The order of your skincare routine can be confusing, admits beauty entrepreneur and skincare founder Tina Chen Craig. “After you cleanse, there was always this confusion, when do I use my retinol? When do I use my vitamin C? When do I use my multi hydroxy acids or peptides? I mean so much confusion, right?”
This was the motivation behind her smart, streamlined skincare range U Beauty, that landed in 2019 and has already garnered best selling status, with hybrid products that blend ingredients and cut steps out of your routine.
The former blogger, founder of BagSnob (you only have to glance at her social @tinachencraig to see her bag collection is a thing of beauty) is a true skincare obsessive and has the glowy complexion receipts to prove it. Her biggest beauty indulgence is a facial every two weeks and there’s zero skimping when it comes to her daily skin routine.
Luckily for us, she loves sharing and dishes out the beauty secrets she has learnt along the way from the experts, and TikTok, in this episode of Beauty Spy.
The TikTok trick I can’t live without
I live by these face sticks from Jones Road Beauty [ The Face Pencil, £23]. I use them to draw along under the lower lash line and then pull it up and out away from the eye. Then also draw directly down from the inner corner of the eye, down the side of the nose. Then down the centre of the nose, under the brows and on any spots for subtle cover and highlight. Then I blend with a sponge.”
The hair secret I got from Gwyneth
“This Himalayan Salt Scalp Scrub Shampoo [ Goop G.Tox, £38], is an experience like no other. Gwyneth Paltrow told me I’d become obsessed with it and she’s right.”
My three skincare do’s and don’ts are…
“Do your research and find a smart, strategic products that really work. Do ask the skin experts – a facialist, dermatologist or someone you trust. Do use a water filter. Don’t follow skincare trends that you see on social media. Don’t pick at your face. Don’t wash your face with scalding hot water.”
My best advice to aspiring beauty entrepreneurs
Learning that pushing and persevering is different from never giving up. I never say, ‘Never give up’ because I feel like if it’s the wrong thing you should pivot, right? So instead I say push and persevere. I read that somewhere years ago and I just thought that was so incredibly smart. You can push through the hard times and persevere through the rough patches.
Scroll down for Tina’s beauty stash, from her skincare must haves to her fast, polished face essentials…