Beauty is often dismissed as being superficial but there are some fail-safe products that can dig deep and get to the cause of common skin, hair and body problems.
1. Problem: blackheads and blocked pores
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel Exfoliant (£31; paulaschoice.co.uk)
There are three consistencies of this product including a liquid and lotion, but the gel stays in place so that you can sleep overnight with it dabbed onto blackheads, spots and breakouts. Use it three or four times a week and it will unclog pores, help ingrown hairs and banish blackheads.
2. Problem: puffy morning eyes
The Inkey List Caffeine Eye Cream (£8.99; boots.com)
Caffeine, at the right dose, can help boost superficial lymphatic circulation, so either sleep in this and prevent early-morning puffiness or apply first thing to tackle it quickly. This budget lightweight eye cream/serum works.
3. Problem: creased, slept-in face
Charlotte Tilbury Cryo Recovery Mask (£49; charlottetilbury.com)
The older you get, the more your face will take to settle back to its daytime look. Pop this clever mask into the freezer for 15 minutes, then apply using the Velcro straps to keep in place and the cooling gel will shrink puffiness, ease out sleep creases and really get the blood flowing. I promise you that it’s the best-designed gel cooling mask out there.
4. Problem: grey, dull skin
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution (£6.30; boots.com)
This is a standout product from this revolutionary budget skin range. It might look scarily like theatrical blood, but apply to freshly cleansed skin for anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes and it will get rid of ashy, grey and pallid skin, remove dead skin cells and help clean out pores. Many have tried to copy but all have failed.
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5. Problem: sparse brows
L’Oréal Plump & Set Brow Artist (£7.99, in five shades; superdrug.com)
There are a lot of tinted brow gels on the market but this has a tiny, cleverly angled spoolie brush, has superfine fibres and comes in a good range of shades. It will cover grey and sparse brows, add control and even hide patchy brows in seconds. Brush up for a quick mini eyelift, and thank the legendary make-up artist Val Garland for helping to develop this product.
6. Problem: red bumpy chicken skin
Ameliorate Transforming Body Lotion (from £15; ameliorate.com)
If you suffer from rough, red, bumpy backs of arms or legs, you have keratosis pilaris. The solution is to apply lactic acid before bed and leave it to work overnight. This body lotion was specifically formulated to tackle it and it works. It comes in different fragrances or unfragranced, and there is now a face range as some people suffer from KP on their cheeks as well.
7. Problem: pallid, ashy legs
Vita Liberata Body Blur Instant HD Skin Finish (£29.95, in six shades; vitaliberata.co.uk)
Want a soft-focus, gently tinted body lotion that can hide shaving nicks, pallid skin and even pores and spider veins? This is it. Apply to freshly showered skin and it hydrates, acts as an instant skin filter and adds colour. This really is such a clever body lotion/make-up hybrid which, once it dries, will not transfer to light clothing.
8. Problem: dark under-eye circles
Erborian BB Crayons (£23, in four shades; erborian.com)
Combine Korean skincare with French make-up and you get this clever concealer crayon that covers but doesn’t dry or sit in smile lines or crepey skin. It has a soft light-reflective quality too, so reflects back light from dark circles and uneven skin texture.
9. Problem: dandruff
Nizoral Anti-Dandruff Shampoo (£7.49; boots.com and pharmacies)
It’s not glamorous or pretty, but it works. This once prescription-only product is now available over the counter and contains an antifungal ingredient called ketoconazole, which kills the micro-organism that lives on every scalp but to which some of us who have dandruff are allergic. Simple. Be sure to use a rich conditioner afterwards as this can be harsh on coloured hair.
10. Problem: short, straight lashes
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Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes! Mascara (£23; spacenk.com and department stores)
What is so clever about this mascara is the flattened brush/comb applicator. You can apply the juice while separating and lifting the lashes. Seeing is believing, but for me this is the best mascara launch of recent years. It lengthens and adds volume but rarely, if ever, clumps, and even then the comb removes them with ease.
11. Problem: breaking hair
Nexxus Keraphix Shampoo and Conditioner (£13.99, £14.99; boots.com)
If colouring or even Covid has left your hair weak, brittle and breaking, then this protein-infused superhydrating duo will work wonders. There is also a mask within the range and combined they will show results even after the first wash while, over time, allowing your hair to recover.
12. Problem: grey roots
Clairol Temporary Root Touch-Up Concealing Powder (around £9.99, in six shades; amazon.co.uk)
Add a mild positive charge to a pigmented powder and it will stick to hair, which is naturally negatively charged, to disguise grey roots but also to fake highlights or lowlights if you have the skill to apply in fine lines. The technology is not new but this is the best-value option out there and is widely available on Amazon. It will stay put until your next shampoo.
13. Problem: dull complexion
Ciaté Dewy Stix Highlighter (£22; ciatelondon.com)
What do you do if you want dewy skin but are too grown-up to add “see you from space” highlighter and shimmer? (You know what I mean.) You use this clever stick. Minimal shimmer, more of a dewy shine, but without feeling tacky or sticky, this works brilliantly on cheek and brow bones, lips and even lids. It adds a youthful plump effect to skin without being sparkly or sitting in lines or pores.
14. Problem: dry chapped lips
La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Levres Lip Balm (£7; laroche-posay.co.uk and pharmacies)
Most lip balms either occlude the lips with petroleum jelly or have an addictive but long-term damaging hit of menthol and mint. This, however, adds the key three ingredients for skin: humectants to attract water, emollients to repair the lip surface and occlusives to lock it all in. Surprisingly lightweight and non-greasy, this is skincare for lips.
15. Problem: dry skin after cleansing
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CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser (£12.50; boots.com)
This new cleanser from America’s bestselling dermatology brand has just hit the UK. It starts off as an oil, gently foams in water and rinses clean away to remove all dirt, sebum and make-up. Great for dryer, sensitive and older skins that require a little TLC.
16. Problem: stubborn spot or cyst
Acnecide 5% w/w gel (£10.49; boots.com and pharmacies)
When even spot-reducing skincare fails this should be your first port of call, especially on those hard, stubborn hidden lumps that never come to a head. (We all get them occasionally, right?) It is 5 per cent benzoyl peroxide, a powerful antibacterial oil-absorbing ingredient that can get into the pores and kill the bacteria that cause spots. Parents of teens, take note: this is your strongest option before seeing your GP for help.
17. Problem: humidity hell hair
Colorwow Dream Coat (£26; colorwowhair.com)
This is a unique product that uses silicone to seal hair from humidity. A little goes a long way but it works to smooth flyways, hair prone to frizz or fluffiness and lasts for up to three shampoos. Use from mid-lengths to ends only and avoid your roots.
18. Problem: dry, cracked heels
Flexitol Rescue Heel Balm (£5.45; waitrose.com and pharmacies)
As the weather warms, so feet left neglected will be unearthed and put in sandals. If your heels resemble parmesan rind then this balm will solve the problem. Apply to your feet at night and sleep in ankle or trainer socks every night for a week. Over time the balm exfoliates away the dead cells while hydrating the dry cracks. Get a foot file and keep it in the shower to shed the dead skin and go back to using the balm at night until the problem is solved (and it will happen, I promise). PS: also stop your beauty therapist from scalpelling away dead skin – it actually makes the problem worse.
19. Problem: lizard legs
Eucerin 10% Urea Repair Plus Body Lotion (£14; boots.com)
This is such an unsung hero for dry skin. The urea is a natural moisturising factor found in skin that both gently exfoliates away dead cells and locks in water. It might not look sexy, but it will revolutionise your dry lizard legs in summer and makes the best aftersun.
20. Problem: itchy post-shower skin
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Bioderma Atoderm Shower Oil (£10.50; boots.com and pharmacies)
Tested on newborn babies with genetically dry skin, this is supergentle, uses the oil-absorbs-oil principle to gently cleanse skin and rinses to milk to leave skin soft and clean. Brilliant for dry skin and shaving, it’s also ideal for anyone who gets itchy after using soap. Also, lower the temperature of your shower water to stop stressing and dehydrating your skin.
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