Journalist, broadcaster and brand founder Sali Hughes shares her beauty routine, her memories and her wisdom in My Life in Beautya GH series that celebrates and explores the unique nature of every individual’s relationship with their looks, and finds out exactly what our favourite celebs use to look so good.
We caught up with Sali before the release of her latest book, Everything is Washable* and Other Life Lessons (4th estate, 15th September)to discover her best beauty hacks and just why she decided to launch her very own skincare range…
Sali Hughes’ Life in Beauty
I grew up with my father and brothers and was the only girl in the house, so appearance wasn’t discussed; it just wasn’t a thing and I’m grateful for that. I also never heard either of my parents talk negatively or otherwise about how they looked, which I think gives you a good grounding because then beauty becomes a fun, life-enhancing thing and not a battle you’re trying to win.
Basic beauty questions still come up when I talk to friends, or engage with followers on social media and readers. That’s why, when I created my skincare line Sali Hughes x Revolution, I wanted to give them something straightforward: here are the ingredients you need in your skincare, and here is what to use and when.
If I had to pick a favourite from my line, it would be the Cream Drench Moisturiser, £14. Often the only moisturisers that work on very dry skin like mine are the thick, medical or expensive ones. Cream Drench has all the good stuff – squalane, niacinamide, ceramides, glycerin, shea butter – and it’s cushiony, velvety, and leaves skin looking dewy.
In terms of my own skincare routine, my job as a beauty journalist means I don’t have the luxury of using my own products very often because I’m always having to try different things! But I try to stick to a light cleanser in the morning followed by a serum with some combination of vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. Then I use a moisturiser followed by either makeup with SPF in it, or a dedicated SPF if I’m going to be outside for any length of time, followed by makeup.
Dozens of micellar waters are sent to me every year, some of them costing around £50, which is absurd – it’s not a product you need to spend money on. By far my favourite is Simple Cleansing Micellar Water, from £2.75. It works the best and doesn’t make you break out, which I find a lot of them do.
I’m obsessed with bodycare. I have to be because I have ichthyosis, whereby my cell turnover is extremely rapid and results in dry, flaky skin that can become sore. Palmer’s has just reformulated its Retexture Renew Exfoliating Body Lotion, £6.99, which has always been brilliant but is now even better. It contains AHAs and lactic acid that de-flake the skin and works so, so brilliantly.
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Affordable and also accessible, democratic beauty is really important to me. Some years ago I was at a homeless shelter in Cardiff making a documentary and, while waiting for the camera crew to set up, I saw two cardboard boxes full of toiletries. The woman at reception explained that they were for clients who might have a housing meeting or job interview and need to look presentable. I took a photo of the boxes, sent the picture to my friend [Beauty Banks co-founder] Jo Jones and said “this is crazy – we know loads of people with tonnes of product. And here are people who need product. Can’t we bring the two things together?” And she said “yes, definitely”.
Beauty Banks is now a thriving charity, and serves around 400 other registered charities a year. Members of the public can leave unopened toiletries in one of our bins in over 100 Superdrug stores around the country and these products are then redistributed to women’s refuges, homeless shelters, schools, mental health trusts and refugee centres throughout the UK. The other part of what we do, which is crucial, is that we persuade large beauty brands and retailers like Estée Lauder, BaByliss and Cult Beauty to give us stock to redistribute.
‘Women should’ is a sentence-starter I can’t bear. Women should nothing! The way people look is absolutely no-one else’s business. I’m very happy to look 47 but I want to look good at 47; I don’t see why I need to have number 11 lines between my eyes if I don’t want to, so I get Botox. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with people wanting to look after their skin and chasing some of the characteristics that they had two years ago or five years ago. People can opt in or opt out. What I can’t stand is women being criticised, mocked or ridiculed for their choices.
Since I decided to go grey, I’ve been using Shrine Drop It toners, £9.99. Mix them with any old conditioner (I’ve tried with £1 conditioner and a £30 product, both equally good), leave in for 10 minutes, and you can get any tone you want.
What’s always in my makeup bag? A tubing mascara like Estée Lauder Double Wear Mascara, £24.50; MAC Lip Pencil in Subculture, £17 – it goes with everything; and the Pro Angled Concealer Brush from Beauty Pie, £9.55 for subscribers – the best concealer brush I’ve ever used; Beauty Pie has some great bargains. And my desert island product, which I’ve been using for over 10 years now, is NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser SPF30, £34 – it gives skin a really polished finish.
And one of my best beauty hacks is using washing-up liquid to clean my makeup brushes – it’s quick and doesn’t damage modern brushes because most are synthetic.
I literally never leave the house without perfume on. If accidentally I do, I have to find a department store and spray on a tester because I would otherwise feel weird! But I’m not monogamous; I choose perfume based on what I’m wearing and where I’m going. Right now , because I’m in the house, I’m wearing a base layer of Glossier You Eau de Parfum, £45, which is a brilliant musky kind of skin scent, and I’d layer something else over it if I were going out .
I do walk a lot, and that’s important for my head and my body, but I’m not an exerciser and I’m not very engaged with wellness! Really my sense of wellbeing comes from my emotional relationships. It increases massively when I spend time with the people I love.
Sali’s new book, Everything is Washable *and Other Life Lessons (4th Estate) is available to buy from 15th September.