The Beauty Diary: The news.com.au team share their fave beauty products
A supermarket item designed to treat a breastfeeding problem is being hailed as “the answer” to an issue we all face – fixing it while you sleep.
Having a peek inside other people’s beauty cabinets and make-up bags is one of those things most of us can’t resist.
If you’re anything like me, you want to know if there’s an amazing moisturiser that fixes skin issues overnight or a budget foundation that’s better than the expensive ones you’ve been forking out for.
As well as getting hot tips and ideas for what to buy next, having a peek at someone else’s selections is super fun.
Some of my most-loved beauty buys come from recommendations received from friends, colleagues or even strangers in the changing room at the gym.
Missed a column? Catch up on all The Beauty Diary action here
Which is why this week I’ve badgered my colleagues *again* to get them to reveal the products they keep reaching for, morning and night.
Edwina Carr Barraclough, Best Of editor, is a BIG fan of these two products:
SKINCEUTICALS C E FERULIC SERUM
Available at adorebeauty.com.au
Price: $218
Having been through a bout of particularly aggressive adult acne – and still possessing the red marks or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation – it left behind, I was desperate to try anything that might help. Enter: SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum. This celeb and expert-loved serum isn’t cheap but boy is it good. Featuring a hefty and stable 15 per cent of Vitamin C content, plus ferulic acid, it works to rid me of those fun acne scars, protects against free radical damage and brightens my skin. I’ve been using it for five months, and while my scars aren’t gone, I do notice a difference. If the price is deterring you, I’ve probably got another month of use left in my bottle and I’ve been using it almost daily – so cost per use is totally justifiable.
L’OREAL TRUE MATCH LIQUID FOUNDATION
Available at Priceline, Chemist Warehouse, Big W, ozhairandbeauty.com and adorebeauty.com.au
Price: $29.95 (but you can usually pick it up half price at Chemist Warehouse)
I’ve been on a lifelong quest to find the perfect foundation (and mascara, but that’s another story) and this one from L’Oreal ticks a bunch of boxes. Not only is the shade I use a beautiful match (the name of the product ain’t lying), it’s light enough to not seep into my fine lines but has enough coverage for when I feel like a more “done” look. It comes in 33 shades and is oil-free and non-comedogenic – great for anyone whose skin can play up. My mum, who’s in her sixties, is also a fan so if you’re looking for a reliable foundation – whatever age you are – I can definitely recommend this hard worker.
Hannah Paine, lifestyle reporter, relies on an unusual choice in cream to fix her dry lips:
MARCALAN NIPPLE CREAM
Available at Woolworths, Coles and Big W
Price: $14.95
I’ve always had dry lips and up until two years if you’d looked in my handbag you’d have found at least three varieties of lip balms, all doing nothing to soothe my chapped pout. Things took a turn for the worse when in 2019 I began a 12 month course of Roaccuntane for my acne (one of the side effects being extreme skin dryness) and found my already-dry lips were now turning into the peeling variety – wonderful. Desperate for a solution I did what most of us do and turned to Google where I stumbled across a surprising recommendation: nipple cream. Figuring I had nothing to lose, the next time I was at Woolies I picked up a $15 tube (any brand will work, but you might want to find one with a clear consistency) and over the next few days noticed an immediate improvement in my lips. I’m not sure exactly what makes nipple cream such a miracle product for your lips but according to Margot Robbie, who swears by it for her signature pout, it’s because it’s designed specifically to treat extreme skin dryness. For best results I put a thick layer on my lips before I got to sleep and wake up with a pillow-soft pout. I then apply sparingly during the day when my lips start to feel a little dry (a little goes a long way!) but find I use a lot less than other lip balms, making it much more wallet-friendly.
Kerry Warren, afternoon news editor, credits her GLOWY AF skin to this:
MEDIK8 3TR INTENSE RETINOL SERUM
Available adorebeauty.com.au and medik8.com.au
Price: $82
This serum goes on like an absolute dream and means I wake up with fresh, dewy skin every morning. I started out using it twice a week and have built up to nightly, and it has massively helped my acne scars and skin texture and glowiness in general. When this bottle is done, I’ll upgrade to the 6TR one, and then eventually the 10TR, by which point I assume I will look 16 again. One thing to watch: Make sure you wear a good SPF, because retinol can make your skin much more sensitive to the sun.
Vanessa Brown, travel editor, swears by this simple skincare routine:
THE SECRET DAY AND NIGHT DUO
Available at thesecretskincare.com.au
Price: $220 each
As someone who has suffered from problematic skin for most of my life, I’ve finally been able to whittle my skincare cabinet down to just two key products that have pleasantly transformed my skin
Known as The Secret, this day and night cream duo is the ultimate ‘lazy girls’ skincare routine – on steroids.
After a splash of water in the morning, I cover my face with a pea-size amount of the Day Brightening Elixir and some SPF and that’s the day done. At night, a gentle cleanse with Maaemo’s cleansing gel, which is super gentle, along with a smidge of The Secret’s Cellular Repair Night Cream and I’m ready for bed.
Now, while the routine sounds simple, the products are anything but. Both day and night formulations are medical grade and prescribed to you by Australian doctors Dr Clara Hurst and Dr Deb Cohen-Jones, who are the co-founders of range.
Each pot is tailored to your individual needs using pure active ingredients (like retinol) to combat acne, fine lines and especially pigmentation. But be warned – you will need to slip slop slap without fail each and every day.
Now, while this has been a facial game-changer for me, the results will not appear overnight for everyone. The doctors typically start to see results within six weeks, but for me I didn’t see a great change until three months of use (and at $500 for the set, it’s a splurge).
But patience and perseverance is key, because despite the initial flaking and redness, you will not be disappointed.
Shireen Khalil, lifestyle reporter, is FROTHING over these frizz lifesavers:
JOHN FRIEDA DAY 2 REVIVAL CURL RESET SPRAY
Available at Priceline
Price: $16.99
I have really coarse, thick hair and often struggle to find a product that actually helps to “tame the mane”, so to speak. However, I have come across two products that I am now obsessed with – both are from John Frieda. The first is the Day 2 Revival Curl reset spray, which is designed to bring back life to older curls so it is best used when hair is completely dry. Honestly, it works wonders. I spray the John Frieda product through my naturally curly hair and find it helps get rid of unwanted frizz. The finish is a nice messy, but controlled look.
JOHN FRIEDA WAVE REFRESH SPRAY
Available at Priceline
Price:
The second is the brand’s Wave Reset Spray which is my new favourite. It works amazingly on wavy hair. I use it straight after I do classic waves aka the GHD wave. It really helps keep the wave intact and leaves a smooth finish. The best part, both of these are currently on sale for less than twelve bucks at Priceline.
Eleni Paneras, Head of Social & Audience Engagement, can’t get enough of these:
LA ROCHE-POSAY VITAMIN C SERUM
Available at Priceline, Chemist Warehouse and adorebeauty.com.au
Price: $69.99
I can’t live without my La Roche-Posay vitamin C serum. It evens skin tone, brightens my skin and gives me a glow. I pop it on every morning underneath my moisturiser and sunscreen. I love it because it’s lightweight, and I genuinely feel as though it helps with my skin’s elasticity and it appears brighter and more rejuvenated – and as a tired mum of two children who don’t sleep, it helps me look ‘awake’. Ha!
GARNIER SKINACTIVE BB CREAM NUDE SELF-ADJUSTING
Available at Priceline, Chemist Warehouse, Woolworths
Price: $15.95 (but it’s often
This is the BB cream I wear every day. I don’t wear foundation, I wear this. It activates as you put it on your skin to match your skin colour, it’s lightweight, it has the SP15 in it, and it’s a beautiful texture, glides on, smells great. I love this because it’s cheap as well, and I find it just really makes my dull skin glow.
This column is not advertorial content. Every review is independent, honest and ad free.
If you have a question about a beauty product or an item you’d like to see road tested in The Beauty Diary, jump into our official Facebook group where you can join like-minded beauty junkies. You can also catch me on Instagram or tweet me – don’t forget to hashtag #TheBeautyDiary.