a streaky and patchy complexion! Clean brushes definitely make for a smoother makeup application! So get to cleaning them stat! Change your pillowcase frequently! While no one loves to do lots of laundry, switching up your pillowcase every few days will help on the quest for clear skin! Unfortunately like with our hands, makeup brushes and our phones, our pillowcases can harbour any excess oil, dirt and bacteria too (urgh) and in turn, become a breeding ground for acne. So, make sure you change that pillowcase to reduce the risk of breakouts! Better still, if you’re prone to blemishes opt for a silk pillowcase! Silk pillowcases absorb less moisture and dirt, therefore, making them the better choice. Always remove makeup before you go to sleep! It doesn’t matter how tired you are, removing your makeup every night is paramount! While you are asleep at night, your skin isn’t! It’s actually the time your skin recharge, repair, recuperate and renew itself! When you leave makeup on, you are preventing that from happening. The skin ceases to breathe properly, pores get clogged and blemishes start to appear! Get some quality sleep! We don’t call it ‘beauty sleep’ for nothing! When we sleep our skin repairs itself, producing collagen and the more collagen produced means skin is plumper and less likely to wrinkle! If we’re sleep-deprived, not only will we wake with dark under-eye circles and bags, but we are also more likely to experience skin irritation, dehydration, fine lines, and dare I say blemishes! Us adults need a minimum of 7 hours of restful slumber a night, 8 preferred! Just be sure you switch off any electronics an hour or so before a practice some relaxation techniques!

5 acne treatments and tips the experts swear by

by Jo Boyden on May 12 2022

If you’ve been suffering from pimples or all out acne for some years now, or have recently noticed a sudden change in your once clear, smooth skin, you are not alone. Acne is one of the most common skin conditions, even in adults, and is unfortunately triggered by a number of factors, from hormones to stress, excess oil production, bacteria, blocked pores and more!While acne can range in severity, we’re talking anything from whiteheads to large cysts, there are several steps you can take to try to reduce, or in some cases eliminate the condition all together - from specialised skincare to calm inflammation, eradicate impurities, remove toxins and alleviate symptoms, to something as simple as making a few lifestyle changes! Read on as we reveal the best tips and beauty products to help combat acne, as recommended by the experts. Use skincare specifically designed to target acne If you’ve been searching for a science-backed acne treatment that both targets and treats blemishes, look no further, you’ll find all you need in BC’s high-end acne products. From cleansers to moisturisers, spot creams to facial masks, each of the products are formulated with skin loving ingredients that’ll specially target blemishes of all kinds. And if you ask any skincare expert, when it comes to acne, they swear by a couple of skin-saving ingredients - salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide.Powerhouse salicylic acid dissolves the bonds that hold dull, dead skin cells on the surface of the skin so the skin will gently shed, revealing smoother, brighter skin underneath, while super ingredient Benzoyl peroxide is helpful for treating acne not only because it kills bacteria that contribute to acne, but because it helps prevent and clear out clogged pores too! The best Cleanser – Medicalia Clarifying CleanserThe key to fighting persistent breakouts is to find a high-impact cleansing product that will help to clear up your skin while thoroughly cleaning it.Formulated with both lactic and salicylic acids to deeply penetrate pores, remove dead skin cells, and eliminate toxins, surface bacteria, and makeup, Medicalia’s Clarifying Cleanser is a must! It provides skin with a super gentle lather that won’t dry out the skin like some acne treatments do! The best Exfoliator – Phytomer Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural EnzymesWhether your acne is mild or more severe, regular exfoliation will smooth and soften the skin and brighten your complexion. It also helps reduce breakouts by keeping the pores from becoming clogged with the pus of dead cells and sebum (skin oil).We are talking gentle exfoliation though! People often think daily “scrubbing” will prevent blackheads, but it can actually increase the shedding of skin cells therefore causing further clogging on the pores! Make sure you use exfoliators that don’t require physical scrubbing. The BC experts highly recommend Phytomer Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural Enzymes. The best Moisturiser – Pevonia Problematic Skincare Cream We get it. Isn’t applying a moisturiser counterintuitive if you have acne prone skin? After all you’d do everything in your power to keep oiliness away right? The thing is not all acne-prone skin is oily, in fact, dry skin, normal skin, sensitive skin, basically any skin can be prone to breakouts as well! Whatever your skin, moisturising is an essential step in every skincare routine, after all they protect the skin’s barrier function and can even help soothe and prevent acne if done correctly.The experts at BC can’t get enough of Pevonia’s Problematic Skincare Cream rich in Glycolic Acid. It works amazingly on problematic skin reducing overall breakouts while leaving your complexion soft, supple and pores clog-free! The best Serum – Pevonia Soothing Propolis ConcentrateIf you’re a sufferer of reactive, sensitive or acne prone skin a soothing serum could be your new go-to if it’s not already! Pevonia’s Soothing Propolis Concentrate is a beautiful rich gel-like serum with anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant properties! It combines calming lavender, vetiver oil and a high concentration of healing propolis from the Jura Mountains of France to desensitize, decongest, heal, strengthen, and really enrich skin! Outstanding stuff! The best Spot treatment – Phytomer Oligopur Blemish Target GelWhen a pimple rears its head, a potent spot correction treatment will encourage rapid healing by controlling bacteria, reducing inflammation and diminishing the follicular accumulation of keratin. Try Phytomer’s’ Oligopur Blemish Target Gel, it’s a phenomenal spot treatment which targets blemishes with precision, rapidly improving the skin’s appearance and eliminating spots almost overnight! Simply apply a small amount of product to your pimple and let the powerful ingredients keep your skin follicles clean to achieve an even and bright complexion. If you need to conceal your skin, opt for mineral makeup We get it, your natural inclination is to conceal your blemishes, the thing is makeup can exacerbate an already highly irritated complexion, so instead of slathering on your foundation, opt for a breathable base instead. Mineral makeup is the answer as it doesn’t contain any chemical nasties or additional oils, nor will it aggravate skin or clog pores. Genius! Here at BC from the staff to the experts we all love ELES Cosmetics Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation. And for more translucent coverage the ELES Mineral Foundation Powder. Both products are perfect for those with skin sensitives, are free of any chemical nasties, provide effortless and natural coverage and most importantly will allow your skin to brief freely (so no pore clogging in sight) and feel like you aren’t wearing makeup at all! What more could you ask for? Review your daily diet A poor diet and an imbalanced gut can contribute to acne breakouts. To keep your skin clear and pimple-free, prevent breakouts by attempting to avoid the following foods; Refined grains and sugars Dairy products Fast food Chocolate Whey protein powder Instead indulge in foods such as almonds, blueberries, avocados and kidney beans as they are among a range of foods which may help to reduce and prevent inflammation. Keep up the exercise Its easy to think you should forgo exercise if you are an acne sufferer in fear that sweating will only make your condition oh so much worse. The thing is sweating can actually help dislodge blocked pores! You just need to make sure you cleanse your skin straight after exercising and before the sweat has had time to dry! Exercise is also imperative for optimum skin health, by exercising we increase blood flow, by increasing blood flow we help nourish skin cells and keep them vital. Exercise has also been accountable for reducing stress-related acne. Always remove your makeup before bed It doesn’t matter how tired you are, removing your makeup is paramount! While you are asleep at night, your skin isn’t! It’s actually the time your skin recharges, repairs and recuperates! Removing your makeup and other dirt and grime before bed unblocks those clogged pores meaning skin can breathe once again, this in turn reduces the likelihood of further skin inflammation and acne eruptions. Phew. To learn more about which type of acne you are prone to click here.

Skin and the city – how to minimise the impact of city living on our skin!

by Jo Boyden on Mar 18 2022

We all know about the importance of protecting our skin against the sun, hey I preach about it enough! But for those of us who live in urban areas, what about protecting our skin against pollution? That’s right, as well the adverse effect pollution has on both our environment and long-term health, it can also damage our skin! There are however measures we can take to reduce the impact of city living on our skin and we are here to tell you want they are so keep reading…Firstly, exactly how does pollution affect our skin?Pollution – anything from exhaust fumes to smoke to dust and more, can not only leave your skin feeling irritated, oily and grimy but it can also seep into pores weakening the skin’s delicate barrier. It can break down collagen (the protein that keeps our skin healthy and supple!) and oxidize the lipid layer in the skin, damaging skin-barrier function, resulting in dehydration, sensitivity, uneven skin tone, dullness, acne, and premature aging! Eek! What can we do to protect our skin against pollution? Invest in a skincare program specially designed to improve the impact of pollution on our skin. Until we find a way to remove these nasties from our environment, it’s essential to maintain a good skincare regime that protects our skin from chemicals in the air and prevents them harming your health. Urban living will always be full of things to stress you out, but, thankfully, damaged skin doesn’t have to be one of them!The great news is French marine skincare brand Phytomer have created an outstanding awards-winning collection of products designed to repair and revive urban skin syndrome called CITYLIFE.All three products in the collection effectively re-oxygenate and diffuse mineral water into dull, devitalized and dehydrated skin. CITYLIFE Face and Eye Contour Sorbet CreamYes! An outstanding moisturiser for both face and eyes, it’s formulated in a refreshing sorbet texture and is just what you need to reoxygenate tired skin. A combination of three marine sugars creates the active ingredient, CITYSAFE®, to depollute, cleanse and oxygenate the skin. CITYSAFE®, along with blue and red algae’s and Phytomer’s patented seawater concentrate – Oligomer®, reset skin repairing damage caused by signs of fatigue, dark spots and a dull complexion. CITYLIFE not only sweeps away toxic micro particles but provides an ultra-moisturising facial experience too!CITYLIFE Ultra Cleansing Flash PeelThis is the first of its kind, a pollution defence deep cleanser power packed with a high concentration of exfoliating enzymes, it leaves the skin healthy, purified and with an incredible glow.CITYLIFE Radiance Reviving MaskThis unique cream-mousse mask instantly counters all the effects of pollution - dehydration, signs of fatigue, dark spots and dull complexion. Combining 100% natural red and white clays, blue microalgae, red algae and a comprehensive depolluting complex of 3 marine sugars, it reveals luminosity, radiance and refined pores after just one application! No more tired, lacklustre skin. What’s more day after day, pores are visibly tightened too! As always, sunscreen is essential Always be prepared with your daily dose of sunscreen! Just like the sun, pollution is always there so opt for a sunscreen that’s affective at protecting against both!Phytomer Algodefence SPF 20 Multi-Protective Wrinkle Cream is a clever sun protection and wrinkle corrector in one! and is formulated with anti-aging and marine ingredients to provide a complete action against pollution, free radicals and UV rays! Genius. Diet and lifestyle are also powerful ways to address the effects of pollution on our skin. Easier said than done I know but reducing stress in your everyday life as well as getting enough shut eye can really help. Upping the intake of antioxidant rich food such as green leafy veggies, blueberries, cherries, tomatoes and nuts are a must, as these help fight free radicals from within.Also cutting down on alcohol, processed meats, sugar, fried foods, and refined flour will make a difference.

How to improve uneven skin texture

by Jo Boyden on Mar 17 2022

Prone to dealing with uneven, bumpy or rough skin? Want to know why?You’re not alone. Although it might not be as talked about as skin conditions like dehydration, hyperpigmentation, and rosacea to name but a few, uneven skin texture is just as common! From large pores, skin laxity, acne scarring, dryness, sun damage and more, here is everything you need to know about this skin condition and how to remedy it according to the BC pros. What causes uneven skin texture exactly?There are a number of factors that can play a role in the cause of uneven skin texture but most commonly it can be the result of dryness or a build-up of excess dead cells on the surface of the skin. This can make skin feel bumpy or rough. In addition, everything from unprotected sun exposure, dehydration, environmental and digital pollution (Blue light rays emitted from our digital devices), seasonal changes as well as natural skin ageing can all affect our skin texture too! Eek. How to get rid of itThe good news is there are certain ways to remedy uneven skin texture! You do need to be religious about it though! Exfoliate to smooth uneven skin out If skin-cell build-up is the issue, remedying the situation could be as simple as sloughing those dead cells away. To improve skin’s texture and ensure its smoothness once again, it’s essential to exfoliate your skin, no question….and do it properly! Exfoliation is imperative because it ensures the removal of any dead skin cells that accumulate on the skin’s surface, exfoliation also penetrates deeper into the skin than your daily cleanser, providing skin with a thorough deep cleanse. Just make sure you're exfoliating twice a week with a dedicated exfoliator. The key is to find an exfoliant that isn’t too harsh on your skin since abrasive exfoliants can cause micro-tears and excess oil production! We love Pevonia’s Best-selling Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser! And use a Sonic Facial Cleansing Brush, specifically targeting the areas that feel uneven.A Sonic Facial Cleansing Brush has many amazing benefits but most importantly it effectively works together with your cleanser to really remove 99.5% of dead skin cell build up on the skin’s surface, preventing further skin problems such as uneven skin texture. It also de-congests clogged pores clearing dirt, oil and sweat and debris and in turn banishing breakouts! And an added bonus is it stimulates circulation and oxygenates the skin resulting in a healthy, radiant complexion. Drink water and lots of it! Yes, yes, we know! We’ve heard it a million times before, but drinking enough water daily is imperative for your skin’s health. In fact, improving skin texture can be as simple as staying hydrated throughout the day since the moisture effectively assists skin in both looking and feeling smoother.Well nourishing skin also tends to lessen the appearance of dryness and dullness which are common symptoms of uneven skin texture. Introduce Vitamin C into your skincare routine Adding Vitamin C to your skincare routine has a multitude of benefits, one being the improvement in your skin texture! It provides a powerful antioxidant to both repair and defend your skin from free radical (environmental) damage (that can lead to uneven skin) while also boosting brightness, reducing the appearance of fine lines, reducing pigmentation, scar tissue and age spots too! So yes, if you want to both help and avoid more skin texture problems in the future, Vitamin C is key!We love Pevonia’s Vitamin C Complexe, Vitamin C and hydration hero hyaluronic acid, work together to quite literally drench skin with repairing antioxidants, deeply nourishing skin while correcting photo-damage. Not only does it have the most beautiful citrus aroma, when applied skin looks instantly brighter and dewier too! Use a daily moisturiser rich in humectants If the skin is dry, it’s important to moisturise every day, morning and night with moisturisers that contain humectants – we’re talking ingredients such as Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid.Humectants are moisturising ingredients that work by drawing water from the atmosphere to hydrate and soften the skin!Try Pevonia’s Best-selling Age Correction Marine Collagen Cream. It’s one of my personal long-time favourites and does wonders for the skin! Rich in Hyaluronic, Glycerin, Marine Collagen and more skin loving goodies, its rich but not too heavy, deeply nourishing and easily absorbs into the skin leaving skin super soft and smoother after every application.And this month (March 2022) if you purchase this hero product, you’ll receive Pevonia’s Hydrating Cleanser and Lotion 50ml for FREE!! Apply a face oil nightly Our skin naturally loses moisture throughout the day. This annoyingly can contribute to signs of aging as well as dryness (which as we now know is one of the main causes of uneven skin texture!) Facial Oils act as amazing moisture barriers for the skin, this means they have the ability to lock moisture into cells, preventing it from escaping into the atmosphere while sealing natural hydrators to improve skin texture. Yes!!We highly recommend Pevonia’s Vitaminic Concentrate, It’s a phenomenal soothing, silky, antioxidant oil with the most amazing mandarin aroma that is worth its weight in gold! It’s fast absorbing and radically combats premature ageing, dehydration and excessive dryness by locking in hydration and delivering moisture that stays! So you will wake up to smooth, supple and seriously glowy skin by morning. Be religious with your sunscreen! Since uneven skin texture is often caused by sun damage, be sure to wear sunscreen every.single.day, no acceptation. Sunscreen doesn’t only help protect your skin from sunburn and premature ageing but will prevent pore enlargement and dark spots too!

Beauty Collective - most important skincare routine

This is the most important step in your skincare routine

by Jo Boyden on Jan 25 2022

You might assume that moisturising is the most important part of your daily skincare ritual, but you’d be wrong! While keeping your skin nourished is paramount to a healthy complexion, cleansing, and I mean thoroughly cleansing, is in fact the first and most vital step. And sadly no, a quick swipe with a make-up wipe will not suffice! Instead, we all need to purify our skin every day, no matter what our skin type, especially in the evening and here’s why….Every day our skin is ageing and cleansing before bed is the only way to lessen the impact of external factors associated with the ageing process and to stimulate the internal processes that fight it!Research proves that physiological changes in the skin happen overnight. Like many of our organs, our skin can tell night from day. Evidence exists linking circadian clocks to cell cycle (cells dividing to replenish dead ones) and DNA repair, the natural process by which a cell regularly detoxifies itself.In addition, the skin needs oxygen to repair itself and sleeping with dirty skin or a face full of makeup deprives it of this vital nutrient. It also slows down the natural exfoliating process, which can leave your skin looking dull and lifeless. Not to mention the problem of clogged pores resulting in pesky pimples and acne too!Add to this the fact that nocturnal blood flow in the skin is higher when you sleep and when blood flow is increased so is absorption and penetration of ingredients. So again, if you aren’t washing, any skincare you might be applying (like your moisturiser or serums, will amount to nothing. They won’t be able to penetrate the skin and in turn help fight ageing!In a nutshell, if you don’t wash your face before bed it’s a missed opportunity to do something great for your skin and to wake up with smoother, softer, clearer complexion by morning.So now we understand why cleansing is important, let’s find the best cleanser for our skin type! To remove eye makeup…PHYTOMER MICELLAR WATER – EYE MAKEUP REMOVAL SOLUTIONThis mild cleanser for sensitive eyes is so very gentle yet highly effective, even on waterproof makeup! A single application removes all traces of eye makeup while soothing the area and conditioning the lids and lashes. For all skin types…PHYTOMER PERFECT VISAGE – GENTLE CLEANSING MILKThe creamy texture melts on your skin to gently remove makeup and impurities without disturbing the skin’s protective barrier. For combination and oily skin…PHYTOMER OLIGOPUR – PURIFYING CLEANSING GELA lightly foaming, velvety soft gel which eliminates impurities and excess sebum. Skin is cleansed and purified. For tired lacklustre skin…PHYTOMER CYFOLIA ORGANIC RADIANCE CLEANSING CREAMA rich, velvety cleansing cream formulated with organic orange water, oligomer, organic vegetal oils and cyfolia algae, which literally melts on contact with the skin to gently cleanse and remove makeup, oil and impurities!Like a burst of radiance to the complexion, skin is soft, supple and glowing after every cleanse! For dehydrated and devitalised skin…PEVONIA HYDRATING CLEANSERCombining hydration sensation Hyaluronic with anti-ageing duo Marine Collagen and Marine Elastin, this creamy textured nourishing cleanser, hydrates skin, preserving skin’s moisture while effectively removing skin impurities without residue. The result? Perfectly cleansed, beautifully refreshed, soft and smooth skin after every wash! For the ultra-sensitive…PHYTOMER ACCEPT – Soothing Cleansing Milk 250mlThe most gentle way to remove makeup and calm the epidermis. This makeup remover instantly cleanses, tones and soothes the most sensitive skin. A great multi-tasking cleanser…PEVONIA CLEANREFRESH FOAMING OIL CLEANSERThis truly innovative, triple duty cleanser is a hybrid which offers the combination of a gel, oil and foam! Featuring an advanced lipid-rich, alcohol-free, soap-free exclusive formula, it transforms from a gel like consistency to a luscious, foaming cleanser on application (which mixed with water). It acts like a super magnet entrapping pollutants, impurities and bacteria to leave skin radiantly refreshed and seriously soft.

In need of some serious pampering? Transform your bathroom into a spa with Phytomer

by Jo Boyden on Jan 18 2022

If you're tired, feeling a little blue or in serious need of a break, little compares to taking time out for some much needed pampering. If visiting your local salon or spa isn’t an option though, why not transform your bathroom into a sanctuary? An indulgent spa with BC brand – Phytomer 1 Nurturing bath As soon as you start running the water, pour OLIGOMER® WELL-BEING SENSATION Essential Minerals Relaxing Bath into it. This balneotherapy treatment at home, fully revitalizes the skin, helps to relieve tension in the body and promotes optimum relaxation. Its Green Tea / Jasmine fragrance is diffused throughout the duration of your bath and leaves a trail of freshness and lightness on your skin. 2 3-in-1 Toning Scrub Before sinking into your bath, exfoliate your body with TONING BODY SCRUB with Marine Salt Crystals, an excellent ally for exfoliating, moisturizing and revitalizing the skin. To take full advantage the benefits of the exfoliation, warm the scrub in your hands, then massage it onto dry skin using upward circular movements, paying particular attention to rough areas such as heels, knees and elbows. 3 Mask of plenty Once exfoliated, and before diving into your bath, move on to the face mask stage. Now is the time to enjoy the benefits of steam which opens the pores of your face and enhances the action of the mask. The choice is yours for pampering your face: HYDRASEA Thirst-Relief Rehydrating Mask: very light and airy “foam effect” cream, which offers double moisturizing to your skin DOUCEUR MARINE Soothing Cocoon Mask: cocoon texture that soothes and decongests sensitive skin OLIGOPUR Shine Control Purifying Mask: non-drying texture that purifies, mattifies and absorbs excess sebum 4 A burst of moisture Just out of the bath, dry yourself thoroughly and moisturize generously with Oleocreme Ultra Moisturizing Body Milk. Moisturize yourself from head to toe with this miracle cream that provides your skin with all the essential ingredients and nutrients to strengthen it, soften it and make it more attractive. Its creamy and velvety texture is absorbed in a stroke, bringing your skin comfort and suppleness. Enveloped in a satiny veil, it is velvety-smooth to the touch.Want to find out more about Phytomer? Visit our website on www.phytomer.com.au

Beauty Collective - Skin in need of a detox

Skin in need of a detox? 7 ways to get it back into shape

by Jo Boyden on Jan 13 2022

If you’re anything like me, the festive season might well have seen you over-indulging. And the more ‘treats’ you’ve enjoyed, the more likely both you, and your skin will be in need of detox!Detoxing your skin simply means removing as many of the impurities, toxins, pollutants and dead skin cells as possible to cleanse, treat, brighten, hydrate and soothe your skin back to its optimal condition. If you’ve yet to try a skin detox, it’s probably time, here’s how; Double Cleanse We all cleanse our skin of course, it’s a daily habit, but no matter what your usual skincare routine, a serious skin detox requires double cleansing! The first cleanse will eradicate daily dirt, excess oil and makeup, but if you double cleanse you’ll be sure to remove any remaining impurities guaranteeing your cleanest skin yet!The double cleanse method works on the principle that you firstly use a cleansing oil (we LOVE the ELES Transformation Cleansing Oil) or micellar water (if you are a lover of micellar water you simply must try Vie Collection’s Micellar water for face, eyes and lips), they will break down makeup, SPF and sebum on the surface of your skin. Then follow with a water-based cleanser, which will clean much deeper into the pores, removing any remaining sweat, bacteria and dead skin cells. The deeper cleanse will also allow your serum and moisturiser, as well as other night-time leave-on products, to penetrate into your skin working their magic much more efficiently, giving your skin cells the best chance at regenerating for a plumper more youthful complexion! Up the ante when it comes to exfoliating It’s time to step up your game. The goal is to slough away dull, dead skin cells and toxins frequently, so opt for a gentle formula you can use twice a week. we LOVE Pevonia’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, it gently polishes your skin with its unique creamy, granular texture. But if granules scare you, we also highly recommend Phytomer’s Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural Enzymes. It’s a soft exfoliant for even the most sensitive or rosacea prone skin and uses natural enzymes to encourage cell turnover without scrubbing or irritating your skin. Apply a detoxifying mask Whenever skin is in need of a serious detox, applying a mask containing ingredients like charcoal is a must! It’ll help to absorb deep-dwelling dirt and toxins as well as removing excel oil and impurities from the skin. We love Pevonia’s Pure Skin Charcoal Mask. This silky-smooth and creamy mask easily pulls toxins out of the skin for a clean, purified and healthy complexion as it restores a normalized cellular function.Kaolin and Bentonite Clays can also help refine pores and balance the skin. Our go-to mask for deep cleansing is Phytomer Oligopur Flawless Skin Mask with Kaolin Clay. Add your skin boosters Now that your pores are open, clean and ready for action - in other words ready to absorb some serious active ingredients - it’s time to apply your skin boosters AKA hyaluronic acid, vitamin c and retinol among others. Vitamin C especially is a great detoxing agent since its rich in antioxidants and can combat free radicals! Try Pevonia’s C Complexe. Vitamin C and hydration hero hyaluronic acid, work together to quite literally drench skin with repairing antioxidants, deeply nourishing skin while correcting photo-damage. Not only does it have the most beautiful citrus aroma, it makes skin instantly brighter and dewier on application too. Hydrate your skin Complete your facial detox regimen by keeping your skin's moisture levels balanced. Opt for a moisturiser that contains Hyaluronic Acid such as Pevonia’s Age Correction Marine Collagen Cream. If you read our blog, you’ll already know it’s my personal absolute can’t live without product and Pevonia’s Global Best-Seller too! It’s a gorgeously rich, yet fine cream – formulated with the best hydrating ingredients; Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Collagen, Glycerin, and more, that feels amazing on application and really does leave skin super soft, supple and like it’s had that much-needed boost of moisture, a feeling that lasts all day!At night use a facial oil designed to help lock in optimum hydration levels. We highly recommend Pevonia’s Vitaminic Concentrate. It’s a soothing, silky antioxidant oil with the most amazing mandarin aroma and is worth its weight in gold! It’s fast-absorbing and radically combats premature ageing, dehydration, and excessive dryness by locking in hydration and delivering moisture that stays! So you’ll wake up to smooth, supple, and seriously glowy skin by morning. Don’t forget your body Now we have your skin sorted it’s time to move onto your body! Dry brushing your body with a firm-bristled brush before showering is amazing for detoxifying! It can help remove dead skin cells, stimulate lymphatic fluid and improve circulation to rid skin of impurities.Also using a good seaweed soap in the shower can have major benefits. Combining Seaweed, one of the greatest marine elements with Shea Butter, Pevonia’s Seaweed Exfoliating Soap detoxifies, stimulates circulation, removes surface build-up, and renders your skin silky-smooth! Winning. Clean from within Finally eating lots of fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables, as well as drinking green tea and at least eight glasses of water a day, will help your skin flush toxins from the inside out.

6 face oils to add to your daily routine

by Jo Boyden on Nov 10 2021

I may have been late to the party when it comes to introducing face oils as a staple in my beauty routine, but today I’m testament to how good they really are how much they have single handily benefited my skin. You see my skin has always been notoriously dry. No matter how much water I drink, how much love I seem to show it, I have a dehydrated complexion. But since discovering my favourite skincare products including my much-loved face oils, my skin has gone from dehydrated to glowy in next to no time and I’m here to tell you how.Firstly though, it’s important to understand that face oils are not just for those of us suffering from dull, dry, or dehydrated skin. They are in fact the perfect product for everyone, no matter what your skin type or concern. So if you’ve been wanting to try a face oil in what feels like forever but have been holding back from fear of breakouts because let’s face it applying oil to oily skin isn’t logical right? You’d be wrong! The age-old beauty myth is just that, a myth, because not only do face oils actually balance oil flow (yes really!) they help to repair your skin’s natural barrier too! Genius!From cleansing oils to radiance boosters, the following face oils will transform your skincare routine and your skin! What’s more they come highly recommended by the BC professionals and you, our loyal customers too! Pevonia Vitaminic ConcentrateThis soothing, silky anti-oxidant oil with the most amazing mandarin aroma, is worth its weight in gold! It’s fast-absorbing and radically combats premature ageing, dehydration, and excessive dryness by locking in hydration and delivering moisture that stays! So you’ll wake up to smooth, supple, and seriously glowy skin every morning.“This product has saved my dry skin, especially during the colder months. You put it on after cleanser and it is absorbed right away. It is a dry oil and is just wonderful.” Amelia G Phytomer Rosee Soin Radiance Replenishing OilThis is one of those silky, soothing oils with a heavenly rose petal scent that quite literally makes you go ahhhhh” as it melts into your skin. It’s a lightweight dry oil so it absorbs immediately creating a velvety finish without the greasy residue of many an oil. Nourishing marine extracts and botanical oils work together to eliminate impurities while brightening, hydrating, and restoring your skin's natural luster! So while you sleep, your skin repairs and you wake up with a baby soft, radiant complexion that strengthens and firms with every application.“I love this product it makes my skin feel soft and subtle and gives it a beautiful glow. I suffer from redness and this helps to soothe my skin. Amazing product.” Jenni Pevonia De-stress Escape Aromatic OilIf your skin is dry, you’ll really benefit from using facial oils as your barrier. Our current go-to is Pevonia’s new Destress Escape Aromatic Oil. This barrier warrior features a blend of premium and delicate natural oils including safflower, squalane, lavender, chamomile, grapefruit and rose to instantaneously deliver intense hydration while soothing, calming, relaxing, brightening and protecting the skin barrier for ongoing optimal skin health.“I love this face oil! I’ve been using it for a month now as a night time treatment for my dull, dry skin and the results next morning are fantastic! Smoother, plumper, brighter skin! The scent is also heavenly and definitely transports me into a relaxed state of mind. Such amazing stuff!” Amy K Phytomer Tresor Des Mes Beautifying OilThis “treasure of the sea” is THE double duty beauty oil you want in your bathroom! For face, body, and hair! It infuses all the benefits of marine and vegetal oils to moisturise, nourish, repair, and protect you from head to toe. Apply in the evening after a shower or bath and breath in the sensual summer scent. Subtly golden, this beauty elixir will illuminate your skin with light.“This oil keeps my skin smooth and soft. It’s not greasy and absorbs well leaving an attractive glow to skin and hair. I'm so delighted to have been introduced to this product!” Emily Phytomer Oligoforce Advanced Wrinkle and Dark Spot CorrectionThis micro-emulsion contains two active breakthrough ingredients; OLIGOMER concentrated seawater and Marine Ethernal blue micro-algae to specifically target dark spots and wrinkles. Its dewy texture, combining all the comfort of an oil and the effectiveness of a serum, envelops the skin in light and delivers intense hydration. Day after day your skin will become more radiant and dark spots will diminish and fine lines smoothed away! Sound good?“This is a beautiful product. I have only been using it all for about 1 week but already I see a big improvement. I will definitely buy this again and highly recommend it.” Leanore A ELES Cosmetics Transformation Cleansing OilOils aren’t just products that you add at the end of your night-time routine, they also come in the form of cleansers too! Yes! It might sound crazy to remove oil and grime with ‘oil’ so to speak but once you try a cleansing oil you won’t look back. Nothing feels more nurturing and luxurious than a good cleansing oil and the ELES Transformation cleansing oil won’t disappoint! Firstly it literally melts into skin dissolving everything, even waterproof mascara! It does this by binding impurities to the molecules like a vacuum cleaner! Secondly, it dissolves in water. That’s right, you will not be left with a greasy film at all, this oil literally transforms into water-soluble milk which is easily rinsed off leaving your skin feeling not only beautifully clean but remarkably soft and supple too!“Oil cleansers can sound scary especially if you have oily skin but they’re really life-changing and this cleansing oil is no exception! I love how soothing it feels and actually enjoy the process of removing my makeup. There is no oily residue – just clean, soft, smooth, nourished skin. Bliss.” Sarah H

How to get airbrushed-looking skin naturally

by Jo Boyden on Nov 05 2021

Let’s face it… we all want it! Perfect skin, All. Of. The. Time, and with little evidence of makeup too! And sure, what with the likes of #facetuning every one of us can achieve a beautifully airbrushed complexion in our photos, but what about looking airbrushed the natural way, without the likes of apps?Armed with a few miracle makeup items you indeed can! Here’s how; STEP ONE: THE SKIN PREPPevonia Gentle Exfoliating CleanserThe key to nailing your makeup actually lies in the prep you do beforehand. For flawless airbrushed-looking skin you must start with a smooth, clean, flake-free canvas. Use a gentle exfoliating cleanser that will thoroughly cleanse skin as well as remove any build-up of excess oil and dead skin cells. Formulated with jojoba beads, Saponaria and chamomile, Pevonia’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser gently polishes skin with its unique creamy, granular texture, revealing a softer, smoother and brighter complexion after every single use!STEP TWO: THE MULTI-TASKERELES Age Defying BB Cream 30Loaded with Goji Berries, Minerals, Vitamins and Sun Protection this wonder base and ELES Cosmetics best-seller, is your skin care, primer, base and sunscreen in one! Skin caring and skin perfecting in one simple step!! Simply apply to cleansed skin for the silkiest and most undetectable coverage ever! STEP THREE: THE PERFECTORELES Dual Action ConcealerNothing takes the years off your face more than a great under-eye concealer and this is no exception! It not only covers dark circles, it smooths, brightens, depuffs and treats them too! Plus, its medium coverage formula provides continuous hydration and a natural longwearing finish. Select a shade lighter than your foundation and apply it beneath the eyes or wherever you see darkness. Pat into your skin with your finger to look as though you’ve just had 10 hours of blissful slumber.Make sure you always apply your concealer after foundation because then you really get a much-desired brightening effect.STEP FOUR: THE AIRBRUSHERELES Baked Finishing Powder - Diffused LightA compact full of miracles! Sweep over the skin for a soft airbrushed finish to any base. The glow-giving powder contains light-reflecting pigments to make skin look impossibly fresh and flawless while the gorgeous warm tones act like a photo filter on your skin. Sublime skin every time! STEP FIVE: THE YOUTH ENHANCERELES Baked BlushFor a pop of colour that makes skin look fresh, dewy and youthful try this! Six gorgeous shades multi-task as blush, eye shadow and when applied with a damp brush can even work as a matte lip colour!N.B if you tend to have a fair complexion, go for a lighter, more muted version of the blush shade you’d like to use! If you have darker skin, try a stronger, deeper version.

Beauty Collective - Rejuvenate your skin this spring

Rejuvenate your skin. The 7 beautifying benefits of exfoliating

by Jo Boyden on Oct 20 2021

With spring well and truly underway and lockdown over, it’s time to get serious about our skin! We all know the importance of daily cleansing and how much of a necessity moisturising both morning and night is but are we all aware of the numerous benefits of exfoliation, an essential step in our skincare routine but sadly one, that not all of us stick to!It doesn’t matter if you suffer from sensitive skin, a dry complexion or if you’re prone to acne, a good weekly exfoliation is vital! Not only because it’ll get rid of dead surface skin cells but because it’ll also improve the effectiveness of your regular skincare routine so you can experience glowing skin faster! You just need to know which exfoliators are best for your skin type and how often to use them. But first we are here to tell you about 7 benefits of exfoliation, and why you need to make sure it’s part of your regular routine from now one! Exfoliating will give your skin back its radiance! As we age our cell turnover slows down and dead skin cells sitting on our skin’s surface can give us a dull, devitalized complexion! Exfoliating is THE one step in your skincare routine that effectively removes this layer of dead skin, restoring your healthy, vibrant glow. It’s that simple! It smooths your skin tone and texture If you are prone to bumpy skin or dry patches you need to get scrubbing! Exfoliation helps to smooth the skin beautifully and will even out uneven tone and texture for a baby soft complexion! It will enable your moisturiser and serum to better penetrate your skin for optimum results There is little point in splurging on fancy face creams and superlative serums if they are simply going to sit on the surface of your skin! Applying your skincare to a surface of dead skin cells (yuck) is ineffective, that’s because ingredients only work if they can get deep down into the dermis. Often people with dry skin tend to gravitate towards rich, heavy moisturisers not realising that the dryness they feel is in fact a layer of dead skin preventing their moisturiser from absorbing! Regular exfoliating will ensure you are reaping the benefits of your regular skincare routine. So get scrubbing people. It will unblock pores reducing the chances of pimples! If we don’t exfoliate and in turn remove the dead cells sitting on our skin’s surface, in time, our pores can become blocked, which often leads to a breakout, acne or oily skin, even if you aren’t usually susceptible to those skincare conditions! Your makeup won’t be able to sit smoothly on your skin without it Yup. Exfoliating creates a clean, smooth canvas so applying your makeup becomes a breeze, this is because it helps your foundation glide on smoothly instead of sitting atop flaky skin. Plus without that clear canvas, they’ll be no way of avoiding that nasty patchy look! It boosts circulation making skin glow! Exfoliation can also help detoxify your skin by increasing blood circulation and promoting lymph flow/drainage by removing toxins as well as dead skin cells. The results, a beautiful instant, rosy flush. It stimulates collagen production Exfoliating also helps stimulate collagen synthesis to improve the skin's texture, integrity, and keep the skin looking plump, tight, and young! Yes, it’s THAT important! What exactly is exfoliation?Exfoliation is the process of removing the top layer of dead skin cells. Our bodies actually naturally shed some of these dead cells by itself, but as we age the cycle of new cells to dead cells slows down significantly, therefore speeding up this cycle with weekly exfoliation is paramount to keeping skin young and healthy.There are two types of exfoliation methods - physical and chemical. They share the same goals - clearing dead skin cells, helping speed cell turnover, and leaving skin brighter and smoother - but while acids and skin peels are forms of chemical exfoliation, facial scrubs are forms of physical. How often should I exfoliate?Just once or twice a week depending on your skin type will suffice. As much as exfoliating is good for our skin, over-exfoliating—either by doing it too often or by using an exfoliant that’s too harsh or doesn’t agree with our skin—can lead to adverse reactions such as redness, peeling, and flaking. Just be sure to listen to your skin! What is the best exfoliator for my skin type?With so many exfoliators on the market, it’s hard to know where to begin. Finding one to suit your skin can be tricky but paramount to your skin’s health! Below we’ve listed four of our favourites (and that of our customers!) dependant on your skin type. BLEMISH PRONE SKINTo fight those pesky pimples We LOVE Pevonia’s Clarigel Exfoliating Cleanser. Formulated with Salicylic Acid, Jojoba Seed Extract and Grapefruit oil, it provides gentle but effective exfoliating action to open and clear pores, combatting acne-causing bacteria! “BEST CLEANSER EVER! I’ve tried so many cleansers with salicylic acid, glycolic acid or a mix of both to help my blemished skin but they are all too drying. This cleanser is by far the best I have ever found. It thoroughly cleans my skin of all makeup and impurities and my skin feels so smooth afterwards. This is a winner!” Shelley SENSITIVE /ROSACEA PRONE SKINIf you are a sufferer of sensitive skin, we highly recommend Phytomer’s Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural Enzymes. It’s a soft exfoliant for even the most sensitive or rosacea prone skin and uses natural enzymes to encourage cell turnover without scrubbing or irritating your skin.“I have the most sensitive skin, so I can't use exfoliants that contain microbeads or scrubs...this is a great alternative. It sloughs off all of the dead skin cells without ever irritating my skin! I use it once a week at the minimum, and it keeps my face glowing and smooth. It's the most wonderful exfoliant ever!” Sarah R DRY, DULL SKINIf your complexion is dry, dull or devitalized, I’d highly recommend investing in Phytomer’s Cyfolia Radiance Exfoliating Cream! It is amazing and does exactly what the name says! It gently exfoliates skin to reveal a truly radiant complexion! It features two organic exfoliants – argan kernels and pomegranate seeds, as well as Algae, Oligomer and Orange water that work together to immediately clear away rough and dull skin for a visibly softer, smoother and brighter complexion after every single application.“I love this product. It does wonders for my dehydrated, dull skin! It has a beautiful texture, is not harsh at all and the results speak for themselves. My skin is so soft and almost glowy after I use it. LOVE” Tina R ALL SKIN TYPESNo matter what your skin type if you are a fan of enzyme exfoliators over physical scrubs you are going to fall in love with Pevonia’s Enzymo Spherides Peeling Cream. This little beauty (a mini facial in a jar as I call it!) does wonders for the skin. And no don’t let the word ‘peel’ put you off! It combines natural fruit pineapple and papaya enzymes to gently and effectively eliminate impurities, blackheads, dead cells and toxins and it’s so easy to use! Simply apply a thin layer to cleansed skin, wet your fingertips with warm water (this will help to ‘wake up’ the enzymes) and work the peeling cream with gentle massage movements into skin, leave on for 5 minutes and then thoroughly rinse away. Nothing makes skin feel cleaner, softer, smoother and brighter than this jar of goodness!! Trust me.“Absolutely the best product on the market. Perfect for all skin types and ages. Truly amazing. It's gentle and effective, skin is left bright and soft.” Lisa W SHOP ALL EXFOLIATORS.

Beauty Collective - reduce Pimple overnight

10 steps to radically reduce pimples overnight

by Jo Boyden on Oct 06 2021

Dealing with spots can be frustrating. Just as you think you’ve beaten those blemishes, along pops up more! Well, it is possible to radically reduce their appearance overnight, you just need to follow these 10 simple steps, according to the experts at BC. Use a warm compress then pop ice on your pimpleApply a warm compress to the problem area or steam your face to bring your blemish to the surface. Then use a cold compress or ice, as this will help to decrease inflammation, reducing redness, size and visibility of the spot. Don’t pick that pimpleAs tempting as it can be, and I’m sure we’ve all been there, you should never, ever pick at your pimple as this will only do damage to your skin. Why? Because it can spread the area of bacteria, creating more blemishes and trauma to your skin, which in turn leads to inflammation, infection, and potentially even scarring. Picking your pimple can also result in it taking much longer than usual for it to disappear, rather than overnight like you are wanting!Watch what you eatSadly, there are particular foods that can exacerbate blemishes so if you want your spots to do one, make sure you eliminate them from your diet! Avoid cow’s milk and whey protein as they can be known to aggravate acne and try to stick to a low sugar diet as yes sadly that chocolate bar or delicious cupcake can be a cause of a sudden breakout.Make sure your skincare features the following blemish fighting ingredientsWhile there are 3 key ingredients to look out for when searching for that overnight miracle product; Benzoyl peroxide to kill acne-causing bacteria. Salicylic acid to help exfoliate and unclog pores Retinol to help boost cell turnover, prompting cells to shed and preventing them from clogging. If you are prone to blemishes and you want to keep them under control, you really need to be armed with skincare featuring 6 key ingredients: Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Benzoyl Peroxide, Retinol, Charcoal/Clay and Hyaluronic Acid. For more information on the benefits and effects of these ingredients and the best products to use click here.And use a good spot treatment for those pop-up pimples!While there is no way to get rid of a pimple in 5 minutes you can see huge improvements in a matter of hours by immediately treating it with a topical spot treatment rich in Salicylic Acid. Salicylic acid is very potent when it comes to getting rid of blemishes. By applying this spot attacking ingredient directly to the problem area, immediately removes excess oil and dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, meaning it effectively unclogs pores while simultaneously reducing any infection, swelling and redness.The team at BC can’t recommend the following skin saviours enough. Medicalia spot treatment This potent professional-grade targeted treatment diminishes follicular build-up, controls bacteria, and reduces inflammation with noticeable improvement in skin healing. It infuses skin with high performing ingredients including; Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid Mucor Meihei, Phytic Acid, and Sea Whip to effectively control, combat, and clear blemishes and acne lesions. What’s more it effectively decreases the risk of scarring and prevents post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. “This product is fantastic - have used this on random spots which appear and they always go away after using this product for a couple of days in a row. Highly recommended!” Natasha M Phytomer Oligopur Blemish Target GelThis blemish treatment gel dries and corrects, targeting blemishes with precision. It rapidly improves the skin's appearance, significantly reducing spots overnight. “This is an amazing blemish gel! I'm 37 and still get a few monthly breakouts. The Phytomer Blemish Gel works almost overnight, or over the course of the day as you can apply it over make up without worrying that it will show or mess up your foundation or powder. It doesn't dry you out and absorbs quickly.” Leanne Pevonia SpaTeen Blemish-B-GoneCombining both organic Benzoyl Peroxide with organic Salicylic Acid, this spot treatment radically heals blemishes while counteracting bacteria, as well as preventing future breakouts. Phew.“This is the BEST spot treatment that I have ever tried. I use it once at night and once in the morning. It totally took care of my breakouts. I can carry it in my bag with no problems, and it is easy to use. I’m hooked!” Ella W Tie your hair backKeep your hair off your face as the natural oil from your hair can touch your face and worsen the pimple. Make sure you remove your makeup at the end of the day!Whether you’re prone to the odd spot or suffer from all out acne, you’ll soon see that sleeping with a face full of makeup can result in a bigger breakout of blemishes. Eek! Makeup, unfortunately, clogs pores, and when your pores are blocked, your skin can’t breathe, and therefore it can’t regenerate. The oil in your pores builds-up and transform itself into spots. Fact. So make sure you always remove your makeup before bed with a good makeup remover!We love Vie Collection’s Micellar Water. It literally purifies, conditions and cleanses your complexion in one easy step thoroughly removing makeup from your lips, eyes and face. “All makeup removal products I have purchased, has always broke me out. So this is just what I was looking for. This product does leave your facial area's feeling well hydrated, nourished, and well cleansed” SophiaFor more information on sleeping in makeup and what it really does to our skin, click here. And do use a blemish busting cleanser before bedDon't ignore the power of a good cleanser formulated with some of the 6 key ingredients. Using your cleanser religiously will not only treat the pimples you do have, but prevent future emergencies. We highly recommend thoroughly cleansing your skin with one of these blemish busting cleansers, before zapping that zit with your spot treatment. Pevonia Clarigel Exfoliating CleanserExfoliating cleansers are perfect for blemish prone skin, as they help reduce breakouts by removing excess dead skin cells and unclogging pores. Pevonia’s Clarigel Exfoliating Cleanser combines Salicylic Acid and Citric Acid with Jojoba, Soapwort, Triclosan and Grapefruit Oil, to gently exfoliate skin’s surface as well as deeply penetrate the pores, decreasing microbe growth and calming inflammation. “I bought this product after being “prescribed” it by my beauty therapist for my mild adult acne. Firstly, the scent is light and non-intrusive, which is a huge plus. I also like that it contains both manual (small grains) chemical (citric acid) exfoliating properties. It helps to make my skin feel clean, smooth and prepared for moisturising. After a week or so I noticed a HUGE improvement in my breakouts.” Leah Medicalia Clarifying CleanserIn general, foaming cleansers are also great for oily and acne-prone skin, specifically because of their pore penetrating capabilities. If you want to get rid of blemishes or excess oil/sebum fast, you need a cleanser that can go deep in your pores and get rid of the debris without too much effort. We LOVE Medicalia’s Clarifying Cleanser. Specifically created for those with breakout prone and sensitive/oily skin, it’s formulated with both Salicylic and Lactic acids (so we know that’s a good thing!) Its potent foaming suds work very quickly to eliminate surface bacteria, toxins, impurities and makeup while combatting inflammation too! “I have used this cleanser for over 15 years now and it is just awesome! I used to suffer from acne and this cleanser helped no end and without drying my skin out!” Bec Change your pillowcaseI know we all change our pillowcases but do we do it frequently enough? Keeping your pillowcase clean and we are talking about changing it every 3-4 days, is a top beauty secret! This is because they have a build-up of oils, dirt, and sweat from daily use (yuck) which means they can harbor bacteria and in turn become a breeding ground for blemishes, as well as exacerbating them! Go to bed in a relaxed state and get your 8-9 hours of beauty sleep!I’ve said this many a time and for good reason. Stress and lack of sleep induce the hormone cortisol, which triggers our skin to produce more sebum or oil. This increase of oil can then clog pores and in turn not only exacerbate the blemish you are wanting gone by morning but can also lead to even more breakouts.And yes, we know what we are saying isn’t as simple as it sounds, especially when many of us are dealing with work, kids, home-schooling, and lockdown, but from personal experience, I do highly recommend having a relaxing mineral bath before bed. Little instantly reduces stress quite like it. I LOVE Phytomer’s Oligomer Well Being Sensation Essential Minerals Relaxing Bath. It’s a lightly foaming, ultra-relaxing fragranced bath enriched with Oligomer – a partially sodium reduced seawater concentrate that contains all of the remineralizing properties of seawater – to strengthen and restore the skin while releasing all pent-up tension in the body. Amazing stuff right?Then either meditating for a few minutes, I love the Calm app, OR playing soothing sounds. This can have a profound effect on your mental state, significantly reducing stress and leading to blissful slumber.

7 self-care rituals to help you and your skin indulge in blissful slumber

by Jo Boyden on Sep 15 2021

The month of September is recognized as Self Care Awareness Month and what better time to practice self-care than now, when so many of us are living through what feels like forever in lockdown!And yes, I hear and echo many of those mum’s (and dad’s!) who are likely thinking self-care? Who has time for that! But self-care can be as simple as getting an extra hour (or minutes even!) of invaluable zzzzz’s! In fact, sleep is probably the most important part of self-care! Why? Because it can improve your mindset, memory, concentration, energy, productivity, and skin too! And we know, no one is choosing to be sleep deprived, the stresses of everyday life can seriously prevent us from getting the amount of sleep we crave, but if it’s possible to try and get our heads down at a reasonable time (I’m talking to myself here too!) and stick to it nightly, it’ll improve your quality of sleep and in turn have a positive impact of your life and complexion too!Below are 7 self-care tips that will help induce sleep as well as seriously benefit your skin. And if they are working for me, I’m pretty sure they’ll work for you too! Get outdoors and get activeSpending time in the great outdoors in nature is paramount to our mental wellbeing, but it is also known to reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, lower blood pressure and induce peaceful sleep! If you aren’t already doing so, or are becoming a wee bit complacent in lockdown, as part of your daily self-care routine, try and force yourself to get that 20 minutes plus of exercise daily and release those feel-good endorphins it induces.Eat your way to sleepWe all know eating too close to bedtime can impact the quality of our sleep but so can the foods we eat! Now is the time to make changes to your daily diet and incorporate the following foods and drinks that are known to have sleep promoting properties!Nuts – such as almonds, are a great source of the hormone melatonin which regulates your internal clock and signals your body to prepare for sleep. They are also an excellent source of magnesium which has the ability to reduce inflammation and stress levels, in turn helping to improve sleep quality, especially in those who suffer from insomnia.Dairy – such as a glass of milk or plain yogurt are known sources of the amino acid tryptophan which increases the production of melatonin. A glass of milk before bed has been proven to improve sleep.Bananas – like milk contain tryptophan, and the fruit itself is a modest source of magnesium.Oatmeal & rice – are high in carbs and fibre and have been reported to induce drowsiness when consumed close to bedtime. Additionally, oats are a known source of melatoninChamomile tea – offers a variety of health benefits! From being rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation, to boosting your immunity, reducing anxiety and depression! In addition, this popular tea contains apigenin, an antioxidant that binds to certain receptors in your brain that help promote sleepiness.Indulge in a salt infused bubble bathIf you can’t remember the last time you let yourself enjoy a long soak in the bath free from distraction, then now’s the time to treat yourself to a salts-infused bath. Little instantly promotes relaxation quite like taking a remineralizing bath. Ahhhhhh. Begin by creating a spa-like atmosphere so your entire body is relaxed – I’m talking soothing music, burning essential oils, lighting your favourite candle, whatever it takes to set the mood. Next, fill your bath with Phytomer’s Oligomer Well Being Sensation Essential Minerals Relaxing Bath. This amazing lightly foaming product is enriched with Oligomer – a partially sodium-reduced seawater concentrate that contains all of the remineralizing properties of seawater –to strengthen and restore the skin and release all pent-up tension, helping you drift off into a world of utter relaxation.Create a night-time skincare ritualIt only takes minutes to apply your skincare products before bed but what a difference it will make to your skin! If you want to drift off to peaceful slumber and awake to gorgeous glowy skin these are my personal night-time go-to’s; Phytomer Night Recharge Youth Enhancing Cream - Skin cells do their greatest renewal and repair whist we sleep, so applying much needed hydration at night is encouraged to maximise absorption and to enhance your skin barrier. I personally LOVE Phytomer’s Night Recharge Youth Enhancing Cream and use it religiously because my skin demands that extra layer of rich fluffy moisturiser. The cream literally cocoons my skin in nourishing hydration and really does restore youthful vitality by morning.Pevonia Aromatic Oil – with all the benefits of 4 mood enhancing essential oils – lavender, grapefruit, chamomile and rose, combined with squalane and vitamin e, this soothing and indulgent face oil combats dehydration and dryness while soothing, calming and brightening skin. It also promotes an immediate feeling of increased wellbeing and total relaxation from the moment you apply it! Heaven.Say goodbye to dark undereye circles and bagsIt's not an urban legend — falling short on your zzz's, whether due to insomnia or late nights, can cause circles under your eyes to appear or become more prominent. This happens because lack of sleep tends to cause the blood vessels under the thin skin of the eyes to dilate, creating a dark tint. Not getting enough sleep can also increase stress which too can exacerbate dark circles.Fed up of waking with bulbous bags and black circles under your eyes? Try to get more of the necessary shut-eye, but also apply an eye cream like this beauty before bed and when you wake in the morning;Vie Collection’s Chrono Eyes Puffiness-Dark Circles Wrinkles Cream. Yes, a mouthful to say, but a product that does exactly what it says. It’s a beautifully fine cream enriched with moisturising ingredients to nourish the eye area while reversing puffiness, dark circles, and wrinkles! Seriously! it gives immediate gratification thanks to a pearlescent finish that instantly brightens the eye area and it has definitely calmed my puffiness, lightened my dark circles, and even smoothed my wrinkles! Meditate to clear your mindMeditation is one of the best ways to take care of yourself. I couldn’t imagine not having my nightly 5-minute meditation ritual, which my little one’s love to do before their bedtime too! It’s my way to wind down and calm my mind before bed and has vastly improved my quality of sleep too (because prior to committing to my bedtime meditation I was guilty of sitting staring at a screen until at least 11.30 pm at night and we all know how this can interfere with our circadian rhythm (our natural, internal process that regulates our sleep-wake cycle.)Meditation has a whole heap of benefits from reducing stress and negative emotions to increasing self-awareness, creativity, and patience. So, if you haven’t already and are keen to give it a try, I recommend both the Headspace and Calm apps. They have a range of guided meditations for an array of concerns such as sleep deprivation, anxiety, stress and productivity. It might take you a few goes before you start to relax into it and feel a change but believe me when I stay stick with it as you’ll soon wonder why you didn’t give it a go before now! Play soothing soundsThis one gets me every time! Not only when I go to bed but when I’m putting my kids to bed and pass out too!! In addition to facilitating quickly falling asleep and improving sleep quality, playing relaxing music before bed can improve sleep efficiency, which means more time that you are in bed is actually spent sleeping. Improved sleep efficiency equals more consistent rest and less waking up during the night. Result!Our family favourite is Relaxing Deep Sleep Music on Mindful Kids! Bliss. For more ideas on how to practice self-care at home, check our team BC’s beauty recommendations.

How to look younger than your years – the top 12 tips of all time

by Jo Boyden on Sep 08 2021

Although ageing is inevitable there are both simple and less invasive ways to look younger than relying on the likes of Botox or turning to cosmetic surgery. From miracle makeup products to the best anti-ageing skincare routines, a diet high in super foods to daily yoga, if you are searching for a way to look younger than your years try incorporating a few of these beauty habits into your daily life, and we promise they won’t just have you looking fresh faced, they’ll boost your overall energy too! Sound good? Read on…Choose skincare wiselySkincare, while not as fast as the effects of Botox, really can slow down ageing if you select the right products. Choosing serums and creams formulated with one or more of the top 5 skincare ingredients will have your skin looking smoother, firmer and plumper in next to no time.And if you’re missing your Botox appointment because #lockdown, here at BC we have a number of natural alternatives that actually work!Get serious about sunscreenI’m talking about religiously applying it daily. Just as you use a cleanser to wash your face, apply a sunscreen to protect your face! Sun damage is hands down THE most aggressive form of ageing. In fact, it’s estimated that 90% of skin ageing is due to the effects of the sun! It causes proteins in our skin to deteriorate, leading to the loss of our youthful appearance over time. On the bright side this type of ageing can be prevented with proper sun protection, but it needs to be worn even on cool, cloudy days too!Fortunately, there is a myriad of products out there with SPF, from sunscreen to daily moisturisers, foundations and more, and many are now formulated to work with specific skin types, so if you are a sensitive skin sufferer and the idea of slathering on sunscreen scares you, worry no more! Here at BC we have a few firm favourites;Foundation – ELES Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation SPF 15Daily moisturiser – ELES Luminous Defence Brightening Day Protection SPF 50Sunscreen face & body –Medicalia Sunscreen SPF 40 with Blue Light ShieldChoose the right makeup baseYou really can disguise the ageing process with makeup but you have to choose carefully. For example face powder, when used correctly and frugally can be a fantastic makeup staple (I have been I’m in love with the ELES Mineral Powder Foundation for years!) however, no matter your skin type, too much face powder can actually age you! That’s right, it can highlight fine lines and wrinkles instead of helping to conceal them, so it’s best to use powder sparingly – on your t-zone or as the perfect tool for touch ups.A hydrating or satin-finish liquid foundation will be your best choice, especially as skin gets drier with age. Choose a formula that has hydrating ingredients. Foundations that have sheer coverage and dewy luminous foundations will be your best youth enhancing options especially for those concerned about lines and wrinkles.I am a huge advocate for both the ELES Mineral Sheer Tint and ELES Age Defying BB Cream 30 but if you do love a slightly more matte finish the best-selling ELES Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation SPF 15 will be your go-to.Illuminate your face with a highlighterBy doing so your skin will look dewy and more youthful. Apply highlighter to the tops of your cheekbones, brow bones and Cupid’s bow for a natural glow that will leave you looking rejuvenated and refreshed. Try ELES Stick Illuminator. I personally can’t get enough of it!Apply bronzer correctlyWe are all on a quest for that healthy youthful glow, especially in the winter months when it’s almost non-existent, but dusting copious amounts of bronzer all over our nose, chin, cheeks and forehead can play up fine lines and large pores as the powder sinks into them. The best way (and the most flattering!) is to apply your bronzer with a bronzer blush to the perimeter of your face in the shape of a number three. Start on your forehead near your temples and loop down to the tops of your cheekbones, then curve out and around again along your jaw.Look after your lipsOften overlooked, lips can really show your age so it’s important to show them as much love as you would your skin. This means applying a lip cream daily. We are huge advocates for Pevonia’s LipRenew Plump & De-Age treatment which deeply moisturises and volumises the lips, blurs imperfections, and, unlike other lip plumpers, also smooths the surrounding skin folds, lines and wrinkles!We also recommend using a hydrating lip balm to lock in moisture and get lips lipstick ready, after all applying lipstick to dry, chapped lips is a definite no no, as your lipstick won’t apply evenly, it’ll seep into any lip lines making your lips appear even more dry than they already are.Fill in your browsCreating the perfect brows can completely transform your face and make you look 10 years younger, seriously! but you need to know how.Just as the hair on our heads can thin with age, so do our eyebrows, so to look younger, we want to create instantly fake fullness and to do this we need to fill them in with the perfect brow pencil! Just be sure you don’t overfill the front part of your brow though! This area should have soft hair that graduates into more density. If you overfill this area you can make your eye brows look way too harsh. Read more on how to create perfect brows. Cleanse correctly In the quest for a clear complexion cleansing is a must. But cleansing with conventional, harsh products can simply dry out skin which will age you! Worse, it can make skin over-produce oil so you could be hit with rather a few pesky pimples too!! Teenage acne? No thanks.So be sure to use a cleanser specific to your skin type. Beauty Collective has a myriad of cleansers for every skin type and concern so get searching!Make sure you exfoliateDry, dull skin lacks youthful luminosity, so exfoliating is a necessity! We’re not talking daily though, just once or twice a week depending on your skin type will suffice, as too much exfoliation can be counterproductive.A good weekly exfoliation will break up dead surface skin cells and reveal a fresh glowy complexion. If your skin is a little on the sensitive side, exfoliation is still important just be sure to opt for a super gentle formula – we LOVE Pevonia’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, it gently polishes your skin with its unique creamy, granular texture. But if granules scare you, we also highly recommend Phytomer’s Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural Enzymes. It’s a soft exfoliant for even the most sensitive or rosacea prone skin and uses natural enzymes to encourage cell turnover without scrubbing or irritating your skin.Remove remnants of makeup before bedYou know you’re supposed to do it, you’ve been told time and time again but sometimes you just…don’t. But we can’t stress enough that failing to remove makeup at the end of every day is a major missed opportunity for skin to be able to regenerate while you sleep, you see not removing your makeup means the skin ceases to breathe freely, pores clog and fatigue signs start to appear.You also need to remove the days makeup and grime to make way for applying your nightly skincare ritual, and the products aren’t going to work their magic if they can’t effectively seep into the deeper layers of your skin thanks to a wall of makeup in the way!Want to know the full extent on what sleeping in makeup can really do to our skin? Click here. Eat your antioxidantsAntioxidants are SO important when it comes to protecting our DNA from damage – they are the last line of defence against premature ageing. Thankfully our bodies produce antioxidants on their own, but we can definitely strengthen our protection against ageing by eating an antioxidant-rich diet. Multiple studies show that a diet rich in antioxidants can help keep your skin healthy, your immune system strong, your digestive system working smoothly and can also help you look and feel younger longer. Yassssss! So what foods are rich in antioxidants? The favourites in our house include, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, broccoli, spinach and kale! Get enough shut-eyeI’ve said it before and I’ll say it a hundred times, and we all know it’s the truth, not enough shut-eye can have serious ramifications on our skin! We need to think of sleep as an essential step in our daily skincare routine. Not only will plenty of shut-eye let skin cells regenerate overnight, it will also help prevent dark under-eye circles which can really make us look so much older than we are! And we know, no one is choosing to be sleep deprived, the stresses of everyday life can seriously prevent us from getting the amount of sleep we crave, but if it’s possible to try and get our heads down at a reasonable time (I’m talking to myself here too!) and stick to it nightly, it’ll improve quality of sleep and in turn have a positive impact on our complexion too!For more information on what really happens to your skin while your sleep, click here.

Beauty mistakes to avoid in lockdown

by Jo Boyden on Aug 18 2021

Let’s face it, lockdown has made many of us somewhat sluggish. But while we can’t afford to slack off when it comes to work and home-schooling, we can fall victim to being a little lazy in other areas, namely self-care, like neglecting our skin, and at a time when it needs our care and attention the most! You see looking after our skin isn’t just about looking good, it’s about feeling good too! And sticking to your regular routine might be just what you need to pick yourself up out of a lockdown slump. So save your skin this lockdown and avoid making these 11 common skincare mistakes….and if you are already making them, now you know not to! 1. Skipping your beauty ritual all together…If you think now is the time to let your skin ‘be’ or you are simply using the excuse of lockdown as a means to not have to keep up with your 5-10 minute skincare (and makeup) routine of a morning and evening, you’d be wronging yourself and your skin!We are all aware of the benefits of skincare and how important daily cleansing and moisturising is! After all none of us want dehydrated, dry, dull, spotty skin! Plus keeping up the appearances so to speak isn’t just about looking good it’s about feeling great as well, and following your morning makeover has been proven to improve your mental wellbeing as well as ensuring that your skin stays happy and well-taken care of too!2. ...Or simply overindulging on your skincare routine!If being time poor isn’t something you’re facing right now, and in fact you have too much time on your hands, you might find yourself filling those extra hours at home by indulging your skin. Fantastic yes! But not if you are overindulging it! Your skin can become easily overwhelmed if you use too many products (and active ingredients) at once, resulting in skin irritation, clogged pores and even breakouts! It can then also be confusing as to which product caused the reaction!The general rule of thumb is to try introducing one new skincare product at a time, using it for a week or two before introducing another. If during that time you see no adverse reaction, it’s safe to say your skin is sold and you can start using the next new product. 3. Exfoliating too much or too littleWhether you are prone to acne, currently have a dull, devitalised complexion or suffer from sensitive skin, regular exfoliation is a must. Not only because it will smooth and soften the skin for a brighter complexion but because it helps reduce breakouts by removing excess dead skin cells and keeping pores from becoming clogged. Just make sure you opt for chemical and enzyme exfoliators that contain AHA’s and BHA’s as these will exfoliate skin’s surface as well as deeply penetrate into your pores.We highly recommend Pevonia’s Clarigel Exfoliating Cleanser for blemish prone skin. It combines soapwort, Triclosan, Grapefruit Oil, Salicylic Acid and Citric Acid with Jojoba to gently remove impurities and delivers an intense exfoliating and deep cleansing experience! And if your skin is a little on the sensitive side, just be sure to opt for a super gentle formula – I LOVE Pevonia’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser, it gently polishes your skin with its unique creamy, granular texture. But if granules scare you, I also highly recommend Phytomer’s Vegetal Exfoliant with Natural Enzymes. It’s a soft exfoliant for even the most sensitive or rosacea prone skin and uses natural enzymes to encourage cell turnover without scrubbing or irritating your skin.I’m not talking daily exfoliation though! Hell’s no. Just once or twice a week depending on your skin type will suffice, as too much exfoliation can be counterproductive! This is because exfoliators, especially physical ones with granules or beads can damage the outer most layer of your skin. One sign of over exfoliating is skin hypersensitivity. This can cause irritation, breakouts, and even a stinging feeling when you apply products! Aghhh. 4. Not keeping up with your SPFIt’s easy to think why bother with sunscreen if we are in the middle of winter and well you’re not really heading out, right? Wrong! As I’ve preached many a time before, sunscreen isn’t just a summertime skincare product, it’s necessary to religiously wear it All. Year. Round. Why? Because it is THE best protection against skin ageing. Oh and if you are staying indoors, and happen to work next to a window like me, the sun has the ability to penetrate the glass and your skin too! Eek.And then there is the issue of blue light damage. To read all about it click here. But in short, just like the sun, your devices omit harmful ‘blue light’ rays, so it’s important to wear sunscreen to protect skin against them too!!Sunscreens formulated with iron oxides provide enhanced protection against blue light, especially when combined with zinc oxide. A new favourite of mine is Medicalia’s Sunscreen SPF 30 with Blue Light Shield. If you’re a little reluctant to wear your sunscreen because quite frankly its smell and greasy texture puts you off, you are going to love this lightweight emulsion! This everyday sunscreen contains an exclusive mineral formula to shield skin from harmful sun rays, blue light and pollution. It delivers all-natural protection with the addition of zinc oxide which acts to form a protective seal over the skin to reflect blue light away. It also rubs into skin seamlessly without leaving a white cast or greasy residue behind. And even better, the formula is reef-safe and works for all skin types and tones! 5. Constantly touching your faceIf there is one thing covid has taught me, it’s to be vigilant about touch! But then I have to admit I did not realise just HOW often I touched my face before now!! In fact, my husband likes to point out this new (or maybe not so new!) habit I’ve mastered daily - rubbing my hand over my face when I’m tired (which lets face it is pretty much all the time at the moment – eek!) The thing is every time you touch your face, you’re exposing your skin to bacteria, so repeatedly touching it with your fingertips, resting your face on your hands, or simply rubbing your head can introduce dirt directly to the skin and in some cases cause pesky pimples and worse! So, try to be more wary of your actions, and I promise I will too!! 6. Becoming complacent and not cleansing your skin before bedIt’s easy to become complacent in lockdown, don’t I know! And even more so when you are exhausted after the daily juggle of in my case work, home-schooling and just generally parenting two young kiddies 24-7! Sometimes I even find it hard to peel myself off my bed to go and remove my makeup in the evening, but remove my makeup and the days grime I must!Cleansing your face especially at night to remove not only your makeup but any remnants of the day's sweat, dirt and grime is imperative for healthy skin. Not cleansing before bed means your skin is unable to regenerate effectively while you sleep, pores clog, and fatigue (ageing!) signs start to appear.For a fantastic makeup remover which effectively melts away makeup and grime with minimum effort try Phytomer’s Doux Contour Eye and Lip Waterproof Makeup Remover. Combining the effectiveness of an oil (a trio of oils in fact) and the gentleness of a lotion, this ultra-hydrating makeup remover, eradicates even the most stubborn of lips and eye makeup fast! And my absolute favourite cleanser at the moment is Pevonia’s new CleanRefresh Foaming Oil Cleanser. Its oil formulation transforms into a luscious foamy cleanser on application when mixed with water and it leaves skin feeling fantastically refreshed and beautifully clean without the drying effects that other cleansers can leave. Plus its subtle scent is just heavenly.To read more about sleeping in makeup and what it really does to our skin click here. 7. Not washing your makeup brushesIt’s easy to forget about our brushes in lockdown, but using this time to clean them properly will ensure you won’t be using grubby, bacteria-filled tools when lockdowns lifts. After all, our makeup tools are meant to be washed! Besides bacteria, both brushes and sponges also accumulate dead skin cells and oil which can clog your pores leading to skin irritation and pesky pimples! Also if you apply your makeup with a dirty bush the end result can be a streaky and patchy complexion! Clean brushes definitely make for a smoother makeup application and healthier skin! 8. Not cleaning your phoneYour phone is likely your lifeline right now, especially since socialisation is non-existent! But pretty much, like our makeup brushes, our phones collect tons of bacteria throughout the day. That bacteria then transfers to your face every phone call you make (I probably need to start using my hands free more often!) and puts your skin at risk of infections and even acne! Simply wipe off the screen of your phone with alcohol or with wipes to make sure it is constantly clean. 9. Not washing your sheets and pillowcases frequently enoughWe know lockdown can all make us a little lazy, but staying on top of your daily and weekly chores has its purpose that’s for sure! Unfortunately, clogged pores can occur when we don’t wash our bedding weekly. This in turn can lead to blemishes and breakouts. Why? Because there is a build-up of bacteria and oil on our sheets, especially pillowcases caused by sweat, saliva and dead skin cells. Yuck. 10. Eating a bad dietPutting on weight during lockdown because of all the ‘boredom’ food you might be consuming isn’t your only concern when it comes to diet! The effects it has on your skin can be a huge issue too! So instead of reaching for that sugary treat or bag of chips, treat your skin kindly and optimise your nutrition by eating antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables, healthy fats from oily fish and nuts, and a varied and balanced diet. This should give optimal levels of the nutrients that are crucial for radiant skin, including beta carotene, vitamins C and E and zinc. 11. Not drinking enough waterI’m not sure if it’s just me and being out of routine is a hindrance but I am just not as disciplined with drinking water at home as I was in the office! Maybe it’s because I’m busy with the daily juggle but we all know hydrating yourself throughout the day is a necessity. This is because water helps to get rid of toxins in the body as well as aid in the rehydration of our skin.

Pamper your way through lockdown: How to perfect a spa facial at home in 5 simple steps

by Jo Boyden on Jul 30 2021

Ok ok if you are anything like me the idea of pampering yourself with some spa action at home is almost laughable because, when?? My days are currently filled with home schooling, and nights playing catch up on all the work I was unable to do in the day because #homeschooling, and then the weekends roll around and there is all the many other chores and kids' activities calling my name! BUT we ALL know that allowing ourselves that little bit of “me” time is paramount on any given day, let alone during these unsettling covid times and life in lockdown! So what better way to practice a little self-care than to perform a simple salon-style facial. And hey I’m a stickler when it comes to my morning and evening skincare routine so what’s a few added extra minutes to make that routine into a luxurious facial once or twice a week! Skincare combined with a little pampering and we must be onto a winner right? Not only because we all deserve a little pampering but also because of the multitude of benefits of facial massage!So read on and follow these 5 simple steps on how to perform a luxurious facial at home using all the products from Pevonia’s NEW limited edition At-home facial kit! A kit that has everything to deep cleanse, exfoliate and hydrate your skin! Prepare Use a headband or hair tie to ensure your hair is pulled back from your face. Make Sure your neck is accessible and we recommend wearing a robe to get you in the spa spirit oh and make sure you don’t get any product on your clothes! Step One Sensitive Skin Cleanser Apply a small quantity of Pevonia’s Sensitive Skin Cleanser over your face and neck; work it with fingertips for a good 20-30 seconds. Remove with a washcloth or micro-fibre cloth wet with warm water. Pat dry with a clean towel.This soothing and calming light-textured, creamy cleanser is great for all skin types, not just those with skin sensitivities! Step Two Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser Next, it’s time to gently exfoliate your skin to remove all those dead skin cells and any additional toxins and debris remaining on the skin.Apply a small quantity (about the size of a grape) of Pevonia’s Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser over your face and neck and work with wet fingertips for 1-2 minutes. It gently polishes skin with its unique creamy, granular texture, formulated with Jojoba beads, Saponaria and Chamomile. Rinse with warm water and pat dry with a towel. Enjoy the results as your skin resurfaces smoother, softer and crystal clean every time! Heaven. Step Three De-Stress Escape Aromatic Oil Apply 2-3 drops of Pevonia’s NEW De-Stress Aromatic Face Oil into the palm of your hand and spread the oil over both hands. Breathe in the heavenly scent of four essential oils – rose, chamomile, grapefruit, and lavender as you take five deep breaths. Press your hands to your face and neck to distribute the oil, then use your fingers to gently spread the oils evenly. Perform a 5-10 minute massage. A very important component of the facial due to its numerous benefits.To view the recommended massage steps with soothing music click here. When complete, leave the oil on the skin. Step Four Pevonia Facial Masks; Collagen, Charcoal or Green Apple With three outstanding masks to select from it’s ideal to choose the one that’ll best suit your skin on the day of the facial.The Ageless Skin Collagen Mask is a super-hydrating mask to combat dehydration.The Brightening Green Apple Mask as a clay based mask to deep cleanse the pores and brighten skin tone.The Pure Skin Charcoal Mask is a purifying mask to relieve puffiness and toxicity.All you have to do is apply a thin layer of your chosen mask onto your face and neck. Leave on for 10-15 minutes. Remove with a washcloth or micro-fibre cloth wet with cool water. Pat dry with a clean towel. Step Five Soothing Sensitive Skin Cream Apply a small quantity, approx. the size of a pea to the forehead, both cheeks, chin and neck, then spread evenly over the skin with fingertips until absorbed.Conclusion; Enjoy a relaxing beverage, a calmed mind and your healthy, vibrant skin!To take your skin to the next level you could try incorporating a gemstone facial roller into the massage routine. Want to know more about what exactly a gemstone roller is and to understand their benefits click here.

BC’s best rated beauty buys for oily skin

by Jo Boyden on Jul 12 2021

It’s a fact, with winter brings dry, devitalised skin thanks to the colder weather, artificial heating, hotter showers to name but a few, but we’ve not forgotten about those of us who suffer from oily prone skin ALL. YEAR. ROUND.Here at BC, we’ve got you covered. Read on as we unveil our best rated beauty buys for oily skin types, and we aren’t just talking skincare but makeup too! ELES Pore Perfecting Face PrimerIf you’re a lover of foundation but are a little over it sliding off your face as the day goes on, you need to introduce a primer into your life! A good primer can be a godsend for those with oily skin, not only because it helps makeup last longer but a good mattifying primer will also tackle areas of high shine, soften the appearance of fine lines and pores too!Cue ELES’s Pore Perfecting Face Primer. This light-textured, skin smoothing, oil-free primer not only combats shine but absorbs oil and reduces the appearance of pores and wrinkles at the same time! The result – flawless looking foundation as soon as it’s applied.“A small amount goes a long way. Helps keep my oil controlled. Also, feels so lovely.” Lauri ELES Mineral Foundation PowderIf you are prone to oily skin, it’s best to steer clear of foundation with a dewy finish and instead opt for a matte, semi-matte powder or oil-free foundation. A handy powder compact should be the one staple in your beauty bag, that can come with you wherever you go for those times you need to do a little ‘touch up’. Just be sure to avoid illuminating powder with shimmer as this will only draw attention to skin texture and exacerbate pore size. Instead, opt for a translucent pore-minimising and oil-absorbent powder.Mineral makeup works wonders on oily skin because the particles tend to absorb moisture, preventing shine. The ELES Mineral Powder Foundation enables you to adjust your coverage from a translucent powder to a buildable coverage foundation with a richer, more opaque finish. What’s more, it’s formulated with skin loving ingredients including vitamins A & E, so it’ll provide antioxidant protection as well as condition skin!“Love this foundation, you can make it as light or heavy as you want. It sits really nice on the skin and doesn’t clog my pores. I have combination skin and this foundation lasts all day.” Chrissy ELES Liquid Powder Mineral FoundationIf power isn’t your thing and you’re a lover of liquid foundations but are concerned about slippage, fear not. The ELES Liquid Powder Mineral Foundation is ELES’s global best-seller for many a reason! One being its long-lasting staying power no matter what your skin condition. It’s packed with goodness including an exclusive multi mineral complex as well as vitamins A, C & E but its formula while it goes on as a silky liquid, sets to a soft powder finish, perfect for those with combination and oily skin. What’s more, it allows skin to breath freely so it won’t clog up those pores leading to unwanted blemishes!“Love this product! It beautifully sets from liquid to powder! Great for oily skin or skin which becomes shiny during the day.” Laura Pevonia Phyto-Gel CleanserJust because you have oily skin doesn’t mean you need to use a harsh face wash to dry your skin out! No sireee. Using a face wash that is too harsh or strong can irritate your skin and in turn, trigger increased oil production! It’s best to look for a non-alkaline and non-drying cleanser specifically created for combination to oily skin or all skin types.Suited to all skin-types but particularly good for those with combination to oily skin, Pevonia’s Phyto-Gel Cleanser deeply cleanses the skin with a luxurious foaming consistency. It works by removing the excess and unnecessary oil from the skin’s surface, unclogging pores and ridding it of impurities and surface toxins.“Beautiful deep cleansing, non-drying cleanser. This product has been a favourite of my customers, especially those with normal, combination or oily skin.” Lisa Pevonia Mattifying Oily Skin CreamThis cream should be your go-to if you suffer from an overly oily complexion. Not only does this unique light-textured but subtly creamy moisturiser control excessive oiliness for shine-free skin! Its Lemon and Vitamin B complex ensures skin is hydrated and mattified at the same time to refine pores and prevent breakouts!“This is the best moisturiser for oily skin, the key to balancing oil production and staying youthful looking. I have used this for almost two decades and the results are amazing. it doesn't make my face shiny or greasy and I have oily to sensitive skin.” Brian Phytomer Oligopur Hydra-Matifying Control CreamIf you love something a little lighter when it comes to your moisturiser then this is the cream for you. It is ultra-light, almost like a lotion but delivers long lasting anti-shine, and eliminates oily patches for those with combination skin.“The perfect, lightweight, oil controlling moisture cream to wear day or night. It is the perfect weight under makeup and controls breakthrough shine.” Rebecca

6 essential steps to glowing winter skin

by Jo Boyden on Jun 08 2021

Our sun-kissed summer skin has long since faded, but that doesn't mean we have to accept a lifeless-looking complexion now winter is under way!Yes, the cooler weather and all that it brings (think hotter showers, artificial heating, cold air, wind to name a few) can dehydrate and devitalise our skin often leaving it dull, dry, sometimes flaky! But all this means is that it’s time to up the ante with a little extra skincare TLC.Not sure where to start? No problem. From vitamin-rich serums to the best of facial exfoliators and skin brightening boosters, these are the 6 essential products (and steps!) we highly recommend to keep your skin glowing all winter long. Exfoliation is key Make sure you shed those dry dead skin cells as a build-up is no good for anyone! They sit on the surface of your skin, not only dulling it, but they will also block the hydrating ingredients from every other skincare step in your routine from getting in! Eek! A regular scrub (think twice per week) using a gentle exfoliator will make all the difference we promise!Try Pevonia Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser. This rather lovely, gentle exfoliator will not only remove unwanted dead nasties but will promise to have your skin impeccably clean, soft and radiant in a matter of moments too! Step up the moisture Switch to a more nourishing moisturiser and if you haven’t already introduced a serum to your beauty repertoire. Skin is extra thirsty in winter so will benefit from a quenching dose of moisture.Try Pevonia Intensifier Collagen & Myoxy Caviar and best-selling Age Correction Marine Collagen Cream. Apply a few drops of the intensifier (serum) beneath the moisturiser for a dewy radiant complexion while the Collagen Cream seals in vital moisture and imparts comfort for your skin…all day long. Give skin some night nurturing Before bed lather your face with a vitamin-rich oil to seal in hydration.Try Pevonia Vitaminic Concentrate. The radical treatment for skin lacking lustre, combats dehydration with a burst of vitamins A and E and Mandarin Essential Oil, so your complexion really will look brighter and rejuvenated by morning. What’s more it has the most amazing aroma and even though it’s an oil, it’s fast absorbing so you know it’s doing great stuff to your skin! Don’t forget your eyes One particular area quick to suffer the effects of winter are the eyes. Often taken for granted, this sensitive area is usually the first to show signs of aging and lack of care.Drench the eye contours with super hydrating Pevonia Eye Contour rich in Collagen and skin firming elastin. Dehydration lines will become a thing of the past! Show your body some love Lather your body as you would your face, with plenty of rich cream and pay particular attention to super dry areas such as elbows, knees and heels.Applying your body lotion/cream in the bathroom following a warm bath or shower is a great way to ensure your body readily absorbs the moisture as the warmth in the air will help open your pores thus locking in the moisture.Try Pevonia Preserve Body Moisturiser. Rich in oils, vitamins and phyto-extracts it’ll restore the skin's essential lipids, leaving it soft, supple and radically hydrated. Safeguard your skin….not just in the summer months! Just because it isn’t hot (and potentially sunny, blue skies) doesn’t mean you should slack off with the sunscreen. A super hydrating sunscreen in the winter months will benefit your ailing dry skin greatly and let’s face it a little extra SPF protection against blue light damage (thank you too much screen time) won’t go amiss!Try Medicalia Suncreen SPF 40 with Blue Light Shield. A true triple threat, it contains an exclusive mineral formula including both zinc and iron oxides to shield skin from harmful sun rays, blue light and pollution! It delivers all-natural protection with the addition of zinc oxide which acts to form a protective seal over the skin to reflect blue light away. It rubs into skin seamlessly without leaving a white cast or greasy residue behind. And even better, the formula is reef-safe and works for all skin types and tones. So worth the investment in my books!

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