Category Archives: Beauty

Skincare: probiotic power as seasons change

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Probiotics are part of my daily life, but I had never used on my skin. Don’t you just love when you try skincare with an ingredient you never used before for the very first time? This is how I felt since I started using the Liz Earle Pro-Biotic Balancing range (aff link).

Extremely gentle to the skin and fragrance-free, the Balancing Milk Cleanser, Day and Night Cream are perfect for sensitive, reactive and dry skins.

The range contains pre, pro and post-biotic natural ingredients to hydrate as well as boost and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier. What does this means? Even the most sensitive of skins looks and feels more balanced, clearer, healthier and comfortable.

I found this range is perfect for this time of the year, when weather changes often bring chaos to most skin types, especially sensitive. In my case, the cold, wind and central heating combined to my acne medication mean I can have flaky and sore skin and this range has really helped me.

The main ingredients across the range are chicory, a pre-biotic with skin soothing properties, jojoba oil, a non-clogging, glow promoting oil, one of the most compatible with skin, lunaria oil, nourishing and hydrating, super rich in fatty oils and fermented oats, which create a unique strain of lactobacillus. This particular oat is also super rich in a fibre known to support soothing and improvements on skin appearance.

Biggest surprise? The Pro-Biotic Balancing Milk Cleanser. If you have followed me for a while, you’ll know I love a foamy cleanser and shy away from the milky ones.

Admiteldy, I was ready not to like this one but for my surprise, I love it. It gently cleans the skin without stripping its natural oils and defense barrier and leaves it feeling so soft and comfortable, it has become a morning ritual for me. My boyfriend, who has really sensitive skin tried it and loves it too!

The Pro-Biotic Balancing Day Cream has a firm but fluid consistency. Applies and absorbs extremely well, protecting and re-balacing skin throughout the day, boosting its moisture and maintaining comfort.

The Pro-Biotic Balancing Night Cream is a delightful, richer consistency cream that also applies and absorbs very well. Overnight, it really feels like it soothes, nourishes replenishes skin, which wakes up to soft and supple.

Overall, a winning trio – a brilliant and caring range from Liz Earle, which is no surprise, given how lovely all their products are.

They are also dermatologically tested, suitable for vegans, tubes are 55% recycled, products are made with sustainably sourced naturally active ingredients with Gold level traceability and they are cruelty free (leading bunny certified and all).

The Milk Cleanser (100ml) costs £18 and the Day and Night Creams (50ml), £32 each. At the moment they have 25% off the individual products in the range. And you can get the trio for £57.40, a saving of £24.60 (30%).

With free delivery on orders over £30 (UK) what are you waiting for? You can get the the Liz Earle Pro-Biotic Balancing products on their website (aff link).

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains AFFILLIATE LINKS, as stated by links. It also contains GIFTED samples, as all products were sent to me free of charge, with no obligation to post. Opinions are honest and my own, based on using the products continuously for at 2 weeks.

Skincare: always seeking more glow

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My skincare journey has been largely documented across the blog. I moved away from the very aggressive acne treatments to seek radiance, glow and suppleness.

In my quest, I have come across Germaine de Capuccini, first at a hotel I stayed in Ibiza, then trying their amazing Timexpert Radiance C+ range, which contains one of my favourite ingredients, vitamin C.

The treatment box contains their Pure C10 concentrate serum, the Illuminating Antioxidant Face Cream and the Illuminating Antioxidant Eye Contour Cream which contain antioxidant, luminosity boosting and dark spot correction properties.

This came at the right time: shifting my skincare regime from the warmer to the colder months is always a challenge, especially when you have problematic skin. The wind is brutal and it is very important extra nourishment and restoration is given.

The Pure C10 serum is a little gem: you get three fancy “ampoules” to mix the powder with medium, and is recommended that you use as often as you feel your skin needs – I’ve been applying 4-5 drops to my face before any other products once a day as it is season change, but intend to move to twice a week, providing my stress levels don’t increase. It’s quite fluid and absorbs quickly.

It has a beautiful mix of ingredients that support radiance, firmness and even tone: vitamin C (10%), E (1%), ferulic acid (0.5%) which really boost skin glow and energy. Their patented HLG polymer act as a multiplier of the ingredients’ properties, helping ensure maximum absorption and effectiveness.

As I age, I am learning how to really appreciate a luscious face cream, and that’s exactly what the Illuminating Antioxidant Face Cream is. Its texture is divine, it applies and absorbs really well and after 3+ weeks using it daily, I feel my skin in brighter and suppler in its hydration. I’ve been using it at night, before bed, on face and neck.

It contains vitamins C and E plus HLG polymer, to support ageing prevention – think fighting dullness, evening skin tone properties. It also comes as Emulsion for oilier skin types.

Finally you all know how much I love a good eye cream, this one does not disappoint. Medium in texture, it is ophtalmologist-tested and applies very well. And with the same ingredients as the face cream, it also harnesses their revitalising good: more even tone, reduced sign of fatigue and smoothing of fine lines.

Germaine de Capuccini is the number one brand among skincare professionals in Spain and is present in over 80 countries, including the UK. It has one of the most advance R+D+I labs in Europe, working innovative raw materials to create prestigious, efficient and innovative formulas on their products.

Its founder Carmen Vidal created the brand, which would become a cosmetics empire, in 1964. Today, the company, which has at its core the values of professionalism, innovation and social commitment, have a team with over 80% women.

In the UK, you can get their face and body treatments in luxurious spas, such as The Landmark, London. And you can get their products, which are grouped in 18 (!!!) ranges, to continue that spa treatment at home.

The Germaine de Capuccini Timexpert Radiance C+ (affiliate) box comes with 3 Pure C10 concentrates (10ml each), the Illuminating Antioxidant Face Cream (50ml) and the Illuminating Antioxidant Eye Contour Cream (15ml) and costs £135.75, a huge saving from buying them separately (£193.85).

Of course you can get them separately on the site, as well as the browse their full range, for face and body and of course, look up their amazing spa treatments.

And this is a great time to go take a look on the site, as I hear they’ll have a great Black Friday offer running this week!

I could not agree with Carmen more when she says “Beauty is strength, it is charm; most of all, it is a personal attitude, a spiritual quality.”

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples as products were sent to me free of charge, with no obligation to post Opinions are honest and my own, based on using the products continuously for 4 weeks.

Sparkling Harlot: but what really is in a name?

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By the name itself, I was intrigued. When I read the “Refuse to conform”, I was sold. Plus it is sparkling wine so surely Harlot could not go much wrong in my books.

Not many sentences, or set of (add to the non-conforming one “unapologetically different”) could make this English sparkling closer to my heart, even though they did cause quite a lot of controversy in the English wine industry: the name, the method, the brand…

However, I am a drink, not a wine expert, so as no one asked, here are my views and some facts – because you know I love the facts..

Harlot comes in two versions: Harlot Brut NV Charmat of England and Harlot Rosé Brut NV Charmat of England. I was lucky enough to try both at their launch even in London.

The Brut is in taste, what I’d place between prosecco and champagne – less sweet that prosecco, but closer to it then it is to the drier champagne, which is my first drink of choice (my pocket often disagrees). It has elderflower, pears and apricots aromas and flavours.

The Rosé Brut is a solid sparkling rosé, fruity, but not overly sweet. The contact with the Pinot Noir skin makes it pink. Cute.

Grapes on both are Bacchus, Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chadornnay and they have gentle, playful and plentiful bubbles, are 12.5% abv and suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

They also market themselves as “bubbles that want to have fun” and go great with cocktails. The proof was in the pudding drink at the event where I tried it all Unapologetically different (cognac based, fruity), Harlotini (gin and strawberry) and Some bubbles just want to have fun (a sparkling fruit punch) cocktails and they were delicious. Versatility box: tick! Recipes can be found on their website.

I quite like the brand’s irreverence. It has a riskè name (go on, look it up) but it is not scared of that. It sells a playful, out of the mould image and I am here for it. I have been called names in the past and embracing it (and maybe sticking a big finger up) was the best thing I could do.

In my natural habitat: drowning in bubbles. Yum.

It does help that their loud packaging is just there in your face and I don’t have a problem with it. Of course, IT’S WINE, sparkles, tastes good, so I am in!

Harlot is a charmat, which refers to its method of carbonation (bubbling, for you and me): a sparkling winemaking process that traps bubbles in wine via carbonation in large steel tanks. They are looking to revolutionise the English wine industry with the ambition of being the biggest national producer by 2025, from their Kent vineyards.

MDCV UK’s expertise, however, has a longer tradition, both in the UK and France, with known names such as Chateau de Berne, Ultimate Provence and Sussex-based Kingscote. They are also passionate about the quality of their product and sustainability, managing their vineyards organically always seeking to use methods that minimise environmental impact.

Currently mainly available to trade, Harlot is making its way into restaurants as an alternative to prosecco. Has bottomless brunch written all over it.

It can also be purchased from The Wine Caverns for £16 a bottle (affiliate link) (750ml) with cases of 6 or 12 with a 15% discount.

Would you be open to an alternative to prosecco? Let me know your thoughts!

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: I was invited to an even to sample the product for free, with no obligation to post. Opinions (and taste buds) are honest and my own.

The one skincare step that reduced my melasma

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Ok, sounds like a clickbait headline, but it is true: there is one consistent action that pretty much vanished melasma from my face.

For the record, mine was never that bad. Low level, it was always there, on the edges of my eyebrows, patches on forehead and around the bottom of the eyes.

During the warmer months or a nice holiday, the pigmentation would become very visible, and harder to hide with usual make up.

They’d fade in the colder months but always be there. For my already acne scarred face, that was yet another reminder of my terrible skin and I wasn’t quite sure why.

If my make up had SPF and I was wearing 30+ on holidays, with frequent application, why was it still there???

Once I read that the light from laptops and electronic devices also cause ageing and all made sense.

I started wearing “real” SPF 30+ and not make up or skincare with added SPF, which usually are low 10-15, even on the days I wasn’t leaving the house, my hormonal pigmentation vanished, and never returned.

It became a fixed step in my morning routine, regardless of the exposure I was expecting for that day, or time of the year.

While I appreciate some cases are more severe than mine, this was life changing in my skincare routine.

I’m constantly trialling different ones as sunscreen can cause even more havoc to my acneic, sensitive skin.

So far I’ve been very impressed with Skinceauticals Sheer Mineral UV Defense SPF50, Bioderma Photoderm Max SPF50 (also available with a light tint), Image Skincare Prevention+ SPF32+, (surprisingly) Nivea Cellular Luminous anti dark spot day fluid SPF50, Sunsense daily face invisible tint finish SPF 50+, Garnier Ambre Solaire Over makeup Super UV SPF50, La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL tinted fluid SPF50+, Piz Buin Mountain Suncream SPF50+ (great for the winter) and a few more gems I encountered since I adopted the new habit.

Next on my list to try? SOS Serum SPF 30 and 50 and the Bioderma Photoderm Anti Melasma tinted SPF50+ both great value for money at under £20. What’s not to love?

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains some mentions to PR samples as products were sent to me free of charge, with no obligation to post, but the majority were purchased with my own money. Opinions are honest and my own.

The beauty of boreal algae (AD/PR)

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Polåar Polar Night Revitalizing Elixir and Body Milk

Ok, let me start explaining the title: for a few weeks now I have been using the gorgeous Polaar Polar Night Revitalizing Elixir and indeed it is a beaut. It’s main ingredient? Boreal algae.

Polåar Polar Night Revitalizing Elixir dripping from pipette

The oil is very light and applies really well to the skin, sinking in in seconds and leaving no greasy feeling. It smells divine (I mean, DIVINE) and after using for 3-4 weeks my skin has felt consistently hydrated and plump in the morning. A real gem.

Polåar Polar Night Revitalizing Elixir back of bottle

It’s main ingredient is boreal algae (Rhodhiménia Boréalia) which is rich in nocturnal cell regeneration booster phyto-melatonin. This enzyme is similar to melatonin, a hormone secreted at night by the brain, which activates all the biological mechanisms that cause cell regeneration at night.

It also contains another regeneration supporting ingredient, organic criste marine bio which contains minerals that also help feed the skin, and organic red micro-algae which’s beta carotene and fatty acids help protect skin moisture and restore suppleness. The ingredients are 99% natural.

All that in a mostly recyclable, simple but lovely packaging – glass and paper box.

Polåar Polar Night Moisturizing Body Milk

I have also been using the Polaar Night Moisturizing Body Milk and what a delight it is. It feels so silky on the skin and body feels amazing upon application and in the morning, with lasting hydration. It is 98% natural.

Polåar Polar Night Moisturizing Body Milk back of package

Polaar is a lovely brand with a beautiful Arctic exploration story to boot, so well worth checking them out. Their passion for pure, exclusive ingredients and protecting the environment those come from is really second to none.

They have a fabulous range of products covering many skin needs and concerns. I really like their Lapland cream range with Arctic berries – it is so beautiful on the skin, a light and supple thirst quencher suitable for sensitive skin. Currently in a great value Polaar Lapaland set Christmas cofret, hurry, it’s £45 but you get £66 worth of products!

It is not my first time trying Polaar: I am a MASSIVE fan of their best-selling Icy Magic range. The eye cream and patches are truly amazing!

Dermatologically tested, all natural ingredients, with no parabens, alcohol, phenoxyethanol or mineral oil, vegan, cruelty free and made in France, it’s available in the UK via Look Fantastic with free delivery over £25: the Revitalizing Elixir costs £39 (30ml) and the Body Milk £32 for 200ml.

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples as products were sent to me free of charge, with no obligation to post. Opinions are honest and my own.

My first CBD face moisturiser

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Dermavive CBD moisturiser

In the last year or so, CBD skincare has been all the rage. Initially only from small boutique brands, we now see mainstream giants launching CBD based lines.

Dermavive Ultra Cream from Nutrivive was the very first one I tried, and I have to say I won’t be looking back.

I am already a big fan of CBD balm and muscle rubs as they give my sore and tired muscles and joints great natural pain relief and inflammation reduction, especially for my lower back and thumbs, which are plagued by ongoing niggles.

After using the Dermavive Ultra cream as my only night cream for over 3 weeks, my skin feels calm, pre-menstrual breakouts seems less angry and overall texture and tone is great.

Moisturiser texture is firm and quite rich but it absorbs well and quickly upon application. It smells rather nice – a mix of deep herbal and sweet jasmine which is prominent but not intrusive.

On top of the great concentration of 1000mg cannabidiol (CBD) it contains the goodness of well known ingredients like unrefined avocado oil, sunflower, olive oil, apricot kernel oil, shea butter, tea plant and oat extract and meadowfoam seed oil, lemon peel oil, jasmine, sandalwood oil.

It is manufactured in the UK and they disclose the origin of their ingredients.

Dermavive CBD moisturiser

Cannabidiol is not psychoactive, non-toxic and it has many properties such as helping pain relief, anti-inflammatory, aiding reduce anxiety and depression and it is known to help alleviate cancer-related symptoms.

Nutivive is working to be a carbon neutral business by 2022 and is part of the One Tree Initiative meaning that for every product sold, one tree is planted.

The moisturiser is cruelty free, 100% organic and suitable for vegans. The Dermavive Ultra CBD cream costs £39.99 for 50ml; a little goes a long way here! You can get it from the Nutrivive website, where you can also get various concentrations CBD pure oil and blends.

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples as products were sent to me free of charge, with no obligation to post. Opinions are honest and my own.

Enchanting potions

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AD/PR

Frangrances… Many a times I have written about how my memory has smells: I always associate fragrances to a time of my life, a place I used to go, a person I loved, a song, and so many others. My memory seems to have a fantastic sense of smell.

When the Potion Paris box arrived, I was intrigued: seven exclusive fragrances to try, all new to me and with the notes on every single one really tickling my fancy.

Overall, the fragrances have a good staying power and a great story: they all develop well and the top, heart and base are distinct and complementary.

I probably like Addiction the most; it has peony and nutmeg. It does contain quite a few other floral notes but bourbon vanilla, tonka, patchouli make it deep as well as slightly spicy.

Then for me comes Seduction – of course it does. Amber, praline and wood are quite the combination. The sweetness of the praline breaks the harshness of the wood and a warm aroma lingers.

Looking for a delicate, enveloping day fragrance? I’d pick Creation. This surprised me as it is not usually my “type” on the the top, but most of its heart (hi toffee) and base of vanilla, musk and praline really do it for me.

Then to Sensation as oud is one of my favourite scents. This fragrance has deep notes and it develops into a strong scent with a cedarwood, patchouli, vetiver and musk base.

Rose, peony and wood make Temptation also quite delicate and somewhat fresh, but the wood and musk deliver a bit of the strength I like in my perfumes.

Deception is just borderline ok for me, as I am mesmerised with jasmine (reminds me of my childhood), together with rose and patchouli. It feels fresh, but I prefer a punchier scent. It does get better as it develops.

Devotion brings white flower and patchouli scents, but its grapefruit is a bit too much for me!

Potion Paris is a sustainable refillable boutique perfume brand that offers traditional, rare high quality ingredients with a refill and re-use programme. They are cruelty, paraben, ptalates and sulfate free.

With the collection boxes, you get a beautiful luxurious vial and case plus the chosen fragrance to fill the vial – can be the full collection (7 x 10ml fragrances for £130), your choice of 2 or 3 fragrances, mixed or the same (for £120 and £100 respectively).

You can also get the vial separately (£30) and refills cost £35 for 2x 10ml. If you send 10 empty glass refills back to them they will get sanitised and re-used, and you get 2 of your chosen fragrance back!

Potion Paris also has soy wax candles on the same fragrances – £35 for 540g (45h burn time), currently at £29.99 for Black Friday.

There are some Black Friday sales across the site at the moment and the collection boxes also have some good discounts.

I got the Potion Paris Discovery Sample set, which costs £24.99 and comes with a £20 voucher redeemable against your 40 or 60ml choice (2 months expiry) – perfect to explore all the fragrances and pick your favourite before committing!

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples as products were sent to me free of charge, with no obligation to post. Opinions are honest and my own.

Just what the Dr ordered

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Don’t get me wrong, obviously what’s inside IS what matters the most but who can resist to colourful packaging?

When I saw the Dr Botanicals colourful tubs at an expo some time ago I was instantly drawn to it. Then I found out they are a natural, free from toxins skincare brand that delivers vegan, cruelty free products created with great ingredients, for all skin concerns, I was very much sold.

And I left with a colourful selection to give it a go.

The Pomegranate Superfood Regenerating Sleeping Mask is a treat. I love an overnight mask, especially at this time of the year that temperatures drop, the wind cuts the skin causing extra grievance. Products like this just sit on it helping the overnight regeneration process.

It contains pomegranate, rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, coconut oil to hydrate and soothe, fatty Omega 3 acids to help plump. Honestly, a treat. Applies ad absorbs well as it is not stick or too thick and it has practically zero fragrance so a bliss to wear at night.

I usually pile on top or a lighter moisturiser and/or serum for that extra boost at night and my skin loves it! A bargain at £9.99 for 30ml, also available in bigger sizes and a pretty pink tube.

The Cocoa & Coconut Superfood Reviving Hydrating Mask is also a treat. A very light mask sometimes I forget to remove (!!!), it does give skin that hydration boost, again, great to introduce at this time of the year, when I tweak my skincare regime.

Cocoa butter is a rich skin “smoother” and moisturiser and coconut oil is hydrating and has fatty acids and antioxidants. A lovely 10-minute ritual my skin thanks me for. It costs £9.99 for 30ml.

Finally, their Lemon Superfood All-in-one Rescue Butter which is a multi-tasking wonder as a moisturiser and a treatment.

It contains lemongrass oil which aids healing and have antifungal properties plus coconut, almond, sea buckthorn fruit and grapeseed oils, which together help nourish, moisturise, replenish skin.

A bit richer than the other two, this has a delicious subtle scent of lemongrass and it is great in the drier parts of my face (forehead, hairline, high cheeks) and hands. It costs £15.99 for 60ml.

Overall, their products are affordable and they have lovely gift bundles and different collections: Apothecary, Dr Botanicals and Organic & Botanic.

Some of their serums (from £16) and oils (from £20) are extremely well priced and the range of concerns they address plus ingredients, are impressive.

Check the Dr Botanicals website out – I doubt there won’t be something for you!

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples as products were sent to me free of charge, with no obligation to post. Opinions are honest and my own.

Maskne. Are you serious?

Posted in Beauty, Skincare by

Think about my sheer terror when I first heard the word maskne. 20+ years (no, I won’t disclose how many over 20. Rude!) suffering from acne and now you’re telling me the sensible way to help protect myself and other in the middle of a pandemic is actually causing, lo and behold: ACNE. 

Jokes, right? No, it is true. The coined term #maskne the beauty industry has been throwing right left and centre refers to acne related by the use of face masks.

I mean, everyone and their dog is talking about maskne. Even the BBC talked about it and given my 20+ years experience in acne (and 10 at the BBC, ok?), I thought I’d share my afflictions and my (trial) solutions. Ok, mainly my afflictions. 

Apparently our lovely mask also “suffocates” our skin a bit – think a little greenhouse of oil and sweat, plus the areas of contact which also contribute to contact acne, on top of the gross sebum ones. You’re welcome.

All avenues had been exhausted as the obvious (for me) is already part of my routine (and then some): wash face regularly with a gentle cleanser, use a clean mask every time, stop touching your face (good advice for COVID-19 and breakouts).

Side note: I actually wear reusable face coverings with a cotton layer inside (that sometimes I sew an extra in for added protection). I wash at 40 degrees with detergent at every wear. I don’t have to reuse a mask even if it was worn for a 10 minutes run to the shops and having a selection means I am never caught short, and I always carry extra ones and filters.

Masks in all the colours and shine of the rainbow (is that a thing?)

My usual routine (morning wash, toner, SPF, vitamin C booster, moisturiser + eye cream, eve: wash, toner, moisturise, serum/oil, eye cream) plus my medication, Spironolactone, that helps keep skin in check didn’t seem to be doing their trick so I went on the search of an efficient and pocket friendly option to help me tackle it. 

When I noticed little spots and serious congestion around my chin and jawline, as well as around my nose, I had enough. How dare you, acne. 

I changed my night toner to a blemish prone skin specific, reduced the use of more aggressive retinols and glycolic acids and added a (not so) secret weapon: salicylic acid. 

I got this one from Superdrug and it is extremely affordable. The Me+ Salicylic Acid + Cica booster cost me £6.99 and I have to say, is working well so far. 

I’ve been using twice a day and also on the chin and around the nose area under light make up when I go out and know I will be wearing my mask for a longer period of time. 

Salicylic acid was probably the very first ingredient I tried when I started to have acne in my teenage years. Due to the severity at that time, it did very little to keep it at bay, but being reunited with this old friend was a surprise with pleasant results. 

However, it’s main property is to get into the pores and breaks down dead skin cells and oils, help prevent them to clog. This also contains centella asiatica, which is calming and soothing, so for me it has been working a treat!

Benzoyl peroxide is also highly recommended and available over the counter – I’ve been using that for years and it is a great way to prevent, less to rid of, blemishes. A thin layer daily on the affected area is also known to help.

Spots come and go, it’s been like that all my life. Am I ok with them? NO. However, for the safety of those around me, I’ll just grin, and bear it – behind my mask of course.

Have you noticed maskne? How are you tackling it?

written by Dani

For the sake of skin condition disclaimer, I didn’t edit the pics and had minimal makeup on: light under eye concealer, mascara and sheer lipstick. On the rest of my face, only moisturiser, SPF, vitamin C serum and salicylic acid on the chin+jawline area. Face pics taken with iPhone.

For the love of (my) skin

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Recently I posted a pic on Instagam stories I never thought I would. It was my face. You say – doh-oooh Dani, I see that face of yours a bit too much on stories.

You have a point. But this one was not as it is usually presented. Apart from SPF, it had nothing.

No priming. No foundation. Zero concealer. Not a dusting of concealer in sight. Nothing on my eyes – shadow, liner, mascara. Not even colour on my lips. No filter. Just the morning light that bathes my sitting room.

And for the first time in all these years, I found that it was ok. My skin looked alright. I actually thought it looked…. good? Could it?

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll never be that person with great skin. Think severe acne with deep angry red cysts on cysts (on cysts) all over for many years. Now think about the deep scarring it leaves behind. Not the more common pigmentation acne scars that appear once the inflammation heals and frequently fade on their own time.

I am talking sulking scars – ice pick, rolling and atrophic, mainly, pitted marks all over my cheeks, temples and forehead. The kind makeup does not erase. Tone, people told me, not texture, is what you can conceal well. And I knew – a lot of the time even with the most flawless make up all I saw in the mirror were scars.

My face had a huge impact on my mental health, and I have written about it before. In the past years I have learnt to like, dare I say love my skin, finally, after a life long battle to make it be what it never was.

Acceptance (and good, consistent skincare) has made it flourish, if not into “perfect skin”, into one that makes me finally feel good about it. Not all the time, it’s true, but the fact I don’t feel like I have to hide it (with a fringe, and/or 8567554 layers of the thickest product you’ll find), feels amazing.

I feel I really care about it, and no longer want to fight it, and the more dramatic, professional procedures I had in the past couple of years really kick started this change – the 3 sublative and ablative laser treatments I had so expertly delivered and tailored by Dr. Ariel Haus worked as a foundation that has finally surfaced.

I have been wearing less makeup, not just at home but when going out(ish) and although I still think I photograph better with a face of foundation, I am no longer anxious to wear less. I am, in fact, happy.

I always said makeup helped me look outside the way I feel inside. And this is still very much true – wearing less only means the discrepancy is decreasing.

As as a loved one said this week: here’s to growth – and skincare.

Now, where’s that botox at? Hit me up, I am ready for you!