We are living in perilously expensive times — but that doesn’t mean brilliant affordable products aren’t still out there, and I’ve made a point of trying to sniff out and highlight the best because I am well aware that the pile of financial demands that rank more highly than skincare is towering and, for many, leaves limited scope to buy the more expensive things lauded by beauty experts.
This isn’t because we don’t fall in love with thriftier buys, by the way. My policy, and that of many of my peers, is to review products based solely on merit, then factor in whether the cost is commensurate with the performance before recommending. As a guiding principle, it works pretty well in my estimation, and I hope it has served regular readers well.
Even so, for those on a shoestring budget, I know that truly democratic and effective beauty products are nowhere near as prevalent as they should be. Ones that are ubiquitous and relied on by experts who have access to products at any price point, even less so.
There is one huge exception, a product that is relatively cheap, undeniably works, and is hugely popular with those in the know: hypochlorous acid.
Beloved not only by me (I’ve used it for over seven years, every single day, without exception), but also by plenty of skin experts — I’ve spied it in Clinical Aesthetician Pam Marshall’s stash in her clinic (it was Pam who introduced me to it in the first place, insisting it would calm my acneic skin), on Facialist Tarryn Warren’s tray, and in Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon (and Co-Founder of the Montrose) Dr Georgina Williams’ arsenal, amongst others.
Don’t be fooled by it’s name: this won’t slough off skin or cause redness like many other acids will — quite the opposite. Consultant dermatologist Dr Rakesh Anand explains that “hypochlorous acid is a really interesting ingredient, and it’s actually something our bodies naturally produce; white blood cells create it as part of the immune response, so it has this natural antimicrobial and wound-healing function.”
This is precisely why it’s such a good — and safe — option for skincare, and Anand explains that “it’s great for its antimicrobial action — it’s effective at killing bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It’s also anti-inflammatory, which means it can help reduce redness and irritation, making it ideal for people with sensitive or compromised skin. Also, it’s thought to help speed up wound healing, so it’s often used on cuts, burns, or for post-treatment care. One of its best qualities is how gentle it is — it’s non-toxic and non-irritating, which makes it safe for pretty much all skin types.”
While it is often used post-procedure to clean and calm skin, many, like me, are starting to incorporate it into their daily skin routine, a move Marshall wholly supports: “it’s an exceptional ingredient for calming irritated and unhappy skin, so I recommend it to thousands because it’s one of the very few products I know that will combat stressors and calm skin. Quite genuinely I think everyone should have it on their skincare shelf.”
The easiest way to use is to spritz over skin post-cleansing, morning and night, or to swipe it over skin on a cotton pad. I try to remember to use it on my body if I’ve had a spot or ingrown crop up. I tend to also clean my phone with it, any earphones I’ve been using and, when travelling, the airplane seatbelt (surely it can’t just be me that touches those and instantly thinks of the many, many germs lingering on them?!).
Here’s the best ones to buy.
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Clinisoothe Skin Purifier
This comes in two sizes — one, a bigger bottle perfect for pouring onto cotton pads or for refilling the smaller one, and other a spray that makes misting on the go easy.
Buy now £14.95, Clinisoothe
The Light Salon Cleanse and Recovery Spray
The Light Salon’s mission is all about calming, soothing, and promoting glow — and this is the perfect spray to use alongside one of their lauded LED masks as part of a skin routine to keep skin healthy.
Buy now £18.00, Cult Beauty
ISOSKIN Hypochlorous Spray
ISOCLEAN make a series of brush-cleaning products, a reminder that keeping tools clean to keep skin clear is important. This spray is another pillar in that routine to keep skin clear.
Buy now £10.00, ISOCLEAN
NatraSan Advanced Hypochlorous Spray
This was one of my go-tos during the pandemic, when I bought one of the five litre bottles to keep my skin clear but needed a hell of a lot more hypochlorous acid to help because of masks and what not.
Buy now £10.99, NatraSan
