After nearly six years, over 300 product reviews and countless magazine pages, the time has come for me to turn the page on Regime Skin Care. On November 9th, Beauty Portfolio and this blog will officially bid farewell and go offline. When I first launched this space, it was born out of a very specific need. I was undergoing TCHP chemotherapy for stage 3 inflammatory breast cancer. I needed something to occupy my mind and give me purpose. Back then, skincare and makeup were s

I can readily recall thinking — and possibly even publishing — that the Revolution Beauty skincare offering was somewhat of an anomaly. It certainly felt like a secondary focus for a brand predominantly celebrated for its high-impact makeup collections. Well, I retract the sentiment entirely. Because guess whose skincare has taken pride of place on my dressing table? What initially turned my head was Revolution’s new Korean-influenced serum range. Reasonably priced yet intell

Historically, I have been something of a vitamin C skeptic, often finding niacinamide to be the far more reliable workhorse for my skin. However, when it comes to actively dismantling hyperpigmentation and correcting stubborn dullness, one formula has completely overturned my bias: the Sunday Riley CEO Vitamin C Serum. It is by no means a budget buy, and I’ll admit I only acquired it as part of Cult Beauty’s ‘First Class Edit’. In hindsight, that collection was an exceptional

High-tech topical skincare is no longer an elusive luxury reserved for clinical treatments; advanced, high-performance serums are readily accessible over the counter. Sitting right at the forefront of this space is Medik8 Liquid Peptides. Formulated as a weightless, crystal-clear fluid, it relies on a high-concentration 30% multi-peptide complex aimed at correcting structural skin decline. It has built a dedicated following among skincare enthusiasts and boasts glowing press

PLouise quite literally went wild for a recent launch, unleashing a limited edition Cheetah collection on an audience hungry for something, shall we say, a little more ‘adult’-looking. The cult brand’s offering was rightly hailed an instant success - and not just for the eye-catching animal print packaging. As I found out, this is a collection that delivers above and beyond for its price point. So, what did I buy and how do I rate the products? Before we break down the produ

We spend years — not to mention an eye-watering fortune — developing meticulous facial skincare routines. We dab on high-tech eye creams, layer potent serums and religiously apply SPF as if our lives depended on it. Yet, there is one part of our bodies that works relentlessly from dawn until dusk, faces the elements, day in, day out, with zero protection and very often tells a completely different story about our journey through life: our hands. So why is hand care so low on

When a South Korean skincare formula goes viral on TikTok, I’m usually the first to look past the flashy marketing and head straight for the ingredient list. But then Medicube NAD EGF Firming Serum for Face & Neck was launched — promising to tackle elasticity loss, ‘tech neck’ and cellular sluggishness with powerful growth factors — and I knew I had to test it myself. If you’ve been wondering whether this high-tech bottle actually lives up to the hype or if it’s just another

In the complex space of modern cosmetic science, few topical ingredients have retained enduring clinical interest quite like copper peptides. Frequently marketed as a gentle alternative to traditional retinoids, copper tripeptide-1 (specifically GHK-Cu) occupies a unique position in aesthetic dermatology. Rather than relying on controlled irritation to force cellular turnover, copper peptides act as bioactive signal molecules, supporting the skin's natural repair pathways, i

The end of summer brings cooler weather, but it often leaves behind a hidden souvenir: sun-damaged skin. Months of exposure to UV radiation, elevated heat, humidity, air conditioning, and swimming pool chemicals can leave your skin barrier compromised, dehydrated and uneven in tone. Think you don’t need post-summer skin recovery advice? As European summers become progressively hotter and heatwaves more prolonged, the seasonal toll on our skin is noticeably increasing. Address

If you have spent any time scrolling through dermatological feeds, reading clinical beauty journals, or inspecting the latest formulation launches, you will have noticed, like I have, a distinct shift in the industry's collective focus. For years, single-molecule hydrating agents — namely hyaluronic acid — held an unchallenged monopoly over consumer routines. Yet, search traffic and clinical interest reveal a fascinating pivot: skincare enthusiasts are increasingly looking pa

Search trends don't usually impress me. But when an ingredient logs a 500% increase in search volume over a single year, I feel professionally obliged to pay attention. Polynucleotides — also sold under their scientific name PDRN — have gone from niche clinic treatment to full-blown beauty phenomenon in the space of about eighteen months. They are on the shelves at Boots. They are all over your skincare algorithm. And yes, they come from salmon DNA, which is exactly as intere

We’ve all been there. The wonder serum that everyone is talking about on TikTok finally arrives and the temptation to slather it on immediately is overwhelming. That urge can be as strong as the need for a strong coffee first-thing in the morning. But in an era of medical-grade actives and high-percentage acids, skipping the skincare patch test is a dangerous game of Russian roulette. You could, quite literally, be playing with fire. While most of us have skipped this vital s

A spa brand dedicated to midlife skincare is celebrating a milestone partnership. Thirns Botanical Skincare, a UK-based purveyor of natural, sustainable products that support cell regeneration and skin resilience, is marking the first anniversary of a partnership with Spa Village Bath, located at the top-rated Gainsborough Spa in Bath. The collaboration launched in April 2025. Formulated using thorn-bearing wild plants found in the UK, Thirns is the brainchild of skincare cli

If you have ever applied your favourite moisturiser only to feel a sharp, hot prickle or stinging across your cheekbones, you already know the warning sign of a compromised skin barrier. It is a common ‘oh,no!’ moment and is often the result of excesses in modern skincare regimens. Afterall, we have been living through an era of ‘more is more’ — more acids, higher percentages of retinol and more aggressive cleansing. But the skin is a living organ, not an inanimate object lik

In the stampede to hop aboard the glowing, dewy skin trend, many of us have fallen prey to the ‘more is more’ mantra. Influencers slathering on thick layers, elaborate 10-step routines and the real fear of harsh, matte flakiness have collectively convinced us that if a little moisturiser is good, a lot must be sublime. But what if this well-intentioned hydration habit is actually doing your skin more harm than good? It’s time to pull back the curtain on the subtle — and not-s

For years, my skincare ritual has been sharply pivoted to achieving visible results: smoother lines, a brighter complexion and improved texture. I’ve chased the ever-elusive promise of younger-looking skin, viewing my elaborate routines as strictly non-negotiable. But what if my skincare regimen could do more than just improve my appearance? What if it could also uplift my mood, reduce stress and even enhance my sense of calm? Enter neurocosmetics, a revolutionary new frontie

For six decades, I’ve held a strong belief in self-empowerment. But, in a one-off, mind-bending plot twist, I’m now entrenched in deep, melancholy regret. It’s not that I’ve spent at least half my life dehydrated and deprived of slow-wave sleep. It’s the pesky little things; those niggling annoyances - the kind that most sensible people shrug off with little more than a light sigh - that I let myself blow out of all proportion to cause deep and destructive stress. And the res

If you’re tired of spending over the odds for premium anti-ageing skincare products that punch way below their weight when it comes to...

If you have always dreamed, like me, of owning a PLouise advent calendar but can’t quite stretch to £250, there are a few cheaper festive...

The alarm bells are ringing; your face has declared a state of emergency. You’ve had a week (or a month) that’s been, to put it mildly, a bit of a bin fire. Your sleep schedule is a bigger myth than goldfish having a memory span of three seconds. Your hydration consists solely of lukewarm coffee and your face — oh, your face — looks like it’s been neglected longer than Whitby Abbey. Flaky patches, dullness so profound it could rival a total eclipse and pores the size of manho