by Dr Asha Ram
Founder & Medical Director
Life in 2020 has certainly been an adjustment!
The main change for me, as no doubt for you too, has been the disruption to my established daily routine.
I’ve been loving The Studio Online classes and making the most of reallocating time in my week for self-care.
It has been a great opportunity to rethink how I construct my days and I am consciously curating a wiser, slower, more considered NEW life routine for the months and maybe even years to come.
As someone who focuses on my skin every day as part of my role at Sanctum, my normal skin routine has gone out the window!
I’ve learnt to adapt under isolation and I wanted to share my top tips and techniques with you today.
Most importantly, my ‘iso-routine’ is about simplicity with results.
1. CLEANSE
I use cold water in the mornings as soon as I get out of bed. This ‘wakes’ up the face and contracts blood vessels and assists in reducing any puffiness that can develop overnight.
I use my RATIONALE Cleanser that is ceramide based and super protective of skin hydration at the end of the day to get rid of pollutants or traces of makeup and sunscreen.
2. ON WITH THE SERUMS
Serums are thinner, more liquid-based preparations and are best absorbed when applied to clean dry skin. I use two serums every day without exception:
•Vit B3 serum ( Niacinamide)
•Antioxidant serum ( Vit C + a host of other antioxidants)
And two or three times a week I use a specialized brightening serum to manage sun damage and pigmentation that I am very prone to!
3. SLIP SLOP SLAP!
It’s been well documented that a healthy dose of sunshine can aid in the body’s fight against Coronavirus. So, while I’m trying to get more natural Vitamin D by sipping my first cup of tea outside for at least 20 min when the weather allows, I then make sure I have a 50+ SPF on every day.
We are all spending more time outside and will be for most of winter so this delicate balance of exposure and protection is critical to get right. Both ranges we carry at Sanctum have very sophisticated broad spectrum zinc-based 50 + SPF formulations that are very hydrating and totally cosmetically acceptable (no white ghosting or breakouts)!
They are also loaded with other skin nutrients so YES there is a difference between chemist sunscreens and cosmeceutical sunscreens!
4. Vitamin A is A-OK!
I recommend a good Vit A cream or serum and almost all of us should easily find a preparation that works for you. There is overwhelming science affirming Vit A (retinol and its derivatives) as a potent skin remodelling agent to reverse sun damage and transform ageing skin.
I use A DNA NIGHT CREAM ( Vit A +++) to my face, neck and décolletage.
Currently, I’m focussing on applying this on the three N’s :
• NAPE
the skin below your hairline on the back of the neck
• NECK
skin from the nape to collar bones and forward to all areas of neck to jawline
• NIPPLES
then sweep any excess moisturizer onto the neglected area from your collar bones down to your nipples – summer and socializing will one day eventuate!
5. HIT THOSE PESKY DRY SPOTS!
I have so much more time to notice my elbows, knees, hands and feet… and just how dry they are, particularly at this time of the year!
I’m using up a lot of my half-finished products that I’ve accumulated over the years on these areas.
So, there you have it. My 5 top tips for maintaining our skin (and our sense of self-worth) during isolation. Oh, and a cheeky bonus… once a week I ask my Sanctum team to put together a one-off weekly skin reboot treatment and I’ll do that on a Sunday as I read the papers and sip a cuppa! These are available to you as well via our site and social media.
So, whilst we wait for the ‘new normal’ and hopefully start venturing out a little more along with the relaxing of restrictions, why not make the most of more ‘me’ time and try some of these routines yourself. Who knows, you might come out of isolation looking younger and fresher!
Stay healthy and enjoy!
