There isn't much acclaimed makeup artist and general skincare buff Wendy Rowe doesn't know about beauty. So when we got wind she was bringing out a book all about how to
look beautiful from the inside out, we had pretty high expectations. And it totally met them all.
Eat Beautiful hones in on how to nourish yourself from the inside out - most importantly, what using fresh, organic produce and eating seasonally can do for your complexion. While skincare plays a large part in our mission for flawless skin, it's believed that topical moisturisers, serums and toners can only address 20% of your skin's needs - the other 80% is all down to what you consume, from food and drink to supplements.
So we sat down with Wendy and found out what skincare, food and makeup she'd prescribe to each skin type, to ensure you're addressing 100% of your skin and leaving your complexion looking utterly flawless...
'It's important to eat a balanced diet of fresh, seasonal food when it comes to oily skin suffers - and try to avoid sugar and dairy where possible as this will really help,' explains Wendy. 'With skincare, I find that raw coconut works as a good cleanser. It seems strange to think that oil would work, but contrary to popular belief, oils are very balancing for oily skin. I like raw coconut oil best as it has antibacterial properties. Stay away from thick, rich moisturisers as they can clog the pores; stick to a fluid, mattifying lotion instead like Darphin Skin Mat,
£41, as it's really good under foundation to control the oil production. I also like to use Burberry’s Cashmere foundation,
£35, on oily skin types, it creates an effortlessly luminous feel to the skin, but has a soft matte finish and really lasts.'
'Try cutting out sugar, caffeine and dairy as these are often key culprits for breakouts,' says Wendy. One of the best tips for blemish-prone skin is to keep your complexion really clean and make sure you avoid touching it. Sarah Chapman has transparent, healing spot stickers,
£22, which you can put on over spots to stop you touching them or leaving them open to infection - and they work to heal the blemishes at the same time. I also swear by Sudocrem,
£2.99, for blemishes as an overnight treatment. If you wear makeup, then make sure you always use clean tools to apply - throw away any old sponges as these harbor bacteria and clean brushes regularly with a brush cleaner.
'Eating a balanced diet and keeping well hydrated will make a big difference in keeping skin healthy. If you have combination skin, then you need to treat the different areas of skin differently, maybe try using something richer on dry areas and something more lightweight on any oily patches of skin. Alternate between using a couple of different moisturisers during the week too to keep the skin well hydrated. Burberry’s Nude Powder,
£38, is great for combination skin – it works well to mattify any oily areas such as down the t-zone but it isn’t powdery looking. It’s light enough not to be drying on other areas of skin too, keeping the overall effect fresh and luminous.'
'Eating oily fish such as mackerel which contains omega 3 fatty acids will help retain moisture and strengthen your skin - or try taking supplements to give you a boost. Always try to avoid products that have alcohol in them or artificial fragrances as these can be very irritating on the skin, especially on drier skin types. Take care to moisturise your skin; I really like Weleda’s Skin Food Balm,
£9.95, which you can use on very dry patches of skin, as an overnight moisturiser or a face mask. Cream based makeup is more flattering on dry skin than powders, but always make sure you have moisturised your skin well before applying anything. I like to use a hydrating mist too to lock moisture into the skin. Look for natural, organic products as these tend to be free from artificial ingredients and fragrances which can irritate dry skin – RMS does some great cream based textures in its range - like the 'Un' Cover Up Concealer,
£28.
'Try to eat anything with high folate content such as avocado, as it helps with the regeneration of skin cells. Skinade’s collagen drink,
£66, is a great way to boost natural production of collagen for ageing skin. Make sure to keep the skin and lips well moisturised as they can start to dry out as you age. Sarah Chapman’s Overnight Facial,
£46, is a great product to add moisture into the skin overnight before makeup application. Laura Mercier also do some really flattering cream blushes,
£21.50, and Burberry’s First Kiss Balm,
£22.50, is great for keeping lips hydrated.'
Eat Beautiful By Wendy Rowe, £13.60
Main Image Photography by Camilla Akrans
