Our plant-based squalane cleanser
26 Sep
Skin care

Our plant-based squalane cleanser

It is no secret that my desert island product is without a shadow of a doubt, the Purifying Cleansing Beauty Cream. From the outset I had a very clear idea my mind – To create an effective cleanser that would also minimise the negative impact the act of cleansing has on our skin. I remember my tutor at the time questioning why I would choose to include such a huge dose of plant-based squalane in a product that rinses off. My reasoning was and still is that by using this coveted ingredient in such a high concentration restores our beneficial skin oil levels, which have been compromised during cleansing – Something that our skin is very grateful for! I’m extremely proud of our plant-based squalane cleanser and judging by the feedback we regularly receive, I know that it’s also much loved by the entire #twelvelovers community.

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Maskne: Breakouts caused by wearing masks
29 Aug
Skin care

Maskne: Breakouts caused by wearing masks

Rather than a new normal, I prefer to call it a new reality, as “normal” has very little to do with the current situation we’re all living at the moment. Over the last few months, due to the continuous use of masks and other PPE, many of us have started to suffer from seriously stressed-out skin – Redness, irritation, and what some are calling ‘maskne‘, breakouts caused by wearing masks. If for you the struggle with maskne is only too real right now, you’re not alone. Here are a few tips on how to get your skin back under control.

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Chemical Face Peels: A beginner’s guide
22 Aug
Skin care

Chemical Face Peels: A beginner’s guide

If we took a peek at times gone by, we’d realise that the use of exfoliating acids in skin care is nothing new. Cleopatra, Queen of Ancient Egypt regularly bathed in donkey’s milk, now known to be rich in lactic acid, while French women used aged wine that contains tartaric acid. Personally, I find chemical face peels quite harsh on the skin and I believe that the benefits they offer can be obtained by other means, but never the less they are very popular. Therefore, as quite a few of you have asked for my opinion on the matter, I’ve prepared a quick guide with their properties, dosage and uses.

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Nutritive Repair Emulsion after sun
15 Aug
Skin care

Why Nutritive Repair Emulsion is the ultimate after-sun treatment

Whilst the best “cure” for sunburn is to have avoided damaging your skin in the first place, applying after-sun can work wonders to cool down and soothe hot, angry skin. So, if you’ve been slacking on the sunscreen and you’re looking more lobster-like than bronzed goddess right now, look no further than your bottle of Nutritive Repair Emulsion for the ultimate after-sun treatment.

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The Exposome, and how it affects your skin health
24 Jul
Skin care

The Exposome and how it affects your skin health

The term “exposome” relates to all the exposures, either environmental or lifestyle, an individual is subjected to from birth to death. In other words, it’s the analysis of non-genetic risk factors (synthetic chemicals, dietary constituents, psychosocial stressors, and physical factors) and our corresponding biological responses. Therefore, unfortunately, even if you live on a paradise island in the middle of a (clean) ocean, this means that your environment could still be affecting you! So, are you ready to discover more about the exposome and how it affects your skin health? Let’s take a peek…

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Effects of Blue Light on Skin
31 Mar
Skin care

Digital Ageing: The effects of Blue Light on your skin

Did you know that screen time can have a detrimental effect on your skin’s health? Yes, that’s right, that screen you sit in front of all day at work and that much-loved smartphone which NEVER leaves your side (even more so now we’re on lockdown!), are both not just bad for your eyes but also for your skin as well. If you’re serious about preventing premature ageing, read on to find out why you need to protect yourself from the potential long-term effects of blue light on your skin and just how to go about it.

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15 Mar
Skin care

Understanding your skin microbiome

You could be forgiven for thinking that looking after your skin microbiome – your skin’s living protective layer – is just another beauty fad. But what if we told you it’s just as important as other valid skincare movements (peptides, stem cells, organic/natural/wild/aeroponic ingredients to name but a few…)? In fact, recent studies show just how crucial our cutaneous microbiome’s role is in skin health and why it shouldn’t be overlooked if we want a healthy, glowing complexion.

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06 Mar
Skin care

Micellar Water: The Truth

Hailed as a the ultimate one-stop practical cleanser that’s readily available everywhere, micellar water is seemingly a god-send for many…But if we press pause for a minute and actually think about it, do we really know what it’s made from and how it works? And more importantly, the effect it’s prolonged use can have on our skin (if any)? So you can make up your own mind, here I am to help you understand the science behind this apparent ‘must-have’ beauty product…

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07 Feb
Skin care

Facial serums, choose the best for your skin

Why your skin needs a good serum? Back in the days when I was still formulating the Twelve Beauty range, I knew that facial serums would play a pivotal part in the line-up. Why? Because I believe that they are an essential step in our daily skincare routine. Aiming for rapidly absorbing serum formulas packed with high concentrations of active ingredients, I wanted not only immediate visible results but long-lasting ones too. The philosophy behind the Twelve Beauty collection was after all to keep skin healthier for longer.

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Rosacea Skincare Guide
25 Jan
Skin care

The Ultimate Rosacea Skincare Guide

Struggling with sensitive skin that’s prone to extreme redness and inflammation? Plagued by the constant feeling of burning or stinging skin that is likened to having sun or wind burn all the time? If your highly reactive complexion has left you desperate for relief yet you don’t know where to start, read on to discover our top skincare hacks for this super sensitive skin type…

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Keeping your skin glowing in winter
17 Jan
Skin care

Winter Proof Your Skin

Keeping your skin glowing and feeling healthy during these cold months can be a challenge. If you live in a part of the world that experiences cold weather, you’ll know that falling temperatures combined with indoor heating and strong winds can all wreak havoc on your skin. A compromised barrier function, loss of moisture and a heightened sensitivity all leaves us with a dull and lifeless complexion which longs for a supportive skin care routine.

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08 Dec
Skin care

A Postcard From San Francisco

It is no secret that I have a soft spot for San Francisco, one of the most iconic cities in the US. Back in the mid 90’s, when I was introduced to the Armistead Maupin books, I became increasingly eager to visit the city. I always had a great imagination, so his books were the best way of escapism when I felt a bit overwhelmed at university.

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The Importance of Reformulating
14 May
Skin care

The Importance of Reformulating

When you marry botanical extracts and technology you are in for a rewarding skincare treat, this combination undeniably feeds the skin with functional ingredients that are both, effective and safe. Right now, some innovative raw material companies are shaking up the industry by launching new ingredients, which are the epitome of soft power, gentle to the skin yet highly performing.

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28 Apr
Skin care

Is the skincare “mini-fridge” worth it?

It’s not a totally straightforward answer, but I’m inclined to say no. Skincare products are designed to be stored at room temperature. However, before they launch new products, reputable manufacturers undertake several tests in skincare fridges to assess the stability of the new product. One of the tests is to leave a sample in a fridge (4C) and observe the behaviour, changes of colour, precipitation of ingredients and a range of other variations over 3 to 6 months.

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10 Feb
Skin care

Which ingredients to look out for during pregnancy

I have received many emails lately regarding which products are suitable to treat some skin issues during pregnancy, especially, which ingredients to look out for. For this reason, I decided to dedicate today’s post to share all the information I know about this subject.

How to deal with stretch marks:

To prevent them I recommend the following oils, wheat germ, avocado, St John Wort and sweet almond. These oils, increase the softness and elasticity of the skin. They are also very soothing and are able to stimulate the production of fibroblasts (connective tissue cells). Other key ingredients include, ginseng, ivy, horsetail, horse chestnut, centella and echinacea. Also the massage is as important as the actual product or the oil we use.

Once the stretch marks are formed are more difficult to get rid off, but not impossible.

How to deal with hyperpigmentation:

The most common hyperpigmentation case is called melasma, known also as “pregnancy mask” due to the aspect of the dark patches across the face or “moustache” if it appears above the upper lip. It usually fades away, right after giving birth.  To prevent, but also to treat, the following ingredients work wonders: mallow, Yarrow, Peppermint, Heath speedwell, Lemon balm, Cucumber, Primula, Buddleja, Lady’s mantle, niacinamide (at least 5%)

Sometimes a vertical line across your abdomen, called “linia nigra” appears, however it fades post-partum.

How to deal with acne:

In an ideal world, it would help to keep your acne under control before pregnancy as it could get worse later on. So if you are thinking of getting pregnant the following ingredients should be part of your routine: panthenol (decreases sebum), vitamin E (avoids the oils secreted from the sebaceous glands to go rancid, linoleic acid (keeps a healthy balanced skin). Also, I always recommend to use a toner, which have usually lowers the pH of the skin, by using this, it avoids bacteria proliferation as they prefer to live in more alkaline (higher pH) environments.

Once you are pregnant and acne appears, I personally like a combination of clay masks together with soothing ingredients such as aloe vera, chamomile and sebum-like jojoba oil. The use of exfoliating acids is strictly discouraged.

How to deal with itchy skin:

It is a very common symptom linked to high levels of oestrogens. It usually appears without a rash.

Incorporating ingredients such as bisabolol, allantoin, calendula oil, squalane, oat, chamazulene, rice oil or ruscus aculeatus extract will bring temporary relief.

03 Sep
Skin care

How pollution affects skin

According to the World Health Organisation the urban population in 2016 accounts for almost 58% of the total global population, up from 34% in 1960.  Little wonder that pollution seems to be the word that appears in every beauty chat across the globe. Despite the hype, it is not a new marketing strategy; pollution, unfortunately, affects the skin.

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