Everyone wants ‘flawless skin’.

A beautiful skin reflects good health and well being and makes us feel confident and attractive. We constantly look for the ‘holy grail’ of skincare to give a smooth, radiant, even-toned skin that is free of blemishes.

However. while we aim for perfect skin most of us have some imperfections and uneven tone that is ‘normal’, which we should learn to accept as part of our uniqueness.

While aesthetic procedures like botulinum toxin (Botox) , fillers and cosmetic surgery may improve sagging, wrinkling and volume loss, they do not address skin quality (clarity, texture and density) that significantly contributes to the ageing appearance of skin.

As we grow older the rate of epidermal turnover slows from around 28-40 days in youth approaching 50-60 days in the elderly. The resultant dry, dead skin cells sitting on the surface result in poor skin texture and do not reflect light well leading to reduced skin radiance. Dead skin cells block the follicles with the resulting appearance of enlarged pores,

With age there is an overall decline in the production of collagen and elastin leading to reduced density or thinning skin. The skin sags and is also prone to easy bruising.

Of course there are other factors besides ageing that affect skin health like sun exposure, environmental pollution, smoking and diet.

The great news is that there is plenty of evidence to support that a long term, well tailored skincare regimen can have a significant effect on the overall quality of a person’s skin.
Active ingredients in skincare can target specific skin concerns and improve the structure, function and appearance of your skin.

Patients are often reluctant to change their skincare unless they are guaranteed better results. My response is that if you’re looking for a change it means your current regimen isn’t doing enough for your skin. You have to be open to new products and procedures if you want to achieve better results.

Another common complaint that patients have is that they are accustomed to having great skin in their youth without any effort, and grudge the fact that they need to invest time and money in skincare. Beyond a certain age, good skin takes some effort to maintain and this all depends on your genes and how well you looked after your skin when you were younger.

In 2020 we revisit the Skinsmart 5 steps to once again put you on the right path to a smooth and radiant skin.

Step 1: Cleanse and tone
Cleansing removes impurities and dead surface skin cells leaving the skin more radiant.
Gel cleansers are better suited to oily skin while cream cleansers are best for dry or sensitive skin.
Rough, sun damaged skin would tolerate and benefit from a cleanser with a chemical exfoliator like glycolic acid.
A toner may be useful for oily skin to reduce oil and the appearance of large pores.

Step 2: Prevent
Antioxidants like Vitamin C and E help prevent DNA damage caused by sun exposure.
Vitamin C has a host of other benefits including stabilising melanocytes to prevent hyperpigmentation, calming inflammation in acne and locking in moisture.
Vitamin E also acts as a moisturiser.

Step 3: Treat
Active ingredients in skincare may repair existing damage, promote cell turnover, inhibit melanogenesis and stimulate the production of collagen and elastin.
Exfoliating the skin with a chemical exfoliater increases the epidermal turnover rate improving radiance and texture. Glycolic and lactic acids are examples of chemical exfoliators. They are preferable to physical scrubs which are more likely to cause damage to the skin barrier.
Retinol in skincare can stimulate collagen production to improve skin density (thickness), and improve epidermal turnover to treat hyperpigmentation and restore radiance.

Step 4: Hydrate
Moisturisers hydrate the skin and restore defective barrier function.
Most contain a combination of occlusives and humectants which prevent water loss from the skin, and draw water into the skin respectively.
Ointments and creams are best for dry skin, while gels and lotion are best for oily skin.
Moisturisers on Skinsmart almost always contain active ingredients targeting different skin concerns.

Step 5: Protect
Sunscreen is your most important antiageing product.
Dermatologists recommend daily sunscreen use as the final step to your skincare regimen. Use an SPF of 30 to 50.
Sunscreens protect the skin from skin cancer, slows skin ageing and help prevent hyperpigmentation and sun spots.
Some innovative new sunscreens have DNA repair enzymes which have been proven to reverse early sun damage.
Makeup should be applied over your sunscreen.

There is a skincare regimen well suited to every skin type and specific treatments to target individual skin concerns.
Our Skinsmart skin assessment is there to assist you with finding the right routine for your skin concern as it is based on the Skinsmart five steps, recommending products specifically for your skin, for every step of your skincare regimen.

Whether you’re wanting just a basic routine to start or a more intensive one, start by taking your Skin Assessment here