Denise Van Outen - Talks about Looking after Your Skin

Denise Van Outen took part in the 2009 Walk for Skin a series of sponsored walks taking place throughout the UK, to raise as much money as possible to fund the British Skin Foundation’s ongoing essential research into skin disease.

Q: Why are you supporting this year’s Walk for Skin?
Denise: My Nan lived to the ripe old age of 83, but she did get skin cancer in her later years, which really affected my attitude to looking after my skin and is the reason why I’m supporting the 2009 Walk for Skin”

Q: How old were you when you used sun-beds?
Denise: “I was 16 and going to a tanning studio was quite a new concept at the time. I was also at an age were I had started to become interested in boys and thought a tan helped me look my best”

Q: Were you aware at the time of the dangers/ implications for your skin?
Denise: “There were no warnings on sun-beds or bad press surrounding them at the time, and you weren’t given any safety advice by the tanning studio before you used them”

“There just wasn’t the awareness there is now. I always remember my Nan would sit out in the sun whenever she had the opportunity to ‘get a bit of colour on her skin’. It wasn’t drummed into you then to always wear sun protection factor.

Q: How often did you use sun-beds? And for how long before you stopped?
Denise: I did this for around 3 years until I was 19. Once I got into the show business industry, make-up artists advised against using sun-beds, so I started experimenting with bronzers and self tanning products instead”

Q: How do you achieve your sun-kissed glow?
Denise: “I always have some degree of a tan which I normally get from using fake tanning products at home. I normally mix this with my face and body moisturisers and apply before I go to bed. I do still sunbathe occasionally but I always make sure I wear a high sun protection factor. I use a high SPF all year round now. During the winter I use a moisturiser with SPF 15 everyday and in the spring/ summer I change this to SPF 30. I also choose cosmetic products that have an SPF rating”

Q: Is your skin generally healthy?
Denise: “Yes my skin is generally healthy. I’ve been told by make-up artists that my skin is in good condition. I do make sure I do all the right things to take care of my skin. For example, I’m always re-applying moisturiser both to my face and body and use an extra rich moisturiser during the winter. My Nan always had great looking skin even in her eighties and she used to swear by regularly moisturising her skin”

Q: How important is the health of your skin?
Denise: “As you get older, you become more aware of looking after your skin & we all want look good. Being in the industry I’m in also makes me very conscious of my skin”

Q: What’s your skin type?
Denise: “I would say my skin on the whole is normal but, when I go to Los Angeles, the dry heat over there can dry my skin out so I take extra care to reapply moisturisers. I also use moisture sprays to stop my skin drying out”

Q: What would be your top skin care tips for healthy skin?

Denise: