SKIN CONFESSIONS

A leading facialist answers all the burning questions on how to get your best skin at any age

- SALLY HUNWICK

As Dior Beauty's go-to skin expert, and the on-call adviser for high-profile people all around the country, facialist Diandra Politano is the professional to see if you have a skin question (or 20).

She also has the hands of an angel, and as she is more than happy to share her expertise, marie claire visited Politano at her new clinic in Sydney's Balmain to ask how to keep our skin glowing, both now and well into the future.

Start as early as you can, but honestly it's never too late to see improvement. The biggest mistake I see is people going overboard - over-exfoliating, switching products every week, using too many actives at once. Your skin needs consistency, not chaos. Build your routine around four pillars: hydration, collagen support, sun protection and barrier repair.

Are there any shortcuts we can take? It’s not just what you put on your face. How you sleep, what you eat, how you manage stress - it all shows up in your skin and face. Also, stop relying so heavily on injectables - they only freeze and fill the face, they don’t actually make your skin glow.

Our eyes can be the first to show signs of ageing. What can we do about it? The skin around our eyes is incredibly thin and delicate, with fewer oil glands to protect it, and that area is also constantly moving. Every blink, every smile, every time you rub your eyes when you're tired ... our eyes are getting a workout all day long. My biggest piece of advice is to be gentle. Stop layering on heavy-duty makeup to cover everything up, then harshly removing it all at night - that’s where we go wrong. Use products that nourish, not strip.