Image by @kendramorous
Autumn and Winter tend to be very exciting months for beauty, but nothing was more intriguing to me than the release of Soho House Skincare. The skincare space has been inundated with new brands since 2020 which I have had the pleasure of combing through, to figure out what is really worth the money, the hype and your time. The key to a successful skincare brand is to have innovative ingredients and a community of people with invested interest in the brand concept.
I first heard about Soho house through Samantha in Sex and The City (which I had to sneak to watch); never in a million years did I think they would cross paths into the skincare sphere. Soho Skin started off strong by releasing full size skincare and travel sizes; to accommodate for their consumer base of well travelled individuals. Just like any other brand there are hits and misses, as your resident skincare expert and aesthetician I have pulled my top 3 gems.
Liquid Exfoliator
Exfoliation remains one of my favourite categories of products (baby soft skin will always be my goal), the sensation of smooth skin and innovative formulas made this an automatic win. Combining lactic acid, mandelic acid and market newcomer succinic acid with barrier supporting glycogen and glycerin to create an elegant exfoliating solution. Lactic acid is one of the skincare community’s favourite acids as not only is it ideal for brightening the skin, but lactic acid is also an ideal humectant leaving the skin bouncy from a hydrated plump.
Pro tip: for the best application apply a small amount in the palm of your hand and gently press into damp skin.
Cream Cleanser
Cleansing can be a somewhat boring category for most people, but there is a lot that goes into making a comfortable yet effective cleanser. The beauty industry has shifted from a basic formulation for cleansers to one that includes ingredients we would normally see in leave on products. I found this cleanser to feel like a velvet cushion with the barrier supporting ingredients that were carefully selected to prevent skin barrier damage. Cleansers can particularly be tricky to make suitable for all types of weather but I do believe this cleanser works well in all seasons. The ingredient that stood out to me was the oat amino acids which are ideal in supporting barrier function through vitamins and lipids. Oat derived ingredients are also the secret to dealing with redness.
Pro tip: when cleansing avoid using hot water so that your skin does not dry out.
Detox Mask
Though I do not love the name (you cannot detoxify the skin), the detox mask more than makes up for it in ingredient inclusions. Clay masks are not a new concept, so in order to shake the table we need to see something more and Soho Skin gave us more. When we discuss exfoliation we typically stick to acids leaving enzyme exfoliation to fly under the radar. Enzymes are brilliant at gentle exfoliation and brightening without damaging the skin barrier. The detox mask includes bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapples – a true nod to the international nature of the Soho House brand.
Pro tip: apply the mask to slightly damp skin to avoid dryness.
Overall the Soho Skin brand deserves a 7.5/10, for merging innovative and cohesive ingredients with the glamour of Soho House.
