“What is the best skincare product you have ever used?” This is the question I posed to the Vogue editorial team. It’s not an easy one to answer. It’s a big ask that really got the editors scratching their heads. I want to know the ones they’ll replace for a straight swap. The ones they’ll cut open and eke out every last drop. The ones they’ll ration just to make them last that extra bit longer.
“A good skincare product supports and enhances skin health and optimises the appearance of the skin,” Dr Emma Wedgeworth, consultant dermatologist for AxisBiotix, tells us succinctly.
The skincare industry is constantly evolving, and new formulas are revealed each and every day. Which are the ones that transcend the notion of trend and have remained stalwarts since their launch? Keep scrolling to find out.
- What are the biggest misconceptions people have about “best” skincare products?
- Are expensive skincare products usually better than affordable options?
- What are the essential skincare products for each skin type?
- What ingredients do you consider must-haves?
- How should consumers layer active ingredients safely?
- Are natural or clean ingredients always better?
- What signs should you look for to know if a product isn’t working?
- How long should you try a product before judging its effectiveness?
Why it’s Vogue-approved: “In my job as Vogue’s senior beauty shopping writer, testing products is my bread and butter, and skincare is my passion, so choosing just one product as my holy grail is nothing short of impossible. However, when it comes to one of the only formulas I will reuse over and over again without guilt that I should be trying something new, it has to be Elemis’ Pro-Collagen Green Cleansing Balm. There is an array of scents, and I’ve road-tested each one. I adore the rose, but the green fig is my favourite. The sumptuous scent is a real treat come AM or PM, while the balm texture is luxurious and nourishing on the complexion.” – Ellie Davis, senior beauty shopping writer
Why it’s Vogue-approved: “It just delivers,” says Vogue’s beauty director Funmi Fetto. “It gives you the skin that you’ve always dreamt of. I don’t subscribe to perfect skin, but this serum helps to give you your best skin. Whenever I look tired, I layer it on, and it’s immediately glowing.”
Why it’s Vogue-approved: “A friend once said, should she ever need to describe me to the police, she would include the fact that I’d probably be using, carrying or otherwise engaged with a lip balm – that’s how addicted I am to them,” says Vogue’s beauty and wellness editor, Morgan Fargo. “There’s one that I keep in the car, my bedside drawer, my handbag and my emergency stash: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. It’s thick and unctuous with a formula largely unchanged since Miss Arden first released it in 1930 and for good reason – it’s the best. A blend of petrolatum, salicylic acid and vitamin E, the ‘skin protectant’ sorts out dry, scruffy lips in one night’s wear and works well around the nose for flaky skin after a cold. She’s perfect and I love her.”
Why it’s Vogue-approved: “Having to pick your favourite skincare product ever created is, I imagine, a little bit like choosing a favourite child,” explains associate beauty and wellness writer Ranyechi Udemezue. “With that said, Sarah Chapman’s Rapid Radiance Cleanse has been my holy grail gentle exfoliator for well over a year. Recommended to me by a facialist at their clinic in Chelsea, it is infused with lactic acid and salicylic acid to declog your pores and remove any lingering debris, all while keeping my skin barrier healthy, plump and nourished with essential fatty acids.”
Why it’s Vogue-approved: “How do I love thee Glow Screen? Let me count the ways,” Vogue’s shopping editor Joy Montgomery rhapsodises. “Whether you wear it by itself or as a primer under make-up, Glow Screen is essentially a lightly tinted SPF that instantly makes you look like you’ve just landed from a week’s wellness retreat. I’m not usually a fan of tinted skincare products – it’s so easy for the shade to be off or any shimmer to translate as ‘extra terrestrial’ rather than ‘It-girl’ – however, Supergoop’s formulation (which comes in four shades) blends in seamlessly, just leaving the subtlest sheen for that sought-after “your skin but better” finish.”
Why it’s Vogue-approved: “This year I wanted to ditch my daily makeup-no-makeup look, and instead focus on making more time in my routine for skincare,” shopping producer Mia Portet tells us. “Which has, so far, helped me narrow down my edit of the products to a small range that genuinely deliver the results they promise, and help me feel confident in going barefaced on a daily basis. Most of which, for me, is reliant on a good moisturising serum. I've been using SkinCeuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier Multi-Glycan as a part of my evening skincare routine religiously for the around a month now, and I think this may well be the best serum out there. It’s lightweight yet deeply hydrating, with skin plumping qualities that, when combined with my LED mask makes for the best skin texture and brightness I’ve ever had.”
Why it’s Vogue-approved: “Since Vogue contributor Hannah Coates recommended I try Klira a couple of months ago, the innumerable serums, toners, exfoliants, boosters, essences, gels, lotions, creams and sheet masks lining my bathroom shelves now serve largely as decoration,” says fashion news editor Daniel Rodgers. “Founded by dermatologist Dr Emma Craythorne, Klira is a data-driven, medical-grade, personalised skincare service offering just two products: The Special, a bespoke prescription night formula, and Dayscript, a simple moisturiser-SPF hybrid for mornings. The process begins with a questionnaire and a (quite confronting, really) photo upload, before its team of dermatologists funnels you into one of 12 different ‘skin sizes,’ based on how your skin behaves. From there, you’re sent a formula – judiciously tailored to your specific needs – each month. I’m told it works on skin health and resilience at a cellular level, rather than simply papering over the cracks, and I cannot overstate how much my skin has genuinely, actually changed.”
Why it’s Vogue-approved: “La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5+ Repairing Balm is my go-to and do-it-all product for a multitude of concerns or issues – no exaggeration,” says Vogue’s director of content planning, Milly Tritton. “It’s non-greasy, hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, which is heaven for my combination skin. Over the years, as I’ve balanced exfoliating and treatments such as microneedling and peels, it’s helped the repair process, and at least once a week, I use it overnight as a mask to support my skin barrier.”
Why it’s Vogue-approved: “I'm no beauty expert, but I know it’s no mean feat to be able to use exactly the same skincare as part of your pregnancy and postpartum skincare regimen,” Laura Hawkins, Vogue’s fashion features and jewellery editor, explains. “But Emma Lewisham’s sustainability-focused products, which place natural, Australia and New Zealand-sourced ingredients at the fore, are suitable for any stage of pregnancy, however anxious you may be about what actives or abrasives you're applying to your face. My ultimate hero is the Illuminating Exfoliant, a sublime resurfacing treatment that is non-drying, non-stripping and leaves your skin feeling fresh, revived and radiant (even after back-to-back nights of no sleep). A year on post-baby, with slightly more sleep, I’m still relishing its reinvigorating effects.”
FAQs
What are the biggest misconceptions people have about the best skincare products?
Consultant dermatologist Dr Emma Wedgeworth tells us that people fail to consider the bigger picture. “Skincare is not just about creams,” she stresses. “Looking after your skin health needs an inside-out approach. Diet, lifestyle and a healthy gut are all very important, and probiotic supplements such as AxisBiotix can be very helpful to complement a skincare routine.” She also advises managing expectations and being cautious that just because something works for someone, it may not always work for you. “There is no one ‘wonder’ product,” she believes. “We need to find products that suit our own skin’s physiology.”
Are expensive skincare products usually better than affordable options?
Dr Wedgeworth says this is another common misconception – “You can find great products at many different price points and price does not directly correlate with efficacy.”
What are the essential skincare products for each skin type?
While it’s often the case that different skin types have different needs – be it dry, oily, combination, sensitive or acne-prone – some crucial steps will suit all the above. “All skin types need to get the basics right,” the dermatologist tells us. “Cleanse, moisturise and protect with sunscreen.”
However, what to look for within those categories is skin type-dependent. The derm breaks it down:
- “For sensitive skin, I use cream-based, gentle cleansers.
- For oilier skins, I’ll advise a gel-based or even foaming cleanser. Moisturisers for oily skin will be lighter lotions or gels.
- For dry skin, richer creams or balms are required to trap water in the skin to optimise hydration.”
What steps to add throughout are to solve common concerns. “Those with dry, sensitive skin may need to layer a hydrating serum to boost barrier function and balance the microbiome,” she adds. While “For oily, acne-prone skin, salicyclic acid is useful either as a leave-on gel or in cleansers, as it helps regulate sebum production and unclog pores.”
What ingredients do you consider must-haves?
No matter your skin type and come rain or shine, SPF is essential. “Broad spectrum UV filters which cover the UVB, UVA and visible light part of the electromagnetic spectrum are one of the best ways to prevent damage and future proof the skin,” the skin expert explains.
She also waxes lyrical about components to support the skin barrier, namely “ingredients like ceramides, niacinamide and ectoin,” which she says, “are great ways of reinforcing the skin barrier – the outer layer of our skin which is essential for protection and hydration.”
While skin-protecting, glow-giving antioxidants like vitamin C will “help to protect against environmental damage from pollution and other free radicals.”
How should consumers layer active ingredients safely?
“Don’t overload your skin,” Dr Emma Wedgeworth stresses. “Pick one or two ingredients and use them regularly. The order of your products can depend on the consistency – I tend to go with lighter products first, although your sunscreen is always your last step in the morning (before any make-up). I’ll often use vitamin C in a serum, which goes on in the morning, first thing after cleansing. Retinol is always used at night because it's unstable in sunlight and increases sun sensitivity. Ensure each layer is touch-dry before applying the next product.”
Are natural or clean ingredients always better?
First and foremost, the term ‘clean’ is highly unregulated in the industry and doesn’t have a clear definition. What’s more, “Whilst some naturally occurring ingredients can be very beneficial, many natural or plant-based extracts can be highly irritating to the skin,” Dr Wedgeworth adds. “We want products to be physiological – i.e. respect the natural biology of the skin.”
What signs should you look for to know if a product isn’t working?
“Skincare products should enhance the skin, so if you’re using a product and your skin isn’t looking better over time, it’s probably not for you,” advises the derm.“There are some caveats to this – for example, some actives like retinoids can take a few months to see the benefits. Skincare should not produce severe reactions, so anything that is causing significant irritation should be stopped immediately.”
How long should you try a product before judging its effectiveness?
The expert says this is specific to the product in question. “With cleansers, moisturisers and sunscreens, you should be able to work out how they suit your skin within a couple of weeks”. Whereas when it comes to active ingredients (retinoids, azelaic acid, etc.), “it can take up to three months to see the benefits.”