One woman washes her face once a month, so can YOU tell who?

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FEMAIL called on three women with hugely different skincare regimes
Expert analysed condition of their skin
Woman who used the most anti-ageing products had the worst skin
Woman, 65, who only washes her face with water has elasticity levels of a 20-year-old

Published: 07:24 EST, 7 August 2015 | Updated: 09:38 EST, 7 August 2015

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From serums and day creams to bee venom lotions and potions, the beauty industry is booming with products that promise to turn back the clock and help women cheat a healthy glow.

With so many products on the market, it's little surprise that women are often left confused about how they can care for their body's largest organ.

Whilst there's no set skincare rules, according to new research by Careway Pharmacy, a sixth of women never check the state of their skin and many are left clueless when it comes to caring for it.

FEMAIL called on three women of different ages, backgrounds and all with very different skin concerns and regimes to go under the microscope to see how effectively their skincare regimes were working - and the results will surprise you. (L-R) Dexy-Lea Palmer, 24, has a host of skin complains after suffering from eczema her whole life. Having grown up in Uganda, Usha, 65, has always taken a more holistic approach to her skincare regime and mainly just uses water to wash her face. Louise, 27, is a self-confessed skincare addict who uses a six-step regime every day in her quest for a flawless face. So whose skin is the healthiest?

With this in mind, FEMAIL called on three women of different ages, backgrounds and all with very different skin concerns and regimes to go under the microscope.

The ladies had their faces analysed by pharmaceutical experts to see how effectively their skincare regimes were working - and the results will surprise you.

USHA JAN, 65

Having grown up in Uganda, Usha, a teaching assistant from Birmingham, has always taken a more holistic approach to her skincare regime.

Following in her family’s footsteps, Usha favours natural remedies to look after her skin rather than products which she believes could have harmful chemicals within them.

Having grown up in Uganda, Usha, 65, has always taken a more holistic approach to her skincare regime and mainly just uses water to wash her face

Usha mainly just uses water to wash her face and perhaps once or twice monthly she'll use rice flour mixed with a little water as a gentle facial scrub. She also occasionally uses chickpea flour mixed with water as a face mask.

'I’m pretty fuss-free when it comes to my skincare regime believing that less is more and you shouldn’t over complicate things or this can have a negative impact on the balance of your skin,' she told FEMAIL.

'Using these type of natural ingredients means I know exactly what I’m putting on my skin and what’s potentially going in to my body as a result,' she told FEMAIL.'

Usha had her face analysed by Joanne Carey, Skin Condition Development Manager at Careway Pharmacies - and her low maintenance approach to skincare is surprisingly effective.

Joanne used The Skin Analysis machine, which uses a series of mini tests to give a detailed, objective assessment. It’s probes and micro-cameras are able to digitally read the level of hydration, PH, melanin, elasticity, sebum and temperature within the skin.

'As we get older, the firmness and elasticity in our skin declines but her results showed that she has fantastic elasticity levels, and the skin of someone that is much younger than her 65 years,' commented Joanne.

Usha has the maximum level of elasticity you can have in your skin. The usual level for her age is 20 and Usha has 50, meaning her skin is incredibly youthful and aging much slower that you would expect.

Joanne continued: 'Despite this, the results did reveal that she has alipic skin. This means that it is very dehydrated and lacks the sebum (oil) needed to keep it moist, most likely because her sebaceous glands work more slowly. This dehydration is further compounded by the fact she mainly uses just water to wash her face.

'While her elasticity is great, Usha should make sure she looks after her hydration levels as she currently doesn’t use any moisturisers. I would recommend using a light moisturiser initially followed by a cleansing milk packed full of essential oils and nutrients to gently wash the skin and replenish it. This will help her to maintain a youthful appearance for even longer.'

Usha had her face analysed by Joanne Carey, Skin Condition Development Manager at Careway Pharmacies - and her low maintenance approach to skincare is surprisingly effective

Discussing the results, Usha said: 'As you can imagine, I was particularly pleased to hear that my skin has sustained its elasticity, giving me a youthful complexion – my simple, holistic approach must be doing something right!

'I was, however, slightly surprised to see that my pH level is a little low and that my skin was also dehydrated and in need of more moisture.'

Following the results of the test and on the advice of the pharmacist, Usha says she is definitely going to introduce a light hydrating moisturiser, complete with in-built sun protection and SPF 15, into her regime.

She also maintains that she'll take extra care of her hands after the results showed that she needs to use more hand cream and also make sure this has SPF15 included to protect her against the sun’s rays and help reduce skin pigmentation.

The results revealed that Usha has the maximum level of elasticity you can have in your skin. The usual level for her age is 20 and Usha has 50, meaning her skin is incredibly youthful and aging much slower that you would expect

LOUISE HALL, 27

In quite a contrast to Usha, Louise, a Senior Comms Manager from Worcestershire, is a self-confessed skincare addict who is 'desperate to find a skin care regime that will work for her skin.'

In quite a contrast to Usha, Louise, 27, is a self-confessed skincare addict who is 'desperate to find a skin care regime that will work for her skin, and uses a six-step regime every day in her quest for a flawless face

Louise is constantly in pursuit of the latest treatment or product in the hope that one of them will prove to be the miracle cure she's been searching for and will solve all of her facial skin issues.

Discussing her skin, she said: 'My skin tends to be rather oily so I stick to products that will combat this and help reduce shine. Let’s face it, a shiny face is never a good look on a girl.

'Because of this, I’m conscious that I need to look after my skin to keep it healthy, so I try to do this with a pretty rigorous morning and bedtime routine, which involves several steps.'

Louise uses everything from micellar cleansing water, day and night serums, an eye caffeine roll on, to a night brightening cream mask and a day and night moisturiser – all of which are designed to help combat oily skin.

To top it off, she also does weekly facials at home using products with the latest buzz ingredients included in them such as bee venom.

'Despite all this, my skin doesn’t seem to be getting any better so I jumped at the chance to visit the pharmacy for a skin analysis test and to get some help,' she said.

After analysing Louise's skin, Joanne noted that Louise's obsession with skincare products is actually ageing her skin prematurely as a result of using the wrong ones and stripping her skin of the hydration and moisture it so desperately needs.

Ironically, Louise is aging her skin by years and causing the most damage out of all three women.

Joanne said: 'Youthful skin is generally more hydrated but Louise’s skin is now so dry, through years of using products designed to remove oils and sebum, that she is putting herself at risk of ageing it, and at risk of environmental damage because it doesn’t have the moisture it needs to stay healthy.

'The older your skin, the drier it tends to be, but Louise is only 27 and needs to inject some much-needed hydration back in to her skincare regime if she wants to rectify any damage and create a youthful glow.

'Louise is also a classic case of someone not changing their skincare routine as they get older. She talks about suffering with oily skin since she was a teenager, but what she may fail to realise is that her skin will have transformed a lot since then. As we get older our skin changes and we need to treat it differently to ensure it stays healthy.'

Joanne noted that Louise's obsession with skincare products is actually ageing her skin prematurely as a result of using the wrong ones and stripping her skin of the hydration and moisture it so desperately needs

Joanne's advice? Using a hydrating moisturiser and a cream-based cleanser, as well as a toner free from alcohol, will help her to rehydrate her complexion.

A shocked Louise had the following to say about the results: 'It’s no wonder the skin on my face isn’t actually improving as I’m using completely the wrong products for it and starving it of the hydration it so desperately needs.

'The oily skin that has irritated me since my teenage years is actually a result of me over drying my skin by using the wrong products. I just wish I’d gone to speak to my pharmacist for help sooner as I could have saved myself a lot of hassle!

'The results of the test showed that if I carry on with my current regime I could be putting my skin at risk of becoming more sensitive to environmental factors such as the weather, as well as any chemical substances, such as an alcohol-based toner, that it might come in to contact with.'

DEXY-LEA PALMER, 24

The final volunteer to go under the microscope has a host of skin complains after suffering from eczema her whole life, a condition which has resulted in months of treatment and hospital admissions.

Dexy-Lea Palmer, 24, has a host of skin complains after suffering from eczema her whole life, a condition which has resulted in months of treatment and hospital admissions

As a result of her condition, Dexy-Lea, a Business Support Officer from Hertfordshire, has a 'pretty extensive' regime prescribed to her by the hospital doctors.

She has an ointment she bathes in and apply to the skin before washing, she then washes with Dermol500 and after washing, she uses Aveeno moisturiser.

Each morning and before bed, she uses Eumovate ointment for the skin on her face, Betnovate for the skin on her neck and Elocon for the skin on her body. These are tapered, after two weeks of the Betnovate she then moves to using Eumovate on her neck and after this, she uses Protopic for the still problematic areas.

Discussing her skin, Dexy-Lea said: 'My routine is extensive and between all of these creams and ointments, I continually moisturise throughout the day using Aveeno. I’m still currently under hospital care and awaiting skin prick testing.

'I have already discovered that I have allergy intolerances to wheat, soya, nuts, coconut, cats and dogs. Managing my skin is an on-going process and whilst it has its good days, weeks and months, I never ever stop treatment fully.

'Even when my skin is good I regularly moisturise every day. I have taken to using non-perfumed products, I have 100 per cent cotton towels and bed linin to prevent irritation, my handbag is like a pharmacy filled with creams, ointments and tablets.

'It always feels very silly to be bothered by a condition like this - there are so many worse things out there! However, it is uncomfortable and not particularly nice to look at. When I have flare ups I feel very self-conscious, I don't like people to see me - but I can't lock myself away, I have life to continue with.'

Dexy-Lea admits that there have been nights where she has cried in pain, and times she has had two hours sleep a night because the pain has been so intense.

'I have worn cotton gloves to bed to use as "scratch mittens" to prevent itching in my sleep. I cut all of my nails right down so I actually can't scratch, yet still my flare up continues. I am 24 and although I have had it my whole life, it hasn't got any easier or less painful.'

Dexy-Lea’s results showed that her skin is dehydrated, which Joanne says was expected as she has eczema. She also has alipic skin, which is in need of constant hydration but as she has eczema, this needs to be treated in the right way.

The level of dehydration is higher than it should be and this means she isn’t applying her creams in the right quantity so she is starving her skin of the moisture it desperately needs.

Joanne said: 'While Dexy-Lea is using Complete Emollient Therapy to treat her Eczema, which involves using emollients to wash with, bath with and apply as leave on moisturisers, as well as topical corticosteroids and antihistamines, the test revealed that her skin is still dehydrated and low in sebum indicating that she may not be applying her emollients in the quantities required to have the desired impact.

'At the moment she is getting through just two tubs a month when in actual fact she needs to be using a tub a week to notice the difference and really treat her eczema.'

Dexy-Lea wasn't overly shocked by the results. She was, however, taken aback by how much ointment she should be using and will definitely be taking note.

So what's the overall verdict? You may think you're using the right - and often most expensive - products for your skin, but you could well be applying them completely wrong.

Indeed, as the analysis of the three women shows, even with an extensive skincare regime, you're skin may not be in tip top condition.

Joanne concluded: 'Regardless of the ever-changing beauty and skin trends, the important lesson is that we need to take care of our skin and tailor our regimes accordingly to ensure it’s healthy and in top condition.

'If you’re unsure, head to your local pharmacy as they will be able to offer you advice and guidance on choosing the right skincare regime for you.'

THE THREE GOLDEN RULES FOR PERFECT SKIN

Dr Emma Wedgeworth, Consultant Dermatologist & British Skin Foundation Spokesperson shares her top three tips...

1. Personalise your skin care regime. We don't all wear the same size and style of clothes, and your skincare is no different. There is no 'one size fits all'. Take some time to think carefully about your individual skin type and what it needs. For example, super hydrating 'anti-ageing' moisturisers are going to be no good for oily skin and exfoliating, acid toners may irritate drier skins.

2. Sun protection, sun protection, sun protection. So much of the skin disease we see is partly due to excessive sun exposure. We are now living longer and travelling more widely than ever before, so we have to make sure we keep our skin healthy for the duration. Get in the habit of using a daily sun protection on your face, some of the new formulations are so good that you can use them almost as a primer or bb cream. For your body, use a high protection, reapply regularly and don't over expose your skin to sunlight.

3. Respect your skin when you’re young. We are seeing more and more children with eczema, asthma and hay fever. There is good evidence that by protecting skin from an early age, avoiding strong soaps and shower gels and using only the gentlest moisturisers, we may be able to prevent some of these cases. Think very carefully about what you put on your baby or child's skin.

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