With the focus on skincare rocketing in the past few years, and trends getting weirder and weirder, the attention has shifted to what exact ingredients are being put into our much-loved beauty buys. These days a celebrity endorsement of a product is simply not enough. We want to know what the results are and why because thanks to social media we know of countless different products and procedures that go into today’s flawless looks. Beauty influencers like Tati or Skincare by Hyram have highlighted the importance of knowing the science behind skincare through detailed product reviews. So, how can we ensure that the products we buy have the results they are claiming to have? Ingredients. Becoming more aware of ingredients commonly used in products will inform you of the benefits within formulas and which products to use to get those highly-sought-after results.

Retinol is a form of vitamin A, best for reducing fine lines, sun damage and general ageing of skin. This bad boy increases the production of collagen. If you’re new to this ingredient, always start with a more dilute concentrate in order to build skin tolerance and also prevent skin irritation.

Recommended products:

• Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Retinol Capsules, £42

• The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane, £4.90

• The Inkey List Retinol Serum, £9.99

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Retinol Capsules, £42

The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane, £4.90

The Inkey List Retinol Serum, £9.99

Using salicylic acid in your skincare can help reduce and fight the appearance of blemishes and scarring. Whilst it should not be used to fight acne or breakouts, it can help with the aftermath helping to lift dark marks left on the skin surface because this ingredient is a beta hydroxy acid that can exfoliate the skin.

Recommended products:

• The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Masque, £9.90

• NIP+FAB Teen Skin Fix Salicylic Acid Day Pads 60 Pads, £12.95

• Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, £23.80

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Masque, £9.90

NIP+FAB Teen Skin Fix Salicylic Acid Day Pads 60 Pads, £12.95

Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, £23.80

Incorporating a product that contains hyaluronic acid into your regime will improve the appearance of your complexion by keeping moisture locked in at the surface. Cross polymer hyaluronic acid ensures hydration on many layers to your skin, so be sure to check your labels if you’re looking for maximum moisture. This acid can attract up to 1,000 times its weight in water so it’s a no brainer if you’ve got dry skin.

Recommended products:

• The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, £5.90

• Embryolisse Laboratories Hydra Mask, £22

• Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist, £18

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, £5.90

Embryolisse Laboratories Hydra Mask, £22

Pixi Hydrating Milky Mist, £18

If you’re looking to improve radiancy and the appearance of skin texture and rid of those dead skin cells, Glycolic acid is your guy. This is an ingredient used frequently in toners and can be swept across the face after cleansing. Because it is an exfoliant, again, it should be used with care and if it causes any irritation or sensitivity, abandoned at all costs.

Recommended products:

• The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution, £6.80

• Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum, £76

• Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask, £36.00

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution, £6.80

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum, £76

Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask, £36.00

Azelaic acid is an ingredient already produced naturally by your skin and brightens the skin tone while visibly improving the evenness of skin texture and reducing the look of blemishes. It is a multi-functional ingredient and can be used in many different forms and products. An all-rounder product that is great to incorporate into your skincare regime.

Recommended products:

• The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%, £5.50

• Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster, £37

• Ren Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic, £27

The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%, £5.50

Paula’s Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster, £37

Ren Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic, £27

For more information on incorporating direct acids and chemicals into your skincare routine, visit theordinary.deciem.com for recommended dosages and formulae.

Words by Amy Arfi

Graphics by Katie Janes

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The post Is It Trendy to Know the Science in Skin Care Right Now? appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Let’s face facts, applying sun cream may be the only pitfall about being on holiday. Yes, SPF is absolutely mandatory and the key ingredient for bronzed skin, but the process of getting there is simply a faff and a sticky mess. Well, let us introduce you to the world of stick sun cream. Yes, you heard that right. That is sun cream in a solid formula.

So, for those avid cream haters out there, everything you hate about your squeezy tube lotion, a stick won’t give you the same problems. And here’s why…

They are non-sticky

We’ve all been there. You’ve just applied a fresh layer of sun cream only to be covered in sand 10 seconds later. Sometimes it makes you want to pack up your things and leave the beach altogether. Well, that won’t be the case with a stick cream. The majority of them have a non-sticky formula. Yeh, that’s right sand. You’ve been defeated.

Convenient for touch-ups

Stick creams are beach bag friendly and don’t run the risk of giving the inside of your bag a makeover if it leaks anywhere. While most stick creams are water and sweat resistant, the convenience of them means you can quickly re-apply and carry on. Bish, bash, bosh.

Good for those hard to reach areas

Tip of your nose. Ears. Toes. Under bikini straps. They all tend to get neglected when it comes to sun cream application. Well with a stick, you have no excuse. A few strokes over those areas and you can say bye-bye to streaky burns.

Ideal for delicate skin

Yes, you could spend your time applying a stick cream all over your body, and maybe squeezy tube cream is better for that. But applying regular liquid SPF can be a hella awkward to apply around sensitive eyes or even on your lips. So, that’s where a stick can step in, keeping your eyeballs SPF free.

No white cast

We have all gotten carried away when it comes to creaming up for the day. It’s one thing to be sensible, and another to apply so much that you end up looking like a ghost. Which just isn’t the look you want to achieve on holiday, right? Well, get a load of this. With stick creams, you don’t even need to rub them in. Now that really is a holiday.

Check out our go-to stick sun creams that we’ll be reaching for this summer. Trust us, once you go stick, you won’t be going back.

1. La Roche-Posay Anthelios Stick SPF 50+ £8.25

2. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Sun Defence Stick SPF 50 £15.00

3. Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Sol Stick SPF 50 £24.00

4. Clinique Targeted Protection Stick SPF 35 £19.00

5. Fresh Sugar Sport Treatment Sunscreen SPF 30 £22.50

Words and Cover by Clare Stephenson

Graphics by Georgia Walters

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The post Everything You Need to Know About Sun Sticks appeared first on Voir Fashion.

The #1 trend that is still all the rave is gorgeous, glowy, dewy skin. Glowy skin has zero flaws: it plumps up the skin whilst smoothing out fine lines and gives a healthy flatting look to the skin. Even the oily skins are switching to a glowy skincare routine…even though it doesn’t make sense (guilty).

Want to jump onto the trend but not sure where to start? Have a look at our favourite skincare and make-up products that will make you glow baby. (Just a heads up, the majority of these products have the word illuminating in.)

Skincare

Start off with the base of your face, Elizabeth Arden Skin Illuminating Brightening Capsules £60. This is a night time serum, and it’s really going to help to brighten up your skin as you sleep; Your skin repairs itself at night when your recharging, so it’s super important to have a good serum to give your skin all the good nutrients to help it repair to its best ability.

Some gorgeous moisturisers that will give you that healthy skin glow: Laura Mercier Tinted Illuminating Moisturiser £35 is an award-winning tinted moisturiser with micro pearl pigments for that glowy goodness, not to mention SPF 30 (right?!) and easily brightens up the skin, effortlessly giving you that ‘barely there’ no make-up make-up effect. Glam Glow Glowstarter Mega Illuminating Moisturiser £36; Probably the dewy-est moisturiser you will find; it even doubles up as contouring and highlight with its other shades (which I don’t really get but sounds cool). It has this golden root technology which is supposed to instantly flood dull skin with hydration and moisture which leaves you will unreal bright skin. E.L.F Illuminating Moisturiser £9; Oh, E.L.F. I mean 9 quid?! AND it’s amazing! Not only is it vegan, has SPF 15 and leaves a pretty glow, but it actually works as a moisturiser as it has shea butter! You really cannot ask for more in life can you?

Make-Up

Let’s start this off with the iconic Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Balm £45. Okay, a little pricey but so worth it for this gorgeous extra bit of glow for underneath your make-up, or even alone! Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand £29 is a stunning glowing liquid high-blusher, this will add a healthy colour whilst not matting your skin down, keeping it nice and plump. The two best foundations for this trend has just got to be Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation £42 and the classic NARS Sheer Glow Foundation £33.50. To be perfectly honest, both foundations are a decent coverage and effortlessly blend out so seamlessly on your skin as well as adding to this healthy dewy look. You really cannot go wrong with either!

Last but most definitely not least…the #1 selling highlighter in the US: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Moonstone £30. I know this is a powder which typically won’t give you the shine like a cream or a liquid would but hear me out! With its velvety butter-like feel, this highlight is such a ‘soft focus’ highlight, meaning there are no big chunks of glitter making you feel like you can only wear it on a heavy night-time look. There are literally 14 freaking colours to this product…and it’s a highlight! Not to mention it even will slightly adjust to your skin tone anyway, there’s more of a chance to get one of these bad boys to match you better than a foundation! They do also sell minis for £16 if you want a little trial before splashing out on the full thing.

Words by Sophie Smiler

Graphics by Séverine Denis-Lessard

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The post The 9 Beauty Products to Help You Shine appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Empowering, daring, independent; just three of many evocative words that come to mind in relation to International Women’s Day – and Voir Fashion. It is an event that has been continuing for 109 years to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and beauty brands have been vibrantly and emphatically backing the movement. Below we look at five of the brands that are showing their support for International Women’s Day.

The Body Shop

The Body Shop is a beauty brand that is renowned for its ethical products, but perhaps less known is the amount of work it does globally to support and empower women. From the Tungteiya Women’s Shea Butter Association in Ghana, where 500 women are given the opportunity to continue on with shea nut processing techniques from past generations, to Candela in Peru which represents Castañero Brazil nut collectors – a trade traditionally managed by women – the brand makes sure that women have the information, rights and opportunities that they deserve, not just on International Women’s Day, but all year round.

Elemis

Like The Body Shop, Elemis are at the forefront of advocating for women’s rights and education. They have been using their influence to back Women for Women International, a charity that supports female survivors of war. Over 12 months, the survivors learn vital skills such as how to manage their money which they receive through a monthly allowance from the charity. To supplement this, Elemis have got involved with a campaign called which allows women to send survivors messages through their website. They have promised that if they are tagged ‘@Elemis’ on social media and the is used the company will donate £1 to the charity (up to the value of £5000). But quick, this is only happening from 6th-8th March!

L’Occitane

Moisturise your lips in this chilly weather and support the L’Occitane Foundation programme for women’s leadership in Burkino Faso! Every penny spent on the Shea Butter Solidarity Balm (£5) is being used to help fund the education of more than 450 girls and 10,000 women in the landlocked African country and has been brought out specifically for International Women’s Day.

Elizabeth Arden

Who needs men when you’ve got red lipstick! Elizabeth Arden has returned with a limited shade for their March On Campaign designed by Reese Witherspoon, where 100% of proceeds go to UN Women. The project was designed as an homage to Elizabeth Arden giving out red lipsticks to suffragettes in 1912 to boost morale and is sure to remind women everywhere of the hardships that those women went through to secure the rights that we have today. The Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Lipstick – Red Door Red (Limited Edition) is on sale now for £22.00.

Reina Rebelde

This Mexican inspired female owned beauty brand is focussing their attention on a prominent, global issue that effects all women and has been prevalent in the media recently after the Harvey Weinstein accusations. The brand is donating 15% of its sales profits to the Me Too and Time’s Up campaigns until 8th March which both encourage women to speak up for their rights and empower themselves to be in control of their own bodies.

Source: Instagram

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The post International Women’s Day: Empowered and Beautiful appeared first on Voir Fashion.