Victoria Beckham has deemed her treatments to be ‘the best facials in London’- we steal 12 of Sarah Chapman’s skincare secrets…
Victoria Beckham is a woman after our own heart. She’s a steely business woman, fashion icon, well known funny woman and partial to a tequila or two if her Instagram feed is anything to go by. It’s no surprise, then, that one of our dearest skincare experts is also her facialist of choice when she’s back on home soil. Sarah Chapman has been honing, restoring and perfecting the skin of A-listers and regular Londoners alike for over 20 years, and it’s fair to say that she knows a thing or two about making even the most flagging, fatigued complexions glow with health. Victoria relies on her Skin Insurance SPF 30 , Stem Cell Collagen Activator and 3D Moisture Infusion between treatments, but what is Sarah’s day to day advice for approaching skin ageing with grace and guts? We asked her just that, and here are her twelve mantras for beautiful skin, no matter how many birthdays you’ve had…
1. “Beautifully healthy skin always starts with thorough cleanse, particularly during the summer months when sebum and debris, coupled with congestion from sun creams and sweat can build up. Balm cleansers are particularly good as they soften and nourish the skin, melting deep into pores to lift out grime and impurities. Try applying with steam, be it over the sink or whilst in the bath or shower, for a really deep clean.”
2. “Massage is an essential part of my treatment philosophy, at home or in the clinic. Fantastic for stimulating your skin, massage boosts the vital supply of oxygen and nutrients into skin cells while draining toxins from the lymph nodes to de-puff and prevent the blockages which can cause congestion and breakouts. Try combining some simple massage techniques with your cleanse, either with your hands or a facial massager like my Facialift . You’ll be amazed how healthy and radiant your skin will look after just a couple of minutes.”
3. “For more youthful skin in a week, exfoliate. Nothing can be more ageing than dull, grey skin that lacks vitality. Efficiently exfoliating twice a week will brighten and invigorate the skin, whilst leaving it silky soft. Try my Overnight Exfoliating Booster to effortlessly eliminate dead surface cells while you sleep.”
4. “I’ve always taken a 360° approach to my skincare, taking a variety of supplements to keep my skin nourished, supple and hydrated from within, and I recommend skin supporting supplements to clients. Omegas such as flaxseed oil are fantastic for keeping your skin hydrated, moisturised and smooth. They also provide natural anti-inflammatory properties and work to minimize skin redness and speed up skin recovery.”
5. “I don’t often have the time to exercise as much as I would like so a healthy diet is really important to me. I follow the Louise Parker method for energy and a clean diet and am supplementing with Gabriela Peacock Nutrition at the moment to restore my body and mind.”
6. “Do be gentle around the delicate eye area. As we age the skin here particularly loses elasticity and can become crepey. Look for lightweight eye products so as to not overload the skin and apply using the tip of your ring finger as this will ensure the minimum amount of pressure. During your 30s and 40s signs of damage start to show so evening out skin tone is often a priority, as is caring for lines and wrinkles.”
7. “Always wear a daily SPF. The ageing effects of sun damage are well known, but consider the lesser known UVA/UVB damage from fluorescent lighting, computer screens etc. Never leave the house without it! In the clinic we all love Skin Insurance SPF 30 as it’s the most advanced technical skin protection.”
8. “If I had my way, everyone would ditch their facial toner (which does very little for the skin) and instead use a serum for a targeted skincare solution. Serums at a low molecular weight penetrate the skin far more effectively to really tackle the deeper issues. I created my Age-Repair Serum and Age-Repair Concentrate as the ultimate anti-ageing serums. They contain potent levels of vitamins, antioxidants, peptides and skin brighteners to help restore and rejuvenate the skin at a cellular and superficial level. The concentrated version has double the amount of actives for more advanced signs of ageing as well as additional ingredients such as renovage which work directly on cell telomeres, slowing down ageing at the deepest level within the skin.”
9. “If you have time and money for another step consider a facial oil or elixir to restore lipids, strengthen cell membranes and promote stronger skin with improved elasticity and glow.”
10. “It’s really important to apply your creams and serums around the neck, including the back of the neck, behind the ears, earlobes and chest as these are the areas that are easily neglected and can really show signs of ageing.”
11. “Take time to breathe and relax. I love to do yoga with my friend and instructor guru Lisa Larn . Relaxed facial muscles can smooth over ten years of stress induced ageing!”
12. “Avoid sugar where you can as this leads to glycation and collagen breakdown as well as adding to the waistline. There are so many great health practitioners and nutritionists and so much good food advice out there right now. I turn to Louise Parker , Amelia Freer and Gabriela Peacock when I need advice and inspiration.”
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Follow Sarah on Instagram @skinesis , Anna @annyhunter and of course Victoria Beckham @victoriabeckham