U.K. skincare star Caroline Hirons

Ingredient Intelligence With Caroline Hirons

Whenever we get the chance to chat beauty with London-based skincare guru Caroline Hirons, we jump. A former Chantecaille spa operations director, Hirons has been a cheerleader for our botanically-based formulas practically forever. Proof of her appreciation comes in the form of inclusion in her coveted Skincare Hall of Fame, which featured our best-selling Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask this past fall.

The author of Skin Care: The Ultimate No-Nonsense Guide is extremely dedicated to dishing out advice that is exactly that: no-nonsense.Ā Hirons does not suffer fools easily, has zero patience for formulas overloaded with unnecessary ingredients, and maintains a less-is-more approach to skincare that we certainly align with. A recent chat got us into deep discussion about her favorite products and the ingredients that she simply adores, with lots of good reason: they deliver results.

Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask

First things firstā€”we were thrilled to be in your Hall of Fame skincare box this past fall. Why did Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask make the cut this year?
Put simply, I chose Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask because itā€™s a no-brainerā€”anyone can use it, and Iā€™ve yet to meet a skin that didnā€™t like it. It calms the skin down, itā€™s good for all kinds of weather. When we do the kits, because we sell internationally, I am always sort of wary of putting too much in it because if itā€™s winter here, itā€™s summer in Australia! The products have to be for everyone. That mask is universal: itā€™s good for cooling skin thatā€™s been out in the sun too long or been windswept for too long. But itā€™s also brilliant for central heating, and snow and ice. So itā€™s a no-brainer product. And I mean that as the best compliment!

Can you tell us what Chantecaille products you are loving right now?
Because Iā€™m now menopausal, my skin appreciates the basics more than it ever did. Which actually means that Chantecaille skincare really suits me sort of down to the ground because itā€™s so gentle but so effective. My favorites have always been the Bio Lifting Cream+ and Vital Essence, but now that Iā€™m simplifying Iā€™m also really loving Vital Essence and Water Flower Fluid. My skin right now isā€¦ so not so much temperamental, but it certainly does not like being overstimulated. Iā€™m going to go easy and just give my skin a good moisturizer, maybe with some Pure Rosewater underneath.Ā 

Youā€™ve always loved our Retinol Intense+ ā€” itā€™s been sold out for ages but is finally back in stock! Can you tell us what you think is so special about this formula?
I prefer to advise people to shop for a formula as opposed to sort of a key ingredient. I don't want just a straight tretinoin or a straight, super strong retinol, I need something in it to cushion what the retinol was designed to do, which is to well, letā€™s face itā€”it aggravates your skin, right? I donā€™t have the time for downtime and I donā€™t wantĀ  my skin to go all flaky, I'd rather not be bright red. So I want something that will work as a retinoid on my face, but also appreciate the importance of maintaining my skin barrier, which you can get with Retinol Intense+.

"Put simply, I chose Jasmine and Lily Healing Mask because itā€™s a no-brainerā€”anyone can use it, and Iā€™ve yet to meet a skin that didnā€™t like it."

You are always so knowledgeable about key ingredients, can we chat about those? So many of our skincare formulas feature superstar peptidesā€”they can be hard to explain! How do you talk about them with your followers?
I tend to talk about peptides as cell communicatorsā€”theyā€™re like building blocks of your collagen. I use the analogy of putting scaffolding on a building: Peptides will act as like the screws that lock scaffolding together. So as we get older, as we lose estrogenā€”and therefore collagen, estrogen is directly related to losing collagen and losing tone and elasticity in the skin. Peptides are designed to fill the gap. Itā€™s almost like having two family members that don't talk to anyone anymore. And peptides are the intermediary, ha!

Stress Repair Concentrate+

What about your beloved Niacinamide?
Do you know itā€™s actually been causing me to break out? I think it's a bit too active. But in terms of an ingredient, I think it's still a great ingredient for treating uneven skin tone, lines, wrinkles, and dullness. A little goes a long way, but it doesnā€™t need to be in everything, it needs to be used strategically so you donā€™t overdo it.Ā 

Letā€™s switch gears and talk routines: eye cream is key in any skincare lineup. Do you have a favorite?Ā 
I love Stress Repair Concentrate+. I was working for Chantecaille when the original version launched, and I just love the feel of it on my skin. I appreciate what it does as a moisturizer and also, I want something that will soften the lines around the eyes. It feels comforting and nourishing without being greasy or sticky. The only fault I had with Stress Repair is that I wanted it in a big pot so I could use it all over my face!

Lastly, let's talk about Pure Rosewater.
When I was doing trainings, I used to call it the backbone of the range. Itā€™s hydrating, soothing, calmingā€”all the things you want! Especially if you're 52! What I love is that when it first launched, people would always clamor for it and say "When are you getting more in?". It was always so coveted, and still such a favorite.

Shop This Story

  • Retinol Intense+
    A gentle night cream boosted with 2x the amount of Retinol
    $158
    $158
  • Bestseller
    Bio Lifting Cream+
    Age-defying plant stem cells power this hydrating cream
    $370
    $0.00 $370
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