Beauty and Style

The best blogs for skincare

April 6, 2015

Dealing with a change in your skin can be incredibly frustrating – all the tricks you’ve worked out over the years and the reliable products you know work for you suddenly sort of… don’t. Boots is filled with aisle upon aisle of skincare products making grand claims about various skin-restoring properties – super-moisturisation, dramatic line reduction, pore minimisation, and so on. I don’t have the time or money to work it all out for myself, and I don’t entirely trust the staff on the various counters, as inevitably they want to sell you items from the brand they’re working for rather than the best combination for your own skin. Enter blogs. I’ve already written about my nascent make-up addiction and my love of beauty blogs; this time, I wanted to share some of the blogs that have helped me to change up (read ‘actually adapt’) my skincare routine in response to all kinds of issues I had hitherto never properly dealt with – spots, scarring and shininess.

Best Skincare Blogs

For all your skincare curiosities – Caroline Hirons

Caroline is a doyenne of the skincare scene: she blends her extensive expertise with practical advice that recognises differences in age and income; also, her posts are funny and engaging. The website looks unattractive (to me at least) and can be a bit tricky to navigate, but once you get the hang of it, it’s worth it because there is so much treasure here. I’d recommend the FAQ on ‘Where to spend money in your routine’, and the cheat sheet on spots is like nothing else I’ve seen – it’s broken down by type, with detailed instructions on how to deal with each one. This woman doesn’t shy away from breaking tough news, either – news like there’s nothing you can do about the size of your pores.

You could probably get all the information you need from this website alone to be honest, but there are others that I like to visit – sometimes just to have a nosey at other people’s routines and sometimes to get solid recommendations for products that won’t cost the earth. I am at heart a cheapskate – even when it comes to my face.

For practical guidance on dealing with spots – From Roses

A very pretty blog to look at, this doesn’t disappoint when it comes to content, either. It isn’t a specialist skincare site but Rebecca does talk honestly about her own skin and what works for her via succinct posts and specific recommendations. I found this post on how to tackle breakouts particularly helpful – I actually purchased the La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo + after reading it; it’s now a staple of my routine. I also like that her blog considers everything that goes into her skin’s appearance, including diet and environment.

For product reviews and natural skincare tips – Nouvelle Daily

An all-round top spot for finding quality posts on beauty, lifestyle and fashion – and the skincare section is no exception. Current product reviews are illustrated with great visuals, and since the writers seem to have a particular penchant for natural products, these get a good share of space. I recently found this post on facial oils for different skin types and it was exactly what I was looking for.

For nosing through other people’s cabinets – Into The Gloss 

I am incredibly interested in other people. Some call this attribute being ‘nosey’, but I think that is an unpleasant word. I could endlessly read blog posts where people just describe their own skincare and make-up routines, and interviews with well-known faces are what I am drawn to first in the weekend supplements. Top US beauty blog Into The Gloss has combined these twin interests into one of my favourite features on the web – The Top Shelf. This is where a famous person is interviewed and talks about how they look after their skin and what sort of make-up they like to wear. This is more skincare ‘general interest’ than instructional advice, but for me it’s completely compelling copy and I always immediately click through when I see one pop up in my Twitter feed. Recent favourites have included Khloe Kardashian and Martha Stewart.

So, that’s my brief round-up of where I go when I’m looking for a little guidance skincare-wise. These blogs have introduced me to some of my current favourite products, including the aforementioned La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo +, but also the Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask and Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water (which always seems to be ⅓ off in Tesco, FYI). And they’ve all made me want to buy the Pixi Glow Tonic, so I don’t think it will be long before it’s sitting on my bathroom shelf.

In case you’re wondering, I left out Sali Hughes, even though her skincare advice is something I take very seriously and she is the one who really got me into hot-cloth cleansing; this omission is simply because this is an ode to blogs, whereas I consume Sali’s content through her weekly column in the Guardian Weekend magazine and via her book, Pretty Honest. So she’s out on a technicality, basically, but her advice is no less valuable for it.

What are your favourite online sources of skincare advice? Have I missed out one of your favourites? I’m always looking for new blogs to read, so recommend me a few by leaving a comment below – or tweet us

P.S. What I’ve learned from reading a lot of beauty blogs, why cleaning my face with a flannel is the best thing I’ve done for my skin, and everything you need to know about managing curly hair.

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6 Comments

  • laurakirkwood@hotmail.co.uk'
    Reply Laura April 6, 2015 at 9:41 am

    Hi Rose,

    Brilliant post! I am mildly obsessed with beauty blogs but you have suggested some new ones here, much appreciated.

    Agree Caroline Hirons is amazing, but have you watched her YouTube channel? As hilarious as her blog, and each video is broken down (cleansers/serums/SPF etc) so easier to navigate than the written blog. Also she has recently done some pregnancy skin/tips videos with Ruth Crilly (A Model Recommends) which although ramble on a bit were quite useful and funny.

    • Reply Rose April 20, 2015 at 9:37 am

      Thanks so much, Laura. I have watched a bit of her YouTube but am not a regular viewer though this has prompted me to revisit xo

  • youbabymemummy@gmail.com'
    Reply You Baby Me Mummy April 11, 2015 at 8:42 am

    Great round up. I will be having a read of those blogs as they are all new to me. Thanks so much for linking up to #TheList x

    • Reply Rose April 20, 2015 at 9:38 am

      Thanks! Happy if you have found some new blogs you will enjoy. Thanks for commenting xo

  • sallyxnaylor@gmail.com'
    Reply Sally Naylor July 31, 2015 at 12:10 pm

    Thanks so much for these recommendations. It had never occurred to me that my slapdash (non existent) routine might be why I still get spots at 33! Thanks to you guys, I’ve had word with myself and an overhaul. As I said to my husband, your face is something you wear everyday! Loving your blog.

    • Reply Nicky July 31, 2015 at 7:11 pm

      Thanks so much for your comment Sally – great to hear from you! As I remember, your skin was always gorgeous, but glad you enjoyed the post and new-found beauty blogs. Lots of love to you all xx

    Leave a Reply to Sally Naylor Cancel Reply