Caroline Hirons Meet the new must-have skincare kits

Beauty lovers, pay attention. Everyone’s favourite skincare expert Caroline Hirons launches her new skincare edit this week – and it’s set to sell out…

THERE ARE

beauty boxes. And then there are Caroline Hirons skincare Kits. More specifically, the Hall of Fame Kits that the beauty world’s favourite straight-talking skincare expert is set to launch this week: three collections of 21 products the globally qualified aesthetician turned beauty guru has tried, tested, used and adored. ‘They’re all performance-driven, game-changing products that I wouldn’t be without,’ says Caroline.

If you know and follow Caroline on social media, you’ll be aware these curated Kits are set for instant sellout status. If you don’t, this is a woman whose Hall of Fame Experience in Covent Garden last month, granting ticket holders early access to Kits, sold out in 20 seconds. (The ‘Skincare Freaks’ broke Eventbrite in the process.)

So how do you become so adored you can sell tickets as quickly as Beyoncé? ‘It was totally by accident,’ she says. ‘I was one of the first beauty personalities on Twitter and I decided to post about skincare – it was what I knew.’ Caroline was consulting at the time and started her beauty blog on the side. Notoriety was not something she anticipated. ‘I was in the right place at the right time,’ she says. ‘I was older, qualified and had contacts in the industry.’

Her now 1m (and counting) loyal followers on Instagram, Youtube and her ‘Skincare Freaks’ group on Facebook would say her success is down to more than just being one of the first. Caroline’s fans, who range from Boomers to Gen Z, and from skincare maximalists to minimalists, love her no-nonsense advice. ‘I don’t lie to them,’ explains Caroline. ‘I’ve never once tried to sell them something I don’t like, and I never do an ad for the sake of it. I’m very open.’ Even early on, Caroline refused to edit out the real stuff, like when she had to bellow at her sons to ‘shut up!’ because she was filming for her Youtube channel. In a sea of perfect and polished content, it’s something viewers find refreshing and relish. ‘I have no interest in seeming perpetually immaculate and I have no poker face. I can’t pretend,’ she says.

It’s no surprise then that when Caroline’s book Skincare: The Ultimate No-nonsense Guide hit the shelves last year, it became the best-selling beauty title of all time. But given this is a woman who has said that when it comes to beauty, one size can never fit all, how has she gone about curating skincare Kits for the masses? ‘The only blanket skincare advice you can give is to wear an SPF,’ she says. ‘So I didn’t look at these Kits as routines for different people. Instead, I started by brainstorming the products most associated with my blog and suddenly I had more than 20.’ Then, with a view to making her recommendations accessible and affordable, the products were split into three Kits. The reason? ‘Don’t credit card skincare. Live within your means,’ she cautions.

Despite now being a bona fide brand herself, Caroline makes little attempt to conceal her nerves ahead of the Hall of Fame Kits debut. ‘I’m always nervous,’ she admits. ‘It’s far easier to appear on This Morning and speak to millions of people than it is for me to launch a product.’ Anxious she may be, but given her sellout track record, if anyone should be anxious it’s those desperate to get their hands on one of her Kits. AKA, everyone.