Things that are quite rare and therefore a joy to find: coats with hoods that aren’t duffels or parkas; dresses with proper pockets, as opposed to shallow little pouches that everything spills out of; and affordable skincare ranges that actually work. I could write at length about the hood issue — what’s the point of a great coat if it doesn’t protect your hair against the rain, meaning you turn up chic from the neck down and with hair like a scribble? — but let’s focus on skincare for now.
Affordable skincare that works — ASTW for short — is thin on the ground. Many brands have one or two ace products, but the rest of the range is rubbish. This is not the case with Super Facialist by Una Brennan. I didn’t try the range for ages because the name annoyed me: it doesn’t seem right to include a flattering, self-assigned description in your brand name. It’s immodest.
Brennan’s products are excellent across the board
I forgive Brennan, partly because there’s a lovely story on her website about how, when she moved to London from Ireland to set herself up as a facialist, she only had one client, and for months she never let on to them that she was the only one. Mostly, though, I forgive her because her products are excellent, right across the board, and because the range is sensibly small — I can’t bear brands that require you to use 25 products. A whole family of my guinea pigs — female human ones, I mean — has been raving about the collection for months now, which is especially impressive because the guinea pigs in question range in age from 13 to 52.
That’s a whole spectrum of different skincare needs. When the mother guinea pig comes round and I try to force high-end products on her, she always says: “Got any Super Facialist?”
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The range splits into five: a rose-based super-hydrating line for sensitive skin; a firming line based on neroli; a radiance-boosting, vitamin C-based line; an anti-ageing line based on probiotics; and an anti-blemish line. From trying them myself and via the guinea pigs, I recommend them all. I like the vitamin C one most, but that’s related to my age.
However, the one I want to write about is the spot one, because spots are the pits and many young(ish) people still think that blasting them with brutal products is the answer. It isn’t. Blasting, or stripping, causes the skin to produce even more sebum, and since an excess of sebum is the problem in the first place, this can actually make things worse.
Brennan’s products use salicylic acid to clean out clogged-up pores, most notably in the wash-off cleanser (there’s also a scrub, though I am generally against scrubs, and a mask). It’s not going to turn your skin around if you have atrocious acne, but if you are, or have, a teenager with problem skin, or if your skin goes to pot round about your period, this cleanser will alleviate things considerably. It gets skin really clean without stripping it like a maniac and will, in the long term, result in marked improvements. It’s £8 a tube, widely available (including at Boots and Ocado) and smells delicious.
If you’re spot-free and older, have a look at the vitamin C range. If you’re somewhere in the middle, check out the other lines. ASTW is hard to come by, and these products punch way above their price tag.
Testing, testing by Olly Paton
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The product Pure Gold Collagen liquid beauty supplements
The promise This daily collagen drink, containing vitamins B6, C and E, promises to help increase skin hydration, reduce the appearance of fine lines, promote skin suppleness and leave hair and nails feeling strong and healthy.
The result I suffer from psoriasis and often have red, itchy and scaly skin. When I started the 30-day course, I was pleasantly surprised by the citrus flavour. Even better, I’ve since noticed a dramatic difference in the firmness, dryness and overall texture of my face and body. After I had my second child, my hair and nails felt weak and brittle, but now they feel much stronger and healthier. The supplement is also easy to include in my daily routine, and although it’s fairly pricy, I’ll definitely keep drinking my one a day.
The damage Pure Gold Collagen 30-day programme; £72; boots.com.
