The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - The Telegraph Magazine
Beauty brains Annabel Jones
Remember ‘cleanse, tone, moisturise’? Now do it Rihanna-style
I remember the good old days when Clinique’s three-step routine was as complicated as skincare got. Now we’re hooked on the idea that layering products is the answer to a better complexion. Serums, oils, essences, AHAS, BHAS, retinols, vitamin C, peptides, hyaluronic acid… you name it, we pile it on hoping for supermodel skin – and I’m one of the worst offenders. The aforementioned are all worthy ingredients, by the way, but it’s time to get real: we don’t need them all at once. And if you don’t believe me, just ask Rihanna.
The singer turned founder of groundbreaking make-up line Fenty Beauty has recently launched Fenty Skin with just one cleanser, a toner and a moisturiser. In Riri’s own words, she wanted skincare that feels approachable, easy and takes the pressure out of choosing a routine – and the last thing we need in 2020 is more pressure.
As you would hope, all three are pleasant to use, but the toner is the real hero for me.
The curiously named Fat Water has all the targeted benefits of a serum, as many toners do these days. Its viscous consistency means you can apply it without a cotton pad (clever) to hydrate and soften your skin ready for moisturiser.
As Riri points out, a toner is not there to merely mop up leftover dirt (if that’s happening, you’re not cleansing properly); it’s there to exfoliate, tighten pores and/or soften in preparation for your next step. In fact, it has occurred to me that if Rihanna hadn’t brought toner back into fashion, I wouldn’t be celebrating the re-emergence of my glow, which has resurfaced since using this in place of the multiple elixirs I was previously invested in. I’m back down to just three products. And though I’m a long way off Rihanna’s immaculate visage, she’s definitely on to something. Below are five more highperformers worth your time.