I’M A DERMATOLOGIST and this is what I put on my face
Here’s how skin specialist Dr Alexis Granite, 47, keeps her complexion healthy and youthful looking
Two cleansers
I cleanse twice a day, using a cream-based product in the morning and a gel/foam formula at night. I like CeraVe Hydrating Cream-to-Foam Cleanser (€15, boots.ie) and Bioderma Hydrabio Moisturising Cleansing Milk (€14, mccauley.ie). In the evening I use Natura Bissé Oxygen Mousse (€25.80 sephora.com). It’s brilliant at removing make-up and oil but isn’t overly stripping.
Vitamin C serum
I always apply an antioxidant serum in the morning and right now I’m using the cult favourite of beauty editors SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic (€185, skinshop.ie).
I also like MediK8 Super C
Ferulic (€82. medik8.com).
Layered hydration
I prefer a mixture of Tatcha The Dewy Serum (€101, spacenk.com) and Augustinus Bader The Cream (€87, arnotts.ie). I know they are expensive, but this combination really works for me. The serum gently exfoliates and hydrates and the Bader cream is action-packed with peptides, as well as vitamins A and C. It also sits nicely under make-up.
A prescription cream
I use a prescription-strength retinoid called Ketrel at night, so I make sure not to apply any other actives then. When it comes to trying a retinoid, I suggest my clients start with an over-the-counter product. I always recommend SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3
Refining Night Cream (€85, southwilliamspa.com), a concentrated formula for ageing and blemish-prone skin, or
THE THREE BIGGEST SKIN MYTHS
NATURAL PRODUCTS ARE ALWAYS BETTER Actually, many contain botanical and essential oils that can cause skin sensitisation and dermatitis.
RETINOL THINS THE SKIN In fact, retinol stimulates collagen and elastin production over time and increases skin thickness.
TONERS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR A COMPLETE SKINCARE ROUTINE
I’m not a fan, as toners can strip away moisture from your skin and they have little added benefit.
Medik8 Intelligent Retinol Supercharged Vitamin A Serum (€39.40 feelunique.com).
Conservative tweakments I have Botox (from €380) and skin boosters (injectable moisturiser) such as Belotero Revive or Volite (from €1170) every four to six months. Once a year, I have a tiny bit of filler, which definitely has its place, but I use it very conservatively as you can easily overdo it. To address pigmentation, I’m planning to try the Moxi laser at my clinic (from €820, sarahchapman.com).
Non-negotiable sunscreen Mesoestetic is a great brand
– I really like its Melan 130 Pigment Control SPF (€70, drcolemanskinstore.ie).
I also rate La Roche-Posay Anthelios Anti-Shine Invisible Fresh Mist SPF 50 (boots.ie), which is good for easy reapplication.
Where to spend – and where to save
You can get away with a high-street moisturiser. I rate Avène Hydrance Aqua-Gel (€32.50, boots.ie) for acne-prone skin, La Roche-Posay Toleriane Sensitive Cream Moisturiser (€19.50, boots.ie) for sensitive skin and Beauty Pie Super Healthy Skin Daily Moisture Lotion (€17.55 for members, beautypie.com) for normal types.
Spend your money on the products containing active ingredients (vitamin C, niacinamide, retinol). In more expensive skincare brands, such as SkinCeuticals or Augustinus Bader, these are often at higher percentages, meaning they are more effective.
@lifesrosie @dralexisgranite
Sorry?
Cleavage for men. Fashion loves a portmanteau word.
I see. Is that a thing?
Very much so, as you’d know if you were up to speed on this year’s awards season.
Give me the highlights. Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan chose a plunging waistcoat in cream (right) for the premiere of his new series Masters of the Air.
Well done, Barry. So let’s talk about Masters of the Air.
And matching wide-leg trousers.
But about the TV series…
A fashionable thinker would be asking how low Barry’s waistcoat plunged.
Right. How low did it plunge? Midway between nipple and navel.
That’s optimal, is it?
An interesting question that I could answer in several ways.
I was afraid that might be the case.
To drill down into this trend…
Don’t feel you have to.
I must transport you back to early 90s Manhattan when the term ‘no pecs, no sex’ became the slogan for a gym created by former strongman David Barton.
I see. Did everyone want a Barton body back then?
That’s a moot point. The New York Times described him as ‘the man who made going to the gym cool’, while at the same time observing that his well-muscled frame ‘looks like a square’.
If we’re exploring chest-wigsthrough-the-ages, surely we must go back to Burt Reynolds. A rookie error.
What is?
Chest wigs are not part of this style equation. See, as evidence, the hairless he-vages at this year’s Golden Globes: Timothée Chalamet, Andrew Scott, Lenny Kravitz, Jeremy Allen White.
Anyway, you were still back in the early 90s.
Indeed, I was. Well-oiled chestfluencers like David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo bestrode the following two decades.
But those were naked torsos, not he-vages.
Do try not to interrupt or we’ll never get to 2024.
Go on, then.
This look morphed into the early 2010s low-cut T-shirts trend. As a fascinating nomenclature side note, back then the preferred spelling was ‘heavage’.
NEXT MONTH’S OSCARS COULD WELL BE A PARADE OF MALE NIPPLES
Fascinating.
In 2009 legendary fashion journalist Hilary Alexander tweeted from Paris Fashion Week: ‘Harper’s Bazaar’s Stephen Gan is working the new male cleavage in a low-cut T-shirt; it’s called “heavage”.’
So how is ‘he-vage’ different from ‘heavage’?
Glad you asked. This year’s he-vage is notably a take on formalwear.
For casual daywear, pair with a rollneck underneath and a blazer or tailored coat over the top. Unzip halfway and position the lapels over your outerwear for a statement collar. For a more glam take, team with a satin slip skirt or tailored wide-leg trousers and pointed boots or mules. A chunky gold chain necklace will highlight the flattering neckline. Keep it oversized not fitted. This knit needs a boxy and loose cut.
HHHLooking for a versatile knit that’s suitable for everything from Sunday lounging and outdoor walks to workwear and date night? Meet the half-zip jumper. This athleisure staple, seen on the catwalks of Isabel Marant and JW Anderson, has the right amount of detail to set it apart from a plain sweater, and it can be layered in myriad ways.