How old were you when you first started looking after your skin?

I was so fortunate growing up to have a mum fully invested in self-care, even though that wasn’t even a thing when I was growing up! She taught me about honouring the body from the perspective of both inner and outer beauty from a very early age, with good nutrition and regular exercise.

I can remember starting to use some basic skincare like a good cleanser and moisturiser and ALWAYS sunscreen!  I’m thanking her now as I believe that’s the number one thing that has kept my skin in decent shape.  I’ve passed all my mum’s good habits down to my own daughter. I got her on to some good skincare when she was around 12 too. I think it’s important to understand that good skincare doesn’t need to be expensive, it just needs to have the right ingredients in the right dose to get great results.

I love that SILK products are very affordable; at $49 each, and there are great options to buy 3, 4, or 5 product packs that bring the price down even more per product. It’s important to note that we always use the right percentage of the active ingredients in both SILK ranges so our products do what they say they will do.

Have you noticed your skin change over the years?

For sure! My skin has certainly changed over time. It started off being a little on the oilier side when I was younger, but it has become drier and finer in texture over the years and I’ve found that my skin colouring is prone to dark spots. There are anti-ageing creams, serums and all the rest, but let’s face it, we can’t prevent chronological ageing and the effect it has on our outward appearance. But what we can do, is prevent accelerated ageing and we can use the right skincare at the right times to support what the skin is going through at that stage. I love to have a healthy-looking glow, so I am using lots of resurfacing types of products now that stimulate cell turnover to make sure it always has that dewy look I like.

Why do you feel it’s important to look after your skin from a young age?

The skin starts to show the signs of ageing from around the age of 25, that means it’s started to age long before that. Ageing doesn’t just suddenly start to appear, it’s a slow burn leading up to the time you might notice that first line. I think we should take preventative action from a young age, and that’s not isolated to prevention of lines and wrinkles, it can be for things like acne scarring, stretch marks, pigmentation, redness and a whole lot more.

The skin starts to change from its childhood problem free state around puberty. The skin is the biggest organ of the body and it responds in lots of different ways to hormonal influences. Testosterone for example, in high supply during puberty turns on the sebaceous gland function.

The sebaceous gland found in the skin produces oil. So, when it responds to more testosterone in puberty the skin gets oilier and then it can start to get congested or even break out. Hormonal imbalances or cycles related for example to the menstrual cycle, or not treating oily skin in the right way, can trigger acne. Acne can lead to scarring (not always) and that’s one of the reasons for preventative care to start from an early age. If a teen prone to breakout and acne cares for their skin from a young age with the right products, they could potentially prevent what I’ve often seen as debilitating and self-esteem damaging acne scarring as an adult.

We can prevent pigmentation and sun cancers by starting to wear sunscreen as a child, we can help support the barrier function of the skin by keeping it well moisturised. Did you know for example, that a compromised skin barrier (dryness) can mean the skin is not protected from bacteria and other pathogens from being able to penetrate its normally impenetrable surface?

What’s your routine and does it change, or do you stick to what you know?

Even though I’ve been in the industry since I was 20, surprisingly I am not a beauty product addict. But what I am fascinated by is ingredients!

I am always trying out new things to see how they work and if they even work at all!  I’ve been a guinea pig for all kinds of things, because I love the science. I love to know how the skin works and how chemistry and ingredients work. I’m working with cosmetic chemists on the SILK and ARx ranges every day, its exciting work.  The most important thing to me is supplying products that fulfill their promise, so they have to work and do what they say they’ll do.

I have to be one step ahead of trends all the time to understand what we need to be producing next and then I need to understand how to brief the chemists so they know what we want to achieve with our skin care and the ingredients we choose to use.

So, my routine does change frequently. But there are some things I simply cannot go without. I can’t live without my SILK Glycolic and Lactic Cleanser 13% and my SILK Glycolic and lactic Scrub 10% to start with! Some people think these products are only for oily skin or decongested skin. That’s not the case. Glycolic and Lactic acids are some of the most effective skin resurfacing and hydrating ingredients and I find I must use them to keep my skin glowing. Our cleanser contains Canadian Willoherb as well which is a great antioxidant and I love the kiwi and pomegranate in the scrub, also for their anti-oxidant benefits.

I am also absolutely obsessed by the Aesthetic Rx Ultimate Serum; there are four main actives that work to fade and prevent pigmentation, Niacinamide (vit B3), alpha and beta hydroxy acids and Hibiscus extract. This gives me the glow and it keeps my dark spots (pigment) under control.

I use the Aesthetics Rx A Serum at night with our Home care Derma roller. So, these are the products you would always see in my #shelfie.

Is there anything we should be looking out for over the next few months?

I can’t say too much, but I am trialling some absolutely amazing products that we’ve recently developed for both of our brands… so watch this space! We always test on human volunteers, never on animals, and I am always a willing candidate!!

I’ve been vegan or vegetarian most of my life so being cruelty free and using no animal ingredients is very important to me.


Last of all, what are your ‘go-to’s’ each day, week and for events?

Morning….
Glycolic and Lactic Cleanser 13%; ARx C Serum; ARx Ultimate Serum; SILK Eye Gel; ARX Anti-ageing regenerating Cream

Night……
ARX Revitalising foaming cleanser; A Serum with home care derma roller

Every now and then….
2 x week Glycolic and Lactic Scrub 10%

Special occasion or event….
I always ramp up hydration before an event, so I use SILK’s Hyaluronic Serum for the week leading into the event because it helps the skin retain water.

Not sure what skincare will work for you?

You can call any SILK clinic direct to book a  free skin analysis.
Skin Treatments can also be purchased online here.