SKINCARE DOS & DON'TS MY MUM TOLD ME

Anyone who knows me knows that my mum and I are really close and for that I am incredibly lucky. We laugh about silly stuff, sulk together when things aren't so great and occasionally argue like cat & dog - but above all she is my best friend. Throughout growing up she has been my source of all things girly - from advice on breakouts to consoling me when I�d whipped off more of my eyebrows than I should have. To celebrate L'Or�al's Perfect Age campaign I thought it�d be a great time to introduce you all to my beautiful mamma & share her skincare dos & don�ts that have thankfully helped me along the way.

DO

Take your makeup off

Yeah, it�s ever so easy to nod off, still coated in lashings of mascara after a long day at work, but does your skin ever thank you for it? No - the morning after the night before makeup face is never a good look. Even when I�m blurry eyed, half asleep and my makeup is looking less than glamorous, my mum will be armed with the cleanser to make sure I get it all scrubbed off.

Use SPF

My lovely ma has a small patch of vitiligo on her face, and while it�s something neither of us really notice, it does make using SPF even more important. We�re both extra careful (I also have a tiny bit on my stomach) when we�re out in the sun, layering up on the factor 50. I know it�s one everyone harps on about these days, but it�s definitely not one to risk. My mum is now nearly 52 (I know, how?! Can I please look half this good when I get to this age?!) and swears by the fact that she's used SPF.

Get your regime sorted

It may have taken a while, but my unpredictable skin has definitely benefitted from working out what regime works best for me. My mum got into good habits early on and that�s something I want to stick to. At the minute I keep things simple with a good cleanser and a moisturiser for oily skin. My mum has now updated her routine with L'Or�al's Age Perfect Day and Night creams to give her skin an extra bit of love.

Give your skin a break

Me and my mum both love everything girly.. Getting dolled up, faffing with new lipsticks, that kind of thing. At the same time, I�ve learnt from her that sometimes your skin just wants a breather. The �I�m not getting dressed and most certainly not putting on makeup� sort of day. On that kind of day when we haven�t got much planned we both try to give our skin a break and stick to moisturiser and lip balm.

Trust what she says.

My mum�s done it. She�s used bad fake tan and ended up looking like she�s been varnished. She�s tried creams way too heavy and had ended up with an oil slick. I�ve learnt that as with most things, when my mum tells me something, she�s 90% of the time right. She�s not saying it to be a total nagging pain, she�s saying it because she know�s what�s what.. She�s been there, worn the t-shirt and learnt from any mishaps along the way.

DON'T

Pick your spots

Ugh. The big one.. That one we all know we shouldn�t do but can�t help but have a gross obsession with. This is the one my mum is always telling me to make sure I don�t do. I�ve had acne in the past, and she�s seen it be worsened by me scratching my skin. She's right though. While there is that sick satisfaction when popping the spot that�s taking over your face, it doesn�t really improve the situation. On my mother�s knowing advice I try to leave breakouts to it and let them go away on their own. Another good one my mum once told me was to stick some false nails on - there�s no chance of picking at blemishes with fancy talons!

Forget about your neck

Amazing skin on your face is all well and good.. If your neck matches up. It�s been instilled upon me to make sure I include my neck when it comes to all the usual skincare stuff. My mum always splashes cold water on her neck in the morning then follows it up with moisturiser. It�s a little thing but it�s easy to forget that skin on your neck is heading south too.

Compare your skin to others

I know, easier said than done. It�s difficult when it seems like models don�t even have pores these days, but shock horror, they do. What does comparison achieve though? Other than feeling pretty rubbish about yourself. My ma and I always have this little joke where we say we'd look that good if we were rich and famous.. Maybe not quite supermodel level, but with a bit of airbrushing, good lighting and a fabulous photographer I�m sure my pores wouldn�t be quite so evident.

Forget to drink enough water

Funny how I can�t forget to eat that burger?!  I am absolutely terrible at drinking the right amount of water. It�s one of those things we all know helps to keep skin in check, but definitely the one I take for granted. The first thing my mum will ask when I�m having a skin disaster is if I�ve been drinking enough water.. A lot of the time the answer is I probably haven�t. To make sure we flush all the nasty bits out and keep our skin on track we try to drink the advised amount of water during the day - even if that means carrying a whopping water bottle about.

Worry about your skin

Whether it's a good cuddle or a complement to pick you up, it�s always nice to have someone on hand to combat days worrying about silly stuff like spots. I�ve always appreciated having my mum there to give me a reality check when it comes to my skin. Yeah, it can be annoying having a breakout or spotting the first wrinkles, but these things happen - it's not the end of the world.

So that's how my mum has helped me avoid a few too many skin disasters. Her advice will always be something I'll appreciate.

Post in collaboration with L'Or�al Paris UK.