By Jill O'Donoghue from Killarney Toning and Beauty Studio

In Part 2 of taking care of your skin at home it's important to do the following steps after cleansing, toning and exfoliating your face, neck and décolleté.

.

Serums, eye creams and moisturisers: Moisturising provides a protective layer to the skin that locks in moisture and keeps skin hydrated. This hydration is what gives your skin a smooth and luminous appearance. This is the step in your skincare routine you don't want to skip. We always apply the serum closest to the skin as it's water based and needs to be absorbed on the deepest layer of the skin; the basal layer which is the active layer. It's where the collagen and elastin start to grow and move up towards the surface of the skin. The more hyaluronic acid, peptides, ribose, and active ingredients in your serums the better. We need to keep our fibroblasts, melanocytes healthy as they are the source of plump, juicy skin.

An eye cream to me is the most important cream as the eye area is a place that doesn't have any sebaceous glands (oil gland). These glands help remove old skin cells, keep the skin lubricated and prevent tissues drying out. Therefore, for me, I always use an eyelid lifting serum, eye cream in the night time and eye roll-on gel in the morning. Our eyes can make us look older than we are so it's important to look after them. It's very important not to go too close to the eye when applying creams as the skin is very thin. A little bit often makes a big difference.

When applying your serum and cream rub upwards and outwards; be careful not to tug the delicate skin around the eyes.

Apply SPF all year round, it's the most important step in preventing skin cancer and keeps your skin healthy as you age. Protecting your skin from the sun's damaging UV rays helps maintain a healthy youthful visage. However, it's important to remember the best form of sun block is to keep your face in the shade.

With all skincare routines, it's important to keep it consistant. Do it twice a day every day and follow with monthly facials. Your skin is the largest organ on the body. This means that it's important to take good care of it.

For more information, or to book a skin consultation or facial, call Jill on 064 6632966.