One of the biggest joys of working in the beauty industry is the people I get to meet. Be they brand founders, makeup artists or fellow journalists, every person with beauty experience has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to tips and tricks to try. These are some of my most trusted confidants: they possess the ultimate know-how, have tried every product you can think of and have access to other top global experts.
So naturally, I decided to reach out to six 40+ women I know in beauty whose skin I've always admired, for their top skincare routine hacks. These are women who have incredible skin because they’ve done the work. They know what’s worth it – and what’s not – after years of trial and error. In other words, there was truly no one better to go to for advice.
What I hadn’t expected was just how innovative, interesting, and (at times) niche some of their words of wisdom would be. From cleansing last and "microdosing" actives to buying a sun umbrella, here’s what they had to say.
6 women with the best skin share their tips and hacks
1. Mira Parmar, 45, celebrity makeup artist
As a respected makeup artist with plenty of experience under her belt, Mira Parmar has a unique set of knowledge that combines artistry with skincare hacks. Here are her favourites to share.
- Get icy: “Ice cubes in a muslin cloth can act as an ‘ice facial’ to depuff and tighten pores,” she says. This is particularly appealing in the hotter summer months!
- Invest in silk: Silk accessories are beloved for a reason – and Parmar likes pillowcases the most. “Use silk pillowcases to create less friction on the skin, for better moisture retention and for less sleep lines on the face,” she advises.
- Don’t forget the skin on your body: As well as facial skincare, remember to treat your body with all-over care. And one special hack Parmar has? “Applying body oil to slightly damp skin to lock in moisture and give skin a glow.”
Silk pillowcases are on many beauty industry insiders' beds for their slippy, smooth skin and hair-encouraging texture. This one comes in a lovely selection of colours to match your bedding.
2. Sara Tarca, 45, beauty editor
Melbourne-based Sara Tarca, 45, is a beauty editor, content creator and co-founder of the weekly newsletter, gloss etc. Tarca has a wealth of experience within the beauty industry to pull from – and she certainly takes skincare seriously. "I work my products smarter, so they don’t have to work harder for the same effect," she says.
- Take sun protection seriously:“In addition to wearing SPF every day (yes, even in winter), I carry a sun umbrella around with me that’s UV blocking (my favourite is from Blunt Umbrellas). Sorry to get all ‘beauty editor’ on you, but the sun is the number one cause of premature ageing, so reducing UV exposure is the cheapest ageing hack ever. Also, an umbrella is way chicer than a hat, and saves the hat hair.”
- Collagen intake: “I’ve taken marine collagen every day for the last decade, and it’s made such a difference to my skin, especially the quality and elasticity. The only downside of this is that once you start taking it, you have to keep at it because the results will slow down if you give it up (I know, I know, not ideal) – you have to be consistent.”
- Light layers rather than rich creams: “It seems counterintuitive,” says the journalist, “but heavy creams just sit on top of the skin.” Instead, she uses “a hydrating cleanser, then a milky toner (so underrated - try it, it’s made SUCH a difference to my skin), a serum and a moisturiser.”
- Layer retinol with a peptide serum: The newsletter founder says: “This combination has made a significant difference to my skin and the softening of lines - it’s just a perfect pairing. My ultimate combo is Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP and Crystal Retinal.”
- Store your tools effectively: For Tarca, it’s all about where you’re keeping your skincare: “All my sheet masks and rollers live in the fridge. I feel like this gives them a double benefit of doing the job they were designed for AND cooling/depuffing the skin as well. Cold rolling the skin just feels so good, and is a great way to wake up the skin and get the blood flowing."
Tarca notes that finding a high-quality collagen is essential. Her favourite is Vida Glow (specifically this Pro Collagen+): “It’s been so thoroughly researched and has exceptional clinicals to back it up.”
Tarca's retinol of choice comes in a variety of strengths, although this is the most powerful, so only for experienced retinol users: "I use #20 because I did not come to play," she explains.
Tarca's choice of peptide formula to combine with retinoids, this is brilliantly formulated as expected from Medik-8 and comes in stable airtight packaging.
3. Pamela Marshall, 58, clinical aesthetician
Pamela Marshall, clinical aesthetician and founder of Mortar & Milk, has spent years treating skin and counts top beauty editors and Hollywood actors among her clientele. Here are her non-negotiables for her best skin ever.
- Cleanse last: “I always make cleansing my skin the last thing I do when getting ready. My order is: brush teeth, double shampoo, rinse, condition, rinse and then cleanse the face,” Marshall says. “Toothpaste, shampoos and conditioners can attach to the skin, so it's always best to cleanse the face last. I also always remove my cleanser with a warm flannel.”
- Control your environment: For the facialist, keeping her sheets clean is essential. “I wash them at least once a week in hot water, with no fragrance. These days, environmental grime gets on our hair, and unless we’re washing it every night before bed, we end up rolling around in that dirt and grime during the night. Clean sheets help support the barrier function of our skin.”
- ‘Microdose’ your actives: Marshall is selective when it comes to actives: “I don't overload my skin with lots of products.” She adds: “Actives work as wounding ingredients and we use them to wound the skin, which activates our healing mechanism. This is great in theory, but I find for the long-term health of our skin, microdosing is a much better option than hitting it with a hammer of harsh actives.”
- Invest in top tools. “Nanocurrent [such as the ZIIP device] is excellent at increasing the ATP (energy) in our cells so that they perform at their best. I love it so much that I use it almost every day,” notes Marshall.
Marshall's such a fan of this device that she uses it nigh-on daily. We're not surprised, as our beauty editor's Ziip Halo review details, this is a brilliant option for facial lifting and collagen stimulation.
4. Madeleine Spencer, 41, journalist & makeup artist
Madeleine Spencer, 41, beauty journalist & makeup artist, has spent a lifetime trialling products and getting to know her skin through her job. She has three go-to tips for the best skin ever.
- Reframe how you think about your skin: “I try to remember my skin’s an organ, and give it the care that all organs need – good nutrition, movement, sleep, that sort of thing," she explains.
- Avoiding actives is actually OK: “All the prevailing advice is to use loads of actives [think: retinol, AHAs and BHAs etc],” says Spencer. “I do the opposite; my skin’s volatile by nature, and I don’t find that kicking it into shape works. Instead, I focus on hydration, protection and cleanliness to keep it calm and healthy.”
- Avoid magnifying mirrors: “I chucked away my close up mirrors – one of my major skin woes was picking at it and making it angry,” the journalist tells me. “Now, I just treat it more carefully and don’t panic about small issues. Also, handily, this means I don’t see 'imperfections' as often, so it’s a win-win.”
5. Dr Christine Hall, 44, aesthetic doctor
Dr Christine Hall, 44, is a skincare expert, pharmacist and aesthetic doctor at Taktouk Clinic. She is always asked about her habits and here are her top three.
- Always, always, always use your sun protection: “I know it’s really boring but wearing SPF every single day without fail is my number one tip, and always will be,” says the doctor.
- Consider skin boosters: “I use injectable skin boosters like Redensity 1, as topicals can really only go so far," Dr Hall notes. "It’s amazing for added hydration – like the icing on the cake.” She also sometimes combines microneedling with skin boosters for double the impact.
- Apply products to damp skin: “This applies to hydrating products, as your skin is more absorbent when it’s damp.” On the flip side, she adds that you must apply anything potentially irritating (like retinol) to dry skin.
6. Charlotte Ferguson, 42, founder of skincare brand DISCIPLE
For Charlotte Ferguson, founder of DISCIPLE, it’s one key approach to her skincare routine that’s totally transformed how her skin looks and feels: Try product stacking.
“At 42, I finally feel like I have a good idea of what works for my skin, in terms of both products and routines,” she says. Instead of skin cycling (alternating actives each day with a break between), I have found that ‘stacking’ products works incredibly well for me.”
This means she applies active ingredients two or three days in a row with a hydrating rest day in between. “I use a gentle acid, like The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% or COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner, directly onto the skin, not with cotton pads. My ‘break day’ then features lots of hydration and moisture: think hyaluronic acid, plant oils and, of course, SPF. Then, I’ll use my pro-retinol product for two or three nights in a row. DISCIPLE Dreamy Skin Retinyl Oil works well as it’s so gentle.”
Combining gentle exfoliant lactic acid with hydrating hyaluronic acid, this is an ideal serum for anyone with more sensitive skin, who still wants to renew their skin texture.
With it's easy spray-on action and combination of pore-clearing BHAs and cell-shifting AHAs, this Korean-made mist is a multitasking marvel.
,She concludes: “I don’t have particularly sensitive skin but it can be dehydrated. I find this method gives my skin an opportunity to get the most out of the actives I’m using – it works like a semi-intense blast for a few days, with a break in between. It is important to gauge for yourself how your skin is feeling when using this method, however.”
