Loving Your Skin: 15 Days To Radiant Skin Challenge

What better gift to give yourself this Valentine, than the gift of loving your skin?

People often tell me that I look years younger and I have great skin, for this I am truly grateful. I remembered how taking care of my skin seemed to be so much of an issue for me some years back, way before I decided to retrain as a skincare and beauty professional. I wasn't sure what to use. Thereforein some cases, I experimented!

With a raft of products on the beauty market some of my clients have told me that they have struggled to know what to do with their skin. From my experience, I have come to understand some of the struggles my clients have had in the past which have been a hindrance or dis-empowered them to build self-care into their daily habits that will give them radiant, healthy skin:

1. Skincare products on the market looks confusing and sometimes even complicated, so people don't know what to choose and use.

2. Skincare products don’t work. Some of my clients have tried some products and cannot see any results. As a result, they've become dissatisfied and disenchanted customers.

3. Some of the women I have spoken to, have very busy schedules and therefore find it difficult to keep to a routine or skincare regime.

Truth be told, it's not that complicated to having radiant, healthy skin. This is why I came up with this simple skincare challenge during this month of love. The benefit is that you'll feel supported and learn how to nourish and love your skin naturally! It's skincare that cuts out any confusion and clutter; just a simple way to treat your skin with definition and love. 

What You Will Get

1. A step-by-step approach that will enable you to build self-care into your daily habits, even if you have a very busy schedule and not a lot of time. 

2. A daily skincare or beauty tip to inspire you to keep up with nourishing your skin.

3. My ultimate skincare guide titled: 15 Fabulous Foods to Include in Your Diet For Radiant, Healthy Skin.

How to Take Part

It all starts with a FREE consultation, so sign up and join us at http://bit.ly/RadiantSkinChallenge.

I only have 15 spots available so when its full, its full and signing up closes on the 28th of February at 7.00pm. So, come join us at: http://bit.ly/RadiantSkinChallenge.

Radiance and Love,

Wumi xoxo

5 Top Tips For Healthy Skin

We live in a very busy world and when life is insanely busy our skin does take a back seat. This means that we do not start or develop a skincare regime that can give us healthy skin. So do you work nine to five with a boss who is not easy to please? Are you a student with your studies, revision and assignments to think about? May be, you are just a super mum who wants to give your children the best start in life. I get you because I’ve been there too. My children are now teenagers so it’s getting a lot easier. 

When life is full of ups, it can be really daunting to find some me time when you truly need it. As such times, a thorough round of head-to-toe cleansing and moisturising is just not possible and it definitely is not possible every single day.  Truth be told, many people find it difficult to maintain a skincare regime which can give them healthy skin.

But do you know the saying that ‘prevention is better than cure’ is also true when it comes to matters of the skin!  If you don’t give your skin the little attention it requires today, you’re going to have to give it a lot of attention tomorrow.  If you don’t have enough time, you’ll have to create it. Let me ask you these three important questions:

• Do you have time to eat something every day?
• Do you have time to wash your teeth every day?
• As a matter of fact, do you have time to sleep every day?

If you’ve answered YES to any of these three questions, then it leaves me to say that you can create the time you need to take care of your skin. Starting a skincare routine is not very difficult, if you put your mind to it. Here are five top tips for you to start you on your journey to healthy skin:

1. Cleanse – wash away your skin care worries. Daily impurities such as dirt and makeup, dull down the skin.
2. Freshen – restore your skin’s natural pH balance and refine pores for a fresh face free of dirt and impurities.
3. Exfoliate – Gently rid your skin’s surface of unwanted dead skin cells that make it appear drab and dreary.
4. Hydrate – apply and lock in moisture for up to 10 hours with an emollient-rich lotion or cream.
5. Protect – Shield your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays during the day by using sun protection factor.

Healthy Skin Care Bonus:  You can perform skincare routines while watching TV, reading or talking on the phone. Multitasking is a great way to break up the sense of boredom that prevents some people from keeping up with a skincare routine. Caring for your skin does not need a lot of time. What you definitely require is a sense of purpose for your skin!

Radiance and love,

Wumi Oyewole

How to Help Your Eyes Look More Youthful

Can You Really Get Rid of Under-eye Puffiness, Crepiness or Dark Circles? 

A lifetime of repeated facial expressions such as laughing, smiling, squinting and frowning can really takes its toll on the delicate eye area. The result can be dark circles or eyes that make you look more tired, worn-out and older than you feel. And truth be told, this is a skin condition that not only affects women but men too!

Laying it bare

I’ve always had dry skin so from time immemorial, I knew that oil and cream based products were the right ones for my skin. However, what I’ve tried to deal with that took so long for me to to get a result with, were my dark circles. Even skin therapist have their own skin issues too! And why could I not resolve this slight difficulty? I was simply not using the right product. However, I eventually got 'my act together' when I made the decision to use a targeted eye solution by way of an anti-aging serum and I could see the difference in the reduction of this niggling problem. 

What are Dark Circles?

This is when the area around the eyes known as the ‘orbital’ show a bluish black shadow or just shadows under the eyes. It’s a natural part of skin aging and is more common to Asian and African Caribbean skin.The most common cause is too much pigment in the eye area. The pigment shows through under the eyes because the skin around the eye area is very thin. 

Dark circles are also known as 'panda eyes' and the condition can be worsened by poor diet, smoking, too much alcohol consumption or hormonal changes in the body. Sometimes, dark circles are simply hereditary.

I'll admit here right now that I only drink the very occasional glass of wine and I don't smoke, so that is not the reason why I have them. For me, it's just a part of my own aging process and to be frank, I could do with a little more sleep. Sometimes dark circles can be aggravated by a lack of sleep! 

Taking a step back to take it forward!

When you look in the mirror, do you see dark circles and under-eye bags around your eyes? If so, you're not alone. Dark circles and puffiness are two of the most common problems that people notice around their eyes. According to a study by the cosmetics company Clinique, 50 per cent of women said that dark circles and puffiness around their eyes were their major skincare concerns. This comes as no surprise because the skin around the eyes has minimal oil glands to keep it naturally moisturized most of the time. Hydration is therefore a critical issue.

How to Reawaken Tired Eyes For a More Lifted Look

The solution is to use a targeted product such as an eye cream, eye gel or anti-aging eye serum. Eye creams and eye serums are formulated specifically for application around the eye area. They contain vitamins and ingredients which revitalize and lift the skin. They are supplied in ampoules, sealed glass or containers which prevent the contents from evaporating and losing their effectiveness.

Tips For Men and Women 

Apply a small quantity of the product to the eye tissue using the ring finger of one hand, gently stroking around the eye outwards. Support the eye tissue with the other hand, if you have to.

Place wet and cold Green tea bags on your eyes to help boost the circulation and drain out the toxins to reduce puffiness. Green tea contains anti-oxidants which are great for the skin.

Tips For Women

1. A concealer applied around the eye can also temporarily mask dark circles. 
2. Blend the concealer into this area gently until you can no longer see the dark circles.
3. A concealer with a greenish tinge will also help to offset any redness in the eye area.
4. A colour correction cream known as a CC Cream also does wanders for concealing the unconcealable!

Radiance and love,

Wumi 

PS: Looking for a targeted solution for your eyes? Take a wee peek here.

Do You Make This Mistake With Your Skin?

From the conversations I have had with many people about the subject of their skin, I have seen that so many do not exfoliate, some people not for months and some not for years.  

Would you let your natural nails grow for 6 months without trimming them down?

What really is Exfoliation?

Before I go on any further, I need to define the word “exfoliation”.

The skin, the biggest organ of the body, regenerates itself approximately every 28 days.  Due to this regenerative process, new skin cells are formed and old skin cells will die. Some of this old, now dead skin cells will fall off but others will stick to the surface of the skin. The build-up of these dead skin cells causes your skin to look dry, dull and dreary. You can remove these dead skin cells, and reveal the fresh skin underneath, by exfoliating your skin on a regular basis.

Simply put, exfoliation is the removal of dead skin cells from the top layer of the skin. I call it the skin polish process. You remove the dead skin cells through an exfoliator (the polish). Then you reveal and unveil your best skin – some sheen, some shine and a totally, radiant complexion. Total skin love!

If you look in the mirror and you do not like the appearance of your skin that means it is time for you to exfoliate!

A word of caution

Each person's skin is different. Talk to your skin therapist or dermatologist about your exfoliation treatment and the frequency required. If you don’t have a skin therapist, drop me a line via this blog.  I’ll be glad to become your skin therapist from now on. Just to let you know, I’m fully qualified and faithfully insured too!

Please take note that over-exfoliating is a big NO NO. It can make your skin sensitive and using the wrong products can strip your skin of its natural oils. Thread softly.

The Plush Benefits of Skin Exfoliating

• Dead skin cells, dirt and grease are removed from the skin’s surface
• Fresh new cells are exposed, improving the appearance of the skin
• Skin preparations such as face creams and face moisturizers are more easily absorbed by the skin.
• Blood circulation in the area is mildly stimulated, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the surface of the skin, thereby improving the skin's colour.

Steaming the Skin

Skin therapists will usually steam the skin during facial treatments. Why?  Steaming softens the outer skin making dead cells easier to remove.

How Should I Exfoliate?

• Gently massage the product over your skin using your fingertips.
• Application should always be upwards and outwards.   Leave the product on your skin for at least 5 minutes.
• Preferably, follow the instructions of the manufacturer's product you are using.
• Afterwards, thoroughly rinse your face with clean, tepid water.
• Apply your moisturizer and protect the skin.

How Often?

It depends on your skin type:

Uniquely made to polish away dead skin cells for a more radiant looking complexion.

• For normal, dry and sensitive – it is suggested that you exfoliate once a week.
• For oily skin – you may exfoliate twice a week.

Facial Brushing 

Another product which is good for exfoliating the skin is a soft facial brush. This is called mechanical exfoliation or ‘facial brushing’. The brush should be used in a rotary action to further enhance the effectiveness of the exfoliant to remove dead skin cells. People can use this brush as part of their home care routine.  

If you won’t let your natural nails grow for six months without trimming them down, why would you let your skin….

Radiance and Love,

Wumi :)

PS: Looking for a product to use to take those dreary, dead skin cells off your skin? Take a wee peek at this one. Mary Kay Cosmetics also does a fabulous facial brush and its uniquely priced too!

The Magic in Cucumbers For Your Skin!

Ever wondered why women put a piece of sliced cucumber on their eyes when they go to the spa or attend a spa party?  It’s an open secret that this wonderful fruity veg has calming, cooling and rehydrating benefits that are excellent for the skin.  Placing chilled slices of cucumber on the eyes is a familiar sight but truth be told, it really does help reduce under-eye bags and puffiness which is a common and major skincare concern for most people.

Gimme Some Cucumbers!

Cucumbers are the 4th most cultivated vegetable in the world. They belong to the same botanical family as melons and squashes which is why I have called it a fruity veg.

Cucumbers are considered to be one of the best foods for the health of the skin, joints, liver and kidneys.  It is said that the active chemicals in cucumbers makes the collagen in your skin tighten and these same chemicals provide benefits to the gut which helps maintain the body’s water balance, especially on hot days. As such, it is not surprising that cucumbers are used in a range of skin care products such as facial cleansers, calming balms and cooling gels which all aid skin health. Cucumber based treatments also abound in beauty salons and spas.

Five Top Benefits of Cucumbers for Your Health and Skin

Keeps you hydrated: Cucumbers are 90 percent water so nibble loads of it to rehydrate your body and skin.

Supplies skin-healthy minerals: Such as magnesium and potassium. Magnesium is needed for making new cells, relaxing nerves and muscles, clotting blood and providing energy. Potassium helps to keep a normal water balance between the cells and body fluids.

Fights heat, inside and out: Eat cucumbers, and your body gets relief from heartburn. Apply cucumber on your skin, and you get relief from sunburn.  That’s a double whammy and a positive one too!

Eliminates toxins from the digestive system: The water in cucumbers helps to cleanse you internally by sweeping waste products out of your system. 

Improves muscle and joint pain: The powerful benefits you get from the minerals in cucumbers such as magnesium and potassium, make it a powerful antidote for muscle weakness, muscle cramps, muscle and joint pain.

There you have it! The magic in cucumbers and top five benefits for including cucumbers in your diet and lifestyle.

Cucumbers, oh cucumbers. Gimme some cucumbers!

Radiance and love,

Wumi

The Busy Woman’s Way to Clean Skin at Night

Don’t have time for a thorough facial routine at night? This one simple tip will take you on a journey to total skin bliss and teach you how to get clean skin so you can look more youthful.

 “You shall take your make-up off before 

or when you go to bed at night."

It’s a commandment!

Do you know that sleeping with your make-up on, can age your skin and make you look 10 years older?  Research has shown that a third of women go to bed, at least twice a week, without taking their make-up off.

During the day we accumulate a lot of dirt on our skin, especially our face as it's the most exposed part of our body. From having a busy day, our faces can feel sticky, icky and just simply mucky. Then imagine crawling into bed with all that dirt and dosing off to sleep! The result overtime can be premature, aging skin.

When you leave your make-up on overnight, you may be clogging up your pores while you sleep and simply not giving your skin a chance to breathe – something which your skin really does need.

What to Use When You're Tired?

You can use a suitable facial cleanser, facial wipes or facial pads with eye make-up remover to take that make-up off. The choice is yours. However, I would recommend facial wipes despite what the press and some skin professionals say. It has been said that facial wipes don’t effectively cleanse your skin but smear dirt and make-up across it. This assertion may be true for some but this is not the case with me. I believe it’s how you use the wipes that really matter. Give me a couple of facial wipes at night and I’ll give you clean skin in 3 minutes or less; skin without make-up, dirt or grime! I’m a modern, busy, business woman! 

I have been using facial wipes to remove my make-up at night before I even trained as a skincare professional and my skin does look good. Facial wipes are quick, convenient and easy to use especially when you are tired and  you just want to get into bed.  Also, much to my surprise I discovered that Tea tree facial wipes were particularly good for my skin.  Not surprising when you look at the goodies and benefits of Tea tree oil itself:

·         Anti-inflammatory: used to reduce inflammation, i.e. any swellings on the skin.

·         Antiseptic - prevents the growth of disease causing micro-organisms

·         Antiviral - effective against viruses

·         Cooling – makes the skin calm down

·         Tonic – gives a feeling of vigour or invigorating properties on the skin

When Tea tree oil is used neat (without it being diluted) on the skin, it aids the healing of fungal or viral infections such as cold sores and spots.  Tea tree oil is also good for burns, sunburn and skin blisters.

Some Simple Rules to Follow

Rinse your face with water, immediately after using a wipe, to remove any irritating ingredients that may be left on your skin.

Apply a moisturiser to your face after using facial wipes, especially if you have dry or dehydrated skin.Tea tree oil does dry up excess oils on the skin so be careful if you have dry skin. 

Avoid using wipes with fragrances as this can irritate the skin and cause spots to break out unnecessarily.

So if you are feeling tired from a full day of activity and want to remove your make-up in a jiffy, try facial wipes and get clean skin for a happy night's sleep.

Radiance and Love,

Wumi x

PS: Please share and comment if you like our post. Thank you.

Friday Blues - Just a Lighter Shade!

Have you ever gone to bed at night and woke up in the morning with a set of deep lines and marks on your face? I have.

I scramble out of bed, get myself into the bathroom and check my face in the mirror just before I start to brush my teeth.  To my surprise, what steers me right in the face are these new, deep set marks and lines, all jaded across the left side of my face. These newly created marks are known as 'sleep wrinkles' and I've been told they can age my skin. "Certainly not", I scream!

Pure Poetry!

Sleep wrinkles are not caused by the movement of muscles in my face. They come from the lovely pillows, I lay my head on to sleep at night.

"Pillows, pillows, my lovely pillows", I sing. 

"Please do not give me aged, dreary skin"!

A Lighter Shade 

When we sleep we tend to sleep on one side of our frame. Studies have shown that the average person spends 60 percent of their sleep on their sides. Sleeping on your side can create vertical creases down your cheeks and chin which may reinforce vertical expression lines. You may catch up on the full story here.

I'm not totally sure if sleep wrinkles will age my skin. However, if it does, I'll deal with it. How? That's my silent secret and that's why I love my job as a skin therapist or should I say, beauty specialist.

Here's to a fabulous Friday and a great weekend ahead...

Radiance and Love,

Wumi