Caroline Hirons is the straight-talking skincare expert with over 20 years experience in the beauty industry, a regular slot on This Morning, and vast numbers of loyal followers who love her honest advice.
And that includes not being afraid to share her thoughts on what’s baloney in the beauty world. Caroline openly files products she thinks are nonsense under a “push off a cliff” section, presumably wishing they would fall into a beauty black hole, never to grace our faces again.
In an extract from her recently revised book Skincare: The New Edit, Caroline reveals which beauty products and trends that have no place being in your beauty routine…
“There are so, SO many products and trends that I would love to push off a cliff. Whether they’re making unproven claims based on the latest buzzword bandwagon or just frightening you into trying to fix a problem you don’t have, the skincare industry is rife with repeat offenders. These are the products that have no reason for being on our shelves. Not. A. One.
1) Wipes. They do not ‘clean’ your face. They are for Emergencies Only – real emergencies. If you have access to clean water, there is no emergency. They’re also atrocious for the environment. Remember: Wipes are for fannies, flights and festivals only. And NEVER flush.
2) Sheet masks, aka ‘wipes with holes cut out for eyes’. Think of the environment if nothing else.
3) Micellar waters. These are fine for removing eye makeup, or your entire face in an emergency with no access to water, but please don’t use them without any other cleansers afterwards. Use them as a first cleanse only.
4) Pore strips. I don’t care who you see advertising them, no one who works in and on skin and cares deeply about your skin would ever – ever – recommend these. Horrible things.
5) SPF50 ‘drops’ that claim to give you complete SPF coverage, even when mixed with your moisturiser. Absolute nonsense. And dangerous. Don’t believe the hype.
6) Harsh scrubs containing ‘husks’ or ‘shells’. There is no need to be so tough on your skin. It’s not 1982. It’s the skincare equivalent of using sandpaper to file a beautiful polished table. Actual horror.
7) Cellulite creams. Cellulite is caused by fat cells pushing through your connective tissue. A cream will not fix it. Use a body brush and a decent body moisturiser. Your skin will feel smoother, but it won’t get rid of cellulite.
8) Gold in skincare. Save your money. Wear it on your fingers.
9) Skincare fridges. Fridges do nothing to enhance the efficacy of products. They are completely unnecessary. All OTC products are tested for stability in extreme hot and cold environments before they are sent to market. However, if you like the feeling of something cool on your skin, go ahead – knock yourself out. But I’m assuming you already have a fridge for your food at home. Same thing.
10) Mattifying products. Unless you are a teenager and/or have oily skin, you do not need mattifying products. Healthy skin has a glow.
11) Botox parties. Do not, ever, have your botox done at a ‘botox party’. No reputable practitioner would provide this service in someone’s living room where alcohol is being served. Legally, I could give you botox, but I would never do it. Leave it to the medical professionals.
12) Any pore-suction-at-home machine. Save your money.”
Extracted from Skincare: The New Edit by Caroline Hirons (HQ, HarperCollins), available for £20 here.
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