skin

After a few months of using the most moisture-rich creams I could find, I started breaking out—something I’d never had to deal with before. My skin looked greasy, congested and frankly, the most unhealthy it had ever been. After explaining the thought process behind my moisturiser switch-up to every skin expert who would listen, I was informed that things aren’t quite that simple (a tidbit of wisdom that, I have come to learn, rings true in just about every faction of skincare). While skin hydration is paramount, that’s not to say every skin type needs thick moisturiser every single day. Hydration, it turns out, can be found in a variety of shapes, sizes, serums and essences. While all skin types need hydration, as a general rule, those with oilier skin (like mine) are fa...

A lot of skinfluencers and experts out there will have you thinking that all forms of sun damage are permanent in terms of our skin’s health, but that isn’t necessarily true, particularly when it comes to damage caused by UVA rays (the damage that doesn’t present as sunburn). Ifeoma Ejikeme, a CeraVe consultant dermatologist, explains, “Some forms of sun damage, such as hyperpigmentation, dry skin, visible pores, fine lines, redness and uneven skin tone, can be reversed. The more significant the sun damage, the more products and treatments may be needed. If sun damage is very severe, it may not be possible to significantly improve the skin.” When it comes to the DNA damage caused by sunburn, however, we’re sorry to say that ...

Before I delve into why it’s such a great body cream, it’s important to know that it is not an everyday product. To start with, the £45 price means it’s barely an affordable enough option to justify daily use. The most important reason for not buying this stuff as a daily moisturiser, though, is actually that it packs quite the shimmering punch—but not in a way that makes it feel cheap. The shimmer in Bum Bum cream doesn’t leave you looking like a disco ball but instead delivers a sunlit glow that has limbs sparkling under the summer sun in a way that makes it look like you’ve stepped out of a glistening sea. Instead of being an everyday reach-for, Bum Bum is the sort of body cream you buy once a year as soon as things start ...

Regardless of what phase of your life you’re in, you’ve probably experienced some fine lines or creases around your eye area. Which, by the way, is totally normal, expected and natural, so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The skin of our under eyes is just very delicate.  What is annoying, however, is that our under eyes are always snitching on us. From late nights to busy schedules, our under eyes just love letting the world know when life is feeling a bit hectic.  That’s where under-eye concealers come in. They can help brighten and even things up while lifting your entire complexion. Choosing one with the right consistency is essential if you find yourself getting creases there or products settling into lines. You Deserve to Make Mone...

Regardless of what phase of your life you’re in, you’ve probably experienced some fine lines or creases around your eye area. Which, by the way, is totally normal, expected and natural, so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The skin of our under eyes is just very delicate.  What is annoying, however, is that our under eyes are always snitching on us. From late nights to busy schedules, our under eyes just love letting the world know when life is feeling a bit hectic.  That’s where under-eye concealers come in. They can help brighten and even things up while lifting your entire complexion. Choosing one with the right consistency is essential if you find yourself getting creases there or products settling into lines. You Deserve to Make Mone...

What makes the ZIIP device so great is the accompanying app that you can download onto your phone. The app features lots of different treatments to target different areas of your face, so you can tailor your treatment to the specific areas or concern you want to address on any given day. You can sync these treatments to your device via bluetooth, and you can watch Melanie Simons conduct the treatment via a video tutorial as you follow along. These treatments are also updated regularly, so regardless of when you buy your device, you’ll have access to the latest treatments on the app. The treatments currently range from Energise (an all over treatment to give the skin a glow, soften fine lines and tighten the skin) to more targeted treatments such as 11s, which help to treat frown line...

I’ll admit when I was first introduced to Bloomeffects as a brand, I wasn’t blown away by its promises. One day, over lunch with a colleague, an array of cutesie, floral boxes housing even prettier powder-blue and gold products were laid out one by one in front me. (One thing I have never doubted about Bloomeffects is the beauty of its products—it’s like all of your cottagecore dreams got rolled up and packaged into one high-end skincare line.) All style, no substance, I assumed. But then I heard the story and got some more insight into the ingredients. Bloomeffects, I was told, is a botanical brand that has already seen major success in the U.S. The brand’s founder, Kim van Haaster, worked for a major beauty conglomerate in New York be...

I have previously tested Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream, and I liked it. In fact, I have friends who consider it to be one of the best skincare products they have ever used. Personally, however, I would always choose a hardworking vitamin C serum over a rich face cream that risks breaking me out. And while Rich Hydration Cream wasn’t quite for me, Afterglow is a different story entirely. For starters, the texture is light. On first look it seems just like any other cream moisturiser, but as soon as you start massaging it into skin, it turns into a cooling, lightweight gel that’s so refreshing its reminiscent of splashing your face with cool water. Beyond that though, it packs an impressive antioxidant punch. Formulated with an oil-stable form ...

The truth was, I didn’t have any tips. Every message I received encouraged me a little more to reach out to some experts in a bid to find out what was going on, and best to take the puffiness down. The reasons, I discovered, for puffy eyes are broad-ranging.  Miss Elizabeth Hawkes, Consultant Ophthalmic and Oculoplastic Surgeon at the Cadogan Clinic explains, “Puffy eyes can be caused by a multitude of factors, including lack of sleep, crying, fluid retention, genetic, medical conditions (such as thyroid problems), and an unhealthy diet. At this time of year, seasonal allergies can play havoc and can cause itchy, watery, swollen, and puffy eyes.” And with the possible causes of puffiness seeming abundant, I realised that addressing the individual causes of my puffiness could prov...

Whenever awards season or fashion week rolls around, there’s one brand we always spot celebrities using to prep their skin. In fact, it’s hard to scroll through Instagram and not seeing a celebrity wearing a 111Skin sheet mask or eye mask.  These signature masks are favoured by celebrities and makeup artists to help the skin glow, stat, which is why you’ll often see models wearing them backstage before a show, or celebrities wearing them for key calendar occasions such as Cannes or the Emmys. But what makes them so popular? The hydro-gel and bio-cellulose sheet masks make a quick fix for special occasions when you might not be able to squeeze a facial into your itinerary. There are several types to choose from which all have high-potency ingredien...

I’m lucky enough in my job to have access to celebrity facialists, top beauty brands and the best experts in the industry, but I’ve noticed more and more that it’s A-listers themselves who are becoming all the more influential when it comes to serving up legitimately good beauty advice. Of course, celebrities like Beyoncé and Jennifer Aniston are surrounded by the beauty industry’s cream of the crop on a daily basis—from makeup artists to hairstylists—so it’s really no surprise that they’ve picked up some expert beauty tips along the way. There’s one celebrity in particular, however, whose skincare knowledge I trust more than most: Victoria Beckham. With her very own beauty line under her belt and a dedicated ...

I’m not sure about you, but I honestly feel like there’s a new beauty brand launching every week at the moment. It can be so overwhelming and sometimes it leads me to playing it safe with things I know and love, not wanted to budge from my classic picks whether that’s clinging onto my Cera Ve Cleanser or sticking to basic but beautiful Kiehls Ultra Facial Cream. However, that doesn’t mean that I don’t fall prey to Insta-hype at times. In fact, I follow accounts that are known for getting the scoop on beauty drops before they launch and subsequently I am served so many Instagram ads on aesthetically-pleasing brands. If I didn’t have a little self-restraint (and take comfort in my old favourites) my credit card would be taking a constant bashing. I do credit Instagram with alerting...