Pre-event prep. Blitzes for blackheads. And how to choose the right moisturiser.

There are standard beauty questions. 

And then there are beauty questions sent at 11:38pm that begin, “This may sound insane, but…” Those our favourites. Answers to the latest crop of DMs below.  

1. I think my skincare routine is pretty good, but I have blackheads? How is this fair?

It’s not, and life isn’t. But we have solutions. Daily: add Superdrops Brightening Niacinamide (10%) into your routine to clarify. A few mornings a week, try the Dr Glycolic Toning Pads before serum, especially on forehead, nose & chin, or cleanse with AcidEnzyme for intensive Salicylic-Acid-and-Papaya-Enzyme powered smoothing, brightening & exfoliating. (There’s an extra £5 off right now, too!)

2. Be honest. What’s the difference between Youthbomb Breakthrough Cream & Super Healthy Skin Ultimate Anti-Aging Vitamin Cream? 

Super Healthy Skin Ultimate Anti-Aging Vitamin Cream is your kitchen-sink daily moisturiser to visibly lift, plump and hydrate. Youthbomb Breakthrough Repair Cream is more targeted, with Nouripeptides and GGA to tackle the look of wrinkles and loss of firmness. Texture-wise they’re both on the firmer side - if you prefer something lighter, try the whipped Triple Hyaluronic Deep Moisture Miracle Cream or Genius Ginseng Power Peptide Face Cream (the ‘Goldilocks’ of face creams: not too light; not too heavy).  No Beauty Police will judge your choice!

3. I have something important tomorrow. Should I exfoliate, retinol, mask, steam, ice-roll and pray?

Be strategic. If Retinoids are already part of your routine, use Overnight Skin Perfector. It’s a skin-smoothing sleep mask blitz with Retinol & Caviar-Lime AHAs. If not: follow your usual routine, and maybe layer in some additional gentle exfoliation, like Fruitizyme 5-Minute Facial Peel or sweep Dr Glycolic Toner across skin after cleansing. Go to bed. And maybe also change your pillowcase? Then the morning of, break out the Depuffing Under-Eye Gel Pads & Youthbomb 360 Radiance Concentrate to perk you up and boost glow. 

4. My skin is dull. Is this ageing, dehydration, hormones, weather, stress, capitalism? 

Let’s start with the one we can solve: the skin surface. When dead skin cells build up, light doesn’t bounce off the skin quite as evenly. Take a pea-sized amount of Wonderscrub Bio-Dermabrasion Face Polish - on dry skin -  and concentrate on the areas that tend to need more exfoliation, usually the nose, chin and forehead. Then add a little water and massage the remaining product out towards the cheeks. Remember! Your face is not one administrative region. Treat different areas differently. Your nose may want exfoliation! Your cheeks may want mercy! 

5. How do I do “natural brows” without spending 45 minutes on them?

Stop applying brow gel only in the direction the hairs grow. With Arch-Ology Tinted Eyebrow Sculpting Gel, try brushing lightly backwards through the hairs first. Yes, backwards. This helps get a little tint around and underneath the individual hairs, which creates the illusion of more fullness. Then brush them back into place, upwards and slightly outwards.