Sixteen NEW (to me) skincare & makeup must-haves

(Plus one miracle hair curler tool THAT ACTUALLY BLOODY WORKS)

When beauty guru

Sali Hughes

squints at you close-up in brutal daylight and compliments your skin, you know you’re on to a winner.

We were gossiping outside Claridges (as one does), taking the air mid Champagne quaffing sesh in the Fumoir when it happened. Now, firstly, this was a lovely gathering for shortlisted journalist nominees arranged by Kenneth Green Associates pre The Fragrance Foundation Awards ceremony, not my everyday life (I wish!) And secondly, I am not used to getting compliments on my skin. At all. So, it was quite the evening, already.

Some context:

I suffered with horrendous acne from a really young age, having started my period aged 9 (gee thanks, hormones) and having extremely oily skin. My only source of advice at the time was Jackie Magazine, the internet not yet being available; and their recommendations included the now infamous St. Ives Apricot Scrub followed by basically pouring a bottle of Clearasil over your face on the daily.

Suffice to say, for a very long time I went around looking like I’d gone at my visage with a Brillo Pad. I was put on the pill from an early age (for the irregular and utterly dreadful periods) and that helped a bit, but I was still getting cystic spots right into my early thirties. I then switched to much kinder skincare routines – loved Liz Earle’s original Cleanse & Polish – but it really wasn’t until my mid-forties that my skin started settling, and I’d still been left with all manner of scars and indentations.

Now, aged 51, I feel I’ve never been happier in my own skin. In all sorts of ways, but literally, in this sense. I’ve tried lots of skincare and makeup (and I mean, a LOT) – practically all of which I’ve purchased myself or had given to me as gifts from friends who are beauty writers, simply because I’m mainly a fragrance journalist so I’m not generally on beauty PRs radars.

Lately though, I’ve been getting the urge to write a bit about beauty, too, because it brings me a lot of joy, and I thought here would be the perfect place to share some of my current favourite new-ish (to me) products.

I’d love to tell you that this list of items was gruellingly researched before purchasing, but what actually happens is that during my frequent just-finished-working-at-4am moments, I decide I need a treat. So, I’m on the ‘gram or elsewhere sleepily scrolling, being sold at with the ol’ algorithm doing its thing, and before you know it I’ve Added to Basket, and future me is momentarily bewildered by the postman clutching a pile of parcels.

Not everything I purchase is a hit, but these ALL are, and have been used for some weeks or months, and re-purchased because I genuinely love them.

By the way, none of these links are affiliated. I know, I should get around to that, but there’s only so many hours in the day aren’t there darling? All but five of the sixteen (seventeen, including the hair tool) are items purchased by me, and I had previously purchased three of the PR gifts, anyway. I’m writing about them in the order that I use them after cleansing – if you want to hear about my still-favourite cleanser, have a listen to My Summer Beauty Picks episode of the Outspoken Beauty podcast (2023) with my friend and host

Nicola Bonn

.

Another short and snappy intro there, Suzy (honestly, God bless editors). Let’s get on with it.

1. Anua 70+ Glow Milky Toner – £19 for 250ml [Amazon]

They say: ‘Enriched with Rice Water, Niacinamide, and Ceramides, this formula deeply hydrates, evens skin tone, and promotes a refreshed, glass skin finish without stickiness, enhancing your beauty routine.’

I’d not bothered with toners for decades, but I’ve been using this for three months and adore it. I like the fact it has some actives in but feels so gentle, nourishing and leaves me feeling immediately hydrated. I don’t bother with a cotton pad, but splash it on with abandon after cleansing and use what’s left on my hands to continue down to my décolletage. It’s quick and easy, so I don’t resent it as an extra step in my routine, and my skin just drinks it up. Basically, I feel like a fresh-faced milkmaid or Cleopatra (two v different vibes, there, but let’s go with them) after I’ve used it. Oh yeah, and after years of still thinking my skin was ‘greasy’, it turns out it’s dehydrated with an oilier T-Zone. Only took me decades to find out.

2. Me+ for Superdrug Niacinamide + Zinc Booster – £8 for 30ml or £15 for 100ml (often in their ‘buy one get 2^nd half-price’ offer) [Superdrug]

They say: ‘Transform your skin with the powerful duo of 10% Niacinamide and Zinc in our lightweight booster. Designed to clarify and improve skin tone, this potent formula supports clearer, healthier skin while refining texture and enhancing your natural glow.’

Something else I’ve discovered is that my skin bloody loves niacinamide. I’ve used some expensive ones which were okay, but I disliked the sticky textures. I want my niacinamide to have a water-like weightless feel, which this does, and I’m probably on my sixth bottle of this now. I find it minimises breakouts (which I still occasionally get if I’m really run down or just before my period), stops my t-zone getting greasy but doesn’t diminish glow. If anything, it adds to it.

I’m ALL about the glow these days – as several of the products below will attest – and it behaves beautifully even if you use several layers of skincare / makeup.

3. Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum – £26 for 30ml [Superdrug Marketplace. Also on Amazon & various other places online]

They say: ‘Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Glow Serum is an advanced glow serum that addresses uneven skin tone and enhances skin elasticity, helping to maintain a clear, radiant, and resilient complexion.’

Reader, I have to tell you, I was extremely disconcerted by this one. Firstly, while scrolling bleary-eyed without my contact lenses in or glasses on at 4am when purchasing, for a few horrifying seconds I was SURE it was called ‘Porn Pink’. Secondly, it says it contains ‘salmon collagen’, and thirdly, it is a quite startling shade that’s exactly the same colour and consistency as Pepto Bismol.

Well.

Un-clutch your pearls. It isn’t called porn pink, it thankfully doesn’t smell fishy (it has a very slight powdery blossom-y ‘pink’ scent), and the pink tone helps add this sheer veil of a dewy glow to your skin. What’s more, it can transform my tired, sleep-creased mug into something resembling alive and awake in a single swipe, and that, my friends, is worth every flippin’ penny. It makes an excellent primer on its own but equally doesn’t pill or feel peculiar beneath an extra layer of moisturiser or sunscreen.

Also, the way my skin feels after I first put it on – dewy, bouncy, seemingly plumped from within – is the way it still feels at the end of the day. It just doesn’t quit. My face never feels too greasy or too dry, just healthy and balanced and comfortable. I’ve even found myself stroking my own cheek and marvelling at how soft it feels, like some weirdo, for goodness bloody sake. Love it. LOVE.