skin

Ones that I had previously purchased for their packaging weren’t delivering the sort of luxe satisfaction I started to crave in my hand-washing ritual, while others that I championed for their scent were leaving my skin dry, cracked and scaly. So in a quest to find something that ticked all the boxes, I began hoarding hand washes, and somewhere along the way, I stumbled across Ouai’s Hand Wash and Hand Lotion duo. First of all, I want to address the bottles themselves. They are minimalist, chic and feel almost impossibly luxe to hold. On top of that, they’re refillable, so you can do your bit for the environment while you shop. Next up, let’s talk about the smell. A little bit fruity, a little bit floral and a whole lot musky, mostly they just smell clean—...

I’ve made no secret of the fact that my skin and I have a bit of a complicated relationship. And by complicated, what I mean is that sometimes I really hate my skin and sometimes I’m totally indifferent towards it, but unless I have recently discovered a magical new foundation, I’d rarely say I love it. Sure, now that I’m in my 30s I’ve pretty much worked out the skincare products that work for my skin—although pregnancy skincare was a whole new challenge—but my stubborn hormonal acne insists on hanging around like that friend who refuses to leave your house even when it’s 1 a.m. and you’ve started washing up the wineglasses. I get it—in 2021 when we’re all about embracing the skin we’re in, admitting that you just don’t love...

Despite being one of the most popular skincare ingredients on the market right now, retinol can still feel like a somewhat daunting addition to your skincare routine if you’ve never used it before. Tackling clogged pores, uneven skin tone, wrinkles, dullness and more, the skin-resurfacing ingredient is something of a superhero in skincare terms. And from the flurry of retinol-infused serums and eye creams hitting the shelves each week, it’s clear to see that retinol is definitely having a moment. But where should you start if you’re totally new to this potent ingredient? As someone who has experienced the unwanted side effects of using a particularly strong retinol in the past—dryness, peeling and irritation—moisturisers would ...

There was a brief, blissful time during the early ’00s when a handful of Sephora stores popped up around the UK. Although I didn’t have any awareness of what a big deal this was at the time, I have vivid memories of my 13-year-old self and my best friends taking a monthly pilgrimage to Brent Cross (the journey involved two buses from our homes in the London suburbs and a dash on foot across the North Circular) to spend hours swatching lipsticks and spritzing perfumes there. To us, Sephora was the height of cool, and although we couldn’t afford a thing, there was something about that shop that made beauty products seem like the most exciting things in the world. Boots, on the other hand, did not. With one on pretty much every high street and in every shopping centre in the...

How do you recycle your beauty empties? For those who have attempted to discard used mascara tubes, plastic applicators and old eyeshadow palettes, you’ll know there’s no simple answer. Most beauty packaging ends up on the rubbish tip, and back in 2018, a report by Zero Waste Week found that the beauty industry produces a shocking 142 billion pieces of packaging each year. As beauty lovers continually become more conscious about the environment, it was only a matter of time before brands started to take notice and, most importantly, improve their sustainable options. Refillable beauty products—with packaging that can be used more than once—has become one answer to the beauty industry’s waste issue. It’s certainly not going to solve all problems overnight, but is a small step tha...

It will come as no surprise to learn that I’ve always loved beauty products. As soon as I hit secondary school I’d spend my pocket money on magazines—Bliss, J-17, CosmoGirl, I’d buy them all—because I was totally obsessed with the beauty pages inside, especially the skincare tips. You see, when you’re dealing with acne as a teenager you become somewhat preoccupied with your complexion, and I was a teen on an acne-busting mission. Of course, being the early noughties, there wasn’t the plethora of online information that there is now so I relied on magazines to educate me on which products would rid my skin of spots—and that meant a heck of a lot of Clearasil. Despite a lot of promising marketing jargon, nothing really worked. As a teena...

While I’ve never thought of myself as a particularly extravagant person, I recently totted up my regular skincare routine and found that it totalled an eye-watering £669. Yikes. With that in mind, I’ve been busy testing more affordable skincare options than ever in my quest to find efficacious products that don’t compromise on results. Currently, I am somewhat obsessed with Versed, our sister skincare line in which every single product clocks in at £20 and under.  And the affordable price tag doesn’t mean that you’re compromising on quality. Every product is made from clean, simple ingredients that have been sustainably sourced and tirelessly tested for maximum results. From cleansers and serums to moisturisers and eye creams, it’...

When I was a child in the ’90s, I always saw my mum as being “old.” She wasn’t. In fact, being 38 when I was born, she was far from it. But in my mind, she was way older than the other mums at my school, and so, to my pre-pubescent self, she was neither cool nor youthful. Thirty years on, however, I now look at my mum—who is now approaching 70—and only see how radiant and bright she looks. The most frustrating thing though is that whenever I’ve asked my mum about the products she likes or I give her products to try she’ll say, “You know me, Kesh. I only like oils.” And it’s true. She’s not a huge beauty lover like I am—I’m a true magpie when it comes to trying all the latest buzzy ingredients. In contrast, eve...

Inspired by Kate’s in-clinic Hyaluronic Acid Dermal Fillers, which are used to plump and lift skin, blur fine lines, and reduce the look of wrinkles, the KateCeuticals™ Firming Serum works to boost collagen production and oxygenate the skin for a smoother more luminous complexion. I’ve been busy testing out the KateCeuticals range, and I have to say that I’m incredibly impressed so far. First up, while appearances aren’t everything, this trio of products look so chic. The sleek grey packaging is a stylish addition to my bathroom, and the bottles and tub are just weighty enough to feel luxurious. As for the formulas themselves, the textures are beautiful—lightweight, non-greasy, and not at all cloying on the skin, like some anti-ageing products can be. I ...

Trust me—Forgo will be one of those brands that you’re going to start spotting on the bathroom sinks of all your chic friends. Yes, this Scandi brand are making hand soap stylish and, even better, sustainable too. It’s a really simple concept: purchase a starter kit containing the beautiful, reusable glass soap dispenser then add hot water to the powder soap provided to create your hand soap. “We can send 20 refills of hand wash in the same volume as one bottle of soap,’ Allon Libermann, Co-Founder of Forgo explains. “Plus, the powder formulation means the packaging can be paper.”  You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving y...

From their chic trademark fringes to their classic wardrobe basics, there’s an undeniable allure about the beauty and style choices of French women. For me, though, there’s one specific area that I feel they’ve consistently excelled in more than most: skincare. Yes, French girls have seriously amazing skin and it’s down to the array of hard-working skincare brands that they have access to. Over the years, I’ve lost count of the number of industry-approved makeup removers and celebrity-beloved face oils that have been exported from France. Trust me—if it’s cult skincare products that you’re looking for, then French pharmacy brands are the best place to start. Luckily, many of these historic bran...