Fragrantly Beautiful

The seven deadly (beauty) sins

By Kitty Argent

There are certain beauty rules that are never meant to be broken.

Here are the most important ones that every cosmetic junkie should abide by:

Thou shalt not . . .

Squeeze your spotsOn a scale of 1 to 10 this rings in at a resounding 10. No matter how tempting it may be to squeeze a pussy whitehead it really won't help to banish blemishes or improve your skin's condition. By squeezing you will damage the skin and slow down the all-important collagen production process. Try to be patient and leave your spots, pimples or blackheads well alone. To achieve a clearer, cleaner complexion cleanse your skin twice daily and use a gentle exfoliating product once a week. Every six weeks you can also have a micro-dermabrasion carried out by a professional. If you suffer from chronic skin conditions such as rosacea or acne always consult your GP for medical advice.

Sin solutions:

Dermalogica Special Clearing Booster (£30.50) Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clear Blemish Gel (£9.50)

Bioré Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser (£4.99)Extracts of pure aloe vera and vitamin E oil are good natural alternatives.

Thou shalt not . . .Sleep with your make-up onIf you've had a late night it's very tempting to slip into bed with your war paint firmly in place but you won't be doing your face any favours. By not cleansing, your skin won't be able to breathe and your pores will become clogged up and therefore prone to spots. Remember the skin cell renewal process happens at night so if your complexion is not properly clean and hydrated you won't reap the benefits and it'll look decidedly lacklustre. If you don't take your mascara off on a regular basis you'll not only end up with horribly panda like peepers your eye lashes can become weak and drop off. If you know you're going to be out late keep a pack of cleansing wipes by your bed.

Sin solutions:

Tesco Skin Wisdom 3-in-1 Cleansing Wipes (£2.99)

Evian Oxygenating Cleansing Wipes (£2.99)

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Deep Cleansing Wipes (£2.99)


Thou shalt not . . .

Straighten your hair every dayUsing hot heat on your delicate tresses every day not only saps your hair of essential moisture it also causes plenty of damage to the delicate hair follicles too. If you cut down on your straightening sessions you'll see a remarkable improvement in your hair's overall condition. If you must straighten then always use a conditioning and protecting serum to minimise the impact of red hot heat on your hair. You should also make sure your shampoo is a really nourishing one and that you use an intensive moisturizing mask every week to put life back into limp locks.

Sin solutions:

Toni & Guy Insights Moisturising Serum (£6.99)

Alterna Caviar Rapid Repair Spray (£26.50, 0845 458 9350)

Klorane Nourishing Treatment Shampoo with Mango Butter (£5.45, available at Boots)

Wella Lifetex Nutri-Care Extra Rich-Nutrition Self-Warming Mask (£7.50)

Thou shalt not . . .

Forget to FlossOne of the quickest ways to cause tooth decay – apart from eating bucket loads of sweets and sugar – is by not flossing regularly. All those bits of food that get stuck between your teeth – spinach is a classic offender – can also lead to plaque, bad breath and gum disease. Another reason why it's essential to floss is because, according to the British Dental Health Foundation, brushing only cleans approximately 60% of your teeth so the next time you're out treat your teeth to minty fresh floss and see and feel the difference it'll make to your pearly whites.

Sin solutions:

Oral B Satin Tape (£2.39)

Boots Smile Dental Sticks (£1.99)

Dentek Dental Pick Ultra (£4.99)

Waterpik Deep Clean Oral Care kit (£29.99)

Thou shalt not . . .

Bite Your NailsNibbling away at your fingernails on a regular basis is the easiest way to make them weak and brittle. If it's a habit you simply cannot break then invest in a fowl tasting nail strengthening product to stop you from chewing. You could also buy a pair of nail scissors or clippers so you can snip off your talons as soon as they grow long enough to munch on. These simple measures will help you to curb your craving and instantly make your nails stronger. Weak nails should be treated to a weekly manicure so they may start a good recovery process. As well as a nail strengthening product use nourishing oil and a base and top coat as well as a coloured polish so your nails will really reap the best benefits and your teeth won't be able to chomp through all that lot as easily. After a few weeks you should have prize winning talons and attractive hands once more.

Sin Solutions:

Mavala Stop (£7.50)

Sally Hansen Get Healthy Nails and Cuticles Vitamin C Cream (£6.95)

Decléor Aromaessence Ongles Nail Treatment Oil (£32)

Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Nail & Cuticle Therapy (£6.95, 020 7361 0499)

Thou shalt not . . .

Skimp on SPFAlways use a facial moisturiser with a minimum SPF of 15 to protect your precious skin from UV damage and to keep it looking younger for longer. If you're going on holiday you simply must apply a sunscreen that's right for your skin tone on a regular basis otherwise you'll end up red, raw and sore. Worse still you could put yourself at risk to skin cancer. Even your hair and eyes need protection from those harmful UV rays so make sure you don a suitable hair product, wide brimmed hat and shades before heading out into the sun.

Sin Solutions:

Lancôme Soleil Ultra SPF 50 (£19.50)

Estée Lauder Anti-Ageing Sun Lotion for Body SPF 30 (£18)

Daniel Galvin Organic Colour Save Shampoo (£6.99)

Redken UV Rescue Daily Sun milk (£13.50, 0800 444880)

Thou shalt not . . .

Apply fake tan without exfoliating firstBefore applying, always make sure you exfoliate your skin and slather on loads of rich moisturiser otherwise your tan will just look blotchy and uneven. It's also important to wipe over your knees, heels and elbows with a damp cloth in order to stop the tan from clinging to cracks and lines. If you've never used a fake tan before go for one that is coloured so you can see where you're applying it.

Sin Solutions:

Clinique Sparkle Skin (£16.50)

Clarins Aroma Body Care Toning Body Polisher (£23.50)

Dermalogica Protective Self-Tan SPF15 (£20.90)

Sisley Self Tanning Lotion Spray (£46)

Virgin Vie's Self Tan (£12, 0845 300 8022)

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posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 3:29 PM