Advertising Feature: How to pamper like a pro

After the fun and excitement of December, January is the perfect moment to slow down and enjoy some well deserved rest and relaxation. Laurie explains, ‘Pampering yourself at home is the ideal solution to recovering your skin from the excesses of the party season, whilst also being a cost effective way to treat yourself and unwind. There are a whole host of new beauty treats which will bring the spa-like experience right into your very own bathroom.’ 

Whether it’s setting some time aside on a Sunday evening to pamper yourself from top to toe or adding luxurious steps to your usual skincare routine, we reveal the top five products which will soothe skin, relieve tension and banish those January blues for good.

It’s a new year, and a cursory swipe with some micellar water to remove everyday make-up just won’t do. Soothe your post-party complexion, and enjoy the benefits in the process, by adding the renowned ‘double cleanse’ to your skincare routine. Hailed as the backbone of Korean skincare practices, Laurie advises double cleansing ‘will not just cleanse the first layers of the skin, but also penetrate the deeper layers to help prevent imperfections and irritation.’ 

Make-up and skincare pro, Charlotte Tilbury has developed the perfect two-step cleansing duo for you to add to your routine. The new Goddess Cleansing Ritual promises to leave your skin feeling fresh, hydrated and expertly cleansed. Firstly, apply the coconut oil-based cleanser to your skin to melt away daily make-up and wash off with the included muslin cloth, then finish with the purifying bamboo charcoal cleanser which will tackle the deeper rooted environment pollution that has settled on your skin throughout the day. Hello, happy and healthy skin in 2019.

Returning to your normal routine can be hard following the festive season, so make sure you set aside some time to relax throughout the month. Baths are the perfect way to enjoy some ‘me time’, but this year take yours to the next level with a spa-inspired treatment. Laurie suggests indulging with the Clarins Relax Body Treatment Oil, which she cites as a ‘must-have product to target aching and tense muscles’  – perfect if your shoulders and back are feeling tight after a few weeks back at your desk. Simply apply to your skin while it’s still damp and let the pure plant extracts of geranium, camomile, petitgrain and basil help relieve any feelings of stress and fatigue.

If you want to treat yourself to a little extra TLC, then Laurie suggests visiting one of our Clarins Skin Spas at selected John Lewis & Partners locations. Laurie recommends choosing the new Beauty Sleep Wellness Treatment which is ‘ideal for someone who wants to temporarily escape their hectic routine for some respite.’  You’ll enjoy a specialised tension-relieving full body massage and a soothing facial which will leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated, and Laurie advises ‘I would always book this at the end of a busy day, to fully unwind and de-stress.’ 

If you haven’t yet discovered the power of a good serum, then make 2019 the year you find one you love. These potent, yet weightless, elixirs don’t just provide an extra dose of hydration, they also deeply nourish your skin and protect against harmful environmental factors. Laurie recommends the Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate, which is formulated from a supercharged blend of reishi mushroom and iris root to fortify your skin’s ability to defend itself. Plus, Shiseido’s exclusive Ultimune Complex formula combines Bulgarian rose water and yeast extract to boost the effect of the rest of the products in your skincare regime and to help strengthen skin against signs of ageing.

Whether you’ve been burning the candle at both ends or you’re still recovering from those late nights during December, chances are you are starting to see the effect of lack of sleep under your eyes. Enter the new generation of under-eye masks, which are specifically formulated to support the needs of the delicate skin in this area. Laurie says, ‘An eye mask is a quick and easy way to recover tired eyes and illuminate the area’, and recommends choosing one with a potent formula such as Lancôme Advanced Génifique Light-Pearl Eye Serum Mask. The youth-activating serum in this mask will battle against dark circles, fine lines and puffiness to leave the contours of your eyes looking visibly younger and brighter in just 20 minutes.

There’s no doubt about it, all that champagne, chocolate and cheese we enjoyed over Christmas can play havoc on our complexions, so take some time this January to treat your skin to a deeply cleansing face mask. Choose a formula with powerful and purifying ingredients like the Omorovicza Ultramoor Mud Mask. Laurie reveals the Hungarian Moor Mud ‘is rich in calcium and magnesium carbonates which detoxify the skin, whilst Hectorite clay draws out impurities and hydrates’. Set aside some time one evening and apply the mask to your face and neck for 5-10 minutes, wash off with warm water and a face cloth to reveal a firmer, more radiant complexion beneath. Trust us, your skin will thank you for this one.