In my opinion, if there’s one area of the beauty industry that has the most conflicting advice and is shrouded in confusion, it’s skincare. With the rise of TikTok content, we’ve never had more access to information. And while it’s great that this abundance of advice is at our fingertips, that information can quickly become overwhelming—or even just not right for our own individual skincare needs. The drive to keep up with the latest viral products , the arrival of new launches and buzzy new ingredients each week means that we’re trying out more and more skincare products on the regular, and this mixing and matching isn’t so great for our skin. Take it from me. In my job as a beauty editor (where I’m lucky to have access to new launches) my complexion has been compromised by testing too many products after being seduced by clever marketing and pretty packaging. I’ve learnt that the allure of trying something new every single week does not do any favours for my sensitive skin.
Needless to say, it’s also about who we get our information from on our FYP, as well as what they’re advising. Anyone can declare themselves a skincare expert online, and while they may be well-meaning, I prefer to get my advice from the pros who are qualified to share advice and know their stuff. Think dermatologists, doctors, nutritionists and facialists—those experts who have dedicated years of study to their craft and see a variety of complexions day in, day out, and know the evidence-based research that can de-bunk skincare myths that often run rife online.
With that in mind, I decided to approach the professionals to talk through the only skincare trends you need to know that will truly help you achieve your healthiest skin yet. Scroll ahead for the expert-backed tips, advice and products that your skin will thank you for.
Skincare Trends 2024
1. Anti-Inflammatory Skincare
Surprise, surprise—modern life isn’t so great for our skin health. Stress, UV rays, pollution and high sugar diets are just a handful of the factors that can cause inflamed skin. But why is inflammation bad for our skin?
“Inflammation is the root cause of much of the body and skin’s dysfunction and disease, and inflammatory influences are everywhere,” says Dr Barbara Sturm. “Everything we ingest or touch, including the air and the water, contains inflammatory triggers. Inflammation is the body’s response to irritation and injury and a primary trigger for acne, premature aging, redness, enlarged pores, and other skin disease and dysfunction including psoriasis, rosacea and perioral dermatitis,” she says.
From the overuse of harsh skincare ingredients combined with other lifestyle factors, many of our complexions are feeling compromised and more sensitive than ever. “We are bombarded every day with inflammatory influences, and they include everything from harsh skincare ingredients to UVA and UVB rays, tailpipe emissions, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, high stress levels, and consuming an inflammatory diet like sugar, fried foods and processed meats,” says Dr Sturm.
Although we can only control our environment so much, there are ways we can mitigate skin inflammation. “If we learn what the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory influences are, we can adjust our lifestyle accordingly and it will have both an immediate and long-term effect on skin aging and your overall health,” she says. “I advise against an approach deploying aggressive acids like retinol and harsh skincare ingredients because they destroy rather than repair the skin matrix and promote inflammation, weakening your skin and making it vulnerable,” adds Dr Sturm. “The goal with skincare is to soothe and reduce inflammation, not cause it, and skincare should never cause any discomfort. If your skin feels comfortable, hydrated and isn’t experiencing irritation, redness or dysfunction, that is a hallmark of effective skincare.”
Look to barrier boosting skincare such as ceramides along with skincare that supports the skin’s microbiome for skin that’s cool, calm and glowing.
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Dr Barbara Sturm
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