My New Season Skincare Kit
Hydration With A Twist
Georgia Recommends: Century Flower Barrier Defence Mist, £39 | Pai
I’ve been really diligent about topping up on hydration this summer and it’s a habit I’m determined to stick with when the new season really sets in. My favourite new find is Pai’s Century Flower Water. It’s no ordinary facial water – it’s more like a scented elixir that has kept my skin plump and supple all summer, despite the intense, drying heat. It obviously came into its own during August, but it’s bound to see me through winter too, thanks to its ability to calm irritation caused by things like wind chap and central heating. That’s down to its star ingredient, lotus root, which is full of antioxidants and inhibits the release of neuropeptides that can cause inflammation.
Available at CultBeauty.co.uk
Microcurrent Must-Have
Georgia Recommends: Red Light Wand, £131 | Sola Wave
I’m a sucker for skincare devices in general, but especially ones that don’t require a science degree to operate. I’ve been trying the latest device from SolaWave and so far I’m very impressed. The USP of the six-inch Advanced Skincare Wand with its nifty rotating head is that it combines four technologies in one. As well as microcurrent – which stimulates facial muscles and deeper layers of tissue to encourage a healthy glow – it also offers a facial massage to de-puff and energise the skin, while the red LED light improves the appearance of dark spots. The gentle warmth it emits as you glide it over your skin (a layer of serum or oil is essential to give it enough slip) also reduces redness and improves absorption of other products. I’ve been using mine for just under a month and have noticed a genuine change in my skin – it definitely looks fresher and more even in tone. Aside from anything else, it’s a pleasure to use.
Available at SolaWave.co
Better Gut Health
Georgia Recommends: Skin Youth Biome, £11 | Advanced Nutrition Programme
I’m determined to start (and stick to) improving my gut health, which, thanks to the gut-skin axis, should result in healthier-looking skin. There are plenty of good supplements out there, but one that’s caught my eye is Advanced Nutrition’s Skin Youth Biome. It’s an update on an existing formula and contains beneficial bacteria strains and vitamin C to target things like thinning skin, fine lines and a lack of firmness, but the big plus is the inclusion of two postbiotics. Different from pre and probiotics, postbiotics are by-products of the fermentation process carried out by probiotics. These help several health-boosting functions in our gut, which in turn impact the skin. I’ll start taking them now and will look forward to a sparkling complexion come Christmas.
Available at FeelUnique.com
Streamlined Skincare
Georgia Recommends: Cold Cream, £39 | The Seated Queen
Although I’m guilty of being a bit of a magpie when it comes to skincare (it’s a hazard of the job, I can’t help it), there are times when I do crave a more minimalist approach. With that in mind, I’m happy to report that The Seated Queen, a range founded by two sisters who wanted streamlined but supercharged skincare, has scratched that particular itch. Out of the four-strong line-up it’s the multitasking Cold Cream that I’ve fallen for. A melting cleanser, night cream and overnight mask all in one, it’s packed with cold-pressed oils full of fatty acids to bolster skin’s bounce and leave it soft and smooth. Special mention should also go to The Restoring Face Oil, perfect if you’re looking to infuse parched skin with a big hit of moisture.
Available at CultBeauty.co.uk
Spot Solution
Georgia Recommends: Happy Place Blemish Gel | Wild Science Labs
My skin is blemish free most of the time, but post-summer is when I start to see more in the way of congestion and troublesome spots. I’m readying myself with Wild Science Lab’s Happy Place Blemish Gel. It promises to be exactly what you want from a targeted spot treatment: effective on problem areas – nixing breakouts with zinc and azelaic acid – while being gentle on the surrounding skin thanks to calming niacinamide and bisabolol.
Visit WildScienceLab.com
SPF With A Difference
Georgia Recommends: Tinted Veil, £38 | Ultra Violet
Whatever the weather, season or occasion, an SPF is always the last step in my morning skincare routine. There are some fantastic regular formulas out there, but I’ve not found a tinted one that straddles the line between proper skincare and proper make-up – until now. Ultra Violette’s Daydream Screen is a revelation, providing serious protection against UV rays, as well as the kind of coverage that hides what you want it to hide (in my case some pigmentation and redness around the nose) while still letting the good bits of your skin show through. The texture is silky and gorgeous, and the shade range is broad.
Available at SpaceNk.com
Upgraded Actives
Georgia Recommends: Firm & Bright Serum, £86 | Dr Dennis Gross
A good vitamin C serum is a staple in my skincare kit year-round, but I’ve recently upgraded my regular formula to Dr Dennis Gross’s new Vitamin C Lactic 15% Vitamin C Firm & Bright Serum. The reason? It turns out that lactic acid, an AHA, is not only fantastic for improving cell turnover when used on its own, but it can also turbocharge the effects of brightening, collagen-boosting vitamin C when used together. It does this by sloughing off dead skin cells to allow the vitamin C to penetrate deeper. It also boosts ceramide production to cushion the skin barrier against any irritation. Win-win.
Available at SpaceNk.com
New Toner
Georgia Recommends: The Toner, £79 | Joanna Czech
It’s been a while since a toner has been a regular part of my routine but thanks to celebrity aesthetician Joanna Czech, it’s here to stay. The reason it’s worth using is because it restores skin’s naturally acidic pH of around five to six – an essential task when you consider that everything from stress and temperature to pollution, detergents and even water can disrupt it. When that happens, skin quickly starts to feel out of kilter – think dehydration, inflammation and irritation. Czech’s Toner not only corrects the balance, it’s also full of the good stuff like prebiotics, minerals, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. After a summer spent flitting between sunshine and seawater, you can see why it’s my new non-negotiable.
Available at JoannaCzech.com
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