skin

When lockdown hit in 2020 and I couldn’t get into a salon for my usual appointments, I returned to shaving. As first, I found it a nuisance. My legs were constantly rashy, irritated, dry and speckled with red inflammation. But with some serious spare time on my hands, I started to do some research into what makes for the ultimate shaving routine. I spoke to virtually every hair removal expert I know and asked them where I was going wrong. The feedback was unanimous: while a good pre-and-post-shave routine will help keep skin soft, the key to a quick, easy and successful shave is down to the razor you use. So, I decided to do some market research. Over the the course of the past two years, I have tried virtually every razor out there and have subsequently developed a list of the v...

Simply, a cleansing balm works to cleanse your skin, but unlike a gel or cream formula, a balm tends to be slightly oilier with more slip. Celebrity facialist and skin expert Michaella Bolder explains, “Cleansing balms offer a nourishing deep clean, helping to feed and nurture the skin while the oily balm acts as a magnet to attract dirt and grime, drawing it to the surface.” What truly sets cleansing balms apart from other forms of evening cleansers is that they usually come jam-packed with nourishing, skin-loving ingredients. “Cleansing balms are a world away from oil-stripping facial wipes or basic micellar waters, both of which offer no nourishment or hydration to care for and maintain a healthy skin condition. Short-term benefits of using a balm are a healthy, clea...

The story goes that way back in 2005, one unnamed celebrity asked Somerville if she could bottle her iconic, clinical super facial so that the client could take it with her whenever she was filming on location. As a result, Somerville created the Kate Somerville Exfolikate Intensive Treatment, and a cult skincare brand was born. Since then, the Kate Somerville product offering has expanded massively, and each product is considered cult in its own right. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that Kate Somerville is probably one of the most adored skincare brands by beauty editors and skincare insiders. The products are the very definition of efficacious—from exfoliators to hydrating face creams, every single product works. Having said that, the products are really quite pricey, an...

The story goes, that way back in 2005, one unnamed celebrity asked Somerville if she could bottle her iconic, clinical super facial so that the client could take it with her whenever she was filming on location. As a result, Somerville created the Kate Somerville Exfolikate Intensive Treatment, and a cult skincare brand was born. Since then, the Kate Somerville product offering has expanded massively, and each product is considered cult in its own right. In fact, I’d go as far to say that Kate Somerville is probably one of the most adored skincare brands by beauty editors and skincare insiders. The products are the very definition of efficacious—from exfoliators to hydrating face creams, every single product works. Having said that, the products are really quite pricey, and ...

We should all know by now that cleansing your face with a wash-off cleanser in the evening is imperative if you want to reduce the risk of breakouts. Things like makeup, sebum and dirt can accumulate on the skin’s surface and causes nasty breakouts if it isn’t removed—experts can agree on that. One thing that isn’t quite so black and white, however, is whether or not skin should also be cleansed in the morning.  Aesthetic skin specialist, Mariam Abbas, insists that facial cleansing in the morning is of utmost importance. “Absolutely everyone should cleanse their face in the morning and the cleanser is best removed with a damp mitt. Our skin is hard at work while we sleep; it produces natural oils, sweat and dead skin cells,” she reveals. And Abbas is far from alone with this mindset, ...

At this time of the year, many of us overhaul various areas of our lives. Spring cleaning now applies to everything, from our homes and wardrobes through to our emotional boundaries and social media follows, and there’s something about the warmer weather and gloriously long(er) days that brings out the urge for pro-active change. However, one thing that we often forget to check in for a well-timed review is our skincare routine.  Skin is temperamental and it’s affected by so many factors, and yes, that always includes seasonal changes. Increased UV-ray exposure and the rising temperature can have an impact on your skin, and not necessarily a good one. While layering serums, oils and heavier balms served us well during the coldest ...

If you’re asking me, there are few beauty products that can transform your mood quite like a natural-looking, glow-boosting fake tan. The best formulas aren’t the ones that deliver the deepest tan or the most bronzy finish, but rather that ones that leave you looking healthy and glowing—as though you’ve been bathing in vitamin D. Because whatever your skin tone, a hydrating self-tan can (and should) help skin appear more even and radiant.   And this is the exact reason that Tan-Luxe Super Glow Hyaluronic Self-Tan Serum has such a buzz around it. Since its launch a few years ago, I have had at least one person a week ask me for advice on this at-first-unassuming bottle. People want to know if it works, if it’s easy to use and, most importantly, if it’s worth the mo...

I’m a firm believer that more is not more when it comes to beauty. A bigger price tag doesn’t necessarily connotate better results, nor does a bigger product array. (Take it from someone whose skin did a complete 180—in a much healthier direction—the second I slashed my a.m. and p.m. routines in half.) Don’t get me wrong. I’m more than down to invest in an absurdly expensive perfume, but I have to love it so much that the hefty price tag will feel well worth the splurge each and every time I wear it. And it had better last me a long, long time. The same criteria go for other expensive products I love, like hairstyling tools, beauty gadgets, the like—each investment has to have a sound cost per wear, if you know what I mean. But alongside my favourite luxurious ...

The first thing I wanted to know was what I might be doing to my skin now that could stop me from enjoying glowing skin once I hit 40. Turns out there are plenty of mistakes that we’re all making in our 20s and 30s that could be hindering our chances. “Over-stripping [your skin’s natural oils and using aggressive peels which will stress the skin out,” are two of the biggest skincare mistakes, according to Joss. As a long-term acne sufferer, I can definitely say that I’m guilty of spending a lot of my 20s attempting to remove excess oils from my skin through a combination of double-cleansing and harsh toners. I can safely say that since embracing oils and serums in my late 20s and since turning 30, my skin is finally showing signs of improve...

While the aim of my skincare and makeup routines during my teenage years and early 20s was always clear—combat breakouts and minimise the appearance of spots—my 30s have been an entirely different ballgame so far. When I turned 30 in April 2019, I was in the very early stages of pregnancy and working full-time in central London. The grind of the daily commute and a busy social life and work calendar combined with first trimester nausea and, later, intense pregnancy exhaustion meant that—hormonal breakouts aside—my beauty aims quickly shifted to finding products that would make me look less tired pronto. And my quest has pretty much remained the same since. Fast forward nearly three years and we’ve all been through a global pandemic (exhausting to say the leas...

“When the skin barrier is compromised, this can increase the rate at which water is lost from the skin—Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL)—and alters the levels of proteins and lipids in the skin. If your skin barrier can’t repair itself—or isn’t given the help it needs to repair—TEWL increases leading to skin that appears dry, flaky, inflamed and lacking elasticity,” explains Elrick. Inflammation came up time and time again when I was speaking to the experts and Ayodele explains that this damage to the skin barrier often shows itself as “redness, flushing and stinging when certain products are applied”. Plus, she adds, that “the skin can also be dry and scaly because it is unable to hold on to moisture”. Basically, it’s not great. But, luckily,...

While the incredibly catchy “slugging” term has only been in the beauty sphere for a few years, thanks to the K-beauty community and various skincare subreddits, the concept of using Vaseline to seal in moisture in the skin isn’t anything new. After all, Vaseline is an old-school product that can be found in almost any Grandma’s medicine cabinet. It has a variety of uses, from healing burns and scrapes, to treating diaper rash, preventing chafing, and moisturising dry skin. Marilyn Monroe swore by Vaseline in order to keep it soft and glowy (she reportedly applied it every morning before going into a three-hour bath). “It was recently given a name and made popular by the Korean skincare world, however growing up with two Black grandmothers I was “slugging” far before it was pop...