Skin therapist Allison Browning has been noted in The Age and Vogue for treating skin, eyebrows and souls with a mix of sage-like wisdom and cutting edge technology. Here she talks to L’Officiel about spring cleaning your skin.
O’– Talk us through, what has happened to our skin by the end of winter?
AB– Winter can be a bit rough on our skin. We can tend to get dehydrated. Those who are sensitive to temperature change, especially those with rosacea will find that skin flushing can get intense. Our capillaries have a lot pressure on them as we move from warm heated spaces to the cold wintry outdoors. Even the luxury of a hot shower followed by the slap of chilly air can feel brutal on sensitized skin. In those cold months we find ourselves hibernating and the lack of sun can bring bouts of blues. Our emotional health is going to impact on our skin health. Our skin is a brilliant map of our bodies and emotions so naturally it’s going to speak up when we’re feeling out of whack.
O’– How do we freshen up our act for spring?
AB- Spring brings us out of hibernation and it’s a time to re-commit to positive habits and to get inspired. For most skins, the warmer weather is going to mean less dryness. As you run low on your winter skin care, it’s an ideal time to re-evaluate what your skin needs. You might find you don’t need the same rich moisturiser or that your skin has shifted seasonally and your focus is on other skin concerns. In my work, I look at creating balance by letting my client’s skin tell me what’s not in alignment. I use Chinese medicine philosophy, thorough skin knowledge and a good dose of experience and intuition to solve issues. It’s essential to have a customised skin routine in place that suits your individual skin. We’re all unique creatures so what works for Carey Mulligan is probably not going to give the same results for your skin. As a professional, I’m looking at what each individual skin needs to correct it, to enhance it, so each client experiences their own beauty.
O’ – What is your number one recommendation for skin?
AB- I’m a firm believer in sunscreen year round, daily. UV light is the culprit of capillary damage, pigmentation and accelerated aging. A sunscreen must be your best friend, mandatory in summer. These days there are so many options. Once upon a time anyone with oily skin would recoil at the thought of applying sunscreen daily, but things are far more sophisticated now. We have access to moisturisers with a 50+ sun protection factor that actually feel like silky moisturisers. And they come in a variety of options — tinted, sheer tinted, matte-finish, hydrating, mineral, waterproof. You name it and it’s there for the taking!
O’ – What should we be looking to get right in our skin care routines?
Caring for your skin over the warmer months doesn’t have to be complex. Putting in place a customised daily routine with a skin professional means that each day you’ll be working your skin out, like exercising, working toward results. Invest in ethical cosmeceutical products with active ingredients and veer away from fragranced brands. A good routine will include cleansing, a serum or two (to work hard on your key concerns), a hydrating sunscreen and a moisturiser —all chosen for your needs.
O’– What is your favourite in-clinic treatment?
Skin needling. We live in a world of quick fixes, short-term intervention and injectables, but this treatment really goes the distance. Skin needling triggers collagen production in the skin and the domino effect from one treatment will last up to a year and a half. This means your skin is triggered on a cellular level to work harder all on its own. I recommend a minimum of three treatments spaced six weeks apart. It’s brilliant for uneven skin texture and tone, dullness and fine lines. It’s also the go-to treatment in the skin and medical field for skin scarring and stretch mark treatment. Basically, it nails so many concerns all at once! I’m particular about my technology and I use the most up-to date needling device, which is far more comfortable for clients than some of the older methods still out there.
O’- What are your spring beauty essentials?
Sunscreen I won’t live without my Ultra UV Protective Daily Moisturiser 50+ by Ultraceuticals. It’s a staple. I’m a surfer too, so on beach days I’ll transfer to the waterproof Mineral Defence 50+.
Vitamin C (for skin) Vitamin C is so protective and strengthening for the skin. I don’t go without it. Ever! It treats and prevents sun-related pigmentation and is a key age preventative ingredient. I use an Ultraceuticals vitamin C, but my tip for an oily or problem skin: the O Cosmedics Pure C + BHA.
Lips Hurraw! lip balms are always in supply around my home and handbag. I use the Moon Balm on my lips at night, the Tangerine & Chamomile with SPF 15 for the beach and the Black Cherry Tinted Hurraw! is in my hand bag. These are cheap and cheerful but brilliant. They have no petroleum extracts and lots of natural oils, so they really nourish the lips.
Brows are a big part of my day-to-day work with clients and I do love a big brow.Summer is a time to keep brows low maintenance and natural. I use my Librow serum to keep my brows full and thick. Once upon a time I had far more arched brows. Librow is the only serum that’s worked to encourage the brow growth back. My clients love this one! Tip: beware of fakes — this stuff is good so there are copies of it all over the internet.
Allison has over twenty years of experience working with skin, minds and bodies. She is known for her intuitive approach and her treatments combine eastern methodology alongside paramedical scientific principals. Her therapies get the heart of things—nailing results. Allison treats not only the skin but also the soul. Her work has been noted by The Age newspaper and Vogue and she has clients traveling Australia wide for her skin, eyebrow, counselling and body treatments. Allison works within her own Melbourne-based practice Allison Browning Therapies, offering skin therapy, counseling, body work and specialist eyebrow services.