It IS ok to squeeze spots!

After years of being told NEVER to squeeze, cult beauty brand Karin Herzog have come clean, and told us what beauty therapists have known for years, squeezing spots IS ok if you know what you're doing.

I'm a big fan of the Karin Herzog products, so here's their guide to safe & hygienic home extraction:

Clean hands thoroughly before you begin.

Apply any of the Karin Herzog Cleansers to eye area, face and neck massaging for approximately 2 minutes then remove with a damp sponge.

Take a small amount of Mild Scrub, work into the face using small circular movements (avoiding eye area) then remove all traces using a damp sponge.

Blot the face with a tissue. Apply a thin layer of the Essential Mask or Oxygen Face Cream avoiding the eye area; apply in thicker layer on very congested areas. Leave for approximately 5-10 minutes.

Take three strips of cling film and place directly on top of the Mask. The first strip across the forehead, the second across the nose and cheeks, and the third across the chin and jaw area. (Allow breathing holes).

After 5-10 minutes remove the first strip of cling film from the forehead, then remove any traces of Mask with a damp sponge. Blot the forehead with a tissue. Study the area. If there are any blocked pores try a light extraction.

Take another tissue, rip in half and wrap both index fingers ready for extracting any blocked pores and blackheads (use a mirror). N.B.: When extracting, remember to always wrap the fingers with clean tissue. Never use your nails, only use the fingertips. Always use gentle pressure all around the blocked pore - if it does not want to come out, leave it until your next facial. Use a rolling movement in towards the blockage with fingers flat on the face. The oxygen mask will allow blockages to be removed without too much force if ready for extraction.

After extracting all blocked pores and blackheads from the forehead, its time to move around the face from the forehead to the right cheek, then the chin. From the chin to the left cheek, leaving the nose area until last as this is everyone’s area of concern with blocked pores and blackheads and will benefit from leaving the Mask on for as long as possible.
When moving around the face repeat steps 7 and 8 for each area.

When all traces of Mask are removed and after any extraction apply a small amount of Vita-A-Kombi Cream or Oxygen Face Cream. Massage all over the face to sterilise the skin.

N.B. Remember to never apply too much pressure during extraction. If blockages are stubborn, they will be easier next time.

Please Note: These home facial notes are designed to give you a taste of what a professional Karin Herzog facial can do. If carried out correctly it will give results but it is not intended as a replacement for a professional Herzog Oxygen Facial in any of our salons where the treatments are carried out within strict professional guidelines and where we recommend you visit if you have any real skincare concerns. Our salon partners offer a treatment, called the Bodicial, which lasts 2 hours and has body Lymphatic drainage as part of the treatment.

Karin Herzog accept no responsibility for any client who has been a little over zealous with the extraction. If in doubt, call our free phone hotline - 0800 0562428. A qualified therapist should always treat serious problems or cases of persistent acne. Your skin is delicate and when treated gently and with respect will reward you by looking its best.

New from Bliss: Best of Skintentions

I love Bliss products, great products in cool packaging that really work, so I'm really excited about their new moisturiser.

Best of Skintentions (£25) contains SPF 15, plus it has a UVA rating of PA++. It's said to preserve the skin’s youthful appearance by keeping it soft, supple and healthy-glowing skin and protecting it from the sun. Phytonutrient rich garden cress sprouts effectively detoxify the skin and protect against free radicals. Lychee extract reduces negative effects of UV irradiation on cell metabolism and provides essential moisture to the skin. A cocktail of vitamins, minerals and omegas promotes healthy skin function and serves as a daily ‘dew’ diligence for visible age prevention. SPF 15 protects your skin from both UVA and UVB. Tested for measurable UVA protection levels, best of skintentions should shield your skin against the biggest culprit of age acceleration and promotes a youthful complexion.

So will it live up to it's promises? I'll let you know!

Visit www.blisslondon.co.uk for more info, order online or find a stockist.

Banish cellulite with Karin Herzog

I've written about the wonders of Karin Herxog products before, and I'm going to keep on about them until everyone sits up and takes notice!

There are thousands of beauty articles out there telling you that it's impossible to get rid of cellulite, in fact, I've written a number of them myself. But when I discovered Karin Herzog's Dynamic Duo that all changed. You CAN get rid of cellulite, and you don't have to sweat in the gym, starve yourself, drink gallons of water, or go under the knife to do it.

Last summer I tested the Herzog Dynamic Duo, a combination of two creams - Silhouette a 4% oxygen cream, and Tonus B12. It had, quite frankly, astonishing results. Within three weeks my thighs and bum were smooth enough to be proud of on the beach! Obviously my beauty regime became lazy over the winter, but I've started using the creams again and can already see the results.

Julie Cichocki, the MD of Karin Herzog, tells me that there's a further development in the Dynamic Duo for this summer, Tone and Tan. A tanning element has been added to Tonus B12, so now you can add a gradual tan as you tone up your thighs and bum ready for the summer.

Tone & Tan is released on April 6th, but you can pre-order yours right now from the Karin Herzog website.

Check back next week for more info on how the Dynamic Duo works, plus some before and after pics (but not of my bum).

Are you suffering from ageing dysmorphia?

British women are trapped in a state of flux about how old they think they look versus their true age, according to a recent audit.

The audit, commissioned by anti-ageing brand Roc, reveals how women are continuously changing their minds about how well they believe they are ageing. Something which a psychologist has referred to as ‘ageing dysmorphia’.

More than half (55%) of the women said they looked younger than their years, but the irony is, when asked if they would like to look younger, 70% agree they would!

Psychologist Anjula Mutanda comments, “Women are experiencing something I like to call ageing dysmorphia. Every woman at some point scrutinises how well they think they are ageing which throws up a contradictory mixture of feelings - it is as much about what is going on in their mind and their self perception - which may sometimes be self-critical, distorted and negative: as it is about the actual lines on their face. What is clear, is ageing is an emotional minefield, with the audit also highlighting that the majority of women feel pressurised to stay looking young.”

So how do you feel? Do you think you look your age? Or even younger? How much does ageing matter to you? Is it possible to grow old gracefully or is looking younger all that matters? Let me know what you think!