I have learnt a lot about skincare over the past 9 months, I can tell you that. I started a job last summer working as a PR and Comms Intern at L’Oreal within their Active Cosmetics Division (the one that does skincare) working on brands such as Vichy, La Roche-Posay and CeraVe. Big names, I know - I still have to pinch myself sometimes. But let me cut to the chase, before I worked in skincare I thought I knew a lot about it already through TikTok and reading articles online but boy was I wrong, there is so much more than meets the eye so here I am about to share with you my top 3 skincare tips as someone who works in the industry. Tip 1: Always wear sunscreen
Think you only need to wear an SPF when the sun’s out? Well boy am I about to tell you, you’re wrong. I had no idea about the importance of applying an SPF all year round until I got this job. It is so important to protect your skin from the harmful UVA and UVB rays. Although these rays are strongest in summer they can still affect your skin all year round, even in winter - yes I know…
Now what is the difference between the two? UVA rays affect the middle layer of your skin called the dermis and damage from these type of rays can cause skin to age and wrinkle and also play a role in some cancers. UVB rays are slightly stronger than UVA and these are what cause sunburn and the biggest part in causing most skin cancers.
So my key take out for you is to ensure that you have a high factor SPF incorporated into your skincare regime to protect you skin from early skins of ageing.
Tip 2: Look after your skin barrier
Your skin barrier retains moisture, keeping your skin hydrated to fight any external aggressors such as pollution, UV rays and bacteria from affecting your skin. Therefore, looking after your skin barrier is SO important to keep your skin healthy. If you experience your skin becoming dry, sensitive and flaky that might mean that you have broken down your skin barrier.
Through the like of TikTok, incorporating acids and retinols into our skincare routines has become a huge trend. Although they are great at fighting acne, wrinkles and uneven skin tone, overuse and mixing them with wrong products can cause your skin to become irritated and affect your skin barrier.
My advice for those using acids (AHA and BHA) and retinols would be to:
- Only apply a retinol at night and mix it with a moisturiser if it is pure retinol
- NEVER mix an acid with a retinol as you will strip your skin doing this, if you want to use both apply the acid in the morning and retinol in the evening
- NEVER apply a retinol with Vitamin C
- ALWAYS wear a strong SPF when using these products
My favourite products for ensuring your skin barrier is kept protected are:
- Cerave Hydrating cream-to-foam cleanser
- Mineral 89 Probiotic Fractions serum
- Toleriane Dermallergo Fluide
Tip 3: Layering your serums is the thing to do
Applying serums honestly changed my life as they make my skin feel GREAT, so being able to layer them was like the cherry on top. I like to apply 2-3 different serums when doing my skincare depending on what my skin is feeling that day.
I mainly like to layer my serums in the morning starting with a Vitamin C. Vitamin C serum is the way forwards. It is an antioxidant that works to radiate skin, even skin tone and help fade hyperpigmentation whilst also protecting skin from those pesky external aggressors. The one I have found that works best for my skin and doesn’t leave it feeling dry or irritated is the La Roche-Posay Vitamin C10 Serum. It is best applied in the morning and I usually use it as my final serum stage following with an SPF (remember tip 1?) And then you are good to glow your way through the day. (See what I did there ;) haha )
Then I will also go in with a serum containing Niacinamide to reduce any redness, minimise pores and help my skin barrier. I have actually just ran out The Ordinary one I was using so need to go and get a top up!! Then finally the creme de la creme of the serums. I finish by using Vichy’s Mineral 89 - this serum will change your life I promise! It hydrates and plumps my skin with moisturise leaving it feeling super smooth and a great base for applying makeup!
And that’s my top 3. I could continue talking for days about all the different things I have learnt over the past few months but I won’t excite you with all that too much yet, even though I know you are dying to know more!!