Pure Beauty - The Lichfield Beauty Salon

Fantastic Treatments in a fabulous salon with only the best Products and the very Best Beauty Therapists!
 

Ingredient Focus – Squalene

Ingredient Focus - SqualenePhoto by Kris Sevinc on Unsplash

As you know, here at Pure Beauty, we like to get to know all of the products we sell, right down to the last ingredient. If we’re recommending something to our clients, we want to know everything that’s in it and what it can do. One ingredient that we haven’t talked to you about before is squalene. It’s found in human sebum (that’s the oil in our skin, in case you didn’t know!) and is something our skin needs to function properly, which is why we thought we’d take this opportunity to teach you about squalene and the products we sell which contain it:

What exactly is squalene?

As we said above, it’s already in the oil in human skin, so why do we need it in our cosmetics, too? As with other things, such as collagen, the amount of squalene your body produces declines with age. Peak production of this natural moisturiser occurs in the teen years, with production slowing down in your 20s or 30s. As a result, your skin becomes drier and rougher as you age.

Where does squalene come from?

In times gone by, squalene was extracted from shark livers, but these days people prefer their skincare to be cruelty-free and vegan-friendly (and rightly so!). Fortunately, squalene is naturally present in olives, rice bran, and sugarcane, allowing the sharks to stay in the sea where they belong!

What are the benefits of using squalene?

Healthy skin is hydrated skin. Therefore, squalane offers many advantages when used topically. Increasing your moisture can make your skin look younger and more bright. Products containing squalene also combat free radicals, which hasten the ageing process, causing skin damage. Additionally, regular use might increase collagen production, leading to firmer skin.

Products containing squalene:

Decleor Micellar Oil

This cleanser is a world-first in micellar technology and uses the powerful combination of oil and water to work deep into the pores, dissolving and dispersing dirt and impurities and removing all traces of make-up, including waterproof and long-lasting formulations. Sweet almond oil, rich in essential fatty acids, helps to strengthen and soothe the skin, and vegetal squalene (derived from olive oil) maintains optimal hydration levels for deep moisturisation and suppleness.

Maskology Squalane Professional Sheet Mask

This mask intensely hydrates, enriches and replenishes the skin, resulting in a youthful and energised complexion. Harnessing the power of olive, passionfruit, organic sweet orange oil and organic almond oil, this fruit mix creates an anti-ageing formula that rejuvenates and soothes the skin. The squalane is sourced from olives, to provide a powerful boost of collagen production.

Skin Republic Retinoid Complex 1% Serum

Skin Republic Retinoid Complex 1% Serum is a velvety serum infused with 1% retinoid complex in squalane that helps reduce the visible signs of ageing. It contains a very high concentration of active ingredients and can be used on its own as a daily treatment or to boost the results of a Skin Republic Face Mask.

The Five Best Products For Bright Eyes

The Five Best Products For Bright Eyes

Photo by JC Gellidon on Unsplash

It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul, so finding the best eye cream is crucial in order to lighten dark circles, reduce puffiness, smooth out fine lines, and firm the skin. The good news is that there are a huge amount of fantastic solutions available from Pure Beauty that work hard to reduce bags, circles, and everything in between by utilising potent active components in the proper proportion for the delicate area. Here are our top five products for giving you bright eyes all year long:

Elemis Pro-Collagen Vitality Eye Cream

This high-end eye cream from Elemis is a lifting, brightening and firming eye cream, clinically tested, that combats the visible signs of ageing for a more wide awake look. It contains padina pavonica for hydration, hawthorne and Arabian jasmine flower essence to visibly reduce dark circles, upcycled elderflower extract for undereye puffiness and Japanese artemisia capillaris to help restore radiance and luminosity for more youthful-looking eyes. The formula is ultra-lightweight and non-greasy, and works well under makeup for all day wear.

Decleor Peony Eye Cream Absolute

Decleor Peony Eye Cream Absolute is an eye cream that helps to plump the eye contour, giving an almost unparalleled illuminating effect. It’s formulated with peony lychee, rhodiola and cafeina extracts, and adenosine to firm and smooth the eye area. With its non-greasy and non-sticky texture, this eye cream is rapidly absorbed and makes eye contours more plump and visibly rejuvenated with a luminous glow.

Nouveau Rejuvenating Eye Cream and Mask

This eye cream and mask from Nouveau is a truly multi-functional product, offering an intensive, anti-ageing eye cream and mask for lashes, brows and the area around the eye. This multipurpose, anti-aging eye cream and treatment mask will provide natural lashes and the delicate eye area a much-needed nutritional boost following excessive usage of lash extensions or makeup. It is formulated with vitamins and conditioning actives and leave the whole eye area rejuvenated.

REN Clean Skincare Keep Young And Beautiful Firm And Lift Eye Cream

REN Clean Skincare Keep Young And Beautiful Firm And Lift Eye Cream is an ultra-lifting, firming and nourishing eye cream that dramatically reduces the appearance of wrinkles, crow’s feet and deep expression lines around the delicate eye area. It contains a combination of highly potent active ingredients including hexapeptide-11 which is sourced from yeast and helps improve skin firmness, as well as rosehip oil, a source of Vitamin A, which rejuvenates the skin’s appearance.

SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Eye Complex

This eye cream from SkinCeuticals is specifically formulated to tackle fine lines and wrinkles, as well as any other telltale signs of ageing which appear around the eyes. When applied with a massaging action, dark circles, puffiness and crow’s feet all appear reduced and the cream adds a feeling of comfort to ageing, dry skin. The formula also boosts radiance in tired, dull skin around the eyes, leaving your whole eye area looking more youthful and radiant.

Why Encapsulated Ingredients Give Next Level Skincare

Why Encapsulated Ingredients Give Next Level Skincare
Photo by
Matthew Tkocz on Unsplash

Here at Pure Beauty, we’re well aware of the fact that new buzzwords come along all the time which often makes something which is pretty run of the mill sound new and exciting. However, when it comes to encapsulation, this isn’t the case – we’re genuinely enthusiastic about this process! Here, we’re giving you the lowdown on encapsulated ingredients and which products have them:

What is ‘encapsulation’?

The process of encapsulation involves molecular change. Imagine a shiny coating covering the ingredient molecules; this is how the polysaccharide shell protects them. The active compounds in your skincare—i.e., the ingredients that can change your skin—are carried by this encapsulated coating, which acts as a carrier system. When you apply a skincare product with encapsulated chemicals to your skin, the coating starts to disappear and the active ingredients gradually begin to come out.

Why should I look for products with encapsulated ingredients?

There are many advantages to covering active substances with a protective encapsulation. In the first place, it makes components even milder BUT more effective. Encapsulated coatings shield your actives and release them gradually over time as opposed to instantly activating them on the surface of your skin. This enables it to penetrate your skin’s deeper layers, where the active components will work to your greatest advantage. Ingredients are gradually released as the shell covering wears away, so your skin will benefit from them for a longer period of time. Encapsulation also stabilises molecules by protecting them from environmental factors, like UV light, that causes them to break down or lose their effectiveness.

Which products have encapsulated ingredients?

REN Clean Skincare Overnight Glow Dark Spot Sleeping Cream targets only uneven pigmentation on all skin types and tones – without affecting or lightening your natural skin tone. It contains an encapsulated algae complex which targets the appearance of excessive pigmentation.

Medik8 Advanced Day Ultimate Protect is a daily moisturiser with a high level of sun protection to prevent sun-induced premature signs of skin ageing. It utilises encapsulated photolyase to optimise penetration into the skin, delivering next-generation anti-ageing results that include healthier-looking and more resilient skin with a natural glow.

This Works Sleep Plus Pillow Spray is a fast acting natural remedy to help restore healthy sleep patterns for restless sleepers. A natural, aromatherapeutic blend of lavender, camomile and vetivert is encapsulated within this sleep spray which, thanks to motion activated technology, is released continuously throughout the night to support a longer, less interrupted sleep.

Dermalogica Oil Free Matte is a lightweight, ultra-sheer broad spectrum sunscreen that helps prevent shine, regulate oil production and soothe inflammation. It is suitable for skin with excess oil production and contains an encapsulated complex of antioxidant vitamins C and E which scavenge UV-induced free radicals while enhancing photoprotection.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix is the next generation Pro-Collagen with Smart Drone Technology. Pro Collagen Overnight Matrix targets areas of the face where stress shows most. With encapsulated Peptide4 and Hetra-Peptide, this dual action formulation works both to protect the delivery of the actives and to help with the penetration into the skin’s surface.

Five Products with Sustainable Ingredients

Five Products with Sustainable IngredientsPhoto by Akil  Mazumder

Back in March, we shared a list of five of our favourite sustainable beauty and self care accessories, which contained everything from reusable make-up removing pads to bamboo cotton buds. Today, we’re going one step further and bringing you a list of five beauty products which contain ingredients which are sourced from sustainable origins so that you can have peace of mind in knowing that your beauty routine is renewable and kind to the planet:

Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Omegas+

Here at Pure Beauty we know that treating your insides nicely is just as important as looking after your outsides, which is why we stock a range of nutritional supplements to bolster your body. This omega-rich supplement from Advanced Nutrition Programme is certified by Friends of the Sea and uses omega-3 oils only sourced using sustainable methods that conserve both marine habitats and resources. It also contains GLA from evening primrose oil and vitamin A for notable benefits to hydration, skin smoothness and wrinkle depth.

Elemis Superfood Vital Veggie Mask

This face mask from Elemis is part of its Superfood range, containing extracts from nutrient dense supergreens and radiance boosting fruit acids for an incredibly soft and smooth complexion. It also contains oil from chia seeds, a percentage of money from the sale of which is reinvested to support sustainable development in the native communities from which it is sourced. It’s vegan friendly and made from 100% natural ingredients.

Evolve Organic Beauty Bio-Retinol Gold Mask

Masks are fantastic for nourishing your skin and fighting the signs of ageing. This one from Evolve Organic Beauty uses a sustainable bio retinol analogue from the plant bidens pilosa, which works to smooth the skin, plump up wrinkles, stimulate collagen synthesis and rejuvenate the skin. It also contains argan oil, which is high in vitamin E and fatty acids, giving the skin a youthful glow. It is easily absorbed and leaves skin feeling plump and soft

St.Tropez Gradual Tan Tinted Firming Body Lotion

St.Tropez Gradual Tan Tinted Firming Body Lotion locks in hydration for up to 72 hours while providing a buildable sun-kissed hue. The gradual tan promises a sustainable, skin-friendly solution that leaves you looking radiant and is infused with 93% natural ingredients. It has a smooth-to-the-touch texture and both nourishes and bronzes the skin. The quick-absorbing, lightweight lotion doesn’t leave behind any slick or sticky residue, delivering a hue that is adjustable based on your preferences, giving a natural-looking appearance.

The Sea Shed Christmas Tree Soap

It might only be October, but Christmas will be with us before you can say “ho ho ho!”, and sustainable products should definitely be on your gift list. This soap from The Sea Shed is a moisturising, triple milled vegetable soap, enriched with shea butter. It has a vegan friendly formula which is not tested on animals and is totally free from parabens, SLS and SLES. All of the ingredients are certified sustainable and it’s wrapped up in recyclable, plastic free packaging.

The Five Cardinal Rules of Menopausal Skincare

The Five Cardinal Rules of Menopausal Skincare

Photo by RODNAE Productions

When we reach menopause, at whatever age that may be for you, we all start to notice numerous changes to our bodies. One of the places where significant changes start to happen is our skin, which has to deal with the loss of certain hormones and our bodies producing less of certain skin-essential building blocks. With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of do’s and don’ts which should help you to care for your menopausal skin in the best way possible:

Use Retinoids

Retinol is the best component to boost collagen and successfully slow down some of the ageing process, so incorporating it into your skincare routine is a no-brainer. Beginners utilising retinol should start with a modest dose and progressively increase to higher formulations, which can be used to increase skin thickness or reduce wrinkles. Try to find products that have moisturising and calming elements like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide. These are especially useful for reducing any dryness and irritation linked to menopausal skin and first-time retinol use.

NEVER Forget SPF!

Using an SPF, such as Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF30, every day is essential for keeping your skin moisturised and protected. This is important during menopause because hormonal changes have already made your skin more delicate. It is less prepared to fight off outside invaders and contaminants, and you also need to use sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. Long-term sun exposure can aggravate dark spots and other discolorations already present while also causing hyperpigmentation. SPF helps prevent ageing because UV rays from the sun can lead to wrinkles and fine lines.

Try Some Peptides

Because they will increase collagen formation and skin suppleness, peptides are also fantastic for menopausal skin. Peptides are pieces of proteins, and proteins make up the skin’s structural constituents. By acting as messengers between cells, they can encourage the skin’s cells to produce more collagen and elastin, enhancing the skin’s youthful appearance. Medik8 Copper PCA Peptides is a revolutionary serum expertly formulated to recharge and energise skin for next-generation anti-ageing results.

Use Products With Calming Ingredients

When we reach the menopause, we not only have to deal with the changes to our skin, such as dryness and added sensitivity, but many of us also suffer from hot flushes and redness. When you’re experiencing a hot flush or are worried about redness, calming skincare products and face mists can feel like life savers. Keep a cool, moisturising face mist, such as Dermalogica UltraCalming Mist near your bed to use as a calming spray to chill flushed skin if you wake up in the middle of the night.

Tackle Menopausal Acne

Remember how puberty played havoc with your hormones and caused acne? We’re sorry to tell you that something similar can happen during the menopause, and menopausal acne is very much a thing that many women have to deal with. The trouble is, the vast majority of products made for acne are intended for younger skin and don’t also tackle the signs of ageing. Dermalogica Age Bright Clearing Serum is an active two in one serum that clears and helps prevent breakouts while reducing visible skin ageing.

Take Control of Your T-Zone

Photo by Min An

Considering the fact that the t-zone (the area around your nose, forehead and chin) only accounts for a relatively small area of your body, it’s one of the places that is most often mentioned when people are asked about their skincare concerns. Compared with the rest of your face, your t-zone has more oil glands, which is why it tends to be oilier and more acne-prone. Acne often develops when excess oil and dead skin cells mix together, which blocks your pores, creating whiteheads and blackheads. Fortunately, there are plenty of products to help you to control your t-zone, and these are five of the best:

REN Clean Skincare Clarimatte T-Zone Control Cleansing Gel

Cleansing is probably the most important step when trying to control your t-zone as this is when you’ll get rid of excess oil. REN Clean Skincare Clarimatte T-Zone Control Cleansing Gel is a purifying facial cleansing gel that is for skin that is prone to oiliness and breakouts, particularly in the t-zone. It contains mayblossom extract and willow bark which help to minimise pores and keep skin clear, while blue cypress essential oil helps soothe the mind.

Elemis Superfood Berry Boost Mask

Masks are a great way to treat your t-zone as they can rebalance the skin. Elemis Superfood Berry Boost Mask is a purifying mask featuring Brazilian purple clay and an omega-rich super berry complex to balance the skin and mattify the t-zone. It also contains a prebiotic, naturally derived from sugar, helps to maintain balance in the skin’s microflora for a healthier looking complexion.

Dermalogica Sebum Clearing Masque

Another mask (we told you they were useful, didn’t we?!) – this sebum clearing mask from Dermalogica contains clays which are specifically used to absorb excess sebum. Salicylic acid clears pore congestion while calming botanicals such as oat and bisabolol help soothe aggravation brought on by breakouts. Finally, the masque also contains licorice and niacinamide, which helps even skin tone.

Evolve Organic Beauty True Balance Lotion

There are two things that many people fail to realise about oily skin – firstly, that it still needs moisturiser and secondly, some oily skin is actually caused by your body overproducing sebum due to an underlying dryness. This moisturiser from Evolve Organic Beauty was specifically designed to rebalance oily skin, providing much needed moisture, inhibiting oil production and reducing the shiny appearance of the t-zone.

Refinery Face Mask

Yes, it’s ANOTHER mask, but as we said twice already, they are useful! This mask from Refinery provides an instant detoxifying and restorative boost for tired skin. With a base of clay, it also contains sweet almond and jojoba oils to deep cleanse, moisturise and revitalise your t-zone. Additionally, essential oil of juniper detoxifies while black pepper, ginger and peppermint help boost circulation for clear and revitalised skin.

Salicylic Acid – Great for Your Body, as Well as Your Face

Salicylic Acid - Great for Your Body, as Well as Your Face

Photo by Sora Shimazaki

Anyone who knows anything about skincare is probably well aware of the ingredient salicylic acid and the benefits it can offer your face. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid and is well-known for reducing acne by exfoliating the skin and keeping pores clear. More and more, we’re now seeing products containing this seemingly miracle ingredient which are not just for the face but for your body too. To show you what’s on offer, we’ve curated a list of five of our favourite salicylic-containing body products:

Evolve Organic Beauty Rainforest Rescue Blemish Serum

This powerful serum from Evolve Organic Beauty is packed with salicylic acid and is designed to be used on blemish prone and congested skin, leaving skin clearer and helping to protect skin from future breakouts. It contains willow bark, a natural source of salicylic acid, which helps to boost cell turnover and exfoliate without irritation, for a smooth and healthy looking complexion and can be used on any area of your body where breakouts are a concern.

Medik8 Smooth Body Exfoliating Kit

This kit from Medik8 contains three products which instantly revitalise rough, dry or bumpy skin. Featuring both AHAs and BHAs, this powerful yet gentle trio work to smooth over visible, raised skin bumps caused by a common skin condition called keratosis pilaris. The Smooth Body Lotion uses a powerful trio of chemical exfoliators; high strength urea, lactic acid and salicylic acid to loosen pore blockages while the lotion’s moisturising qualities are boosted by its ultra nourishment complex.

Lycon Ingrown X-It Solution

Ingrown hairs are a problem for a huge number of people and using a chemical exfoliator can help to prevent them altogether. Lycon Ingrown X-It Solution is a break through spray formula for the face and body. It mildly exfoliates, decongests and helps minimise the appearance and discomfort of ingrown hairs. At the same time, it soothes angry looking red spots and moisturises, making it the perfect product for keeping your ingrown hairs under control.

Murad Clarifying Body Spray

This body spray from Murad has been specifically designed to tackle acne and blemishes on the body and contains ingredients which can help to prevent them altogether. Salicylic acid helps clear up blemishes as glycolic acid helps clear away pore-clogging debris. Allantoin and blue lotus extract help soothe irritation for healthier-looking skin. It even features a 360° continuous spray that makes application easy, even in hard to reach areas.

Maskology Foot Mask Professional Foot Treatment Booties

Unless you’re truly blessed, the vast majority of us suffer from some degree of hard skin on our feet, and salicylic acid can be a great ally against it. Maskology Foot Mask Professional Foot Treatment Booties are the answer to dry or rough feet as they contain salicylic acid which will then target dead skin cells to dissolve debris and leave the feet feeling refreshed and smooth. These booties also offer removable toe tips, making them perfect for use during a pedicure!

Protect Your Skin This Autumn and Winter

Protect Your Skin This Autumn and WinterPhoto by Lucas Allmann

With the kids back at school and the weather starting to change, it’s getting harder to deny that summer is well and truly on its way out. While we’re not complaining about swapping summer dresses and Pimms for chunky knits and pumpkin spice lattes, the effect it can have on our skin isn’t always the best. Colder days and central heating can mean your skin becomes dry and dull, leaving you feeling less than perfect. With this in mind, we’ve curated a list of products which will help to protect you this autumn:

SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Masque

With dryness can often come redness and sensitivity, something that you ideally want to avoid. However, if you skin has got to a point where the redness has already happened, SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Masque can definitely help. This intensive calming facial mask is formulated to soothe and replenish skin discomfort and sensitivity. It delivers intense cooling and calming comfort to skin sensitivity and can be used 2-3 times a week or as needed as a leave-on, rinse-off, or an overnight treatment.

Medik8 Advanced Day Ultimate Protect

As we always say – sun protection is NOT just for summer! Using an SPF all-year round is one of the best ways to head off the signs of ageing and Medik8 Advanced Day Ultimate Protect is a daily moisturiser with a high level of sun protection. It contains photolyase, which is encapsulated to optimise penetration into the skin, delivering next-generation anti-ageing results that include healthier-looking and more resilient skin

Elemis Nourishing Omega Rich Cleansing Oil

Cleansing oils are a fantastic product if you have sensitive skin as they allow you to melt away dirt and impurities without also stripping away the skin’s moisture barrier. This cleansing oil from Elemis contains winter rose oil, rich in omega-9, with skin-conditioning chia seed. It effectively removes make-up whilst maintaining the skin’s natural barrier and contains vitamin-rich pomegranate to ensure that skin is left looking healthy and radiant.

Maskology Hand Mask Professional Hand Gloves

We’ve said it before and we’ll likely say it again – the hands are one of the most common places to suffer when the seasons change. During summer the air is warm and moist, keeping your skin moisturised without you even realising it. Once the cooler air arrives, the humidity levels drop and you lose that “natural” moisturiser, leaving you with dry skin. Maskology Hand Mask Professional Hand Gloves are the perfect solution to dry hands – especially for those winter months when the skin is more susceptible to dryness!

Decleor Cica Botanic Balm

Our final recommendation for autumn is this protective and nourishing balm from Decleor.  It contains powerful essential oils including eucalyptus, rosemary, niaouli and geranium to soothe, repair and protect. This balm is especially good for irritated and very dry skin and is a real saviour in the inclement weather. The ingredients are 100% natural origin and provide deep and long lasting skin hydration.

A Closer Look at the Decleor White Magnolia Range

A Closer Look at the Decleor White Magnolia RangePhoto by Aubrey Odom-Mabey on Unsplash

When you find a skincare product that you both like and feel plays well with your skin, it can be disappointing if the company which makes it doesn’t offer anything in the same range. That definitely cannot be said for Decleor, who offer many different ranges of products, including the White Magnolia collection, which contains a number of products with different functions. Here are five of the best products from the White Magnolia range:

Decleor White Magnolia Aromessence Serum

This serum is made of a combination of natural oils which offer a huge energy boost for your skin. It is formulated with essential oils of magnolia and ginger and with botanical oils of hazelnut and jojoba, which give mature skin a deep wash of moisture, as well as a rich fragrance to help to balance and relax the mind.

Decleor White Magnolia Cream Absolute

Many creams which claim to be rich and nourishing also have a greasy finish, however, this Cream Absolute is a non-greasy cream that is formulated with peony extracts and magnolia essential oil, to re-energise the skin. As well as giving your skin a luminous glow, the Cream Absolute helps to define your facial contours and leave skin looking plumped and firmer with fewer fine lines and wrinkles.

Decleor White Magnolia Hand and Nail Cream

The hands are a place which are often forgotten in the battle against the signs of ageing, however, they are also one of the main places that skin starts to lag as we age. Dryness and hyperpigmentation can make the hands look old before their time, which is why Decleor created this regenerating formulation which leaves skin looking brighter and more luminous, provides soothing relief from dry, sore hands, and helps prevent premature ageing.

Decleor White Magnolia Intensive Cure

Hyperpigmentaion can be a real problem as we age, as the body’s melanin processes become dysregulated by the ageing process. This means that dark spots become more obvious and tackling them can be tricky. Decleor White Magnolia Intensive Cure comes in  concentrated individual biodegradable capsules to help even the skin and reduce dark spots. They contain the purest white magnolia essential oils and high strength vitamin C, prompting skin to undergo a 60 night transformation leaving your complexion visibly brighter, even and super regenerated.

Decleor White Magnolia Rosy Cream

Reversing hyperpigmentation is all well and good, but you don’t want to leave yourself looking washed out, especially if you’re no longer comfortable in a full-coverage foundation. Decleor White Magnolia Rosy Cream helps to regenerate the appearance of the skin and reduce wrinkles, whilst providing a natural, healthy rosy glow. The pink toned formula combines the power of regenerative white magnolia essential oil with lactic acid and rosy pigments to restore the skin’s structure and provide a healthy glow.

The Best Serums for Every Age Group

The Best Serums for Every Age GroupPhoto by cottonbro

Taking care of your skin is something which evolves with time. As we age, our skin changes and has different requirements, which means that our skincare also needs to change to meet these requirements. Serum is something that should be a part of every skincare routine, irrespective of your age, and there is one for every skin type and skin concern. Here, we’re looking at which serum is best for each age group.

Teens

Teen skin is at the mercy of a lot of fluctuating hormones, and often suffers from sensitivity and redness which manifests as spots and blemishes. Sebum production is out of whack and skin which has an underlying dryness often ends up being oily and prone to blackheads. Serums for teen skin, such as Dermalogica UltraCalming Serum Concentrate, are designed to rebalance the skin and defend skin against inflammation and redness, and helps interrupt inflammatory triggers to prevent flare-ups.

Twenties

Once you’re out of your teens, your skin will have matured slightly but it can still be at the mercy of hormones and acne. Elemis Clarifying Serum is a lightweight, soothing serum clinically proven to reduce the appearance of blemishes, visible pores and blackheads in just 2 weeks. Skin is left looking calmer, clearer, more even with improved texture and smoothness. It’s lightweight, which means it plays nicely with other cosmetics and helps control excess oil whilst visibly reducing post-blemish discolouration.

Thirties

Once we reach our thirties, thoughts often start to turn towards protecting ourselves from the early signs of ageing. However, it can sometimes be tricky to find products which suit both ageing skin and skin which still has issues with blemishes. SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defence Serum is a high potency serum that targets imperfections whilst improving the appearance of fine lines and uneven skin tone. It helps to control excess sebum and helps to defend against the early signs of ageing.

Forties

Your 40s is when you really start to see major changes in the firmness of your skin. You’re dealing with loss of volume and elasticity, leading to skin that appears saggy, as well as more pronounced wrinkles and sun damage, which may lead to conditions like melasma. Murad Correct and Protect Serum SPF45 is a satiny-smooth serum with 100% mineral SPF that’s tested and scientifically proven to visibly correct discolouration and prevent future hyperpigmentation, making it the ideal serum for skin in its 40’s.

Fifty and Over

Even people who’ve spent the most time and money on their skincare routine will start to notice inevitable physical signs of ageing by the time they reach their fifties. Loss of firmness, wrinkles and uneven skin tone can begin to show in your fifties, and over the years, exposure to sunlight can cause age spots or dark spots to appear on your face and arms. This is the time when you need to get hardcore with your serums, and ths means focusing on the most potent ingredients. Skin Republic Retinoid Complex 1% Serum is a velvety serum infused with 1% retinoid complex in squalane that helps reduce the visible signs of ageing. In just two weeks, you’ll notice an improvement in elasticity and firmness and ongoing usage can have a profound effect on the signs of ageing.