November 01, 2021 at 10:00AM
For a beauty editor (and beauty lover), interviewing Caroline Hirons is a bit like interviewing the pope. Or the queen. Or BeyoncĂ©. You see, Hirons is the most powerful woman in skincare. And while that might not seem like a big statement to those who donât follow the world of beauty, let me explain.Â
Before Hirons amassed her hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers and YouTube subscribers, we really werenât entirely sure how to shop for skincare. Thousands of products lined the shelves and a handful of newly established 20-something beauty bloggers were telling us what to buy. But they werenât skin experts, and Hirons is. Having trained as an aesthetician and consulted for some of beautyâs biggest brands, when Hirons launched her blog in 2010, the skincare landscape changed for good.
Her no-holds-barred opinions were grounded in science, her straight-to-the-point advice cut through beauty gobbledegook, and her unbiased product recommendations had her followers hanging on her every word. So much so that the âCaroline effectâ was bornâa term coined by the beauty industry to describe the mass sellout that would ensue after a Hironsâs endorsement. Now, whether it be through her brutally honest reviews or cut-throat approach to fluffy marketing ploys, Hirons has the beauty industry listening intently and learning fast.
And so it should be. Not only has she successfully taken the stress and shame out of shopping for skincare for so many, but she has also spearheaded political campaigns that finally made the nation take the beauty industry seriously.
“Look for a decent cleanser and a decent SPF (as in, one you will wear). When it comes to cleansing, so many people are obsessed with face wipes, but itâs cutting cornersâjust wash your face properly. In an emergency, do what you have to do. But in general, a decent cleanser to wash your face with, a decent moisturiser and a decent SPF are the holy trinity. If I do nothing else, Iâm still good to go with just those three things.”
“You donât have to spend money on those three thingsâjust invest time in finding the right one. I typically spend the most on an SPF because I want an SPF50 and something that feels nice on my face and isnât clogging. My favourite SPFs of all time are Ultra Violette. I love Supreme Screen because itâs hydrating and you get a glow with it, but thereâs a mattifying one too (itâs my husbandâs favourite).
"One of my favourite cleansers of all time is The Ordinary Squalane. You canât go wrong. A cleanser is a cleanser, but that one is a great cleanser. When it comes to moisturiser, just a plain option from CeraVe is great.”
“Buying single-ingredient treatment serums is really complicated, so if youâre new to skincare, donât start there. Save your money and buy one sophisticated formula by a skincare brand (i.e., brands created by people who have training in skincare whose ultimate mission is to make your skin better). And when I say a sophisticated serum formula, I donât mean it has to be expensive. Iâd take a serum from Paulaâs Choice over a single-ingredient serum any day.”
“The moisturiser you should use is very much down to your age and skin type. Itâs also down to the weather. If itâs sunny out, go with something lighter. If itâs freezing cold outside and your cheeks are getting red, then you want a moisturiser with ceramides. Most moisturisers, unless youâre heavy-handed, will last a season. When the season changes, change your moisturiser.Â
"When I received Sunday Riley ICE Ceramide Moisturizing Cream, I noticed it smells of marzipan, and I hate marzipan, so I didnât use it. That was stupid because the smell dissipates really quickly, and itâs a beautiful formula. That one is great for winter, and for summer, Sunday Riley C.E.O. C+E Antioxidant Protect + Repair is great. Having said that, you can buy affordable moisturisers in the pharmacy. You donât have to go crazy.”
“I hate seeing those sucky tools on Instagram. I call them sucky machines because I want them to sound as stupid as they are. I get that people just want to put a machine on their face, but unless youâre in a clinic, look for something that canât do your skin harm if you overuse it. I donât believe in buying superfluous things that either do nothing or do damage.
"The Nuface is a good investment. It is a mixture of what we would do in facials and shows what you can achieve if you use electricals in a sophisticated way.”
“Other than SPF, of course. If youâre older, youâll appreciate a cream with ceramides and peptides. If youâre younger and youâre working in an urban environment, you smoke (donât), youâre partying every weekend or your diet could be better, you could use a vitamin C serum. If you have pigmentation, you can use targeted ingredients for that. But a have-to-have is so personal, and it depends entirely on your skin, your age and the condition of your skin. Iâm loath to be prescriptive.
"If youâre new to skincare, my Hall of Fame kits are a good place to start. Thereâs a Routine one that is great if youâre in doubt. The OGs Kit and The Heroes Kit are better suited to skincare lovers or people who can afford to dabble a bit more and extend their routines.”
Author Shannon Lawlor | Whowhatwear
Selected by CWC