skin

Adding specific acids into my routine too was a game-changing move for my skin—the right combination faded the hyperpigmentation, plumped the appearance of my skin and evened out the tone. In the past, when acid-based products used terms like brightening, I was always wary of them mainly because of the prevalence of skin-lightening products aimed at Black women that use similar terminology. However, having spoken to many medical professionals and skin experts who have filled me in on what specific acids do and what they’re good for, I now feel more confident incorporating them into my skincare routine, and I haven’t looked back since. “If we look at brightening agents, there are alpha-hydroxy acids (aka AHAs) like kojic acid, lactic acid and mandelic a...

Ever wondered whether a new beauty launch or trending product is truly worth the hype? If so, you’re in the right place. I Just Tried… is our beauty column where we test out everything from new formulations to cult classics to find out whether they’re really worth your money. Oh, and we’ll answer the most-searched-for questions so you don’t have even have to ask. While celebrities and beauty journalists tend to wax lyrical about the wonder of facials when it comes to keeping their skin glowing, I have to admit that I’ve never really been fussed about them. While there is something truly blissful about having someone massage your face for the best part of an hour, I’ve always found that the skin-brightening effects of th...

Adding in specific acids into my routine was a game-changing move for my skin too—the right combination faded the hyperpigmentation, plumped the appearance of my skin and evened out the tone. In the past, when acid-based products used terms like ‘brightening’ I was always wary of them, mainly because of the prevalence of skin-lightening products aimed at Black women that use similar terminology. However, having spoken to many medical professionals and skin experts who have filled me in on what specific acids do and what they’re good for, I now feel more confident incorporating them into my skincare routine and I haven’t looked back since. “If we look at brightening agents, there’s alpha-hydroxy acids (aka AHAs) like kojic Acid, lactic Acid and mandelic acid, plus ...

Shani Darden is undoubtedly one of the most sought-after aestheticians in LA. With an impressively starry client list—including the likes of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Jessica Alba and Kelly Rowland—she’s renowned in the industry for her hands-on experience with challenging skin conditions and a passion for healthy, glowy complexions. With a year-long waiting list for an appointment with Darden herself at her Beverly Hills studio, it makes perfect sense then that Darden decided to launch her own range of skincare products—giving all of us a chance to achieve that coveted A-list glow at home. And while her iconic Retinol Reform serum launched back in 2013 and quickly achieved a cult following, the full Shani Darden Skin Care line has o...

When it comes to celebrity beauty recommendations, they tend to fall into one of two camps: in-salon treatments and cosmetic procedures with the best names in the industry (which are totally out of the realm of possibility for most of us) or luxury skincare products with a three-figure price tag. So when I heard murmurings that a genuinely affordable beauty brand with legions of A-list devotees had just landed at Cult Beauty, I was instantly intrigued. After all, Jennifer Aniston and under-£11 skincare isn’t a combination that you come across often. The brand in question? Heritage Store. 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 you back power. Get to meet Beautif...

And this level of overconsumption is far from our fault. You see, if the beauty products we bought actually worked, we might not feel the need to continue buying more. The bigger issue of sustainability in beauty right now is not down to simple things such as recyclable packaging and ‘biodegradable’ (which, by the way, in practice rarely are), but rather the amount of products being produced and consumed. The global beauty industry products more than 120 billion units of packaging every year, with the majority ending up in landfill and carbon emissions being produced with every manufacturing, shipping, and shopping process. It begs the question: How eco can a new, seemingly sustainable product really be? So, with every beauty product I recommend, I feel as though I have the weight of ...

Has anything about your approach to beauty changed over the last year, and are there any particular beauty looks that you’re looking forward to trying once we’re out of lockdown? Obviously, it’s been all change because nobody has been able to go anywhere and beautify themselves in the way that we used to. I think everyone’s had to create their own routines at home—whether that be working out in the morning or a lunchtime class, you’ve had to try to give yourself some sort of routine. So skincare just really picked up for me in the pandemic more than ever. I was trying different masks and hair masks just because I could. I wasn’t seeing anyone, so I could put on a hair mask, and then all of a sudden, I hadn’t washed it out, and a week had gone by [laughs]....

While I think that the importance of wearing SPF is pretty universally known by now, it doesn’t take away from the fact that a lot of people still avoid using it on a daily basis. It might well be the only product that actually protects our skin from sun damage—including the resulting pigmentation, dryness, fine lines and potentially something worse—but I’ll admit that it’s hardly the most luxurious of skincare products to use. In fact, some are downright horrible to wear. While I now wear sunscreen religiously every single day (I’ve heard too many horror stories from dermatologists to skip it), I actually avoided it entirely for years for fear that the traditionally thick and greasy SPFs would clog my pores and exacerbate my breakouts.  How...

What are threads, exactly?  There are a couple of different kinds of threads that are popular on the market in the US. PDO threads are biodegradable absorbable sutures that are made from polymer comparable to a complex sugar. Less popular are the threads that are made from poly-L lactic acid (same as Sculptra) and are also made from absorbable polymers that signal collagen growth and tissue renewal. They are known as “threads” in the aesthetic space but have been used in surgeries for decades under the name “sutures.” That’s right—these cosmetic enhancement threads are made of the same materials that surgeons use to close up lung and heart tissue.  Cosmetic use of sutures from plastic surgery gained real traction in the late ’90s and early 2000s when threads were used to su...

Ask any beauty editor what the best thing about their job is and I guarantee you they will all say the same thing. You see, while other people’s work benefits might include end of year bonuses or even lunch vouchers, us beauty journalists get our perks elsewhere. No matter what anyone says, the best thing about this job is without a doubt the amount of free beauty products that come our way. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve had to buy shampoo since 2017. And even then I had to buy a bottle because I was on a camping trip for eight days and realised I’d forgotten to pack one. Sure, many of my peers will argue that it’s not necessarily a perk, seeing as we sort of have to try these things to actually do our jobs, but despite being in this game for many years, trust me when I...

Before we start, however, let’s simplify things with a few key tips and important things to know. When shopping around for legit anti-ageing creams there are some essential ingredients to look out for. Retinol (or vitamin A) speeds up cell turnover, boosts collagen production and is the ultimate anti-ageing ingredient. It can be harsh on the skin to start with, though, so only use every few days to begin with and always use SPF with it, as it can make your skin more sensitive to rays. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E help fight free radicals—molecules that can do damage to your skin cells. Peptides help repair skin damage. Glycolic acid is an AHA that increases cell turnover to reveal smoother skin. Ceramides and other hydrators like hyaluronic acid and shea butter all lock in moisture a...

First up, when should we body-brush? Personally, and despite my earlier cynicism, I actually prefer to brush my body when my skin is dry, as it helps me to feel really zingy and invigorated before I’ve even stepped foot into the shower. But it turns out that you can body-brush whenever you like: on dry pre-shower skin or when your skin is damp post-shower.  So what are the benefits? “It’s used by alternative therapists to promote this network of cleansing vessels, which runs just beneath the surface of the skin, and to help detoxify and decongest the body,” says Kate Shapland, founder of Legology. “It also promotes the blood circulation, improving the flow of fresh nutrient-rich blood to the surface of the skin, which manifests in a natural sense of tone and smoot...