She’s the influencer extraordinaire – and GLAMOUR SS18 covergirl – who has become one of the brightest stars on the web, sharing her honest, fun and always-witty YouTube reviews of everything from makeup and moisturisers to eyebrow weaving and mental health. Now, Patricia Bright, 32, has partnered with skincare brand Dermalogica and she’s on a mission to educate her followers on skincare. GLAMOUR sits down with Patricia to get the lowdown on her go-to ingredient, and why she’ll never again skip eye cream…
What was your skincare routine like when you were younger?
Growing up, my skincare routine was more cocoa butter and Vaseline. Unlike my friends, I didn’t suffer from acne and so was really lazy about getting into good habits. It wasn’t until my 20s that I started wearing more makeup and realised the best base is good skin. That’s when I gave my skincare routine more thought and began to understand the impact that age and lifestyle choices can have on the health of your skin.
Where would you go to learn about skincare?
There were no resources when I was younger, besides looking into my mother’s skincare cabinet and reading magazines. However, when YouTube came onto the scene, it was amazing to be part of a community of real women who loved products as much as I did. From then on I was able to learn and join the conversation on skincare and hair from so many people. Right now, I am also excited to partner with a skincare powerhouse like Dermalogica, which is all about education. I’ve been taught so much and love the idea of being able to also help my followers understand more about skincare, from ingredients to technique and even more.
What have you learnt along the way, and which ingredients or products have you swapped in – or out?
Anything that is going to clog my pores has gone right out (think coconut oil!). But also, eye products are no longer my ‘last to think about’ purchase. It’s probably the most underrated product but so necessary in everyone’s skincare routine, considering our eyes are working harder than ever. We’re constantly on our phones, on social media and staring at screens all day. The skin around our eyes is some of the thinnest on our entire body with fewer oil glands than the rest of the face – it’s literally crying out for extra love. I’ve been using Dermalogica’s new BioLumin-C Eye Serum, which has given me incredible results. I am such a fan of vitamin C and this is the first time I’ve had a product that I could use around my eyes containing my favourite ingredient. It’s left them noticeably brighter and healthier-looking, so much smoother and firmer. Seriously, I’ve never had an eye cream like it.
You recently welcomed your second daughter, how did your skincare change throughout pregnancy and after giving birth?
I think pregnancy makes you suddenly take note of exactly what you’re putting into your body. Certain ingredients aren’t safe when you’re carrying a baby so I was reading the back of every bottle and stopping the use of harsher products such as retinols and peels. Thanks to the hormones, my skin was actually naturally smooth and glowy but I did develop melasma which made the skin around my chin, eyes and neck darker. Post pregnancy, I was on the hunt for products that helped tackle that hyperpigmentation and I knew chemical exfoliants like AHAs and BHAs were said to be the best for this. I started using Dermalogica Rapid Reveal Peel, which contains AHAs to smooth skin, texture, and shed dullness – it’s dramatically improved my overall skin health.
What are your personal skincare priorities?
For me, good skin texture and an even glow is really important. The two go hand in hand and can be achieved with similar ingredients. Vitamin C is great to gently resurface the skin making it smoother and brighter.
Are there any areas of your beauty routine you reckon could do with a bit of improvement?
I could definitely improve on wearing SPF every day! Shamefully, I don’t always remember to, but I know how important it is. I’d love to introduce more professional treatments into my regime. Dermalogica offers a number of 60-minute skin therapist appointments, all personalised for your skin, or speedy SkinSolvers which are literally 10 minutes and only £10. Ideal when you have a newborn attached to your hip and a business to run.
How do you go about choosing your skincare – what’s important to you?
I’m not really about the hype products – science and research always comes first.
What’s your best-kept secret for healthy-looking skin?
A consistent routine for sure. Hormones can definitely play a big part in that but having a strict regime you stick to is honestly key, no matter what your skincare concerns are.
You’ve worked with skincare experts for years, have you learnt any other tips that you swear by?
Product marketing can sometimes misinform you, especially when it comes to ingredient contents and percentages. Take vitamin C products as an example, the experts at Dermalogica explained to me that it’s not about how high the level of vitamin C is, it’s about the quality and how stable it is. Have you ever had a vitamin C serum turn dark brown before? That’s because the vitamin C has already started to oxidise before it’s even reached your skin, so it’s not guaranteed to work as hard.
I’ve also never understood why an eye product was necessary when I use other great serums and moisturisers. But recently I’ve learnt it’s because eye products are specifically created for the eye area and they deliver the same ingredients you would use on the other parts of the face at doses that are gentle enough not to trigger irritation on a sensitive area.
Discover the entire Dermalogica range at dermalogica.co.uk
