The Sunday Times - UK (2022-02-13

VITAMIN C DESIGNED FOR DAILY USE

Olay Regenerist Vitamin C + AHA 24 Day Gel

Cream, £35 Vitamin C and lactic acid make this a

treat for brightening and hydrating — 84 per cent of

users reported brighter skin in four weeks.

Ren Glow and Protect Serum, £50

Packed with kakadu plum, which, according to

the brand, is one of the world’s most potent

sources of vitamin C, with 100 times more than an

orange. Apply daily for an extra dose of radiance.

Vichy LiftActiv Supreme Vitamin C Serum, £38,

from February 14 A reformulation of the brand’s

bestselling vitamin C formula. Use morning and

evening as an antidote for weary skin.

Garnier SkinActive Vitamin C Anti-Dark Spot

Serum, £12 Proving that active skincare doesn’t have

to break the bank, this contains the skincare triple

threat of vitamin C, niacinamide and salicylic acid to

even skin tone, treat blemishes and give a good glow.

MYTH

‘Retinol doesn’t work for me’

“When I hear people say retinol ‘doesn’t work’, the

first thing I want to do is figure out in what sense they

mean,” Psomadakis says. “If they mean it doesn’t suit

them because it can be irritating, then retinol comes

in different strengths and formulas, so there probably

is a product that will suit them, unless they have an

extremely sensitive underlying skin condition. If they

mean they don’t see results, we need to go over the

basics of what it does. Retinol takes six months to a

year of regular use (three times per week minimum)

to have an effect, and some of that is preventative.”

She explains that preventative skincare means you

may not see results, but your skin is not getting

worse: “The product is fighting in the background to

cancel out age-related changes. It may seem like

nothing is happening but it is a long game. Just make

sure you have a quality product with an appropriate

percentage of retinol.”

FOUR HIGHLY RATED RETINOLS

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Laser Retinol +

Niacinamide Pressed Night Cream, £28 Retinol

and niacinamide are a skincare double act: the former

targets fine lines, and the latter helps smooth skin

tone and reduce dark spots. The pump delivers just

the right amount of product — start slowly by using it

one night a week to see how your skin reacts.

Rodial Retinol Overnight Gel, £75 This lightweight

overnight treatment feels like you’re applying a

cooling mask. Enjoy the benefits of retinol, plus wake

up with skin that feels nourished.

Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle

Correcting Serum, £75 for 50ml A potent yet

non-irritating serum designed to resurface, hydrate

and repair lacklustre skin. The dose of retinol makes it

suitable for morning and evening use. Apologies for

repeating ourselves but ... sunscreen is crucial in the

morning, especially when using retinoids.

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream, £73

If you’re new to retinol or your sensitive skin means

you shy away from it, this potent yet lightweight

cream has been formulated to be suitable for all types.

MYTH

‘I should store my skincare

products in the fridge’

Hirons sums it up: “Only if you like them cold.”

Don’t expect the ingredients to work any harder,

but if you like the cooling sensation then go for it.

Please don’t feel the need to jump on the trend of

the skincare fridge, though. There is only one place

that is ending up — in landfill!

MYTH

‘I skip sunscreen because

my^ foundation and

moisturiser have SPF in them’

“To achieve the SPF labelled on skincare and

adequate sun protection, we need to use a ¼-½ tsp

amount of product,” Wedgeworth says. “Most of us

do not use this much foundation, so I always advise

using a dedicated facial sunscreen daily to optimise

skin health. The SPF in cosmetics is a bonus.”

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPF 30 AND SPF 50?

“SPF 30 allows 3 per cent of the sun’s rays through,

whereas SPF 50 allows 2 per cent,” Hextall says. “This

may not sound like a huge difference, but the truth is

we never apply sunscreen in the quantity required,

which means the true amount of SPF being applied is

about 50 per cent or less than that stated on the

bottle. SPF 30 becomes less than SPF 15, so we always

recommend SPF 50 to compensate for this.”

SHOULD I USE MINERAL OR CHEMICAL SUNSCREEN?

It’s all in the ingredients, Ejikeme says. “Mineral

sunscreen, sometimes called physical or inorganic

sunscreen, contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide,”

she says, and these literally physically block UV

radiation. “Chemical sunscreens such as

avobenzone homosalate filter out the damaging

rays.” It all comes down to user experience and

texture preference.

THREE SPFS THAT YOU WON’T NOTICE UNDER MAKE-UP

La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMUNE 400

Invisible Fluid SPF 50+, £18 Ten years of research,

and with 25 patents pending, the French brand has

created something called Mexoryl 400, the only

filter that protects against UV rays up to 400nm (the

most harmful). That means the highest protection

yet against pigmentation and DNA damage.

Ultrasun UV Face & Scalp Mist SPF 50, £18 This

is the SPF of choice for Ayodele: “It’s very black-

skin-friendly, with no white cast.” The non-greasy

formula can be applied under or over make-up.

Nip+Fab Hydrate Nourishing SPF 30 Moisturiser,

£30 First and foremost this is a sunscreen that’s

packed with superhydrators such as hyaluronic acid.

The result is excellent protection against UVA and

UVB rays, as well as happy, hydrated skin.

40 • The Sunday Times Style