When was the last time you really LOOKED at your naked face? When you stood back, in flattering natural light, and took in your face, with all of its unique shades and shadows, freckles and features, and assessed your skin – not as something that needed perfecting or concealing – but as a living breathing organ that makes up a powerful picture: you, embodied, in all of your realness.
Alicia Keys, last month on the cover of American beauty bible, ALLURE, has done just that – and the reaction (which has been almost wholly positive and celebratory) has also led us to question why something so ordinary – an unmade-up female face – might be revolutionary enough to make so many headlines.
There’s no ‘get the look’ editorial here… but rather, a ‘get the confidence’. Every woman wants to feel good in her skin – and shouldn’t feel that covering up is the answer. Don’t get us wrong: we’re mad for make up – but a different sort of confidence can come from seeing the bare face in the mirror as a friend – a beautiful friend –and not an unwelcome reflection in need of ‘fixing.’ Be honest: what do you see when you first look in the mirror? Do you assess your whole face, and the general health and tone of your skin, or do you home in on dark circles, blemishes, lines, and then cover the entire ‘canvas’ with foundation?
“Good skin is most often the result of a holistic approach to wellbeing,” says expert facialist and founder of {MV Organic Skincare}, Sharon McGlinchey. “There’s a reason that I work with so many naturopaths,” says McGlinchey, “because skin is a reflection of so many things – from sleep and diet to hormonal balance and of course, our own skin care routine. If a client comes to me with imbalanced and unhappy skin, I suggest a gentle skin care routine (including the cult {Signature Mineral Mask}, to remineralise and balance, twice a week) to re-educate cells and restore a vibrant, healthy glow (without any trauma).
“Too often, women come to see me when they’ve been over-exfoliating, using too-harsh ingredients, and also massively overcomplicating things – the result is skin that is sensitive, confused, inflamed and unhappy.” McGlinchey’s goal – and the aim of the entire {MV Organic Skincare} line, is to create calm, even skin that really does glow without make up. “I’m almost 50 and I’ve hardly ever worn make up,” says McGlinchey. “If you’re eating well, nourishing your self – and that includes things that lower cortisol levels and help balance hormones, such as yoga, meditation, reiki – it will show in your complexion.
“I’ve always believed that nature doesn’t do quick fixes – so why should skin care? To work with the skin, you need to respect it, and support it – this produces skin that looks healthy and vital every day – not just for special occasions,” she smiles. “I love Alicia Keys – yes, incredibly naturally beautiful she may well be – but aside from her healthy glow and clear vibrant skin, we also get to see – praise the lord! – lines and wrinkles, freckles and visible pores… As someone who has worked for 18 years to promote naturally healthy skin – and that includes doing away with harsh chemical SPFs and even harsher ‘treatment’ peels and lasers – I just love to see this woman shine!”
For Keys, less really is more. Her make up artist, Dotti, is a huge fan of {MV Organic Skincare} (as are we!), and created her cover look with the simplest of products. Her face, was simply cleansed and massaged with an ice-cooled {Jade Facial Roller} and {9 Oil Cleansing Tonic}, then moisturised with a sheet mask, before cream and lip balm were applied. The MV Organic Skincare {Jojoba Oil} is another staple – “it’s so close to the natural sebum we produce in our skin,” says Dotti – so a great balancer for all skin types.
And it isn’t just Alicia who’s addicted to MV Organic Skincare’s cult collection. Read more about the AAA-List beauties who swear by them (including Emma Watson and Poppy Delevingne) right {here} and {here}…