Emer O'Callaghan: Beauty advice for women aged 20-30

We had a 21st birthday party for my nephew and godson in his local rugby club recently.

I haven’t been to a 21st for a while, but things haven’t changed too much since I was that age to be fair, except the music, if you call it that even!

I said to one of my brothers: “Look at them all, they are so cute like little bunnies, bouncing on the dance floor - not dancing, hopping up and down to music with no words, just beats!” The two of us got a fit of laughing.

Beforehand, I asked my old friends the all-important questions - what do you wear to a 21st today, like, when you are not 21? I settled on black and gold, as we all know I need to wear some bit of sparkle!

It was a great night and the birthday boy enjoyed it.

It’s weird how we all in our twenties thought everyone over 40 was old, and I truly do feel for young people growing up today.

Generation Z, they call people in their twenties - notice how there is a label or title for everything today.

I feel so blessed i grew up in the 1980s with no phones, no way of filming all the fun we had. Everything is about the phones now, we are living through the I.T Age.

These young people grew up with phones, every one of them is a dinger at figuring out anything tech, phone or screen-related. Apps are second nature to them, and my age and older are still not even at the races on how to do a fraction or the stuff our phones can do for us.

Then again, there are far more opportunities today for young people. In my day, most of us just wanted to get a full time job, and travelling abroad was not an option really.

This week, I’d like to give my tips for women aged in their twenties, to help them navigate the very complex world of beauty.

COSMETIC INVASIVE BEAUTY

As a beauty doctor and skin specialist, it angers me to see how the cosmetic industry has targeted the twenties age group. Botox and invasive treatments are not necessary.

Influencers and TikTokkers who have no skin or beauty training and are paid to endorse companies are not the best guide for people.

In many cases, natural beauty is being destroyed and skin health is affected by such treatments.

SPF

The sun damage we get in our twenties shows in our forties - everyone over the age of 20 should be using an SPF 50 daily. No, the SPF in your make-up is not sufficient protection.

I tell all my nieces and nephews how SPF daily is vital, and they even get presents of it from me for their birthday - the lucky ducks. That’s love, sure, minding their skin.

Ensure the SPF you choose says on it has UVA and UVB, not just one, and the words broad spectrum are written on it- and always go with a 50.

DAILY SKINCARE ROUTINE

A once a day cat’s lick of a bit of cleanser in the shower is far from correct skin cleansing, and is exactly why you get spots, blackheads, as your pores are so open.

It’s imperative that you double cleanse, tone and moisturise every morning and evening, and never sleep with your make-up on ever, it’s so bad for the skin.

START FACIALS

I remember how broke I was too in college, and how every euro matters when you’re a student, but I treat many students a few times a year whose parents gift them the facial for their birthday, Christmas, Easter, and at the end of the college exams.

That’s four professional facials that will work wonders to clean up your skin.

So many in their twenties have no idea how important facials are for their skin, and just as we go to the dentist twice a year for a check-up, our skin also needs deep cleansing facials a few times a year for every age. They are like a deluxe car wash for your skin, and boy will you see the difference.

EASY ON THE EXFOLIATION

Far too many in their twenties today, both male and female, are over-scrubbing their skin, they think this is a deep way of cleansing, but actually they do it too harshly and it too often leads to a very damaged acid mantle layer of skin, which leads to skin senstivity and, wait for it, the one thing you were trying not to get more of... the dreaded spots.

Also, never exfoliate your face or neck in the shower as the skin of these areas is a lot thinner.

The heat and pressure from tne shower also are far too much for the skin to take.

A face scrub should only be used once a week at the sink, after you shower, and you should be applying a mask afterwards to bring the PH level back up in your skin and avoid that tight skin feeling.

These are just some of the many tips you can learn in my new six-week skin Kickstart programme.

I did one of my popular beauty videos on this recently and you can watch it on our Emerald Beauty Clinic Facebook, Instagram and TikTok pages now.

GO HANDY ON HAIR CARE

The old hair gel is as popular for young lads today as it was when I was 21. It’s actually scary how much products many put into their hair daily, while lots are over-washing it.

DIET/ALCOHOL/VAPING

Fasting seems to be the order of the day for those in their twenties now - long gaps of time between meals. Many are drinking alcohol regularly, and vaping is very big also.

We all thought we were invincible in our twenties, and let’s face it, what you can get away with at that age you will never get away with the rest of your life, it really is a great age!

I loved my twenties, I was hugely ambitious, I just wanted to get ahead in life, get going, get doing the grown- up stuff fast.

I was only 23 when I bought my house and 27 when I opened my clinic and neither fazed me in the slightest.

Only you can make your dreams and goals happen but you have to make sacrifices too, you have to give up the high life at times and knuckle down to saving every penny.

We all have valuable Iife experience and lessons we can pass on to the younger generations, but what I will say is keep washing your face, wear your SPF, sleep on a clean pillowcase nightly, book a facial, don’t be altering your natural beauty with injections, have fun, and remember, when you are 40 you will notice too how the 21 year olds will think you are old!

• Emer O’Callaghan is a multi-award winning beauty doctor and skin specialist who won Irish Beauty Therapist of the Year and works at Emerald Organic Beauty Products Ltd, trading as Emerald Beauty Clinic, 021 4365949. A Gold Standard Guinot Crown Elite Clinic and Dermalogica Centre Of Excellence, 2008-2026, www.emeraldbeautyclinic.ie - follow on Facebook/instagram/TikTok.
• BOOK YOUR 6-WEEK SKIN KICK- START NOW: You receive three professional facials to suit your skin concerns and get professional advice and the correct products prescribed for your needs and age. You will learn life-long skin routines that will slow down your ageing. To book, call Emerald Beauty Clinic on 021 4365949.