Get a personal trainer for your skin

It seems we’ve come a long way from the simple ‘oily, dry and combination’ skin categories. Such limited brackets have left many of us a little dazed in the skincare aisles and it’s now estimated that 80 per cent of us don’t know our own skin type. Or so say Haute Custom Beauty(HCB), a game-changing skincare company, which, after researching the dermal profiles of more than 300 men and women aged 25-70 has adopted a very different approach. It attests its methods to being similar to a personal trainer for your skin. Since a personalised regime works so well for the body, why not apply the same principle to our faces? And so came the 30-day bespoke ‘ritual’ – the first 100 per cent tailored skincare programme. Is this the secret to flawless skin? Are individual, long-term skincare regimes really the way forward? We wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Is it time to get a personal trainer for your skin?

First up, how does it work? Similar to meeting your new PT and receiving an initial consultation, HCB offers an online Derma Skin Analysis that takes into account your skin type, oil spectrum, lifestyle, sensitivity levels and skincare goals. A prescription is calculated by matching your skin with one of the 600-plus Derma Profiles it has compiled (following extensive dermatological research and 30 years’ experience). Then, it’s getting up and applying your special lotions and potions twice daily. The 30-day Beauty Ritual comprises 30 HCB daily elixirs alongside a collagen tonic and moisturiser – all hand-picked to suit your needs.

The elixirs are the truly inspired touch; organised single-shot glass vials that contain an exciting concoction of all-natural, high-end ingredients, such as caviar and gold. Your personal ritual will involve between five and eight different vials, each targeting certain issues such as wrinkles, lines or blemishes. Their sequence will be specifically varied over the 30 days to ensure skin isn’t saturated or starved – in the same way you need to eat a balanced diet and mix up your fitness routine to achieve optimum health. And, as you would with a personal trainer, after 30 days, you see results. Big results. Not only do women proclaim this treatment to be the best they have ever tried, HCB is so confident in the results, it promises a full refund if you’re not happy (even if you’ve started using it).

Our verdict? Never have I quite grasped the concept of ‘glowing from within’, surely that was just a term for over-pampered celebs with a heavily equipped team of make-up artists behind them? My hands are up, I was wrong. By day two, my skepticism was crumbling and day three, washed down the sink for good. My pores were smaller, blemishes were receding, my skin looked more even and felt incredibly balanced – hydrated, no excess oil, no dry patches. It also had an amazing effect on my make-up: foundation went on a lot smoother and actually stayed in place throughout the day. I’ve always found skincare a bit of a drag, but to my surprise I came to find the whole process hugely therapeutic. I enjoyed the methodical nature of each step, taking the time to massage each product into my skin correctly while under the knowledge that I was truly taking care of my skin. It was strangely pleasing. I quickly realised that this is no trend or fad, rather, a straight-up miracle. Never have I seen such amazing results so quickly and efficiently.

Ladies, how many times have we decided to overhaul our skincare regime only to come back from the shops laden with numerous cleansers, toners and serums that only made us wince a when it came to paying? Rather than trying to muddle your way through the skincare market yourself, leave it to the professionals. Specific skincare is here to stay and this is a pretty great place to start.

Try the Bespoke 30-day Ritual, £460, at hautecustombeauty.com