I want to tell you about a skincare range I’ve recently started using: Cetaphil. Cetaphil has been around more than 60 years, and the beauty of it is in the simplicity. As a brand, Cetaphil believes that skincare should be gently powerful. So their products leave skin clean and nourished rather than smothered and stripped of essential moisture.
But what’s particularly refreshing about Cetaphil is the straight-talking skincare. The packaging is simple and handily colour-coded, and the products themselves are similarly straightforward. This might sound lazy, but the pump action on the larger bottles is so great because you don’t even have to pick it up, and there’s no risk of squeezing out too much.
I’ve been using the Moisturisers for both oily and dry / sensitive skin, as my skin tends to change its vibe on a daily basis. What I love is how lightweight the lotion is – it absorbs really quickly and doesn’t leave you feeling sticky. Of the cleansers(Gentle Skin Cleanser and Oily Skin Cleanser), my favourite is Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser. I work out five days a week, and often have one or two photo shoots in a day, so I am constantly having to put on and remove make-up. The Cetaphil Cleansers are designed to work with your skin’s own moisture levels so essential oils won’t be stripped away, so there’s none of the tight, dry feeling some cleansers leave. The deep-clean feel I get after using Cetaphil is so invigorating.
Of course, your skin is the largest organ in your body. And yet so many of us forget that it serves a purpose other than looking good. In reality, skin protects us. In the deepest layer of the epidermis, cells are constantly dividing to make new cells, which are in turn pushed towards the surface of our skin. It is an essential process, and one which is most effective in healthy skin.
It follows, then, that what you put on your skin affects how you feel inside and vice versa. Health and beauty work symbiotically – you are unlikely to achieve one without the other. Think back to when you last had a cold – I bet one of the symptoms was tight, dry skin lacking in radiance. Similarly when you’re sick, skin is often clammy. What makes skin so different to every other organ in the body is that we can see and touch it – it is one of the body’s ways of communicating that something’s not quite right.
So it’s incredibly important to keep skin healthy. Here’s how I keep my skin looking and feeling great.
Drink plenty of water – One of the easiest signs of dehydration is dry, tight and flaky skin, and the recommendation is at least 8 glasses of water per day. Water has all sorts of essential functions in the body, including upping skin’s resilience to wrinkles, and helping to rid both body and skin of toxins.
Don’t waver on your skin routine – My job is so varied and I travel loads, so I always keep skincare minis on hand in my make-up kit. I went through a phase of skimping on skincare when I was out and about because it was so much easier to just use wipe and layer on the foundation. But actually, you need way less make-up if your skin is healthy, so it’s worth taking the time to cleanse and moisturise properly. Cetaphil’s 100g tubes are perfect when I’m on the go. It may sound like a small factor but I really like that the packaging is plastic, because it means it won’t break and leak all over my bag.
Get enough sleep – The first thing I notice if I haven’t had enough sleep is that my skin will look dull and puffy, and any fine lines will be much more pronounced. Sleep is when your skin regenerates and repairs from the day before so it’s essential for things like collagen and elastin production. I keep my skincare next to my bed, so when the alarm goes off I put a good layer of Moisturising Cream on my face, then lie there letting it sink in until the second alarm goes off. Then I get up!
Use products that work for your own skin – Everyone is different, and has different needs and wants. Similarly, everyone’s skin has different needs. In fact, my skin often has different needs day-to-day, or even hour-to-hour. On days that it is feeling slightly more oily (which can be hormonal), I use Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser, which removes excess oil without drying and is perfect for oily or combination skin. Oilier skins should be careful to avoid the temptation to use harsh detergents, because stripping the skin of its natural oils will actually prompt it to produce more. Cetaphil’s Cleansers are gentle and effective, which is the perfect combination.
Expensive doesn’t equal best – After years working for beauty desks at magazines like Marie Claire and playing with all sorts of lotions and potions, I’ve concluded that sometimes the most simple products are the most effective. Overloading your skin with rich ingredients it doesn’t need and additives like fragrance can clog pores which results in congestion and breakouts. I have dry, sensitive skin so I need to use products that’re designed to support hydration and moisture balance. My hero from the Cetaphil range is the Moisturising Cream for sensitive or dry skin.
Ultimately, skincare needs to fit in with your lifestyle, so it’s important to find a brand that works for you. My lifestyle has had extreme changes – I went from serving in the British Army, to running marathons, to talking in-front of the camera. Each has had a unique stress on my skin, and having a constant skin regime to rely on means I can be confident I am looking my best.
And here’s the best part – Cetaphil is giving you the chance to win a two night break at the super luxe Pennyhill Park Hotel & Spa in Surrey. Visit here and share your own healthy skin secrets before 7th July. The competition is open to over-18s who live in the UK. Good luck!
Olivia x
