Interview: A Skincare Specialist’s Approach to Healthy Skin

No matter what your age, skin type, or skin complaint I think you will benefit from this advice shared by Skincare expert and business owner of the Skin Boutique - Deborah Wheeler.

I am lucky enough to have met Deborah a few years ago when I was suffering with breakouts and very dull skin. I was lacking so much confidence around my skin, but Deborah and her talented team changed all of that!

Not only does Deborah really know her stuff - she definitely walks her talk and has the most beautiful, dewy, glowing skin. As someone who is very conscious of what I put into the inside, Deborah has taught me the value of a good skincare routine and that what we put on the outside matters too.

If you are struggling with a skin complaint, want to begin a skincare routine or simply want to give yourself some self care I can’t recommend enough a visit to The Skin Boutique. I always walk away feeling so refreshed and the chats you have with the team are equivalent to a really effective therapy session… So it's actually so much more than treating yourself to a facial!

Read on to delve into Deborah’s skincare routine, her advice on anti ageing and her own go to when it comes to her own self care and wellbeing.

Q:Tell me about where your passion for skincare comes from?

Deborah: Beauty is all I have ever known and it started at quite a young age. I used to rob my sister’s magazines, read books about it and quickly became obsessed with lip balm, nail varnish and making my own face masks. It was just something I always loved and I now look at my one and half year old Elle, who walks around pretending to put her makeup on - so maybe it’s in the genes!

When I stop and take a moment to reflect on what I do, I realise how much I love it! I like helping people and love making people feel good about themselves.

Beauty can sometimes come across as a shallow thing but it’s really not. Because if you feel like you look good on the outside and feel like the best version of yourself, that’s going to translate on the inside and you will feel more confident.

Q: I want to know about your skin care routine - what does that look like?

Deborah: My skincare routine is quite extensive, but not one I do all of the time. It really depends on how my skin is. But on a day to day basis I will cleanse my skin with Image Ormedic cleanser, followed by the Alumier Bright and Clear solution and SPF.

Then at night time I’ll cleanse, and then cleanse again (a double cleanse), followed by a serum and sometimes I’ll include a night cream in my routine. A big thing for me now is a retinol eye gel for those little pesky fine lines!

In general, I’m big into products that make your skin look better! Obviously you have to wash your face and use an SPF, but acids, retinol and treatments like micro-needling are amazing extras to add into your skincare routine.

Q: It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of product innovation in the area of skin. What core essentials should everyone consider in their skincare routine?

Deborah: If you had to pick one product to use every single morning it is your SPF. It should be a medical or clinical physical grade factor SPF. Think of this as your shield.

I don’t want to ignore the fact that you should cleanse your skin both morning and night, but if I had to pick a core essential for night time it would be an acid and that really will depend on your skin type. For example, if someone is suffering with a condition like Rosacea they will need a very gentle product versus someone with mature skin concerned about fine lines.

Q: Why would we use an acid?

Deborah: It’s all to do with cell renewal or cell rejuvenation. Think about this in relation to your face. Over time your cell turnover slows down, so you need to use something to melt away the surface dead skin and that’s the role of an acid.

Q: That brings us onto the topic of anti-ageing. Everyone wants to look and feel good - what is your advice when it comes to anti-aging?

Deborah: I prefer to use the term age support because we’re not anti-ageing, we’re ageing every single day and we can’t stop that! But you can support your body in the process. Whether that is through exercise, mindfulness, taking supplements or investing in your skincare, there is a lot you can do. When it does come to skincare I recommend incorporating active ingredients. That means using an acid, retinol and a nice potent vitamin C. By doing this you will support the body to produce collagen. And as collagen declines as we age it’s important to use products and treatments that will help increase this.

Quality really does matter. A lot of store bought products unfortunately don’t match what’s written on the label. I’d encourage anyone interested in this to visit a skincare clinic to ensure you get advice from someone qualified in skin.

Q: Do you believe there is a link between stress and skin health?

Deborah: Definitely yes! If your body is stressed, your cortisol levels will shoot up. And it affects your hormonal health, which in turn affects your skin. Sometimes we forget that the skin is our largest organ. Stress leads to inflammation in the body, which can show up as flare ups or inflammatory acne. And many people can experience things like Rosacea, Eczema or Psoriasis.

It’s also really important to remember that when you are stressed nutrients are not travelling to the skin because they’re needed elsewhere.

Q: What about diet - is there a correlation between what you eat and how your skin looks?

Deborah: This is a funny one. If you have someone who eats really well and then someone that doesn’t you’d imagine the person who is eating very healthily will have better skin. But from a skincare point of view that’s not the case. And this can come down to products that someone is using. That doesn’t mean to say that diet doesn’t matter but just because you eat well doesn’t mean you are guaranteed good skin.

Earlier I touched on the fact that your skin is an organ and that it’s also the last organ to benefit from the nutrients going into your body. And that’s why it’s so important to nourish it topically too.

Q:Is there a skincare myth you’d love to debunk?

There are so many! A good one is the belief that having blackheads, breakouts or acne is to do with dirt and it’s absolutely not! Many teenage clients come into the Skin Boutique and have been washing their skin 3 to 5 times a day because it is oily. And that’s the worst thing you can do when you have acne, because you strip yourself of the natural oils and your body responds by going into oil production overdrive.

I’d also avoid any TikTok skin advice - I’ve recently seen a weird one suggesting that rubbing blood on your face is a good idea!

Q: You’ve recently started a podcast focused on Beauty and Wellness. As a Mom and thriving business owner how do you mind yourself?

This can range from having a shower on my own or grabbing a coffee before work. I’ve a nice night time routine after a long day at work. I’ll cleanse my skin and put on some nice serum and a fresh pair of pyjamas. That’s simple self care to me - things you can do everyday.

Wellbeing is about the simple things in life - meeting a friend, going to the gym. Life is hectic with a little baby and I find I now appreciate these moments more. Life is short and if you can’t find five minutes for yourself or a little bit of happiness during the day, then what’s it all about…I have learned to appreciate the little things.

Q: If you had to give one piece of advice for anyone struggling with their skin health what would that be?

Deborah: I would go to a recommended professional. There is so much information out there it can be overwhelming. And what works for a friend isn't necessarily going to work for you.

If you feel you are being oversold on a product or treatment, the reality is - you probably are. Which brings me to my final bit of advice, which is to keep things simple.

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Deborah Wheeler is a certified Skin Specialist at the Skin Boutique, which she runs alongside her two sisters. She is also a founder of W Beauty. She has worked with thousands of clients to help them achieve beautiful skin and you’ll find more of her excellent advice on her new podcast The Beauty Buzz.

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