How I silenced my inner critic
With so many products out there, finding the right skincare regime is more elusive than ever. Beauty expert Ingeborg van Lotringen says it’s time to get back to basics
FASHION COLUMNIST AND INFLUENCER JOANNE HEGARTY
You know the voice. It’s the one that pops into your head when you’re thinking about wearing your new skirt. You love it and it fits perfectly. But here comes that wretched voice again, sneaking in out of nowhere and whispering: ‘You can’t wear that – your bum is too big and you’re too old.’ That voice loves nothing more than squishing life’s joys. Experts call it your ‘inner critic’ – and it’s something women listen to far more than men.
I’ve now given mine a different name – Doris – and, strangely, this makes it much easier to ignore her. Every time Doris butts in on my day, I tell her sharply: ‘Not now, Doris.’ And – poof! – she disappears off to make someone else’s life a misery. Stamping out Doris has been transformative – and here’s what else has been perking up my 2022…
1
A red lip. In January and February nothing cheers like a swipe of red lipstick. It’s the most effortless way to look glamorous and pulled together. My current favourite is from Nars and called Inappropriate Red. I like it for its hydration and flattering tone. Gwyneth Paltrow was on to something when she said: ‘Beauty is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kickass red lipstick.’
2
90s chic. Talking of Gwyneth, I’ve been re-watching her movies for her sleek outfits. A Perfect Murder and Great Expectations are my favourites. Her all-green Donna Karan cardigan and slinky skirt in the latter remain unbeatable. Out of curiosity, I popped into her Goop store when I was in New York recently. It was filled with a carefully curated clothing line, beauty products and scented candles with eye-popping names such as
This Smells Like My Orgasm. I felt a little self-conscious sniffing them in the store. But I did buy some Goop Glow Moisturiser which has been working a treat.
3
Warm texture duos. Fashion-wise I’ve been mixing leather skirts and trousers with cashmere to create a luxe look. And I’m keeping the sparkle until spring – my favourite sequined skirt isn’t just for Christmas.
4
Samantha’s lucky escape. Something I haven’t enjoyed as much as I’d hoped is the
Sex And The City reboot And Just Like That. I find it preachy and the characters have lost their joy. No wonder Samantha fled to London.
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It’s hard to say just when skincare got so complicated. Way back when, you could trust a ‘beauty’ soap and a fancy moisturiser to do your bidding. Today, the skincare aisle is a pick ’n’ mix of weird and wonderful concoctions, all promising the world.
It’s making us binge on lotions and potions, trialling one after the other in pursuit of that elusive perfect skin. I should know: in my 25 years as a beauty journalist I’ve put practically all of them on my face. I learned the hard way that the quick thrill of rubbing in another wonder serum is followed all too often by irritation or spots, then another batch of products to ‘solve the problem’.
With rates of acne, rosacea and dermatitis steadily increasing, dermatologists say the prime suspect is hiding in plain sight: product mis- and overuse. So I wrote my book Great Skin to use my experience – and access to the beauty industry’s sharpest minds – to help people fix this dysfunctional relationship with skincare.
Yes, there are more amazing products than ever, but to know which will benefit you, you need to reacquaint yourself with your own skin. It’s different to anyone else’s and its requirements change – sometimes daily. So it’s no use throwing another person’s ‘miracle’ regime at it.
If in any doubt as to what you need, you should strip back to the basics (much as you would with a food intolerance) and rebuild your regime from there. A no-frills, respectful skincare regime will teach you to listen to your skin and respond to its needs, now and always.
That is the key to great skin. And these are the eight skin reset rules I swear by…
I learned the hard way that overuse leads to problems