Everything High Maintenance Georgia Day Does To Stay Low Maintenance

I’m fully aware that the below will elicit an eye roll from my husband (who thinks I am constantly preening) so I’ll ease you in gently. Given the amount of other grooming and prep that I do, I think my haircare routine is, by contrast, fairly low maintenance. One thing I’ll never compromise on though, is going to see my friend George, of George Northwood, who has been tending to my hair for as long as I can remember. Apart from his scissoring wizardry, his salons are so warm, inviting and not at all intimidating like many other salons I’ve visited. As for colour (which I unfortunately have to top up anywhere between five to eight weeks) I see either Sally, Kat or Deme, depending on who’s available. That’s the other great thing about GN – the level of expertise is so great that you could genuinely see anyone on the team and get the same brilliant results you always do. When it comes to at-home care, Dyson is a hefty investment, but its tools really do work. I use the hot brush attachment every time I dry my hair and it’s the closest finish to a salon blow-dry I’ve found. Talking of investments, the one product that I religiously use is the Kérastase Elixir Ultime Hair Oil. It’s pricey but I think it’s worth every penny. A couple of pumps before I blow dry and I’m guaranteed heat protection and soft, swishy, separated strands until next time I wash it.

Bi-weekly manicures are a non-negotiable for me. As well as being an easy shortcut to feeling more polished and put together, having nice nails is high up there on my dopamine list. @GAZEByBecky is the best nail tech of all time. She uses the BIAB system by The Gel Bottle and my nails have never been stronger or longer. Pedicures are a less regular occurrence but only because they tend to last a lot longer without needing to be redone. I’m certain that’s down to the quality of the ELIM MediHeel pedis I have, which are meticulous, thorough and always last. I can also get a tech to come to me at home which is always a bit of a lifesaver when time is tight. If I’m working in London and my feet are in dire need of attention, I’ll go to Townhouse. The results are always reliable, and they have so many locations that it makes last-minute grooming a cinch.

I’m sure I’m not alone in considering my skin to be an investment, which means I like to incorporate regular facials into my routine. I try for one a month and have a few places on rotation that I trust implicitly with its long-term maintenance. For a top up of intense hydration, a good lactic acid peel, a smattering of LED and a little microneedling, I flit between Sarah Chapman and Skinwork, while for something targeted like laser to deal with my hyperpigmentation, it’s the D.Thomas Clinic in Knightsbridge. Every now and then I like to mix it up and I love QMS facials for that. I love the hi-tech, clinically researched approach to formulating and have been impressed by the details of its new first-to-market 100% skin-identical, multimolecular vegan collagen range, Precision Care COLLAgen3D™. I had a facial with the brilliant Rowan Hall-Farrise recently using these products and the glow was unlike anything else.

I like to think of my aesthetic treatments as a way of futureproofing my skin and helping it to age well. I don’t want to look overdone or even younger than I am, but I do want to look fresher, more rested, and less knackered. For skin rejuvenation injectables and anti-wrinkle injections (which just softly iron out some of the deeper frown lines I have accumulated) I am loyal to the excellent Dr Sarah Tonks, whose gentle touch is just what I want for my face. As I age, a certain amount of slackening of skin is inevitable. That’s fine, but I’d like to ease into it a little less vigorously thank you very much, and so that’s why I turn to technologies like EMface Submentum. It’s the first non-surgical solution for the chin to target every layer from muscle to skin and address skin laxity. I had it in Harrods’ beautiful Wellness Clinic back in June and am starting to see pleasing results. Finally, for laxity on the body, which I have only just begun to dabble in, the only woman for the job is Dr Galyna Selezneva at Rita Rakus in Knightsbridge. Aside from being endlessly entertaining, she’s the best at those subtle tweaks that really make all the difference. She’s been working on gently reducing the crepiness of the skin around my knees and the tops of my arms using a combination of Profhilo, Coolsculpting and Sylfirm, a next gen micro needling system.

One thing I will always try to make time for is a lymphatic drainage treatment with Flavia Morellato. Flavia’s treatments are unparalleled thanks to her carefully honed technique and it’s an amazing salve for so many things like water retention, hormonal balance and skin glow. I find it makes a big difference to how I’m feeling inside and out. Lash extensions are a relatively new addition to my grooming regime, but wow, are they worth it. Although applying mascara is, let’s face it, not exactly an arduous chore in the grand scheme of things, I have to say that having long, full, fluttery lashes all the time is amazing. And although I am perfectly fine with rocking up on the school run looking like I’ve been through a hedge backwards, sometimes, when you can’t be bothered to lift a brush but don’t necessarily want people to know you’ve been up all night with a sick kid, they are incredibly handy. Plus, they do cut my morning routine down by about a minute and that’s a small but significant win in my book. Mine come courtesy of the brilliant Edy London who tends to Trinny’s lashes and specialises in an ultra-natural finish. Still on the theme of giving myself less things to do in a day, getting my brows microbladed with Suman was one of my best beauty decisions. When I say I barely touch them now, I really mean it. Occasionally I might run a spoolie or brow fix product through them, but really, in terms of colour and shape, the hard work has been done for me.

Not all supplement regimes stick but there are a couple that have for me. I really rate Vida Glow and founder Anna Lahey’s smart, science-based approach to collagen, which is why I’m a fan of the Pro Collagen + which is formulated with bioavailable marine collagen tripeptides to promote collagen synthesis and improve suppleness and elasticity. It also aims to target deeper lines and reduces wrinkle count by 42% in 21 days. I’m also a fan of nutritionist and naturopath Rhian Stephenson’s ARTAH brand and take its Cellular Hydration and Enhanced NAD+ Complex religiously. They help with electrolyte balance and longevity and cellular repair respectively and are meticulously formulated. To encourage further cellular recovery and repair I love my Dermalux Flex MD LED Light Therapy Device from Current Body. Although this is a big investment, I think of it in cost per wear terms. It’s designed to be used all over the body, including the face, so if you’re someone that regularly commits to LED facials and would like to extend its rejuvenation benefits to your body too, then the price may not be so difficult to swallow. I try to use it a couple of times a week, not least for the inside-out glow but also for the enforced downtime it demands. It’s an opportunity to switch off completely (you have to use it lying flat) which is no bad thing for me.

Sleep is a big thing for me, and I spend a lot of time and energy trying to optimise it in the long term so that I can feel and function at my best every day. About an hour before bedtime, I take a sachet of the Sleep powdered supplement by The Absorption Company which has chamomile, magnesium and tart cherry juice in it. I love the brand (which you can find on the excellent Healf.com) and really rate them for helping me feel less wired and more receptive to deep sleep. For cosiness but also extra calm, my Shleep Throw is always on my bed. It’s made with the best Australian merino wool, which is temperature adaptive, hypoallergenic and about as soft as you can get, and I find it an incredibly comforting sleep aid when I need to get my head out of work mode and into sleep mode. Finally, I’ve made no secret of my love for my Oura Ring, which I use to track everything from my sleep to my stress resilience and even cardiovascular ages. Excitingly, I’ve just upgraded to the soon-to-launch (out on 15th October) Oura Ring 4, which tracks over 30 biometrics and is built around Smart Sensing technology which adapts to your finger to deliver continuous, more accurate data. So, while I’ll continue devouring my sleep insights to keep me on the path to slumber serenity, I’ll also be able to go deeper into my overall health and vitals too.

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