By Dr Reuben Chen, skincare expert and Chief Medical Advisor for Sunrider International.
As the days start to get longer and we look forward to the warmer weather our dietary habits and lifestyles start to change and this may be reflected in our skin. It’s a great opportunity to have a ‘spring clean’ of our skincare routine and a close look at what we are putting on our skin.
For super radiant skin that makes you glow with confidence, consider implementing a four-step skincare routine introducing a double cleanse.
Step 1: Cleansing Oil
Starting with a cleansing oil is a great first step. It’s important to remove makeup and sunscreen, and the dirt and pollution that accumulate on our skin during the day. This collective debris not only causes oxidative damage to the skin but can also contribute to the breakdown of collagen and development of wrinkles and discoloration. An oil-based cleanser is great for dissolving excess sebum and other oil-based impurities, as well as melting away water-proof makeup and stubborn product build up.
The best ingredients for a cleansing oil include natural botanicals like apricot kernel oil, aloe vera leaf, and jojoba seed oil that actively nourish your skin while giving your pores a deep cleanse. Across all of your skincare products look out for natural ingredients; your skin recognises them and absorbs them.
Step 2: Water-Based Cleanser
Next follow with a foaming water-based cleanser that won’t irritate or strip the skin of vital moisture. A water-based cleanser lifts away dirt, sweat and other pore-clogging impurities. A double cleanse revs up your skin’s circulation to boost radiance while prepping it for next steps.
When purchasing a water-based cleanser, ingredients such as nourishing herbal extracts from chamomile flower, inula helenium, and beetroot purify, hydrate, and protect your skin while allantoin and rose flower water help calm, tone, and revive radiance. These are not so well-known so you may want to do your research.
Step 3: Beauty Water
There’s been a lot of interest in beauty waters recently with good reason. A beauty water acts as prep for your pores. It helps thoroughly remove any residual cleanser or makeup left behind after cleansing. It also gently exfoliates your skin and helps restore its natural pH level, leaving your pores tightened and skin soothed and clear; a perfect base for moisturising. It may feel like an unnecessary step but it’s quick to add in and your skin will thank you.
Look for botanical extracts that reset your skin’s natural pH level after cleansing to balance and hydrate. Formulas including Turkish rose oil, witch hazel, and chamomile flower extract calm, soothe, and revive even the most irritated skin. And if you’re curious, explore products containing the little-known Rosa Centifolia flower water. The steam distillate from the flowers of the cabbage rose is high in vitamin C and tannins, offering toning, aromatherapeutic, and antioxidant benefits. Its astringent properties help tighten pores and calm inflammation.
Step 4: Moisturiser
You probably have a preference in terms of consistency, consider switching out heavy creams for lighter gel creams that melt into and quench the skin to create a radiant glow. Be on the lookout for sodium hyaluronate; it is well known for good reason – it’s great for locking in moisture, while less well-known botanicals such as beetroot extract, sunflower seed oil, Arnica Montana flower and Inula Helenium extracts possess a host of skin-loving properties promoting circulation and hydration.
Here are some additional tips for radiant Spring skin:
Exfoliate
Exfoliate once or twice a week. Look out for products that contain natural exfoliants such as jojoba beads or bamboo powder – give the ones with the environmentally-unfriendly plastic microbeads a wide berth.
Sun Protection
If you don’t already include an SPF 20 in your skin products, add one in – it’s important even on cloudy days and apply it to the back of your hands as well as your face.
Nutrition & Supplements
Eat healthily and your skin will be an outer reflection of your inner wellbeing. Consider a good quality daily multivitamin, Vitamin D (until March at least) and Omega 3 and Omega 6 to supplement if you don’t eat oily fish or consume lots of colourful vegetables and citrus fruits (rich in Vitamin C).
Hydration
And what we all struggle with – drink plenty of water – high quality with an electrolyte added preferably.
Ingredients to avoid in your skincare
Our skin is our largest organ so anything we put on our skin is absorbed to a lesser or greater degree and with the potential to impact our health. Ingredients to avoid include sulphates, parabens, dyes and fragrances. The beauty industry is cleaning up its act but being an educated consumer and doing your research pays dividends. Brands ultimately respond to consumer demand. There are increasing numbers of vegan products/brands out there too that are worth exploring.
Kandesn® Pure Gift Set
Unlock the benefits of nature’s finest botanicals for healthier, radiant skin thanks to Sunrider’s Kandesn® Pure Gift Set. This gentle, four-step regimen, free from synthetic fragrances, harsh chemicals, parabens, and animal by-products, suits all skin types with its vegan-friendly botanical formulas. Handcrafted with precious herbal oils, extracts, and essences, Kandesn® Pure is proven to cleanse, nourish, and balance your skin.
Follow these four soothing steps for skin that glows:
- Detoxify with Kandesn® Pure Cleansing Oil to instantly dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and other oil-based impurities.
- Purify with Kandesn® Pure Foaming Cleanser by lifting away dirt and sweat while deep cleaning pores.
- Refresh with Kandesn® Pure Beauty Water to tone, rebalance, and prep skin for your next skincare steps.
- Quench with Kandesn® Pure Hydrating Gel Cream by giving skin the moisture and nourishment it craves.
The Kandesn® Pure Gift Set is £167.28 from uk.sunrider.com
About the expert
Dr Reuben Chen is the Chief Medical Advisor for Sunrider International including Sunrider Europe. He is a respected pioneer in the development of premium skincare and nutritional products. He is passionate about developing products that work and are based on natural ingredients. He is a board-certified physician and is qualified in neuroscience and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
