And now, with over 20 years' experience in the beauty industry under her belt Lesley has written a book about the business of ant-ageing. 'Look Younger for Longer – Easy Ways to Drop a Decade' draws on all her knowledge and insight (every type of skincare concern has been laid at her door – from acne to sun-damage) to deliver a no-nonsense guide to keeping the advancing years at bay.
It's an easy read, a chatty, all-girls-together style. She doesn't shy away from including her own particular issues and how she deals with them. And if the cover image is anything to go by (and assuming it was taken fairly recently), at 58 she's a shining example of her own good advice.
There are lots of books on this subject of course – but as this one is written by someone at the sharp end of things, it comes with its own level of credibility. And talking of sharp, she obviously touches on the thorny question of going under the knife (giving us all we need to know before doing so) but is more concerned with offering her opinion on the best non-invasive treatments available, from Botox and fillers to the so-called 'miracle in a jar'. She talks with authority on skin care products (mostly brands other than her own) and the must-have, most talked about ingredients – what they do and why we need them (or don't).
In one chapter she takes a decade in turn – from 30s through to 60s and beyond – discussing how best to deal with the various signs of encroaching age. And as well as skin care she tackles make-up, hair styles, diet, body shape, clothes – they all come under her scrutiny. You might not agree with everything she says (hey.... I'm keeping my hair long until I'm 90 and I really believe that anyone can wear sequins if they feel like it) but most makes good sound sense. The sort of stuff that the best mum and closest, most honest friend might tell you.
Among the many things I have learnt from reading her book, is that i shouldn't be so scared of exfoliation and AHAs. Having very dry skin which can be prone to redness occasionally, I have been nervous of over stimulating my complexion. But i now realise that, if chosen wisely, an exfoliator will help to regenerate, smooth and rehydrate my skin. So I have been trying out Harley Street skin's Revitalizing Facial Cleanser (£10 - 120ml) which is a deep cleansing face wash which contains silica beads to do the buffing. It also includes olive extract to hydrate and orange seed oil to regenerate. And yes, after using three times a week for two weeks, my skin definitely feels softer and looks calmer.
I've been following this up with Intensive Moisture (£25 - 50ml) which not only has a powerful hydrating complex (ceramide2) but also Hexapeptide-8 which apparently has the effect of relaxing muscles if used over time. No, it's not Botox, and I haven't been using it for long enough to tell you that it comes close to that effect. But since I'm not ready to go down that particular route, this extremely comfortable and moisturising cream, that absorbs well and has just the faintest scent, will do just fine.
www.harleystreetskincare.co.uk |
