Skintelligence

Skintelligence is understanding what makes your skin behave in the way it does and knowing how to restore balance-is the key to healthy, radiant skin.

Unlike other organs, the skin is visible-a map of your life, complete with freckles, spider veins, open pores, spots, scars, and laughter lines. Because it's exposed to the sun, cold, wind, and pollutants, the signs of stress will soon show if you don't take care of it. While the condition of the skin is undeniably affected by the external environment, diet, lifestyle, hormonal changes, and the passage of time also play a part in its behavior at any give time.

It is important to be able to recognize your skin's tendencies and characteristics so that you can treat it accordingly and restore balance, but accept that these won't remain constant. Skin may be drier during the winter than the summer, and may be prone to oiliness and breakouts at different times of the month or because of change of diet or lifestyle. Smoking, too much alcohol, and too little sleep can all have a negative impact on the skin's health, making it look dull and dehydrated, while stress can trigger sensitivity and lead to outbreaks of exzema and psoriasis.

Information provided by: Jemma Kidd, Make-up Masterclass-the beauty bible of professional techniques and warable looks.