12 Beauty Rules Experts Wish They’d Known In Their 20s
Kate Kerr, clinical facialist
“Anti-ageing should begin before you hit 30 – at the age of 28, your collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production declines so take measures sooner rather than later. Adding a retinol or vitamin A into your regime will make all the difference, as will treatments like microneedling.”
Charlotte Cave, make-up artist
“Always double cleanse – this really is a life-changing rule that will look after your skin in the long run. Cleansing twice means you’ll get deeper into your skin’s dermis – the first cleanse will get rid of pollutants while the second will tighten pores and make your products work harder.”
Nigma Talib, naturopathic doctor
“I would have ditched dairy far earlier on – it wasn’t until well after my 20s did I realise it was dairy that was making my dark circles worse and affecting my immune system. I also wished I’d known the benefits of using a hyaluronic acid serum over a heavy moisturiser; a serum really does make all the difference to the quality of your skin.”
Rabia Malik, GP & cosmetic doctor
“You really do pay for your 'skin sins' later on in life – try to avoid putting your face in direct sunlight; never use face wipes; and use an antioxidant serum as soon as you can. Also make regular exercise and eating the rainbow priorities and try to avoid toxins, cigarettes in particular, which your skin and body will thank you for later.”
Alexia Inge, co-founder of Cult Beauty
“I wish I’d known that the actual damage I was doing to my skin wouldn’t show until I was 37 – I thought I’d dodged the ageing bullet at 29. I also wish someone had told me that for every night you don’t take your makeup off, you age by a week. Always invest in your skincare, it’s worth every penny.”
Liz Earle MBE, founder of Liz Earle Wellbeing
“I wish I’d known quite how important the role of good gut health is in the way we look and feel, and the impact a daily dose of probiotics can have on our wellbeing. I now start my day with a glass of kefir, a live super-yoghurt drink packed with powerfully beneficial probiotics, and I find this gives me a real boost in the morning.”
Millie Kendall, co-founder of beautyMART
“Always apply under-eye concealer over your foundation – back when I was 20 this wasn’t the done thing and I always wondered why my concealer dragged slightly. I remember the first time I applied a concealer over foundation, it was a revelation.”
Vanita Parti MBE, founder of blinkbrowbar
“I wish I’d discovered the benefits of regular hair treatments sooner to tame my frizzy hair. Up until a few years ago there weren’t as many products or treatments available and I’ve learnt that regular maintenance really is key. Brazilians are a whole other level when it comes to haircare, I should have taken a leaf out of their book.”
Ruby Hammer MBE, make-up artist and entrepreneur
“Establishing a skincare routine is one of the most important things you can do when it comes to anti-ageing. However basic, a good skincare routine followed without fail means you will reap the benefits and learn discipline – little and often is better than a yearly overhaul. Don’t worry too much about brands – just follow the routine of doing it.”
Justine Jenkins, celebrity make-up artist
“Have the confidence to wear a red lip any time of day – it’s such a timeless beauty look and one you should never feel self-conscious of wearing. I also wish I’d sought out organic skincare far sooner instead of stripping my skin with products containing harsh chemicals.”
Abigail James, facialist
“Don’t be lured by the products your friends rave about – they may work for their skin but yours is unique and it’s worth all the time and money in the world finding the products that work for you. At the same time, remember that a lack of sleep really does have such a huge impact on the brightness of your skin.”
Jane Cunningham, British Beauty Blogger
"Beauty is a journey so I don't think you should have regrets. However, the one thing I wish I'd done was tend to my nails better – nails are so prone to all sorts of problems and if you love wearing polish, flaking or breaking is a real pain. Oil your nails daily, forever – trust me, you won’t regret it.”
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