Since I was a teenager, my approach to skincare has been more akin to a sergeant major going into battle than a woman about to enjoy a few minutes of self-care. You see, as someone who has been navigating acne for the last two decades, my routine has been a blueprint to stave off hormonal flare-ups, minimise active breakouts, and keep oiliness under control. My bathroom cabinet has long been a rotation of salicylic acids, gel cleansers and spot stickers—basically anything designed to keep spots at bay. And for a while, that was working. But recently, something has shifted.
Over the last few years, I’ve noticed subtle but undeniable changes in my skin. Where it was once excessively shiny, it now feels dry, the texture is less predictable, and there’s a new softness where my skin was once firm and bouncy. At 36, there aren’t yet any lines or wrinkles (at least not yet), but there’s definitely a change in my skin’s resilience and ability to bounce back. For the first time, I’m thinking less about correction and more about preservation. Rather than anti-ageing in the traditional sense (a term that I’ve always felt a bit icky about), I’m looking for ways to future-proof my skin right now. Yes, right now it's all about skin longevity, which means choosing products that will help it to stay healthy, strong, and balanced over time.
