New Year, new you?
It’s that time of year when we all decide things are going to be different as we set out on the road to good intentions.

Here are my simple beauty resolutions from my skincare routine that are easy to keep up with - and you will quickly see (and feel) the benefits!

Always cleanse at night…
Cleansing properly every night is the single most important thing you can do for your skin. Removing grime and make up before going to bed allows skin to breathe and enables your skin’s natural night time renewal process to work as it should.

Skin that is free from air borne pollutants, and make up residues can work on restoring its natural balance during the night. The most important thing is to cleanse daily with something that suits your skin.

I remove all cleansers with warm water and a muslin flannel, as it gently exfoliates leaving skin super soft and using water helps to give a really deep clean feeling too.

Muslin face cloths are a great way to save money as you can wash and reuse them, unlike cotton wool, and the gentle exfoliating action might mean that you could drop a product from your routine too. £3 each, or 5 for £12.

Exfoliate regularly…
Exfoliation for the body is one of the things that is so easily forgotten and dropped from your body care routine, but one that pays huge dividends if you do manage to remember to keep it up.

Although they still seem far away, the bare-skinned days of summer will be upon us before we know it and if you’ve started early with the buffing and scrubbing, when the sun takes us by surprise again on the those first glorious days of late spring sunshine, you will be able to bare your arms with pride (and only a hint of smugness!).

Make regular exfoliation your New Year’s resolution and come summer you’ll be so happy you kept it up. Little and often is the best way to exfoliate, you want to polish your skin to a gentle glow rather than scratching it with harsh, rough granules.

For dry skin, my all time favourite body scrub is the Acorelle Body Scrub - it's a bargain at just £12.99 for 200ml. Based on crushed olive stones and apricot kernels blended with nourishing aloe vera this certified organic body scrub leaves skin beautifully soft and smooth as well as deeply moisturised with theinvigorating scent of lemon.

So it's time we must accept summer is truly over and the frosty morns of Autumn are within weary sight, but that's no excuse to jump into hibernation just yet.

In fact, now's the best time to give your skin a quick lift, to shed the dry cells of those fading summer tans and re-boost and re-energise with some much needed beauty treatments and tender care.

Here are a few quick tips to do just that:

 • Mist It: Toner sprays are terrific to revive the face with a spray of fresh nutrients. Toners, such as Dr Hauschka and Madara are particularly nourishing as they offer the added boost of antioxidants and moisturising properties. Leaving your face damp with toner and applying your moisturiser straight on top aids absorption too, you'll find heaver winter creams sink in much faser with this simple tip. 

• Scrub It: Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Using body scrubs helps the body to shed dry and dead skin cells - which after a summer of intense UV rays (well for those who holidayed in the Mediterranean at least) and drying out will be just what the skin doctor ordered. Using broad strokes towards the heart will help boost circulation, pumping blood faster around your body to keep you a little warmer as those chilly days start to creep in. Lovea and Laidbare both offer really affordable yet effective options, the Laidbare one is gente enough for your face too! 

 • Hydrate: Central heating can really sap skin's moisture levels levels it feeling dehydrated. Use an extra hydrating moisturiser susch as SOS by Madara, or add a serum to your routine, we love Green People's Hydrating Firming Serum.

• Eat more berries: Increase your intake of foods that are loaded with antioxidants like raspberries and blueberries. Mexican and red kidney beans are also very high sources of antioxidants, as is green tea. These will not only strengthen your immune system they help to brighten and lift even the dullest of skin. 

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When the petals of the wild roses fall in the lush mountain valleys of South America the berry-like hips of the flowers seedpods are collected.

The rose hips of the Rosa Affinis Rubiginosa are used to make a myriad of healing and beauty products such as oil, tea, moisturiser, face masks, toners and spot treatment creams.

The finely ground powder of rosehip seeds can be also used as a natural exfoliator to remove dead skin cells. Rosehip oil has a list of healing benefits as long as a thorny stem. It's packed with essential fatty acids (linoleic, linolenic and oleic), anti-oxidants (tocopherols or Vitamin E is a naturally occurring preservative), retinoic acid (a derivative of Retinol or Vitamin A), Omegas 3 and 6 and Vitamin C.

The therapeutic rosehip oil aids the regeneration process of our skin's cellular membranes and the repair of damaged tissues. Some studies have found that when applied twice daily to scars (recent or not) they have become less visible and the skin more elastic. It has also been reported to return burn tissue to its natural colour.

Rosehip can be used to reduce the appearance of stretch marks and acne scars by massaging into the skin. It can help the skin heal sunburn, inflammation, dermatitis and eczema by restoring the skin's moisture balance. When applied to coloured, permed and sun damaged hair it has been noted to have similar effects.

This skin healing gem can also lend a hand to those of us trying to slow the aging process by aiding the repair of tissue to reduce fine lines and pigmentation. Rosehip oil makes for an excellent ingredient in moisturizers as it is ultra-fine, enabling the skin to absorb it very quickly. It also loosens the tension in the skin leaving it softer, smoother and more vibrant looking.

Complete ranges of pure skincare based on Rosehip Seed Oil are made by Trilogy and Barefoot SOS. If you need any advice choosing what's right for your skin don't hesitate to get in touch.

Knowing whether organic and eco friendly products really deserve their label can be a minefield. And even when you are clued up enough to look for products with an organic certification symbol, the vast array of symbols and icons now in use can be really confusing.

To help make things a little clearer we've just created a whole new infomation section where you can learn all about the various certified organic icons and other eco labels that are widely used and feature on the products that we recommend. Come and take a look...

Just as most of us have got to grips with our cleanse, tone and moisturise routine everyone's talking about serums and face oils, if you're not sure what these brilliant products can do for you read on and we'll explain.

Both serums and face oils offer a great opportunity to improve your skin and protect it for the future in one easy step. But to help us understand how they work we need to understand a little bit about the skin.

The skin is primarily there to protect us from external influences and as such can take a real battering from the sun, heat, cold and pollution.

The skin has its own natural moisture system which contains water and oil. To keep skin in optimal condition skin’s natural protective barrier needs to be maintained.

External influences such as pollution, diet and the wrong type of products can upset the skin and cause it to become dry from lack of oils and or dehydrated from lack of water.

Skin can look grey, lacklustre and lack radiance; in the worst case it can become tight and inflamed. Many fine lines, wrinkles and the first signs of ageing are caused by dehydration and can become permanent if we do not tackle them early.

All skin types are subject to dehydration and it is not all about drinking more water. Increasing fruit and vegetables that hold lots of water like melons or cucumbers is just as important, as is reducing diuretics like coffee and alcohol.

On the product side, skin serums are the perfect combination of water and oil in a light emulsion, specifically designed to deliver a hit of concentrated nutrients and water to tackle all those dehydration symptoms. Many contain the super ingredient hyaluronic acid, which holds water on the skin and drip feeds the skin throughout the day, the perfect antidote to dehydration.

Because a serum is such a light texture we apply them to cleansed skin in a gentle pat and roll method then apply a moisturiser over the top to seal in the nutrients. They are suitable for all skin types and can be used every morning and evening (if using just once a day then ideally in the morning). Our best-selling Green People Hydrating Firming Serum has an amazing texture and proven anti ageing benefits.

Extreme dryness in the skin can be caused by sensitivity, over exposure to the sun or cold or simply that your skin naturally produces less oil, a common symptom of the ageing process. A moisturiser that combines lots of rich plant oils and water is perfect for the day to protect and nurture, at night we recommend a facial oil to provide deep nourishment.

The Barefoot SOS Intensive Treatment Oil smells amazing and really tackles dry patches and lack or tone in the skin with its antioxidant rosehip seed oil and just a few drops instantly de stresses skin. Apply to cleansed warm skin for a deeper penetration of the nutrients and spend a few minutes massaging it in with firm upward strokes.