Opinions about skincare and beauty are like noses — everybody has one. What might be a holy-grail product or treatment for you, might wreak havoc on someone else’s skin type. So when I say that skincare isn’t one size fits all, I seriously mean it. However, there are general rules of thumb that we should all be aware of and to help me break it all down is beauty and skincare pro, and owner of Radford Studio: Victoria Radford.
Victoria has been a leader in the beauty space for quite some time so she’s definitely seen and heard it all. She launched her own line, Radford Beauty, and it’s become a favourite amongst beauty editors, influencers, and everyone in between. Safe to say that no matter what your beauty or skincare concern or question is, Victoria not only has the answer, but a product that’ll have you sorted.
See also: Inside The Anti Anti-Aging Beauty Movement With Fancy Face Skin
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Dispelling Skincare Myths
The Appearance of Pores
Now I’ll be honest with you, as a beauty editor, I get to try all of the latest and greatest skincare treatments and procedures. But there are so many conflicting opinions out there. Beauty misconceptions come a dime a dozen, so when a product makes a promise like shrinking your pores, I can’t help but wonder if it’s for real or just BS.
When I asked Victoria what the deal is, she simply said, “The biggest skincare myth is definitely that you can change the size of your pores. Technically you can change the appearance of the size, because dilated pores are a symptom of dehydration. Your skin is so smart – your pores will open up in order to draw oil in from exterior places.”
However, Victoria also added that “Many people don’t moisturize because of their large pores, but it will actually have an adverse effect. Your pores get larger the more dehydrated your skin is. I always recommend using products that have glycolic acid, lactic acid, niacinamide in order to sluff away old skin cells, have healthy, balanced, hydrated skin and then yes, your pores will appear smaller and more refined because they are not dilated.”
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Seasonal Routines
Another skincare misconception is that we have to totally change our routines seasonally. Victoria clarified this and said, “It’s not so much that you need to change your skincare routine seasonally, but skincare treats an issue. If your issues change, then you will need to use different treatments to keep your skin balanced, hydrated and healthy.”
If in the wintertime every year, your skin becomes dry and dehydrated, Victoria suggests using a lactic acid, toner, or something with AHA to slough away dead skin cells and allow your face cream to penetrate and do more for your skin. Come summer, you want to double down on exfoliation if you’re finding that your skin is a little bit oilier. Victoria says that “This encourages your skin to pick up the pace, and results in healthy, glowing skin all summer long. It will also help to get rid of that sunscreen and extra stuff we get in our skin during the summer months being outside so much.”
Face Cream vs. Eye Cream
One last misconception that I chatted about with Victoria is the controversy around the difference between face cream and eye cream. Is eye cream even necessary? I was itching to get Victoria’s opinion on the matter, especially because she just launched EYE, a multi-use eye cream that can be used all over the face.
Victoria explained that her opinion has always been that it only matters what you are trying to treat exactly. “There isn’t a lot of difference, however, I don’t think a face cream is always good for the eye area because it can lead to little white dots, like milia, or have some adverse effects,”
The Radford EYE product works to counteract the appearance of darkness by adding real gold and niacinamide which help make a visible difference around the eyes. Also, these ingredients are wonderful for the face. Victoria says that this is the reason she decided to “double the size of the bottle, and keep the price very affordable. It’s one of the most beautiful eye creams that you can also use on your face.”
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Victoria Radford’s Go-To Products
Now no interview with a beauty pro is complete without asking what their go-to, holy-grail product is. Even as a beauty editor who likes to think she knows her way around a beauty shelf, there’s always more to learn and try.
Victoria says, “It’s almost impossible to think of one thing that I couldn’t live without – I have to say there are two things. One is BUFF – exfoliating the skin keeps my complexion radiating and glowing and allows for any treatment I use afterwards to penetrate deeper and be more effective. But then I definitely couldn’t live without TINT.”
Naturally, Victoria’s sharing more beauty wisdom by dispelling the misconception that all tinted moisturizers actually moisturize and hydrate the skin and that led to the creation of the brand’s beloved TINT.
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“It was one of the products that when I became an esthetician, tinted moisturizers were getting popular. I was so offended by the ingredients thinking this is not a tinted moisturizer – this is a foundation with a prettier marketing story. It was my dream of all dreams to make a tinted moisturizer that had skincare ingredients and that made your skin look like skin, perfected. Those two products I will not live without.”
Featured Image: @VictoriaRadford
