Trinny London has opened a pop-up shop in on the King's Road in London, and while it was only meant to be there for a week, its popularity has resulted in it staying put for the summer. And if you're in need of some skincare or makeup advice, I highly recommend a visit.
Long confused by everything from what might be the best toner for me, to whether even the best cream foundations would make my skin worse, I have actively avoided skincare counters, and so was apprehensive about visiting the new Trinny London pop-up.
But I needn't have been. Welcomed with open arms, the Trinny London staff were very keen to help, but in a very non-intrusive way, asking if I would like them to talk me through my skincare needs, or if I was happy to peruse the shop myself.
Keen to lean on their expertise, I opted for the former, explaining my much almost non-existent skincare routine and the reason behind it being so sparse. My skin is extremely sensitive, so I'm extremely hesitant to put anything on it. The staff member who helped me listened carefully, and then took his time explaining how what a basic skincare routine might look like for me, all the while stressing everything he recommended had no ingredients that would cause irritation.
At no point did I feel under any pressure or obliged to buy the three products he recommended, and it was only when I specifically asked about what upgrading my new routine would look like did he suggest more. There was no hard sell, no judgement, just understanding, education and a clear passion and belief in the service Trinny London is providing. All I could think while I was there was how much I wish I'd had access to a service like this two decades ago when I was in my early 20s.
The set up of the shop makes understanding skincare so simple, I wandered around it wondering why such an accessible system hadn't been done before. And the fact that the shop is constantly busy suggests many who visit feel the same.
Trinny and the team's passion for skincare is infectious, truly. I was lucky enough to spend some time with Trinny during my visit and the knowledge she so often imparts to help women look and feel their is mesmerising - offering everything from the best makeup tips for older women, to the benefits of and best time to microneedle.
Just a foot in the door of the shop and you immediately feel like your in safe hands when it comes to skincare and makeup recommendations. The team doesn't want you to buy products for the sake of it, or more than you need, just simply what your skin needs to flourish.
The Trinny London team hasn't given an exact date for when the shop will stay open until, it is simply 'open for summer'. So if you didn't make it last week, there's plenty of time to plan a visit to King's Road. And with Trinny visiting the shop regularly, you might even get a chance to draw on the infinite skincare wisdom of the lady behind the amazing skincare and makeup brand.
The Trinny London pop-up shop can be found at 31 King’s Road, SW3 4RP, and is open Monday - Saturday: 10am - 6:30pm and Sunday: 12pm - 6pm.
Trinny London editor picks
A couple of weeks ago I reported on the staggering before and after photos of Trinny London's new gravity-defying neck skincare 'The Elevator'. In store, I witnessed many women capture Trinny to praise the new product, including a 78-year-old woman who had been using it since its release (who looked amazing).
Having used it myself now for a few weeks, I can highly recommend it, with the highly active-feeling cream making my neck skin feel visibly less crepey and so much more hydrated.
Below are a couple more of my Trinny London picks, which I've just started using, and are suitable for all skin types.
Trinny London's latest product, The Elevator is really impressive. The before and after photos I've seen so far are nothing short of amazing, and everyone I know who has used it has reported a visible difference in how their skin looks and feels – myself included. Not only that, it's unbelievably relaxing to spend a five minutes each day giving my neck - which is otherwise neglected - a gentle massage.
When talking to the Trinny team about my sensitive skin, they recommended Plump Up, which is a combination of peptides and hyaluronic acid to help visibly firm your skin. The serum itself is unbelievably light on my skin, almost feeling like there's nothing on there once rubbed in.
"Peptides are food for the skin, they can help with dryness and they will really get collagen and elastane and give an increase in the firmness and the cushioning of your skin," Trinny says. "I developed this product because I wanted something that could be used by anyone, but still be really effective."
Does anyone else wash their hands immediately after applying SPF? The sticky, greasy feeling some products leave on your skin are unbearable - thankfully, See The Light is anything but. It's silky smooth, and feels so luxurious to use.
"Use SPF 50 every single day, winter or summer," says Trinny. "Use a 50, even if you are indoors and by a window, you're going to get affected by the sun because UVA rays go through the window and go deep in your skin. UVB rays burn your skin, and that's the one that doesn't go through a window. So protect yourself from both - look for something that has UVA and UVB protection."
You can read more about Trinny London's 'wonder cream' The Elevator in the latest issue of woman&home magazine - on sale now!
