We headed down to central London to cast away the cobwebs with Caudalie. Here’s how to get that elusive glow - even on a Monday morning…
Starting the week bright eyed and bushy tailed is always a plus, but when you’re fresh-faced and graced with a summer glow Mondays are undoubtedly much more cheery. So went this morning’s summer skincare breakfast, hosted by Caudalie in the heart of Covent Garden.
Just as the West End was waking up, Get The Gloss Editor-in-Chief Susannah Taylor and Caudalie beauty expert Mark Betteridge welcomed readers into the flagship UK store to discuss and reveal the tips, tricks and techniques that keep skin looking healthy and radiant during the warmer months and beyond. From massage to supplements to serums, Mark and Susannah had all of the bases covered.
While Mark demonstrated the best way to cleanse and prepare the face for makeup on lovely in-house model Sophie, Susannah quizzed him on everything from application to the timing of regimes and importance of keeping it simple. ‘Gently does it’ was unanimously agreed as the superior approach. Mark advised gently exfoliating twice a week, ideally in the evening to maximise product absorption so that you get the most from your beauty sleep. A gentle peel would be the perfect pick-me-up for combination skin, and a creamy exfoliator revitalises dry complexions, but overloading the skin or excessively scrubbing will only lead to breakouts and irritation, which can be aggravated further by sweat, makeup and SPF during the day. A light touch and less-is-more approach will reap more rewards, especially when the weather hots up.
You may be using products more sparingly, but as Mark highlighted, it’s all in the application. Massage is a fantastic way to de-puff skin first thing; not only will it boost blood flow, but it also works products deep into the skin, not to mention being a pretty relaxing addition to your daily routine. Keep it short in the morning and aim for a longer session once or twice a week using a facial oil .
Speaking of oils, Susannah picked up on the general fear surrounding their use. Many of us run for the hills when faced with a facial oil, afraid of acne breakouts and slimy skin. Both Susannah and Mark put this dread to bed, enthusing that natural oils penetrate the skin instead of simply sitting on the surface, resulting in hydrated, luminous skin in both the short and long term. Mark did highlight however that an oil isn’t the best choice for daytime wear, especially on steamy summer days. Keep them for bedtime and use an oil-free serum under makeup during the day.
Talking of using the right products at the right time, it turns out that we probably shouldn’t be using some of the old friends in our bathroom cabinet at all. Anything older than 18 months should most definitely be approached with caution, and in most cases binned, especially if it contains SPF. Susannah and Mark recommend buying new SPF products every year to ensure that they’re stable, and make sure that the product blocks both UVA and UVB rays (happily, all of Caudalie’s SPF range does just that).
When it comes to looking great in the sun, Mark demonstrated that a slick of Caudalie’s Divine Legs , £26, goes a very long way. Light-textured and free of self-tan, the tinted lotion made legs look bronzed while also accelerating the skin’s natural tanning capacity by boosting melanin production. It’s very clever, and also child’s play to use on a rushed weekday morning. A smidgen of tinted moisturiser and a sweep of bronzer are all you need before you walk out of the door.
If your skin is in need of some summer TLC but you hate the greasy feeling of unctuous body lotions and moisturisers, Mark had just the thing. He introduced us to the dry, weightless Divine Oil , £27, and we all swooned. Fragrant, silky and easily absorbed, we’re snapping it up in travel size to stash in our holiday luggage.
We’ve come away with the distinct impression that lit-from-within summer skin is actually a cinch to achieve, with a little know-how and some nifty products to hand of course. As we debriefed over bespoke juices (kindly provided by The Juicery) , tea and pastries, Caudalie’s beauty experts gave one-to-one skincare consultations. Each reader went away with a goodie bag, 15% product discount and wealth of knowledge at their fingertips. Take that, Monday.
Many thanks to Caudalie and The Juicery for helping to organise the event and keep an eye on our reader events page for upcoming dates. If you'd like to visit the Caudalie Boutique yourself pop along to 39 Monmouth Street, WC2H 9DD