YOUR SKIN PLAN

THE SKINCARE

YOUR LIFESTYLE

YOUR DIET

PHASE ONE

Your skin is showing signs of ongoing barrier disruption and inflammation rather than simply being dry skin.

The redness, small bumps and spots around the cheeks and nose, alongside the tightness and dryness you’ve experienced for years, may fit a rosacea type pattern. However, my priority isn’t to attach a label to it, it’s to calm the skin, rebuild its barrier and monitor how it responds.

Because you’re getting married next week, i'm not going to throw loads of new things at your skin or try to force a quick result. For now, the aim is simply to keep everything calm and predictable.

Reduce dryness, tightness and visible inflammation.
Strengthen the skin barrier.
Simplify your skincare and remove potential irritants.
Improve the variety and nutrient density of your diet.
support your nervous system and sleep around changing shifts.
Monitor the redness, bumps and under eye colour over time.
Introduce additional skincare only once your skin is ready.

Skincare plan

For the first eight weeks, we are keeping this deliberately simple.

Morning

Skin soak using a clean, soft microfibre cloth and comfortably warm water.
Apply Prologic Derma Aid while the skin is still slightly damp.

Evening

Cleanse once using Prologic Cream Cleanser.
Remove thoroughly with your soft microfibre cloth.
Skin soak for approximately 30 seconds.
Apply Prologic Derma Aid while the skin is still slightly damp.
Apply a decent amount of mineral SPF.

For now, stop using

CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser
The Inkey List Azelaic Acid
CeraVe Moisturising Cream
La Roche-Posay Toleriane Rosaliac SPF

This isn’t because every one of these products is necessarily bad. I just want to remove variables and give your skin a proper opportunity to settle.

Avoid scrubs, exfoliating acids, retinol, cleansing brushes, hot water and introducing anything new yourself.

After eight weeks

We’ll review your skin before making changes. If it is less reactive, less tight and generally more settled, we can consider introducing Prologic Omega 3 Oil gradually.

In clinic treatment plan

I recommend a course of eight Celluma LED treatments, spaced once per week.

The aim is to support

Redness and inflammation
Barrier recovery
Skin repair
Overall resilience

This is a supportive treatment rather than an aggressive one, making it more appropriate while your skin is reactive. We won’t consider stronger treatments until the barrier is stable, if even needed.

YOUR

LIFESTYLE

You describe your stress as low, but working night shifts for two weeks each month still places a physical stress load on the body. This can affect sleep quality, inflammation and skin recovery even when you don’t feel mentally stressed.

The wedding next week will also naturally bring extra stimulation, excitement and disruption, so the goal is not perfection, it’s giving your body small, regular signals of safety.

Daily to do's

After waking

Have water before coffee.
Eat within around 60 - 90 minutes.
Get outside for 10 minutes of daylight when your schedule allows.
Take five slow breaths before starting your day.

Before eating

Pause for three slow breaths before your first mouthful. This helps move the body away from rushing and towards rest and digest mode.

During work
Once or twice during your shift

Drop your shoulders.
Unclench your jaw.
Breathe gently into your stomach.
Make your exhale slightly longer than your inhale.
This only needs to take one or two minutes.

Before sleep

Keep the bedroom cool and as dark as possible.
After night shift, limit bright light on the journey home where practical.
Avoid scrolling once you get into bed.
Use slow breathing - inhale for four and exhale for six to eight, for around two minutes.
Keep the room and bedtime routine consistent, even when the time of day changes.

Wedding week

This week, don’t chase a skin transformation.
Don’t introduce new products.
Don’t pick or squeeze the bumps.
Keep meals regular even when busy.
Prioritise sleep wherever possible.
Keep alcohol and very spicy foods sensible if you already notice flushing.
Continue the simple skincare routine.

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TECHNIQUE ONE

Stop-Breathe-Be

Choose a small, mindless, and repetitive task you do every day. It's ideal to pick something that can be the initiator of a cascade of events such as making tea, cleaning your kitchen countertop, checking email or getting ready for work. The more mindless and repetitive the action, the better the result.

As you're about to start the task, say to yourself in your mind or aloud the word STOP. Intentionally, bring your body to a full and complete stop. Pause and be as motionless as possible and become aware of your stillness in that moment. Then say to yourself, BREATHE. Of course, you've been breathing all along, but take a few seconds to become fully aware of your breathing as you take one deep breath in and then let it all the way out. Try to relax your body as you take a deep breath.

Finally, say the word BE. Take the moment to ground yourself and be present. Bring your attention to that moment in time and relish the temporary pause. Simply become aware of yourself before you move on to the task you're about to do. The Stop-Breathe-Be technique only takes about five seconds of pause, presence, and stillness, yet it can be an amazingly eﬀective way to reset your stress using the mind-body connection. It's like a personal check-in from you to you at moments throughout your day.

TECHNIQUE TWO

Diaphragmatic breathing

This is a technique I like to use when I am more conscious of my breath but don’t necessarily need it in an emergency, usually using it when I have more time such as my commute to work in the car. I will make sure the radio is turned oﬀ and focus on the inhale and exhale.

Take a deep breath into your stomach opposed to your chest. You can count to 4. Breathe in through your nose and let your stomach rise then on the exhale count to 8, meaning the exhale is much slower. You can exhale through your nose or your mouth. Repeat this at least 5 times or for as long as you have.

TECHNIQUE THREE

Extra Sip

This is a technique I learnt from the great Andrew Huberman (have a nosey on his Instagram and podcasts!). This is the quickest way to calm your nervous system in a moment of stress or anxiety.

Take a deep breath into your belly and once you feel like you can inhale enough, take an extra sip. Hold your breath for 4-7 seconds then exhale as slowly as you can using the count of 8-10. Repeat this for 2 minutes.

TECHNIQUE FOUR

Grounding

Get outside and put your feet on the grass. Being ‘connected to the earth’ has scientific studies to show how it helps to reduce inflammation. I know the weather may not permit this right now but, when possible, get in your garden! Failing that, there are grounding devices that can be bought and attached on your bed to sleep in or a matt.

TECHNIQUE FIVE

Nasal vs Mouth Breathing

How you breathe during sleep matters too. Nasal breathing is considered physiologically optimal because it supports nitric oxide production, improves oxygen delivery efficiency, helps regulate blood pressure, reduces snoring, and encourages deeper, more stable sleep.

Chronic mouth breathing, on the other hand, can contribute to issues such as snoring, dry mouth, fragmented sleep, and increased sympathetic activation, which can leave the body feeling more stressed and less rested overnight.

Some people find that gentle mouth taping can help encourage nasal breathing during sleep. If you choose to experiment with this, it’s important to use medical-grade micropore tape and apply only a small vertical strip rather than sealing the mouth fully. Mouth taping should be avoided if you have nasal obstruction, diagnosed sleep apnoea, or any existing breathing concerns. Safety should always come first.