Save Our Skin: The Ultimate Skincare SOS

Stressed out skin

Esse’s Ageless Serum is a must-have for stressed skin. Suma Root, Muira Puama Bark, and Madonna Lily extracts. Devil’s Claw. The ingredients list alone makes you want to buy it. What clinches the deal is that it’s probiotic skincare that treats your skin as an ecosystem, using an organic biotech to create an environment that allows biodiversity to return, allowing your skin’s natural microbes to flourish. If you want more science, inactivated probiotic Lactobacillus cells are added to stimulate the skin’s production of β-defensins (proteins in the antimicrobial defence brigade). These peptides shift the skin’s microbe populations to favour the species that outcompete the pro-ageing ones. Expensive, yes. But just know that it’s the natural way to restore balance, firmness and let your skin thrive. 30ml, £155, esseskincare.co.uk

Up your vitamins

Somewhat ironically called The Pill, The Nue Co’s latest topical supplement is a powerful face solution that includes complex AHAs to Hyaluronic Acid and Tiger Grass: a single daily dose of every key nutrient for the skin, and a potent combo of clinical and natural. It tackles inflammation (whether from diet, lifestyle or pandemic stress) with anti-inflammatory grape-seed, bilberry and liquorice root extract. Best of all you get hydration from non-toxic ingredients that don’t hurt you or the planet. A great one-step solution, it takes the hassle out of skincare layering. Get it on prescription. £65, 30ml, uk.thenueco.com

Dehydration SOS

Sheet masks are a fuss-free way to inject moisture into your skin. For even more targeted results ensure you cleanse and exfoliate your skin before applying so you really get the goodness right where it’s needed. Try Medik8 Ultimate Recovery™ Bio-Cellulose Mask Hydrating Mineral Sheet Mask. £60 for 6, medik8.com

Eye SOS

Spending more time in front of a computer (or Netflix) can leave your eyes feeling tired and strained. Apply your eye cream or eye gel with your ring finger as it has the least amount of pressure, then using your fingertips do some little raindrop movements over closed eyes to help boost circulation and refresh the eye area.

Use your ring finger and gently press from the inner corner of the eye, at the bridge of the nose, outwards towards the temples to help boost lymphatic drainage and ease eye strain. For under eyes in need of some serious SOS, try Dr Levy Eye Booster Concentrate, a brilliant eye treatment that really works! £165, cultbeauty.co.uk

Quick Fix

If working from home, combined with home schooling is leaving you little time for any sort of a beauty routine, then an overnight mask is a quick and easy way to treat your skin while you sleep. Cleanse skin and apply, massaging gently into your face and neck.

Our skin regenerates as we sleep so it’s the perfect time to give it some extra TLC. I love Aurelia Overnight Recovery Mask, its probiotic complex combined with lavender makes this a wonderfully nurturing skin treat. £58, aureliaskincare.com

Dull Face

A build up of dead skin can dull your complexion, prevent your products working most effectively and leave your makeup looking patchy on application. Help remove dulling cells in minutes with an exfoliating face pad, saturated with AHAs which dissolve away dead skin cells and help to decongest pores, a few wipes and off they go. Try Amanda Harrington’s new Skin Face Advanced Glycolic Facial Pads, made from biodegradable cotton soaked with a bioglycolic and fruit acid blend to keep skin smooth and bright. £18, amandaharrington.com

Thirsty Skin

If you are happy with your skincare lineup but feel you need a powerful addition to give it a bit of a hydration boost, then apply a fine layer of plant-based face oil underneath your day or night cream. Apply a few drops to your fingertips and warm hands together then pat over your skin working from the centre outwards to give you a gentle lymphatic drainage boost at the same time. Try VENN Advanced Multi-Perfecting Red Oil Serum, proven to hydrate skin for up to 24 hours, improving skins elasticity and luminosity. £95, net-a-porter.com

Quick Pre-Zoom Refresh

If you are about to have an online meeting or ‘pub quiz’ and feel your skin is looking lifeless – an enzyme mask will work wonders to refresh in 15 to 20 minutes, and create a smoother base in which to apply make up. Cleanse your face then apply while you have your green juice, extra strong coffee, or glass of prosecco, and let it do its work (drink included) before you remove with a soft lukewarm muslin cloth and follow your regime as usual. Try Susanne Kaufman Glow Mask, which works wonders to brighten and smooth fine lines thanks to the papaya powder, ginger and coffee. 68€, susannekaufmann.com

Breakouts

If you suffer from problematic skin – or your skin has taken a turn under the stress and lifestyle change of lockdown, you may need some targeted products to help treat blemishes. Ensure you keep your skin clean with double cleansing before bed and helping to soothe raised painful spots with an ice cube wrapped in tissue or a muslin cloth and press over the area to aid inflammation.

Follow with a specialist spot treatment product over the area, such as Kate Somerville EradiKate Blemish Treatment. An extra potent spot formula over from the States will zap away any unwanted friends in no time. £22, katesomerville.co.uk

Sensitivity

Sensitive skin can cause redness or a flushed appearance to your skin than can be sore and make you feel self conscious. Try a natural remedy of cold camomile tea bags as a soothing compress over effected areas that feel hot or irritated (brew the tea bag first then once cooled put in the fridge). Another wonder ingredient is aloe vera; try Skin Activator from Monu Skin, a beautiful British vegan brand. Packed with healing aloe vera, this can be worn under moisturiser or alone to help with inflammation. £19.95, monushop.co.uk

Family SOS

A good barrier cream can heal a multitude of skins! It’s always good to keep a soothing one in your bathroom cupboard that can be used for dry, chapped skin. Look for perfume-free specialist products such as Avene’s Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream, the perfect skin healing solution for the whole family. Packed full of healing agents, its protective formula stimulates keratinocyte migration which repairs broken, irritated skin much faster than your body’s natural healing process. £8, boots.com

Lip SOS

Use a gentle sugar scrub to remove dead skin build up on lips and layer with a nourishing dose of lip balm. Look for ingredients including hyaluronic acid in your lip products as they bind moisture and help to plump hydration into your lips. To scrub, use Tinker Taylor Brown Sugar Lip Scrub, packed with natural ingredients to remove dead skin and lipstick staining from lips. £20, tinkertaylorbeauty.com

Afterwards, hydrate with natural waxes to create a barrier to keep in moisture in. Another great ingredient to look for on lip products is hyaluronic acid, this draws in moisture to help create a fuller and hydrated looking pout. Try Biossance Squalane + Rose Vegan lip balm, containing both the above and more it visibly smoothes and plumps lips. £16, cultbeauty.co.uk

Workout Skincare

Pretty Athletic is a go-to brand for active women, helping to keep clogged pores, redness, irritation, dehydration and inflammation at bay pre- and post-workout. Using 98% natural and 100% vegan ingredients, products are packed with scientifically proven actives formulated by top British cosmetic scientists. Their newest launch, SWEATPROOF, is a unique hydration gel designed for women who workout. Lightweight, cooling and quickly absorbed, SWEATPROOF is pH balanced (5.5 – 6.0) and formulated with prebiotics to help re-balance the skin after sweating. Formulated with vitamin C-rich Kakadu plum, plus Rosehip and Chia seeds oils, to nourish and hydrate the skin, helping to promote a healthy skin barrier. Can be used pre & post exercise, to cleanse the skin before & after. £24.00, prettyathletic.com

Inflammation

Pure Sport’s CBD + Vitamin B5 Face Moisturiser uses the anti inflammatory properties of CBD along with the soothing and hydrating properties of Vitamin B5, helping to treat parched or sensitised skins, whilst also doubling up as a wonderful face primer. £22.99, puresportcbd.com

Body Care

Skincare shouldn’t stop at the neck. Enrich your body with this beautiful body cleanser infused with a blend of Mykonos’ locally grown herbs including fig leaves, sage, rosemary, lavender and basil. This body cleanser is extra gentle, yet super nourishing for beautifully soft skin that smells delicious. We also love that this family run businessuses 100% recyclable packaging, and contains no artificial ingredients. £22, heinrich-barth.com

Men’s Skincare

If you’re fed up with the men in your life stealing your skincare, why not treat them to their own? SCRUBD, made using responsibly sourced natural ingredients, has been designed with the unique demands of men’s skin in mind. A particular hero product is the Anti-Ageing Face Serum, a high potency serum which includes hyaluronic acid and silk peptide to deliver a deep moisture kick where needed to help minimise fine lines and wrinkles. You may find you even want to steal it for yourself… £54, scrubd.com