Clean out the bathroom cabinet and tidy up that make-up bag – it’s Spring!

Marie Kondo has hit the screens on Netflix, or should we say wiped them clean, famous for her organisational skills and decluttering tips, Marie it seems is leading the new wave of tidiness and cleanliness gurus that are currently dusting the cupboards of many social media networks. It certainly got us talking at the Skin to Love Clinic here in St Albans about just how house proud we really were, and with Spring around the corner, the traditional spring clean is a must! It then made us think about how often we decluttered our bathroom cabinets, tidied up our make-up bags and importantly took a good look at the skincare products we use to freshen up our beauty regimes.

We all spend time searching for the perfect products to brighten skin, reduce wrinkles or wipe away a fine line. When we find the skincare solutions, we think work, we tend to stick with them without reviewing their benefits however expensive they are – why would we? But it does pay to regularly check-out the products we use daily. Let’s focus on moisturisers, their job is to keep your skin hydrated and supple, the moisturiser acts as a barrier sitting on the skin keeping the moisture in and attracting moisture to the surface to prevent it from drying out. Simple. But, how often do we check the ingredients and what they do at a deeper level because that is what really counts. Does it contain, for example, retinol, a form Vitamin A that helps speed up skin cell renewal and encourages collagen production – thus improving fine lines and wrinkles. So, before you splash out on your next purchase make sure your chosen product is ticking all the boxes.

At the Clinic, we’ve developed our own unique skin-care brand aptly named Skin to Love. We have brought together clinically proven, active ingredients to create an effective and targeted range to help rejuvenate your skin or to help clear blemishes. Rich in SmartPeptides™ which mimics the skin’s own inbuilt restorative and protective functions; they can target very specific problems, including loss of firmness and elasticity, fine lines and wrinkles and refine colour, texture and imperfections. We’re also an Ambassador Clinic for Swisscode and carry both the Pure and Bionic ranges the former is a collection of seven concentrates that “decode” and effectively correct the skin’s ageing process the latter harnesses the Power of Plant Stem Cells.

Back to the bathroom cabinet and the makeup bag. So, just how can you tell if your beauty products have run of time? There are the obvious signs – a change in smell, texture or even colour, there should also be a discrete little sign, like an open pot with a number and the letter M, so, 6M would mean that you have six months to use the product and 12M means that there’s a whole year until it expires. All well and good if you’ve remembered when you opened it in the first place! If you’re super organised you could mark the pot or jar with the date of first use, but let’s be honest that is the sort of job that often slips the mind. Pay attention to anti-ageing creams and serums or any products that contain antioxidants as they last between 3-6 months. Sunscreens are ones to watch – with a shelf life of six months it’s not worth the sunburn!

Makeup has an expiry date too! We had a quick check on the shelf life of some popular products:

• 2-3 months – mascara and liquid eyeliner
• 6 months to 1 year – concealers and liquid foundation
• Up to 1-2 years – lip gloss
• Up to 2 years – lipstick, blusher and eyeshadows
• Up to 2-3 years pencil eyeliner

The Skin to Love team are always happy to provide advice on the best skincare products for your skin so do pop into the clinic or contact our friendly team to book an appointment. In the meantime, we want to thank Marie Kondo for encouraging us to have a good old clear out.

Disclaimer: This blog is not to be used for diagnostic purposes. We are all unique which means that our results, recovery and suitability for any type of treatment will vary. Always seek the advice of a professional should you have any health or cosmetic concerns or to discuss treatments specifically for you.