As it has become clear after our recent threads about skin care, and as hiccupsie has also helped to show - splashing your face with water, or quickly wiping a 3-in-1 cleanser over it is not a sufficient enough skincare routine.
To achieve that wanted, healthy complexion, it is said you need to treat your skin to a thorough cleansing session at least once a week. If you lead a busy life, maybe just do one on a quiet evening, or a Saturday morning. Remember that, if your complexion isn't clean, it will look drab and - more importantly - it won't be able to kick-start that essential cell renewal process that helps to keep you looking younger. That said, you can go overboard with cleansing and exfoliating and end up stripping your skin of its natural defences and nutrients, so keep your weekly skincare routine limited to a gentle cleanse, exfoliate and moisturise session. You can then go for a more stringent skincare routine once every month.
As it is well-known, to achieve healthy and hydrated skin, you need to drink at least two litres of still mineral water a day and eat a healthy, balanced diet which should consist of five pieces of fruit and veg a day and two portions of oily fish a week. (This is obviously easier said than done). If you're not doing any of these then make an effort to do so. I went through a stage where I followed this routine, and my skin did in fact glow, and look healthy. It's all about dedication.
Whether you're carrying out your weekly or monthly skincare routine you need to start the ritual by ridding the skin of everyday dirt and grime. If you've got normal-to-oily or combination skin, then you're probably better off using a foaming cleanser that can be washed off with water. If you've got normal-to-dry skin then oil and milk-based lotions are best.
While you're busy in your weekly, or even monthly routine, you could recreate the same chilled-out ambience of a treatment room by lighting some scented candles, burning some essential oils and playing a soothing CD.
To achieve a healthy, rosy complexion you need to regularly treat your skin to a thorough cleansing session at least once a week. To rid the skin of any deeply embedded dirt you need to exfoliate at least once a week. However, I have found for my sensitive skin that exfoliating isn't my favourite thing - I end up scratched and red, however, Garnier for sensitive skin has been recommended to me, so I will try that out soon.
For regular sessions, massage in an exfoliator with fine particles so as to not to cause any irritations or strip your skin of its vital oils. The massaging technique will also help to stimulate the facial muscles.
You can also apply a mask as part of your weekly routine in order to boost radiance if you wish but it's not really necessary unless of course your skin is looking lack-lustre or the seasons are changing. For your monthly skin MOT, use a mask that boasts mud or clay as its key ingredient as this will really help to perk up your skin.
Ideally your skin should feel soft and comfortable after its cleansing session. If it's tight or red-looking, you've probably used harsh products that aren't right for your skintype or have been over-zealous with all the scrubbing and sloughing.
To complete your skincare routine you'll need to apply a moisturiser. Remember to gently massage it in so it can penetrate deep below the epidermis and also press gently around the sinus pressure points to help de-puff and de-tox. It's also essential to massage moisturiser into your neck.
(Advice by Kitty Argent for www.handbag.com)
I'm not really an expert on this sort of thing, but I do love giving myself facials, and taking care of my skin. Do bear in mind that these are just tips and tricks that I've picked up over time, but I would recommend hiccupsie for any questions about this sort of thing. She is teh genius.
My mind is more dirty than I realised. 
hehe
