My Top 10 Beauty Secrets Revealed…

6 January

1. My skin is better now than it was in my 20’s (apart from when I’m pregnant. Pesky hormones!)

I put that down to 2 main things:

– Water, water and more water…

It sounds simple but we underestimate the importance of drinking lots of it. It’s not only good for your skin, it keeps headaches at bay, it boosts your energy, makes you exercise better, helps concentration and also helps with weight loss – often we confuse hunger with thirst.

I typically intake 1.5 to 2 litres per day

Tip! Try adding some cucumber and lemon slices to a big jug of water and leave in the fridge or add to your water bottle when you’re on the go. I love fresh mint leaves added to water too.

– A good skincare routine.

I’ve banished the wipes, I make exceptions for when I’ve had a few too many wines and I’m just too tired! (Which ain’t happening these days!)

I spend a few extra minutes every evening to really cleanse/tone and moisturise my face properly. I use a facemask at least twice a week. I alter between a hydrating and an exfoliating mask. My 2 must have products that everyone should have are a good face serum and eye-cream.

2. Less is more!

I’ve had years over-doing it, so I speak from experience. You do not need that extra layer of tan or foundation. Make-up should enhance your natural beauty instead of masking it.

3. Speaking of tan… To avoid any dodgy tan lines around my hands I always apply tan sparingly to hands using an old foundation brush. It works a treat.

4. When breakouts occur I find Bephanthen nappy cream works a treat. Pop it on to your spot after you’ve cleansed before bedtime.

5. For baby soft skin apply a body oil after your shower. The oil will seal in the moisture better if your skin is damp.

6. My hair isn’t very thick; in fact it’s quite fine. I’ve always tried to make it look thicker and longer by not cutting it, when actually not cutting it isn’t helping you at all. So after I had my son I got my hair cut and it was the best thing I ever did. It really improved the condition and thickness of my hair. So if you’re in two minds, I say go for it. Get the chop. It’ll always grow back anyway 😉

7. Once a week I’ll use a hair mask. I like Kerastase masks (available in Peter Mark salons) or you can simply buy coconut oil – the one from the supermarket that you cook with it fine and it’s only a few euro. Put your mask onto damp hair, wrap your head in a towel and leave it to soak in for an hour or two before washing out.

8. I rarely wear false eyelashes but when I do for a special event say, I always prefer using the most natural-looking ones. They’re supposed to open your eyes even more, not look heavy and obviously fake. I love the individual lashes you can get from Penneys at €1.50 a pack. Eylure and Ardell lashes are also fab – both available in Boots.

9. Avoid over-plucking your eyebrows or if you can, put down the tweezers altogether! I speak from experience of over-plucked brows in my 20s and if you read my blog post on how I transformed mine (see here), you’d know I strongly recommend visiting a professional HD brow specialist. Good brows can change and enhance your appearance entirely. I go to Kim O’Sullivan in The Dublin Makeup Academy and haven’t looked back since.

10. Finally, I always recommend cleaning your make up brushes at least 1-2 times a week, depending how often you use them. When you wash them you’re preventing the build-up of bacteria, which if left unclean can lead to spot-prone skin. You can read my step-by-step guide on how I clean mine here.