Your Skin Doesn't Know It's Trending 😂

I've got a confession.

I'm not very good at following skincare trends.

Not because I'm stuck in the past.

Quite the opposite.

I've spent around 40 years working with skin, and one thing I've learnt is that your skin doesn't give a toss what's trending on TikTok.

It doesn't know who's recommending it.

It doesn't know whether someone on This Morning has just declared it the next big thing.

It doesn't care whether some influencer you've never heard of has 2 million followers.

And it definitely doesn't read the comments section.

Your skin knows one thing:

“Is this actually right for me?”

And that's the bit I think we sometimes forget.

Because skincare has become BIG business.

Every week there's a new miracle ingredient.

A new treatment.

A new “skin hack”.

A new word we apparently all need to know.

Skin cycling.

Slugging.

Glass skin.

Skin flooding.

Barrier repair.

Exosomes.

Peptides.

Retinol.

Acids.

And now I'm hearing “Korean skincare” being mentioned more and more.

Now, before anyone thinks I'm about to have a rant about Korean skincare… I'm not.

There are some absolutely brilliant Korean skincare products and some very clever formulations coming out of Korea.

But here's the thing:

Korean doesn't automatically mean better.

And 10, 12 or 15 steps don't automatically mean healthier skin either.

Your skin doesn't suddenly think:

“Oh, it's Korean. Crack on then.” 😂

What matters is the formulation, the ingredients, how they're used, what your individual skin needs and whether your skin can actually tolerate them.

You don't need a 12-step routine if your skin would be perfectly happy with four good products used consistently.

Because your skin isn't a trend.

It's an organ.

And it's affected by your age, hormones, genetics, environment, medication, lifestyle, sun exposure, existing skin conditions and what you've already been putting on it.

Which is why one person's miracle product can be another person's nightmare.

More isn't always better

This is one I see a lot.

Someone starts with a cleanser.

Then adds vitamin C.

Then an exfoliating acid.

Then retinol.

Then another acid.

Then a brightening serum.

Then a Korean essence.

Then a toner.

Then a mask.

Then suddenly their skin is red, tight, itchy and breaking out.

So they buy another product to fix it.

And another.

And another.

At this point your skin isn't having a skincare routine.

It's having a nervous breakdown.

😂

Sometimes the best thing you can do is stop adding and start listening to your skin.

And redness and tingling aren't always proof that something is working

This is something I really want people to understand.

There seems to be a strange belief that if your skin is tingling, burning or going red, the product must be doing something amazing.

No.

Sometimes it's just bloody irritated.

There is a big difference between a controlled, expected response from a professional treatment carried out in clinic and your everyday skincare causing ongoing redness, burning, stinging or tingling at home.

Some professional treatments are specifically designed to create a controlled response in the skin. That's part of the treatment and, importantly, they're selected and carried out according to the condition of the skin.

Your home skincare is different.

Products designed for you to use routinely at home should not be making your skin feel like it's on fire.

A little awareness of a product going onto the skin can happen with some active ingredients, particularly when introducing something new, but persistent burning, significant redness, itching or discomfort isn't something to simply ignore because you've been told:

“That means it's working.”

Nope.

Your skin doesn't get extra points for suffering. 😂

If your skin is repeatedly reacting to your home products, it's worth stopping and getting some proper advice rather than adding yet another product to try and fix the reaction.

Because sometimes the answer isn't more skincare.

Sometimes it's less.

So what does healthy skin actually look like?

It doesn't necessarily look like a filter.

It has pores.

It has texture.

It might have pigmentation.

It might have a few lines.

It might flush.

It might break out occasionally.

It changes with hormones, seasons and age.

Healthy skin isn't necessarily perfect-looking skin.

For me, healthy skin means understanding what your skin needs and treating it appropriately.

Sometimes that's improving hydration.

Sometimes it's managing pigmentation.

Sometimes it's reducing inflammation.

Sometimes it's treating vascular redness.

Sometimes it's addressing acne or scarring.

And sometimes…

it's leaving the bloody skin alone for a little while.

This is why I still believe in consultations

After 40 years working with skin, I'm still learning.

Skin science changes.

Technology changes.

Ingredients change.

And yes, I change with it.

But one thing hasn't changed:

I want to know your skin before I decide what your skin needs.

That's why I don't believe in selling everyone the same treatment or giving everyone the same 10-step routine.

Your skin isn't everybody else's skin.

And it certainly isn't an Instagram filter.

So by all means, enjoy the trends.

Try new things.

Be curious.

If Korean skincare interests you, brilliant. Just look beyond the label and understand what you're actually putting on your skin and why.

But before you put the latest viral concoction on your face because someone on This Morning or an influencer you've never heard of has told you it's the secret to perfect skin…

stop.

Have a look at your skin.

Ask yourself what you're actually trying to achieve.

And if you genuinely don't know?

That's what a consultation is for.

Because after 40 years, I've learnt that skin doesn't follow trends.

Skin follows biology.

And biology is bloody hard to argue with. 😂

And after all the trends, treatments, miracle ingredients and 12-step routines…

the best skincare is still SPF.

Not the one sitting unopened in your bathroom cabinet.

Not the one you remember to put on when you're going on holiday.

The one you actually use every day.

Because the best SPF is the one you use consistently.

Now that is a skincare trend I'm very happy to stick with. ☀️

Real Skin. Real Results. Real Care.