Skincare Lessons With Beauty Director Alessandra Steinherr
Created in partnership with Estée Lauder
Consistency is my best piece of advice. Quality of products is important but using them regularly is essential. It’s like anything in life – it’s like you need to work out regularly to see results and it’s the same with skincare, you have to keep up the good work.
My grandmother taught me to look after my skin. I’ve had a good routine since I was about 13. It wasn’t over the top – just a cleanser and moisturiser – but I certainly took an interest in all things skin early on. When I was the beauty director at Glamour, no one wanted to write the skin features – they thought make-up and hair was cooler – so I was always first to put my hand up. Skin is my thing. Then, people really started getting into skincare and ingredients during lockdown. Everyone started to focus more on themselves. What else were we doing?! I’ve certainly seen a shift in skin interest since the pandemic.
The noise around skincare can be paralysing. Skincare isn’t as complicated as it seems – my own routine is simple because it doesn’t need to be complex to see results. I cleanse every night and occasionally in the morning. Your routine comes down to your own intuition and having a little bit of common sense. Always take it back to basics and ask yourself, “How does my skin feel?” You have to pay attention so you can know what your skin needs.
A night-time routine is so important. You probably know this, but at night, we regenerate – our brains, our cells, our skin, everything. Our skin is our biggest organ, so it makes sense to take time at night to really hit recharge. You need products that support the regenerative process rather than strip it. Am I going to make enemies by saying it’s worth being careful with retinoids at night? The thing is, the whole conversation around retinols is so broad. For some, they are fine and they work, but they don’t for everyone, which is why I prefer peptides. These stimulate collagen in the same way retinoids do, but they are far gentler.
There’s one Estée Lauder product I’ve used for 20 years. Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex Serum has been in my routine for so long – I genuinely use it every single morning and night. There have been different iterations of it over the years since it launched in 1982, but it was the first of its kind. Estée Lauder has always invested in formulations and it was the first brand that talked about a night-time routine. When you invest all that time in research, you get the results, which is why ANR will always be an icon. I love that it’s an oil-free serum because it gives me hydration without the greasiness, while added peptides, hyaluronic acid and squalane nourish the skin. It’s a product that protects in the day and repairs at night – it’s easy, because it plays so nicely with everything else in your routine.
There’s also a new Estée Lauder product I love. It’s the Revitalizing Supreme+ Night Power Bounce Crème. We all want bouncy skin and so far, I’ve certainly seen a difference. I put it on top of my Advanced Night Repair Serum – but you can apply it on top of any serum. The texture is unbelievable; it has such a satisfying bounce and dewiness to it. It initially feels thick and balmy, but it sinks in effortlessly when you rub it in. It’s a clever way to help preserve collagen as it’s full of peptides. There’s never any use in just using collagen on your skin – it can’t get into the dermis, but peptides can. They then signal your skin to produce more collagen, giving it better suppleness and glow.
It’s also worth checking out the Advanced Night Repair Overnight Treatment. This is also new from Estée Lauder, and it has a lovely solid feel when you first touch it. It’s not for everyone as it’s quite thick, but for anyone suffering with dehydration or dryness, give it a try. It keeps moisture sealed in but it is heavy-duty, so if you have breakouts, it might be a bit too much.
Skincare is an investment. I often say this to my nieces who are 12 and 13. We FaceTime regularly, and I am always telling them how important SPF is. Yes, it’s boring and everyone says it, but it’s true. In a way I wish sun damage was more immediate- because then everyone would be so much more diligent with sunscreen application. Damage is cumulative, so you need to get on top of things as early as you can – that said, it’s never too late to start.
LED face masks really do deliver results. But they need to be used consistently. I love a good LED mask, and I also love facial massage – both make a difference. I have a lot of water retention so I find massage and gua sha can temporarily take down puffiness. It’s good to indulge in some self-care like this. As women, I feel we put a lot of people before ourselves but that’s not good – you have to give yourself time, even if it’s just ten minutes.
Estée Lauder is one of my favourite brands. Take a moment to think about the level of science that goes into a brand like that. When you think about how long it’s been around and the amount of investment it’s put into research and development, it’s remarkable. I love an indie brand as much as the next person, but the big brands will always lead with science. Estée Lauder used peptides before anyone spoke about them – it’s always been ahead of the curve.
Some parting advice is to invest in silk pillowcases. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. I initially got one to reduce hair friction and frizz but I love that it doesn’t stick to my face when I have my skincare on. It’s changed my beauty routine, and I now give one to everyone at Christmas. It’s a little bit extra but I take one everywhere I go. The brand SLIP is my go-to.
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Photography by Kris Humphreys
You can listen to the full podcast & conversation between Charlotte & Alessandra soon
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