Beauty brains/the manual

Online skin consultations and DIY haircuts

Lisa Armstrong tries a skin consultation – and new beauty routine – via Insta

Never mind Alanis Morissette’s thoughts, I’ll tell you what’s ironic – conducting a Zoom interview about the power of a simple morning skincare regimen when you’re still in your pyjamas, skincare to the four winds.

The interview was with Arabella Preston, the dewy skinned co- founder of Votary, a gorgeous British beauty company specialising in pure plant oils. It was the first day of what one wag on social media has described as ‘our free 30-day trial of communism’, and normal schedules were being ripped up. Work days were kicking into nerve-jangling action the moment many of us woke. WFH was essentially Working From Bed.

Big mistake. If you don’t carve out even 10 minutes for yourself at the start of your day, you’re going to feel ropey and unvalued. You’ll also look un-together for those video meetings and chance encounters with the mirror. Don’t diss the mirror by the way: it’s your most honest barometer right now of how you’re doing.

I’m talking about what you do even before you get on the mat or go for that walk – cleanse, tone and nourish. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but if you can imbue it with a sense of indulgence as well as necessity, well then, two birds and one stone.

‘The closer you do the routine to waking up, the more beneficial, because it sets your intentions for the entire day ahead, and also because it’s at least eight hours since you last moisturised your skin,’ Preston tells me on our live Insta session. (All these whizzy new video platforms we’ve discovered in the past few weeks are one upside of all this – plus a major incentive to groom. Computer and phone cameras are savage.)

Anyone can book a free video consultation with the Votary team (email skincare@ votary.co.uk). I found it informative and reassuring. ‘People clearly enjoy the contact,’ says Preston. ‘We tend to go way beyond the allocated 10-minute slot.’

While the products Preston recommends vary, the process doesn’t. ‘Cleansing is the most important step,’ she says. She loves a cleansing oil – as do I, because you can use it to massage. If you have a bit more time, @facegym offers live masterclasses on its Instagram stories. I tried one and it was amazing for removing tension from the jaw, neck and shoulders. All that, plus glowy, sculpted skin. A good routine for evenings.

After the cleanse, pop on some hyaluronic acid and maybe an active serum, with peptides – Votary’s Superseed Serum (£75) is a blend of 33 non-synthetic oils that works for those who can’t tolerate essential oils. Then a moisturiser and lastly Trish Mcevoy’s Illuminate Cream, which calms skin and imparts the perfect degree of groom-to-zoom glow.

This is luxury end of the market but, if you can afford it, it’s worth it for the mood lift and potency. I’ve also discovered a fledgling, Norfolk-based, vegan, cruelty-free line called Q+A that looks particularly promising for young skins – nothing’s over £12. The Super Food Facial Oil (below) feels very hydrating. Not all indulgences have to be expensive. They just have to be routine.