If I could give my 15 year old self three pieces of practical advice from an older and debatably wiser self, these would definitely make the Top 10 cut.

-          You will swear your mother is SO wrong about a certain boy (you’ll know who). And she’s 100% right, soz.

-           You think being at school 9am-3pm is hard. It really isn’t, embrace it.

-          Get a facial oil, it will change your life.

It is on this last point that I will expand, because I believe it is something that could change the life of many a woman inflicted with acne prone and oily skin, and no one wants to hear the woes of first love on a Monday.  Whilst my mother may have been right about boys and a whole host of other things, her “scrub it hard” philosophy on skin was not so ‘spot’ on (excuse the pun.) I have combination skin that was particularly oily as I navigated those years of early pubescence. One of the worst moments of high school was when I found out that behind my back I was known as ‘Mr Sheen’ because my forehead was so shiny. I kid you not. Hilarious on reflection but devastating to a 14 year old who spent hours scrubbing her pimply face, applying foundation, and wishing that I had someone else’s skin.

Fast forward 8 years later, hindsight and an obsession with new beauty products has given me the knowledge that the strong products I used as a teenager, and the extreme lengths I went to harshly cleansing and scrubbing was causing my skin to produce more sebum and therefore more shine, and more pimples.  Whilst much clearer, I still get the occasional breakout – but moisturising has become essential in my regime and I know how important it is to keep my skin balanced and hydrated.

Moisturising is one thing, but had you given me a facial OIL to try a month ago those buried ‘Mr Sheen’ memories would have resurfaced with horrifying images of a grossly sleek forehead, pimply skin and braces. All thanks to the job of Beauty PR, I have faced my teenage fears and for the last few weeks have added Santorini Sun’s Nature’s Facelift Oil to my daily beauty regime. 

 

And – I have found a love even my mother would approve of. This light-weight, soothing serum has given my winter skin a much needed boost of hydration and a healthy glow. The formula is 100% organic, using olive squalane in its pure form.  Olive squalane mimics the composition to our own human squalane, a sebum which is produced by our bodies and slowly diminishes in our 20s – as squalane reduces, enters the tell tale signs of ageing, damaged skin. Nature’s Facelift Oil has been spruced as a seriously impressive anti-aging product, working with your natural cell production to boost cell renewal and help reduce the signs of ageing skin.

However as a 20-something don’t be fooled, prevention is the best cure AND I have noticed a serious improvement in my skin. A small pea sized amount is all I use, massaging into my face after I cleanse & tone at night.  I was pleasantly surprised to note how quickly the fine lotion absorbs deep into the skin, and there is not a sign of the greasy film I so dreaded.

My breakouts have noticeably reduced (olive squalane is also anti-bacterial), my skin is fresh and hydrated even in this cold weather, my complexion is smoother and more consistent and the few small acne scars I had have reduced in visibility. Hurrah! Usually quite self conscious about my skin, I have felt much more confident to rock minimal make up and have received a lot of compliments.

Even Dad has noticed my glowing skin, and his idea of a compliment was asking me if I was pregnant. Seriously.  I don’t know if my 15 year old self would have been more horrified at the thought of discussing pregnancy so casually with my father, or more excited that my skin looks so great.

At only $29.95, this product has been touted as nature’s answer to botox. Santorini Sun’s Nature’s Facelift Oil can be bought online at www.santorinisun.com.au and Australia wide at select pharmacies and boutiques. Now to fix that 15 year old’s fashion taste…

Alena xx