This week I was lucky enough to catch up with radio presenter, podcaster, and most importantly my friend, Jennie Longdon! We talk skin care routines, lifestyle and diets, and of course her holy grail product.
Get 20% off on Jennie’s favourite products at LookFantastic with code LFJENNIEL!
So first things first, I’m sure everyone will want to know, what is your day-to-day skin care routine?
I start my day with a hot shower, get those pores open! I use Lush Aqua Marina Fresh Cleanser on my face, this is great for oily skin, and I love Lush Happy Hippy Body Wash, it smells incredible. Shout out to Lush, an ethical company, fighting against animal testing. All their products are handmade and their packaging is eco-friendly – WINNER.
After my shower I use Lush Tea Tree Toner Water on my face, followed by Poppy Austin Retinol Anti-Aging Moisturiser with green tea and vitamin e. The best I’ve found for making my skin glow, feel tight, and look less tired.
In the evenings if I’ve been wearing makeup, I use Peace with the Wild Organic Cleansing Makeup Melt. So gentle, 100% organic and natural. A lot less harsh and a lot more eco-friendy than makeup wipes! Another generous helping of Poppy Austin’ Retinol Moisturiser with a few drops of Isle of Paradise self-tanning water added in for that year-round summer glow.
We love a #SelfCareSunday over here at The Guinea Pig Reviews, do you have any bonus additions to your routine when you have some extra time?
I love a bath full of essential oils. I used to love lavender oil, but my allergy prone, sensitive skin would often break out after a bath of that. So now I like to drop in a bit of tea tree oil, great for acne prone skin like mine. Also, organic Frankincense oil has great anti-aging benefits and is great for dry skin.
I know your schedule can get super busy, so what product could you not skip even when you’re in a rush?
I have to moisturise to feel awake. If I am in such a rush that I can’t put any foundation on my face, I have to put an SPF 30 on. Normally my foundation has that in so either way my face is protected.
Big question – What is your holy grail product?
I mentioned them briefly but definitely my Isle of Paradise Tanning Drops. As someone who loves a tan, but also wears an SPF 30 to protect from sun damage, I want my tan from a bottle.
I think I have tried all tanning products out there, and these are easily the best that I have found. Adding a few drops to my moisturiser each night has meant that for the first time in my life I have felt completely confident wearing zero makeup.
Like all of the products I use, this brand is 100% vegan and cruelty free. They are fully organic and packed with vitamin C, chia seed and hydrating coconut oils.
Ok, so products aside, what else do you do to help your skin?
In recent years I have made sure I drink at least 3 litres of water a day, I really don’t find it easy, but I get it down me. I squeeze fresh lemons and lime into the water to make it more drinkable.
Also, I far exceed 5 portions of fruit or veg a day, and I think it’s very important to make sure you’re getting as much fruit and veg goodness as possible.
How much do you think your diet or lifestyle impacts your skin?
When I was a teenager, I had terrible acne and I always remember my skin specialist telling me that on top of the creams that he was prescribing me, drinking lots of water was the best thing that I could do to help my skin improve.
Also, as I am vegan, I have had to look at and inspect my diet quite closely. Obviously, I am not getting any rich source of omega 3 from fish (which is very good for your skin) so instead I take a vegan alternative, Algae Oil which works just as well.
There are so many skin boosting benefits in fruit and veg! My personal favs are blueberries, grapes, broccoli, tomatoes and peppers, and I drink a lot of green tea which is also full of antioxidants.
How would you say your work impacts your skin?
Being a radio presenter I feel privileged to not take onboard a lot of stress in my job, which definitely helps my skin. However, I can work very crazy hours doing late shows, followed by early morning shows. I currently present 12 radio shows a week, so I am definitely lacking in sleep.
I also find that my skin gets oily working in some temperature controlled studios with hardly any fresh air.
My skin also struggles if I’ve spent a lot of time under strong lighting when filming videos as part of my job. I’m a sweaty betty at the best of times, so those lights can really make me sweat underneath my make up!
Walk us through a day in the life of you.
If I’m feeling healthy, I’ll start my day with a grapefruit and green tree. But let’s be real, other days it’s black coffee and a heap of hash browns.
Most days I’ll do some sort of exercise in the morning, most likely yoga, other days I’ll stick on a fun dance class from YouTube, usually to show tunes or something equally as cheesy.
After exercise I’ll shower and start my skin care. There is no point in doing anything before, because as I have mentioned, I sweat a lot.
Every day without fail I will whizz up some blueberries & lemon juice with lots of ginger and turmeric. It’s a great antioxidant booster.
I do love a drink though! Weekends I will indulge in wine or whisky, and sometimes on the occasional weeknight as well. So obviously this isn’t great for the complexion!
You seem to have your skin care down from the inside and out! What’s the biggest fad you’ve tried that hasn’t worked?
So many products! Recently in my podcast, Two Non Blondes, we discussed expensive skin care and how the price tag of products doesn’t necessarily reflect the results.
I have spent a fortune on magic creams over the years, and I have definitely been made to believe that BECAUSE they are expensive, they MUST work! Every single time, the expense has not paid off.
Do you have a go-to person for skin advice?
Not celebrities. Most platforms will have a celebrity or influencer sell you a product, whilst being completely filtered and airbrushed. You will also never know that celebrity’s skin type. If the product that they are selling does genuinely work for them, then it still doesn’t mean that it will work for your skin type.
Unfortunately, we do not all have the same skin type as our favourite actors or singers.
So that being said, I will chat to anyone who has my skin type and who also wants the end results that I do. There’s not just one desired outcome, we all have different images of “perfection” or how we want to look, and that’s great!
What’s the best thing you’ve learnt about your skin care as an adult?
You get out what you put in. I genuinely believe that you are what you eat, and that skin care starts on the inside. I have also learnt not to fall for expensive price tags and brand names.
Also, you don’t need to buy anything that is tested on animals anymore! I actually can’t believe that is still a thing. There are amazing vegan and cruelty free options everywhere, and in every price bracket.
Finally, what’s one piece of advice you would give your younger self?
Stop picking your spots!
One Response
Great review. I enjoyed the read.