Latest news with #CarolineHirons
Graziadaily
5 days ago
- Health
- Graziadaily
Skin Rocks' New Serum Tackles All Hyperpigmentation
I know a thing or two about stubborn facial hyperpigmentation. While pigmentation refers to the natural coloration of the skin, hair, and eyes caused by melanin, hyperpigmentation describes the the process of excess of melanin production caused by various factors like inflammation and sun exposure. This manifests as discolouration, uneven skin tone and dark spots. As someone who has struggled with acne since the age of 18, I'm well versed in the struggle of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, that being, those deep seated scars that linger well after a breakout has cleared. It means that while I've developed a steady acne-safe routine, I've also paid close attention to the kind of products that don't just keep spots at bay, but clear up the mess once they've gone. And, Skin Rocks' new The Hyperpigmentation Serum, £85, promises to do just that. Four years in the making, brand founder and no-nonsense talking beauty expert, Caroline Hirons, certainly took her time to cook up this hotly anticipated product requested her a legion of 785k loyal Instagram fans. The Hyperpigmentation Serum, which launched this week, has already created a buzz online and it's not hard to see why. Promising to tackle all types of hyperpigmentation, from post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, to sun spots, red marks (also known as post-inflammatory erythema), as well as medical conditions like melasma, the serum promises to be the single antidote to a series of problems that are all characterised by hyperpigmentation. Clinical trials for the serum found a reduction in brown spots by up to 17% after 4 weeks, and up to 24% after 8 weeks ©Skin Rocks Staying loyal to the brand's results-driven, efficacious and totally transparent DNA, the serum takes a formula-first approach that has been proven to deliver. The clinical and consumer trials that span eight to twelve weeks with a cohort of 167 participants using the serum in silo have revealed seriously impressive results. For example, consumer trials reported a whopping 90% improvement in brighter looking skin, while the clinical study proved a 24% reduction of brown spots after eight weeks of use. Safe to say the before and after images speak for themselves. The results boil down to a clever formula that inhibits various pathways for pigment overproduction. Safe to use on all skin types, tones and even ages, the carefully charged serum is loaded with turmeric-derived antioxidant tetrahydrodiferuloymethane (THDFM) which restricts the power of hyperpigmentation-causing enzyme tyrosinase, skin brightening peptides tetrapeptide-30 and acetyl glycyl beta-alanine, excess melanin blocking hexylresorcinol and ethyl linoleate, as well as a stabilised form of hero ingredients vitamin C and barrier strengthening niacinamide. Together, the hardworking cocktail has been clinically proven to correct dark spots, even out skin tones, and lend a brighter, more radiant complexion. Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, using the Skin Rocks The Hyperpigmentation Serum 1. Skin Rocks The Hyperpigmentation Serum What the brand says: 'Say goodbye to overcomplicated routines and say hello to one solution for all types of hyperpigmentation. This highly effective, concentrated serum works by targeting various points of the pigment production process, helping to fade multiple types of hyperpigmentation, from post-breakout marks to melasma, as well as redmarks. As always, our final formula is clinically tested, and this serum is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of dark spots and even out skin tone, both within 2 weeks and over time.' What we know: As with all of its formulas, the newest Skin Rocks innovation is clinically proved, results driven and formula-first, which is why its contents are packed with hardworking ingredients like turmeric-derived antioxidant tetrahydrodiferuloymethane (THDFM) which blocks hyperpigmentation-causing enzymes in their tracks as well as skin brightening peptides and stabilised vitamin C, which really helps to cover the multifaceted nature of hyperpigmentation. Sameeha Shaikh, beauty writer, says: 'Hyperpigmentation issues have followed me since my first breakout when I was 18. Now aged 31, it's safe to say it's problem I still face to this say. Which is why arming my routine with a hard-working serum that is capable of stopping post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation before it can manifest on the skin is so important. It means there is one less skin stress to worry about.' Pros Clinically proven formula Restricts hyperpigmention pathways Cons Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia's beauty writer, covering all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Skincare guru Caroline Hirons' brand just launched affordable mini sets perfect for travel - and they're set to sell out
Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn more Founded by 'arguably the most important figure in British beauty', Skin Rocks by Caroline Hirons is considered one of the fastest-growing UK skincare brands, for good reason. Having won over 10 industry awards and with over a whopping 13,000 five-star reviews, the range boasts a no-frills approach to skincare, simplifying your routine with science-backed formulas and a less-is-more approach. Skin Rocks The AM Routine £45 (save £5) Your morning skincare routine doesn't need to be overcomplicated, and this handy kit makes it simpler than ever with four all-rounder products. Designed to cleanse and gently exfoliate, while providing moisture, the kit includes four mini products, including the award-winning The Moisturiser (15ml), The Antioxidant (10ml), The Gentle Acid (30ml), and The Cream Cleanser (30ml). Each product works in conjunction to leave the complexion looking more even and radiant, while protecting against environmental stressors. Morning's have never been easier. Use code DAILY10 at checkout for 10 per cent off. Shop Skin Rocks The PM Routine £54 (save £6) Take off the day with The PM Routine, designed to thoroughly remove makeup and gently transform the skin with a powerhouse of products. Reveal smoother, more even-toned skin with Retinoid 1 (10ml), reduce irritation and redness with The Support Oil (10ml), remove makeup and debris with The Gel Cleanser (30ml), and lock in moisture with The Moisturiser (15ml). Soon to become your go-to nightly skincare routine, this transformative set includes cult products from the brand you'll quickly fall in love with. Remember to use code DAILY10 at checkout for 10 per cent savings. Shop Bestsellers from Skin Rocks include The Gel Cleanser — which is included in the brand-new PM introductory set from the brand — alongside The Moisturiser, which customers have described as 'the best they've ever used'. If your current skincare routine isn't quite cutting it and you want to try something new, now's your chance to experience a best-selling skincare brand for less. The sheer amount of acids and ingredients included within skincare products can sometimes be overwhelming (seriously, when did skincare become so hard?), and if you can relate, these handy sets do the hard work for you. Perfect for if you're heading on holiday or if you want to overhaul your routine without breaking the bank, the AM and PM bundles each include four mini-versions of bestselling products from the brand. The AM Edit combines conditioning cleansing with gentle exfoliation, boasting a 30ml version of the brand's iconic Cream Cleanser (a great all-rounder for your morning cleanse or evening pre-cleanse), and a 30ml version of The Gentle Acid, an exfoliating toner suitable for those who are new to acids. Also included in The AM Edit is a 10ml The Antioxidant, which helps to protect against environmental stressors, and a 15ml The Moisturiser, designed to promote long-term skin health and radiance. Priced at £50, The AM Edit is a great introduction to Skin Rocks and a way to experience some of its bestselling, cult products for less (or to have backups of your favourites on hand). Suitable for dry, oily or combination skin types and designed to target texture and uneven skin tone, The PM Edit features a 30ml version of the iconic Gel Cleanser, and a 10ml version of Retinoid 1 - a ideal starter retinoid for those who are new to the ingredient. 'I have been using this for a few weeks now, and I feel my overall complexion has gotten better,' wrote one customer. 'I look and feel good in my skin, it feels great to apply, doesn't sting and actually makes my face feel good'. 'This is magic in a bottle,' wrote a second user. 'The texture feels luxurious on my skin, and my skin feels and looks a lot better in just a few weeks of use. Love it'. 'After bad experiences with other brand's retinoids previously, I decided to dip my foot in the water with Skin Rocks because I trust the brand and love every SR product I have tried. So far, so good!', noted a third shopper. The PM Edit also includes a 10ml Support Oil, which customers have dubbed 'an absolute necessity', and a 15ml version of The Moisturiser. With both sets designed to last at least two weeks with the proper usage (aside from the Retinoid 1, which shouldn't be used everyday so should last much longer), the AM and PM edit's allow customers to see how Skin Rocks products work with their skin (spoiler alert: you'll soon see what all the hype's about). Plus, if you fall in love with your routine, you'll now be able to take 10 per cent off your basket with our exclusive code, until August 4, 2025. Ready to say hello to your best skin yet? Shop the AM and PM edits here - and be sure to enter DAILY10 at checkout for 10 per cent off. Run, don't walk!
Daily Mail
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Tattle Life stalked, harassed and abused me posting pics of my grandchildren and triggering death threats - 'trolling' doesn't begin to cover it
Skincare expert Caroline Hirons opened up about how she was stalked, harassed and abused online by users on a viral gossip site called Tattle Life. The 55 year old, who is the founder of company Skin Rocks, appeared on Wednesday's episode of Lorraine to talk about teen skin care, but ended up touching upon the online forum through her own experience with it. Tattle Life is a 'commentary website on public business social media accounts'. Earlier this week it was revealed that British 'business owner' Sebastian Bond, 41, was confirmed as the secret mastermind behind the website after losing a £300,000 defamation case to influencers Donna and Neil Sands. Lorraine said: 'Caroline, you were one of the people who were horribly affected by this...' Caroline said: 'Not just me. They came after my family. 'The thing with Tattle is, I've had an online persona for 16 years, it started on Twitter like everyone else, then I moved to Instagram. 'We're used to being trolled, the lowest common demonstrator is that you talk about someone's appearance... 'I've had people telling me they're not attracted to me for 16 years, it's water off a duck's back. 'That's not Tattle. Tattle is stalking, death threats, I really need to hammer that message home. 'Everything that site says in terms of we monitor everything, we didn't know this was happening, it's all lies. It's not an untruth, not a mistake. It's lies. 'They have systematically harassed, abused, stalked families, they posted mortgage docs, they've posted of my grandchildren in my home. You have no idea.' She continued: 'Most people are really good people, when you hear of this, "surely a little bit of not everyone is going to like you", "people are going to comment on your appearance, that's what everyone does". 'That is not what this is. I cannot make it clear enough.' Caroline has joined forces with Neil and Donna Sands, and doctor Jess Taylor - and they are going to the government and the police to take a stand on the issue. She added: 'They will be unmasked and this site will come down. 'It has tortured people. Now I am lucky, I'm older, I now have means. If I needed to, I could buy security. 'But there are people out there who have had their mental health destroyed. 'They've had their family stalked. Their children's schooling exposed, they've had people driving by their houses outside. 'This is not your average trolling. 'This is systemic persistent abuse, harassment, it is absolutely the epitome of the worst of society.' Caroline is a qualified aesthetician who boasts 783k followers on Instagram and 253k subscribers on YouTube. She started her career working for Aveda in Harvey Nichols and has now created her own businesses, including being founder of Skin Rocks and co-founder of Beauty Backed. Caroline has released a number of books including Skincare: The New Edit and Teen Skincare. Katie Price has led the celebrities supporting the take down of Tattle Life after the anonymous blogger was unmasked on Monday. Replying to Donna's Instagram announcement post, Katie shared an array of applause emojis before also taking to her Story to raise awareness. Meanwhile psychologist Dr Jessica Taylor took to Instagram on Monday to share that she and Neil Sands were beginning government action against Sebastian and the website itself. And Katie reshared the announcement to her story, which asked the government to begin criminal action against Tattle users. It read: 'Individually, we were victims, but together with the ruling pursued by @neilsands_ and @donnasands_ - we are now unstoppable.' A host of other celebrities also commented on Donna's post as they shared their support after falling victim to the site themselves. Stacey Solomon wrote: 'Thank you. ❤️ for all you've done'. Meanwhile actress Alice Evans commented: 'Hopefully this will encourage more lawyers to take our cases on. 'Maybe we can make up some of the income we lost through their lies.' Influencer Sophie Hinchliffe, who is best known by her online brand Mrs Hinch, penned: 'Oh my gosh I pray this is true. 'The website that has damaged my mental health and harassed me and my family beyond words for over 6 years. 'They've stalked me, lied about me, mocked me and my beautiful children. Accused me of the unthinkable, brainwashed my supporters. Sickening behaviour that I've silently had to put up with every single day. A host of other celebrities including Kady McDermott, Alice Evans, Ashley James and Lauryn Goodman also shared their support Influencer Sophie Hinchliffe penned: 'The website that has damaged my mental health and harassed me and my family beyond words for over 6 years' 'My thread (as I'm sure you've seen) is one of the largest on there , with hourly abuse. I hope to god this site gets taken down. Thank you for all you've done'. Big Brother star Henry Southan added: 'Great news' while Love Island's Tasha Ghouri posted applause emojis. Fellow Love Island stars Kady McDermott and Siannise Fudge wrote: 'Thank you so much'. Ashley James added: 'Amazing!!!' and Sharon Gafka penned: 'Thank you'. Lauryn Goodman commented: 'Well done guys! Amazing work now time for the data … who's been behind those accounts! Thank you so much for taking this on .. it was huge!' After Donna and Neil appeared on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, Lauryn also reposted the video as she commented: 'Can still see the pain @donnasands_ has had to endure, Well done guys @neilsands_'. Responding to Sebastian's comment that he 'strongly denies ruining anyone's life', Lauryn penned: 'I'm sorry the audacity.... SEBASTIAN you have denied it???? DENIED it? 'You had SO much time to respond you ignored and still do. You're actually in contempt of court. Honestly if you don't laugh you'll cry... just call him shaggy from now on "it wasn't me." Even with the piles of evidence.' Thanking Donna and Neil for their work she added: 'We can't thank you both enough and the fight continues.. you kept going even though it took a lot of resources! Warriors'. Tattle's site attracts 12 million visitors a month, and is supposedly aimed at exposing disingenuous influencers who make money from social media. Thanking Donna and Neil for their work she praised them for being: 'Warriors' But it rapidly descended into a paradise for trolls to aim abuse at everyone including Mrs Hinch and Stacey Solomon to mummy bloggers with small followings. Last week restrictions on identifying Sebastian were lifted after Neil and Donna were awarded £300,000 at the High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland in 2023 after successfully suing Bond for 'defamation and harassment' in posts aimed at them on the site. For nearly a decade, since the site was set up in 2017, no one knew who ran Tattle Life, with the site's operator going under the fake name Helen McDougal. Many will be now surprised to learn the creator is in fact a man, who is the author and foodie behind plant-based recipe Instagram page Nest and Glow, which boasts 135,000 followers. For the past eight years, the vegan cookbook author he has secretly presided over the site, which makes an estimated £276,770 in Google Ad revenue every six months, according to figures from 2021. Meanwhile, influencers, their partners and even their children, have been on the receiving end of abuse and mockery over their weight and disabilities - while private details such as their home addresses have been shared on the forum.
Scotsman
16-06-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Beauty experts swear by this bestselling sun cream now on sale
Beauty experts swear by this bestselling sun cream that's perfect to wear under makeup - now 36% off | Canva This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. This bestselling suncream is perfect for wearing under makeup and is highly recommended by beauty experts. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... There's nothing quite like snagging a skincare essential at a serious discount – and today's Amazon deal is one not to miss. Right now, you can grab La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Ultra-Light Invisible Fluid SPF50+ (50ml) £12.56 , down from £19.57 that's a huge 36% off on one of the most dermatologist-recommended sunscreens in Europe. La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Ultra-Light Invisible Fluid SPF50+ La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Ultra-Light Invisible Fluid SPF50+ (50ml) £12.56, | Amazon This ultra-light, non-perfumed sunscreen is specifically formulated for sensitive skin, offering very high UVA and UVB protection with broad-spectrum SPF 50+. Its standout feature? The new UVMune 400 technology – La Roche-Posay's most advanced UV filter system to date, designed to guard against even ultra-long UVA rays, which contribute to premature aging. Beauty experts Caroline Hirons and Nadine Baggott both recommend this beauty bag essential. It melts into the skin without a white cast or greasy finish, making it the perfect base under makeup. Whether you're going bare-faced or building a full glam look, it won't pill, clog pores, or cause irritation. Key Features: SPF50+ Broad Spectrum Protection Fragrance-Free – ideal for sensitive or reactive skin Non-greasy, ultra-light formula Invisible finish – no white cast Developed with dermatologists With summer in full swing, a high-quality daily sunscreen is non-negotiable. And with La Roche-Posay's proven formulation at nearly a third off, it's the perfect time to stock up. Amazon is also offering big savings across the La Roche-Posay range. The Invisible Tinted SPF50+ Fluid £11.40 – a brilliant option to wear instead of foundation - now 42% off. It delivers the same high-level protection with a subtle tint that evens out skin tone and leaves you glowing. And for families, La Roche-Posay has kids covered too. The Dermo-Pediatrics Invisible Spray SPF50+ £16.48 and the Hydrating Lotion SPF50+ £17.12 both tailored for children's sensitive skin. These gentle yet powerful formulations are water-resistant, fragrance-free, and designed to shield little ones from sun damage during summer play. 💪 Women 55+ are leading the way in healthy weight loss A major UK study shows that women over 55 are seeing the best results from weight loss jabs like Wegovy and Mounjaro – and it's not just the medication that's working. According to research from Voy and Imperial College London, older women who track their weight and attend coaching sessions lose 53% more weight than those relying on jabs alone. ✨ Voy offers a personalised, medically guided plan combining prescription support with coaching and digital habit-building tools. Learn more and check your eligibility here. Natalie Dixon is NationalWorld's Lifestyle reporter . If you liked this article and want to read more about fashion, beauty and lifestyle you can follow Natalie Dixon on X here .
Times
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Caroline Hirons: Britain's most powerful beauty expert
Caroline Hirons is going through some of her bêtes noires with me. Face wipes? 'You do not need one. They're not biodegradable, whatever they might say. Piss off.' The 'clean beauty' movement? 'Are people even still using 'toxic' to describe products? Is it 2011? Move on!' Face sheet masks? 'My main beef is they're not eco-friendly, but they also don't work.' Her voice rises nearly an octave. 'And then Neutrogena came out with individual face wipes in their own plastic [wrap], so you could travel with them. Has everyone lost their mind?' Even if you've never heard of Hirons, the former Saturday girl at Harvey Nichols, now a 55-year-old mother of four children aged between 33 and 20, and grandmother of two, you have probably, unwittingly, been influenced by her. Her verdict on a skincare product has created, what is known in the industry as 'the Caroline effect'. Case in point: when Clinique was about to discontinue its Take The Day Off cleansing balm, after poor sales in 2013, Hirons listed it in her blog's Hall of Fame. Sales rose 1,432 per cent. It is still Clinique's No 1 selling make-up remover. Or take Clarisonic, an electric face-cleaning brush, all the rage in the early 2010s — as she said, 'the Chanel handbag of the beauty world' — but a product that gave her 'the worst acne breakout of my life'. Clarisonic was shut down in 2020. Or the astoundingly pricey Dr Barbara Sturm skincare range, about which she has expressed some scepticism. In her defence, Hirons is positive about far more brands than she's negative about. 'But the industry is terrified of her,' one beauty insider tells me. She's called the most powerful woman in the British beauty industry. 'Allegedly,' she says, with a quiet smile. 'I'm sure there'd be people like Charlotte Tilbury who'd have something to say about that. Maybe the most powerful woman in skincare. I'd take that.' OK, but I ask her if she is more powerful than the beauty director of Vogue. Hirons nods and beams even more broadly. Not that this means — in today's lingo — she is an influencer. 'I've always pushed against that term,' she says. 'I get that it's cute, but from day one I didn't want it, because I spent a lot of time and money going to college to train. I'm someone who has influence, but I'm qualified to do so. I give advice [to skincare brands] around the world and it's not cheap.' In person, Hirons is certainly a commanding — although perfectly friendly — presence. She is far more relatable to me, as a fellow Gen Xer, than the typical duck-lipped, Fake-Baked millennials who dominate beauty social media channels. Having started blogging ('How old-fashioned that sounds now') about skincare in 2010, today Hirons's posts have been viewed some 200 million times. She estimates she's answered 250,000 skincare questions. She has 779,000 Instagram followers. Her first book, Skincare, became the bestselling British beauty book of all time. Three years ago, she launched her own skincare range, Skin Rocks, which is stocked in Liberty and Space NK. Skin Rocks is reported to have brought in £10 million in revenue in three years and recently secured investment to expand internationally. The family (her husband, Jim, gave up his job with the local council to bring up the younger children as her career exploded) used to live in a flat in West Kensington. Now, with only one child left at home, they've moved to a slightly grander place in nearby Shepherds Bush. She doesn't do hobbies or holidays. Couldn't she retire on her riches? 'If I hadn't started my own brand, we'd be really comfortable. But I had to dip my toe in the pond, didn't I?' Born in Liverpool, Hirons grew up in Warrington, Cheshire, from the age of nine. Her father was a mechanic while her mother and her grandmother worked on department store beauty counters. Aged 17, she moved to London, worked at HMV ('Just a dream, such a good time') and met Jim. When her two older children were toddlers, she found a Saturday job on the Aveda counter at Harvey Nicks — then Cool Britannia AbFab central. She only wanted some extra cash, but she found her vocation. 'I thought, this is what I'm supposed to do. I called my mum and was like, 'Why didn't you tell me beauty was this much fun?' ' One Saturday, alone on the counter, she made more sales than the entire team usually managed together. She was promoted to manager and began working full-time, while two nights a week (around the births of her two younger children) studying for her beautician diploma from the Steiner School of Beauty Therapy. Her first job after that was at Space NK, then she was hired by Sylvie Chantecaille to develop facials for her brand. She moved on to companies such as Liz Earle before becoming a freelance consultant helping US brands launch in the UK. Then came social media. Initially, her blog was intended to be a place to describe the travails of family life, but almost immediately she realised hordes of (mainly older) women were desperate for definitive answers on which of the gazillion products out there worked and which was best for them — and she was uniquely qualified to advise. What makes Hirons so beloved by her 'Freaks' (the name of the 150,000 members of her Facebook group) is the fact, as she puts it, 'I never kiss or blow smoke up anyone's arse.' This made her a rarity in an industry where everyone's lovely to everyone else (at least to their faces), because brands need coverage, while influencers (or, in the olden days, the likes of Vogue) need content, not to mention enjoying access to the glitzy junkets and freebies lavished upon them. Does she ever get pushback from brands she's dissed? 'Once or twice. But it didn't end well for them. My followers are like a swarm of bees: 'How dare you?' Heads of big, big companies email their PRs — 'How do we get this post removed?' They say, 'You don't understand. This is Caroline.' You can offer me ten grand; I ain't going anywhere.' No matter how hard she tries to stop herself, she is frequently political. Past targets have included antivaxers and Boris Johnson, after he joked in parliament during the pandemic about the delay in reopening beauty salons. 'I've never felt rage like it. I'd have been over that dispatch box at him.' The Beauty Backed campaign she launched to help those affected by the lockdowns raised £600,000. She likes to joke that Jim once marvelled, 'Who would have thought that being gobby and opinionated would become a career?' Yet she doesn't appreciate the dozens of headlines describing her as 'opinionated' or 'no nonsense'. 'That's a really good way of dismissing me,' she says. 'They say, 'Oh, you're very confident.' It's fine for men to be confident, but for women it's a passive-aggressive insult. Men will still speak over me at meetings, and I go, 'When I'm finished, I'd love to hear your point. But I wasn't finished.' ' She pulls a face and flicks the bird at her imaginary interlocutor. 'It's their audacity. You can disagree with me, but in a lot of cases I can prove to you I'm right. There are people out there who don't like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. That's absolutely fine. I don't expect everyone to like me. I don't like everyone. But what I know they will do is respect my opinion. So go with God, my friends.' We're sitting in a studio in east London, where she has just finished the Times photoshoot with her only daughter, Ava, a 23-year-old TikToker with 826,000 followers, compared with Hirons's 53,000 on the same platform. 'On TikTok I call myself 'Ava Hirons's mum'. Her success is her success; it's nothing to do with me. I can't go into a Space NK without being mobbed; she can't go to Westfield [shopping centre]. I could not be prouder.' Now Hirons has written a book for Ava's fanbase, Teen Skincare, which briskly explains how young, hormonal, often spotty skin needs and (more importantly) doesn't need to be treated, with routines outlined and products recommended. As a mother of two Gen Z daughters, I wonder how it can compete with the source of all their knowledge: TikTok. 'They're exhausting, the TikTok myths,' Hirons says. 'It's mostly bad information or misinformation and it feels like you're pushing water uphill sometimes trying to correct it. So it's just easier to write a book. Point your kids in that direction and hope they read it.' I hope mine do, because the book contains — among others — an invaluable 'Pile of Shit' section, which debunks viral trends such as beauty fridges ('Make it stop') and celebrity skincare brands ('Most celebrities don't give a toss about skin. They just want to slap their name on something and get the money/glory'). 'Stop buying shit you don't need with money you don't have to impress people you don't know,' Hirons pronounces. The book is an antidote to the recent, quite gobsmacking 'Sephora Kids' phenomenon, where not even teens but girls aged as young as nine are being influenced into buying high-end beauty products at ridiculous prices, with ingredients designed for much older skin. 'I mean, the interest in the teen skincare book is because of this phenomenon, so obviously I'm being a hypocrite saying, 'Oh, it shouldn't happen,' ' Hirons says. 'But … Insanity! • Viral beauty videos have Gen Z hooked on second-hand make-up 'I'd be in Space NK, see groups of teenagers buying things and I would say, 'That's not for you. You should be buying that for your mum. You do not need it. Put it down and get a Krispy Kreme.' Obviously, they're going to take more notice of me than they are of their mum. But if a girl is 14 and she babysits, has saved £100 and she wants to spend £80 on a moisturiser, let her — she's only going to do it once. Sometimes, they have to learn a lesson the hard way.' Like many mothers and daughters, Hirons and Ava are in a great place now, but were continually 'locking horns' during the latter's teens. It didn't help that Hirons, who had just started the blog, was enduring perimenopause. 'It was a grim time. It's the clash of peak hormones on both sides. I was tired. I put on loads of weight. I was fed up. I wasn't depressed; I was just exhausted. I had no energy and brain fog. I thought, there's something wrong with me. I'm miserable. I'll show you a fat pic,' she says, scrolling her phone to show me some snaps where she's quite startlingly larger and frumpier-looking than today. 'Every part of me was bloated; I was so uncomfortable. Ava says you shouldn't say 'fat', but the body positivity movement's all good and well. I fully respect if that's how you feel. I wasn't feeling positive so I changed it.' She began lifting weights, scoffing protein and (latterly) having Mounjaro jabs, although she says these are 'for my bloods' rather than weight loss specifically. Either way, a decade on, she's 3st lighter. 'I've turned into a clichéd menopausal woman who's never more than 10ft away from a pack of collagen and I feel better than I did at 35.' In other respects, in the course of her 15-year ascent, she has certainly become glossier, her hair no longer scraped back in the bun she adopted for the school run. Her skin — obviously — is glowing, but she's frank she's had some Botox and fillers ('No amount of skincare will stop you ageing or change the structure of your skin'). Most importantly, she says, she is now on hormone replacement therapy. 'That got me a life. I'm chill.' She now tries to stay out of online arguments about, say, whether SPFs give you cancer ('I don't even hope people listen to me about that. I'm like, 'It's on you' '), but still doesn't shy from using Instagram to tackle causes bigger than pore size. Right now, she's fixated on abortion rights in the US. 'I was raging during the election because the Democrats were saying you've got to think about abortion from the perspective of a young girl who's been abused. No, you don't. You have to think about this from the perspective of women as human beings, not incubators. I've had four children, three miscarriages and one abortion. The whys and the wherefores are no one else's f***ing business.' Yet, compared with most social media personalities I've met, Hirons is notably relaxed about the vast amount of trolling she receives. 'I saw a great quote. It's a bit inappropriate – 'If I haven't been inside you or you haven't been inside me, I don't care about your opinion.' That applies to my mum, my husband, my kids. If they thought I was a horrible person, I would think, oh God, I need to look at myself. But if some fat doris from Tunbridge Wells is pissed off because I said her cleanser wasn't very good, I'm not going to lose any sleep.' Some potential Skin Rocks investors told her they would only fund her if she stopped blogging. 'I pushed back. That would be impossible. Imagine not being able to say, 'I'm so envious of this facemask — it's excellent'. It would be like having a limp.' Others have questioned how Hirons can continue consulting for other brands (in her book, she recommends a handful of her own products, alongside plenty of her rivals'). 'I'm not going to suddenly say your brand is shit and mine's the best. You'd lose credibility. Do you think Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White only eat at their own restaurants?' Teen Skincare by Caroline Hirons (HQ, £16.99) is published on June 19. To order a copy, go to or call 020 3176 2935. Free P&P on online orders over £25. Discount for Times+ members Hair: Sydnie Bones using Sam McKnight. Make-up: Amelia Hunt at The Rae Agency using Make-up by Mario and Refy
