Louise McSharry: From wearing SPF to using retinol, here are my top six beauty tips

Eventually, I blurted out something about SPF and changed the subject, but the question has stayed with me. Genuine beauty tips feel like a dying breed sometimes, in the landscape of “new, new, new” both on social media and within the beauty industry.

I’m happy to report that, upon reflection, I actually do have a top beauty tip. In fact, I have several, and I’m going to share them with you today.

​1. Wear SPF. What I was trying to say to my new acquaintance was that wearing SPF is the most important thing you can do when it comes to skincare. The sun has the biggest impact on your skin in terms of signs of ageing, and there’s no amount of expensive skincare product that will reverse it. The best method is to avoid doing the damage in the first place, and the simple act of wearing SPF (of at least 30) will do that. Apply generously (a full teaspoon to the face and neck) every single day, no matter the weather, and if possible top it up throughout the day. A spray like Sculpted by Aimee’s Sun Mist (€22, via sculptedbyaimee.com) is ideal for spraying over makeup — in fact, it will refresh it.

​2. Use retinol. No, it won’t entirely reverse sun damage, but this form of vitamin A neutralises free radicals in the middle layer of your skin, creating a plumping effect. This will, in turn, reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and enlarged pores. Retinol is clinically proven to work and if you’re concerned about the signs of ageing, you should be using it. The Ordinary’s Granactive Retinol 0.2% in Squalane (€8.90, via boots.ie) is a good, reasonably priced starting point.

​3. When shade-matching foundation or concealer, go outside. The fancy shops we tend to buy these products in are generally softly lit, which makes for a delightful shopping experience but may result in a poor shade match. Let the product sit for a few minutes on your face (yes, your face: that is the only place to get an exact match) before going outside to check it out in daylight. This will give you the chance to observe any oxidation (when a product changes colour upon drying) and accurately assess the colour.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 7

​4. Use a clean facecloth when you wash your face. The cloth will gently exfoliate your skin as you remove cleanser and will ensure there’s no residue left on your face. It’s also less splashy than other methods of rinsing your face, and I bloody hate splash.

​5. Really, thoroughly consider bleaching your hair. Going blonde always sounds exciting, but if you don’t think you’re going to stay blonde for long, don’t do it. Bleach is really hard on the hair and inevitably leaves it frizzier, more brittle and prone to breakage. I know too many brunettes who went blonde for a few months and then wept over the damage when they inevitably returned to brown hair.

6. Do what you want. You don’t owe anyone beauty, and if you choose to wear no makeup and to entirely ignore skincare, that’s your prerogative. This stuff should be fun. If it’s not fun, stop.

Lost in translation

You may see people talking about clarifying shampoo, but what does it actually mean? Clarifying shampoo is a type of shampoo specifically designed to deep-clean your hair, removing buildup of product and other pollutants. It is especially good for curly-haired people who may use lots and lots of product as part of their routine, but should only be used around once a week, as more frequent use can result in your hair being stripped of its natural (and essential) oils.

Something old...

I’ll never forget the first time I tried a tingling, plumping lip gloss. I was convinced that something was terribly wrong, such was the burning sensation on my lips. My friend assured me that that was a good thing — it was “how we know it’s working”, but I remember thinking that this would not be a beauty trend I’d be hopping on. Who even cared about the size of their lips anyway? Fast-forward a few decades and I’m afraid to say I absolutely care about the size of my lips, as do millions of other people around the world, so it should come as no surprise that plumping lip glosses are back with aplomb. Of course, some formulas never went away, like Too Faced’s Lip Injection (€22, via cultbeauty.com), a tingle-inducing gloss that originally launched in 2005. This formula delivers high shine along with high tingle via the inclusion of capsicum, a pepper extract, resulting in a temporary plumping effect.

​... Something new

Maybelline Lifter Gloss (€11.95, via dpharmacy.ie) is one of the most popular glosses of the current lip-gloss era, and now you can get one that makes your lips feel like they’re on fire. (It may be coming across that I don’t really buy into these types of glosses — I’m just not a “pain is beauty” girl.) Any lip gloss will make your lips appear fuller, thanks to the light-reflecting effect of shine, but yes, the inclusion of reactive ingredients will also give a temporary plumping effect: capsicum is one of the most popular and this one includes just that. Although these products intentionally irritate the lips, they don’t do any long-term damage, so if you can tolerate the tingle, you’re totally safe. Available in eight shades.