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Simple steps to make skin good to glow

‘I would like my skin to look dull and flat,’ said no one ever. The desire for glowy skin is universal. In an ideal world – one where we are back at work and everyone has access to their aestheticians – you achieve your glow with a great facialist (Jasmina Vico, Dija Ayodele and Pfeffer Sal are three favourites). The DIY route? A skincare routine with vitamin C and exfoliators (I prefer acids over scrubs) and clever makeup (Ferragamo SS21): dewy foundation, highlighter for top of the cheeks, brow bone, and cupid bow – and glossy lips. You’re good to glow.

1. Sensai Total Lip Gloss £37, harrods.com
2. Westman Atelier Lit Up Highlight Stick £44, selfridges.com
3. Anastasia Beverly Hills Diamond Lip Gloss £20, selfridges.com
4. Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Skincaring Foundation £32, elizabetharden.com
5. BBB Tinted Brow Styling Gel
£21, blinkbrowbar.com

I can’t do without… A good-value, gentle cleanser that helps keep skin balanced

I read recently that K Beauty (products from South Korea, which shot into the mainstream a few years back) is no longer ‘on trend’. What a silly statement. With skincare, trends are irrelevant. You either have a product that works or one that doesn’t. This cleanser definitely works. Cos Rx is one of the most popular K Beauty brands, known for formulations that are gentle as well as innovative; many of its products use snail mucin to hydrate, repair and tighten skin. The squeamish needn’t be concerned: this cleanser doesn’t contain snail slime. However, it is pH balanced, so cleanses brilliantly without stripping your skin. In many ways, this is just as progressive as the snail mucin because not enough brands think about it. Korean skincare brands take pH levels seriously. Experts will tell you that a healthy skin pH (it stands for ‘potential of hydrogen’, essentially a measure of acid levels) is around 5.5. If this is disrupted – by products or environmental factors – your skin goes into a tailspin, and you might see an over-production of oil, irritation, acne, eczema, or premature ageing. So this low-pH gel – infused with antibacterial tea tree oil, making it particularly excellent for oilier skins and anyone susceptible to breakouts – not only gives you a great cleanse, it does so without destroying your skin. As far as I’m concerned, that will always be on trend. Cos Rx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser, £13.99, boots.com

On my radar… Three hero products for all types of hair

Cut and dried George Northwood is the London hairstylist A-listers have on speed dial. But you can get the Northwood expertise at home with his brilliant new line of haircare products and appliances. George Northwood Blow Dry It Hairdryer, £65, boots.com

Hydration hero This cult hair treatment is a bestseller and delivers intense conditioning to all hair types. Its latest iteration, with jasmine and mandarin, smells divine. Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Therapies, £22, philipkingsley.co.uk

Curl saver For curly and coily hair types who find regular shampooing drying, this avocado and coconut- infused cleanser – a shampoo-conditioner hybrid – is a dream. Only Curls Cleansing Co Wash, £8, onlycurls.com

Follow Funmi on Twitter @FunmiFetto