skin

First of all, any ingredient costly enough to drive up the price of a cleanser really isn’t on your skin long enough to make a long-term difference. The ingredients commonly found in truly great cleansing formulas shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. Secondly, when it comes to cleansers, simplicity is key. While super-rich, sumptuous balms that smell like spas might feel great, many dermatologists argue that the fragrant, but very costly, oils used in such products could actually cause skin more harm than good. It’s fair to say, therefore, that not only are affordable cleansers just as good as more expensive options, but many of them are also considered better. So while I love a luxury cleanser just as much as the next person, the truth is, when it comes to deciding what to spend my hard-...

Although the internet would have you believe that millennials are only obsessed with buying plants and artisan coffees, we are (mostly) all grown up. It’ll come as no surprise, then, that when it comes to the beauty products we’re regularly purchasing, millennials are certainly “maturing.” Plenty of trend reports say we’re much more focused on skincare than makeup, opting to invest in products that aim to enhance what’s underneath. (Though, I certainly still enjoy both.) Between lengthy Korean skincare routines and new fancy gadgets, the fashion girls I spoke to are certainly upping their skincare game of late.  Yet anti-ageing is still something many are unsure about. When exactly should we start an anti-ageing routine? Most importantly, do these prod...

There’s no doubt that a great night’s sleep can make all of the difference to your state of mind come morning. A full night’s rest often makes for a more positive and productive start to the day. In fact, regular, deep sleep is widely regarded to be one of the most important aspects of a healthy daily routine. So why do so many of us find the very act of sleeping just so damn hard? While times are still far from normal and with nights now starting to draw in earlier, it’s safe to say that any chances of managing to uphold a regimented sleep routine at the moment are slim. In fact, here at Who What Wear, we’re desperately seeking new ways to restore some order and structure into our evening routines, to ensure we’re getting as much quality shut-eye a...

Though this year, we were forced to put our social lives on pause. Though, it seems our love for beauty and skincare never wavered. Who could predict Zoom makeup would become a thing? And let’s face it, now more than ever feels like a time to treat yourself to products that make you feel a little more like pre-2020 you. As I tell myself, it’s self-care. Beauty boxes are a great way to experiment with new products at home (and when working from home). It also feels like Christmas when they arrive in the post. In the age of “makeup haul” videos and social media makeup stars, beauty boxes are a clear response to our evergrowing desire to get *really* good at makeup and even better at understanding what works on our skin and hair. While you can, of course, buy them for yourself, th...

Though this year we were forced to put our social lives on pause, it seems our love for beauty and skincare never wavered. Who could predict Zoom make-up would become a thing? And, let’s face it, now more than ever feels like a time to treat yourself to products that make you feel a little more like pre-2020 you. As I tell myself, it’s self-care. Beauty boxes are a great way to experiment with new products at home (and when WFH). It also feels like Christmas when they arrive in the post. In the age of ‘makeup haul’ videos and social media makeup stars, beauty boxes are a clear response to our ever-growing desire to get *really* good at makeup and even better at understanding what works on our skin and hair. While you can of course buy them for yourself, they also make exceptionally great C...

There came a pivotal point during lockdown when I began a huge life purge (I’m certainly not the only one). My wardrobe and the dreaded cupboard under-the-stairs were subject to a crazed woman on a cleansing mission. I needed to own less and I wanted the things I own to serve me (it was very Marie Kondo vibes). Then there was my skincare collection; a mish-mash of cult products that seemed to take up space rather than actually make a discernible difference to my face. I had to ask myself: what is it I actually want my skincare products to do? The answer was simple, I wanted to glow. Blame Instagram, but I wanted to be reminiscent of those dewy, close to translucent women on every brand’s mood board. So I turned to cult favourite Glossier’s Vitamin C ‘Super Glow’ serum. After all, that’s Gl...

While the colder months definitely come with their advantages (I am so ready for cosy nights in, wrapped up in a blanket), for many of us, the sudden drop in temperatures can also prove troublesome, especially when it comes to our beauty routines—most notably, our lips. Personally, I am not someone who suffers with dry skin. If anything, the cold winter climes give my oily, spot-prone skin a bit of a break. The state of my lips, however, paints a totally different picture. For as long as I can remember, I have suffered with dry, irritable lips that are prone to cracking and general discomfort. For many years, I simply put up with it. I spent the winter months working my way through countless lip balms that gave only very temporary results and avoided lipstick like ...

Of all the practises that make my little beauty editor heart skip a beat, cleansing my face tops the list. Years of regularly falling asleep with my makeup on in my early twenties (so cringe, I know!) have lead to my near-obsession with thoroughly removing every stitch of gunk and goo from my skin at night, and for me, that means double cleansing is my go-to method. Only, I don’t always reach for the traditional first step, oil cleansers. I often reach for cleansing balms instead. I know some of you might be clutching your pearls right now, so allow me to explain. Straight oils are great for many skincare purposes, but the truth is they can be a bit messy, and portion control can be problematic. Cleansing balms are an excellent alternative since they del...

First things first, there’s squalane and squalene. Unhelpful, I know, but it makes it easier to explain what it is. Squalene is naturally produced by the oil-producing glands (sebaceous) in our skin. We’ve been made to believe that oils are the bad guys, but they’re a wonderful way to keep skin moisturised. So, squalene maintains our skin barrier and keeps everything nice and hydrated.  Cosmetic chemist Rachael Polowyj says: “Although squalene is a key component of our skin’s natural moisturisation factor–to keep the skin soft, supple and to prevent transepidermal water loss–it’s a relatively unstable chemical molecule which breaks down quickly, hence why we tend to use squalane in our cosmetic products instead.” So, in the same way that the&nbs...

I don’t know about you, but the minute the mercury drops below 15, my skin starts freaking out. While warm weather and sunny days bring out the best in my complexion, the winter brings out the worst. For the last few weeks, thanks to a combination of cold climes, central heating and beating winds, I have been experiencing dryness, irritation, breakouts and general dullness when it comes to my skin. And I know that I am not alone. In fact, many of my close friends and colleagues have also been complaining of skin issues recently. In a bid to get my skin back on track come winter, every year I bring out my ultimate glow-boosting kit. From super-nourishing moisturisers to light-reflecting highlighters, I turn to the same sort of results-driven products every single year in orde...

For those of you who have been diligently applying hand sanitiser for years, you’re probably feeling pretty smug right now—especially considering all of the eye-rolls you encountered every time you took out your prized bottle before a meal. Well, as this is our new normal, we all need to get on board and befriend the not-so-humble-anymore hand sanitiser. There are obviously two camps of sanitiser: the usual medical-scented ones and the more luxe versions.  With frequent use, the strong alcohol scent can often seem a bit harsh, so we’ve done the legwork for you to find the best hand sanitisers that also smell pretty nice. Reminder: It’s recommended to go for an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that has at least 60% alcohol content, so keep an eye out for th...

Aside from plumbing fixtures and tiles, there are so many ways to help elevate your bathroom, and needless to say, beauty products are a good place to start. While you’ll likely have a cupboard lined with lotions and potions, it’s important to think about the bathroom beauty products you want to have on display. To create a calming ambience, you’ll need to select these products carefully. It helps to stick to a tonal colour palette to ensure each product blends together seamlessly to create a chic backdrop. Brass bath caddies and waste bins, fresh room sprays housed in amber bottles, tufted Berber-style bath mats, coordinating (and industry-loved) shampoos and conditioners, elegant toothpaste (yes, that’s a thing), and nourishing oil soaks—scroll below to browse my edit of the b...