How I Achieve On-the-Go Luxury in My Skincare; Tatler Editor Speaks

As a mother, self-care is often difficult to prioritise. In many ways, it can feel selfish: it’s got the word “self” in after all. When you’ve got a small human being to nurture and take care of, you often fall into the trap of feeling like looking after anyone or anything else – including yourself – is somehow a misuse of your time. But down that path leads burnout – and unhappiness. Neither of which is good for mum or baby. 

Before becoming a mother, I loved to indulge in spa treatments, especially facials, which would leave me feeling like the best version of myself. Having one’s face teased into submission with gentle massage and lymphatic drainage, while upping hydration levels via luxurious lotions and potions was my ultimate indulgence. I typically made the time to try a new treatment once or twice a month in my capacity as an editor at Tatler, and always booked one for when I was on holiday somewhere fabulous. I had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the best hotel spas in London, and most of the ones in the home counties, too. It could well have been my Mastermind subject. Yet that all changed during maternity leave, when I found I couldn’t take a baby with me to a zen-like spa. 

So I wondered… could I create this atmosphere at home, somehow? I’ve flirted with my own personal skincare routine since my teens, but have never fully committed. Once the hazy first months of the fourth trimester were done, I finally got a chance to look in the mirror. How long had those wrinkles been there? Were those permanent bags under my eyes? And why was my skin suddenly less… dewy? I was reminded suddenly of one of my favourite Coco Chanel quotes: “Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.” I set about doing some research. 

“How your skin ages really depends on your genes and your lifestyle, including factors like if you smoke or have sun damage,” explains Faeye McCauly, Carol Joy’s global head educator. “After 30 your collagen production decreases by at least 5 per cent every year. The best way to combat this is to use really high quality collagen products, and I also always advise people to take a collagen supplement as well. Niacinamides are good for oily skin and tightening up the pores, while hyaluronic acid gives our skin plumpness.”  

Call me naive, but I’d never really bought into beauty products utilising science to get results. I didn’t understand that specific ingredients can target specific skincare concerns. It was an education! Armed with knowledge, I decided to get shopping. And while I knew the strongest ingredient out there to treat wrinkles, for example, was retinol, I was also aware that avenue wasn’t available to me until I stopped breastfeeding. So instead, I turned to niacinamides, hyaluronic acid, and of course, everyone’s favourite, collagen. My goal was to restore my skin to its former glory via giving it as much moisture as possible, creating a Gen Z esque dewy finish at the same time. And to find some semblance of calm in the process – much like my former facial days. 

I soon found hero products that I loved. Case in point: the Carol Joy London collagen spray. Dubbed a “facial in a can” by Vogue, it became almost meditative to reach into my bag or across my desk for it and spritz it on my face for an instant pick-me-up, so that I was longing for a spa standard facial no-more. “The Collagen Spray works straight away,” shares McCauly. “It instantly gives a glow.”  This “on-the-go” element of my newfound love of skincare was integral to allowing me to get invested in a product. I often maximise my time around the house by, say, prepping dinner or emptying the dishwasher with a face mask or the Carol Joy London collagen eye masks on (which has been shown to reduce wrinkle depth by 67 per cent in just 15 minutes). Incorporating my skincare this way somehow feels both like more of a treat, and also, more justifiable, because I’m doing two things at once. It also creates a sense of calm at home, too, elevating the home office to something a little more spa-like. 

And while my daughter is only 20 months old, I can already see that my actions have an influence on her. She frequently watches me while I get ready in the morning and imitates me by pretending to put cream on her hands and rub it on her face. When the time comes for her to get a skincare routine, I’d like to hope that she’d come to me for advice – rather than TikTok – especially as it seems to be that Gen Alpha are utilising harsh ingredients at far too young an age.  After all, beauty rituals have long been associated with mothers, with their secrets passed on from generation to generation. It’s why so many elements of skincare have maternal connotations, whether that’s the ancient Egyptian ritual of bathing in milk, or the gua sha facial tool, shaped like a half-moon, the ultimate feminine symbol.  

For me, taking moments of calm to look after myself is important for my mental health, which is ultimately something I’d like to instil in her. Looking after yourself isn’t selfish. It’s self-care.