ELLE.COM/UK September 2O19 247
ELLEBeauty(It creates that super-modern elastic-skin kind-of effect. And
keeps the complexion zit-free.) Oh yes, and Biafine – the miracle
of lip balms, which sloughs and quenches in one. And, finally,
Oscillococcinum. Beauty editors buy this homeopathic wonder in
bulk to keep Fashion Week flu at bay.
Don’t spend your money on skincare. Spendit
on SPF – 8O% of ageing is caused by thesun,
which means no amount of anti-ageing nightcream
is going to make a dent if you’re not protecting
your face. Your SPF will only work for twohours
max, and please don’t forget the tops of yourears
- it’s the most common place to get skin cancer,
simply because we ignore them.
Retinol is the best skincare ingredient on themarket.
Originally prescribed for acne, it is also a miracle
for retexturing and re-energising tired skin.I’ve
been using prescription Ketrel for years andI’m
convinced that, apart from SPF, it’s made thesinglebiggestdifference
to my skin. But shopping for it is a minefield;thetypeofretinolandits
percentage are the first thing to consider, whilehowitsformulais buffered
and delivered into skin is your second. Confusing,right?(That’sthe
reason I went to the dermatologist for mine.)Myruleofthumbis tostart
at O.O25% strength and, using it sparinglyeverythirdnight,workup
your tolerance. La Roche- Posay is my beginner’schoice.
Buy the lightest foundation you can. Skin looksbestwithlessfoundation.
I know. It seems counterintuitive. The only formulastogoforarethenew
water-based versions, which warm tone andreflectlight.Forthe‘cover-up’
effect, there is concealer – which I dot betweenmybrowsandinthecrease
of my chin to take out redness. Full coveragejustlookssodatednow.
Have a one-in-one-out policy. After all, theskincan’tcopewithmore
than three active ingredients at any time. It takesatleast 12 weekstosee
any real difference – a mask or a moisturisermightgiveinstanteffects,but
they are only superficial, whereas a vitaminCora retinol,forexample,
work on a cellular level to transform skin, whichcantakea fewmonthsto
show. A one-in-one-out policy allows you tobescientificaboutskincare,
and understand which products really do anddon’tworkonyourface.
Use a probiotic serum. Recently, scientistshavebeenremindingusto
safeguard the skin’s protective bacterial balance,aka‘themicrobiome’.
Products, pollution and stress can cause ittobecomeoutofwhack,
leading to acne, redness and irritation. Aprobioticserumfeedsskin
with friendly bacteria, so it becomes strongerandmorehydrated,while
restoring healthy pH levels. Elizabeth Arden SuperstartandEsseProbiotic
Serum, the only live version on the market, aretwofavourites.
Don’t use oils on your face. Oils will ‘nanny state’ your skin and suffocate
it, slowing down cell turnover so that, eventually, it can’t look after
itself. Yes, an oil might feel instantly soothing, but that’s only skin deep.
Most derms will tell you that oils aggravate acne or rosacea while
they clog and irritate our cells, and can cause
photosensitisingandinflammation in the sun. The
worstculpritsarecoconutand wheatgerm.
Alternatewhichsideyousleep on. The first time
I wenttoseeacosmeticdoctor, he told me to
stopsleepingonmyright-hand side. Squashing
myfaceintomypillowhad,over the years, broken
downmuscleandweakened collagen to leave
onesidefarlessjuicyandshapely. I’ve slept on
mybackeversince.
Magnesiumis themagicbeauty pill. If you can’t
loadyourdietwithenough green leafy veg or
nuts,doyourskinafavourand take magnesium
(Itakeoneinthemorning,andtwoatnight).It helps muscles relax
andencouragesbettersleepquality.It alsolowers the stress hormone
cortisol,themainculpritforadultacne.The7O%of us who are deficient
woulddowelltotryversionsfromLambertsandBioCare.MAC AMPLIFIED LIPSTICK IN
MORANGE, £17.5O
The ‘ONE’ that finally converted me to
red lipstick. The hot tomato hue looks
great on every skin toneNARS SOFT MATTE
COMPLETE CONCEALER, £24
An insomniac’s essential, this butte
cream melts into skin to instantlyeras
bags and blemishes without creasing,
however amateur your fingersseAUGUSTINUS BADER THE
CREAM, £2O5
Nearly every beauty editor I know
has converted to this anti-
inflammatory cream. Try it at night,
alone, for transformed skinFREDERIC
MALLE PORTRAIT
OF A LADY, £16O
FOR 5OML EDP
I’ve lost count of
how many people
have stopped me
in the street when
I wear thisMy high fiv e ALL - TIME FAVOURITES
“OILS WILL
‘NANNY STATE’
YOUR SKIN
and SUFFOCATE
IT, so THAT IT
CAN’T LOOK
AFTER ITSELF ”DIOR DIORSHOW
MA XIMIZER
3D LASH PRIMER, £28
I gave up on lash
extensions (too expensive,
too destructive). Why
bother when there’s this
stretching, thickening
and curling primer?