The first chapter

The beauty realm has advanced significantly since I was first acquainted with it. I purchased my first cleanser at 17, which by today’s standards made me a late bloomer. It was highly coveted, boasted a deluxe texture, and it initiated a routine I would later follow well into my mid-thirties.  

From first use, the cleanser caused my skin to purge, yet I barely questioned my compatibility with the product. The person recommending it to me was flawless, after all. 

At 20, with my newfound adoration for beauty, I landed a job in a renowned cosmetic retailer. I started with partial knowledge of face products, and by 2013, when I moved onto pastures new, I had enough knowledge to prescribe products for various concerns on demand.

An evolution of the knowledgeable shopper

Through this venture into beauty, I met many people —from teenagers in the early stages of their journey to beauty veterans with a trained eye, who were adding to their ever-expanding stash. 

Even then, during those simpler times, I witnessed people’s attitudes shift towards beauty. People were finally taking beauty seriously. Shoppers as young as twelve would flock to the store with resources in tow, be it a YouTube video or word-of-mouth recommendation. The same was true for well-versed women with enough dermatological knowledge to make informed choices without needing much of my support. On the beauty aisle, I built rapport through interesting conversations about science, efficacy, product history and personal stories. 

People’s increasing interest was gradually shifting conversations about skincare from expert circles to the people I greeted on the shop floor, who were keen to understand the components, decode the bumf, and know what set one product apart from another. 

I’ve seen this continue into my thirties in my new home, Paris. French women are renowned for their nonchalant approach to beauty and having streamlined collections, and they are particular about products. In the homes of my partner’s family, shelves are lined with unassuming products that are repurchased as habit —be it locally formulated toothpaste or floral essences. Naturally, I’ve borrowed this attitude, and my bathroom shelves are lined with trusted products I use to maintain my skin health at home. I’ve learnt to lean into my intuition and see past the thrills, to build an enduring collection that works for my needs.  

I’m a stickler for rituals and every evening, come rain or shine, I enter my bathroom and shut out the noise. After cocooning myself in a dressing gown and pinning my hair back (a practice I’ve inherited from my mother), I begin with a cleanser. Two pumps of Medik8’s Total Moisture Daily Cleansing Gel were all it took to transport me to a calm oasis after a busy day on my feet. The silken texture transformed into a velvety lather on contact with my skin, while I stole a few selfish moments.

Sentiment and science

Granted, efficacy is paramount, but I’m also interested in products that lend ease and awaken the nostalgia that first piqued my interest in beauty two decades ago. Thankfully, we now exist in a time where the gold standard of beauty does not compromise on deliverables, experience, or result. 

One of my fondest beauty pastimes was blithely meandering through beauty aisles and selecting products at random, but now, I have higher expectations of my skincare.  

The wealth of data is nurturing a generation who are highly proficient and enabling people to make effective choices when searching for the product to spend their precious moments with at the start and close of day. As per my first beauty experience, it all starts with a cleanser. Better yet, one that works for you. 

To find out your perfect skincare routine that’s backed by science, head to Medik8 

*This article is part of a paid partnership with Medik8.