My Best Beauty Investments: Georgia Day

Prioritising the health of your skin will always be a sensible investment, and while that doesn’t necessarily demand a bathroom cabinet full of the most expensive products you can buy, it does demand patience, consistency and seeking out expert advice you can trust. When it comes to expertise, I’ve been impressed with Klira, an online dermatology service that delivers a bespoke prescription cream to your door based on an extensive 51-strong questionnaire. The cream, known as The Special, contains a personalised trio of the right ingredient, at the right level, in the right base to give you clinically proven results. It’s the brainchild of one of the UK’s leading dermatologists, Emma Craythorne. Since I’ve been using my prescription, I’ve noticed a visible difference in the texture of my skin and a reduction in pigmentation. 

Regular facials are the perfect partner to a good at-home routine and I’m a big fan of facialist Natasha Clancy’s Kichi treatments. If you’re looking for fewer lines, tighter pores and an even all-round glow (who isn’t?) then I can highly recommend the Baby Facial which uses LED and baby laser to create dermis-level microchannels that allow for 90% absorbency of skincare – including Kichi’s own cold-pressed, omega-packed Forever Oil. I should also add that there’s no pain, no downtime and Natasha is the woman that Sienna Miller relies on to keep her looking as good as she does. Need I say more?

Along with the rest of the world, supplements and ingestible beauty have become a big part of my routine over the last couple of years and it’s a habit I’m sticking to as we head into another year. Admittedly it’s not a cheap endeavour, but I’ve noticed real benefits when I’m consistent, so am determined to stick with it. Top of my list is anything that improves my gut health, which has been compromised by years of taking antibiotics. For that, there are a few probiotics that I like from Symprove, Seed and Workshop, all of which help redress the balance of good bacteria and create a healthier gut environment in which it can thrive. I’ve also been taking Vida Glow’s Natural Marine Collagen for a few months and attribute part of my current streak of brighter, firmer skin and uncharacteristically strong nails to it. Its Radiance Capsules are next on my list to try to tackle my pigmentation from the inside out.

If there’s one thing we’ve all learnt over the last two years, it’s to prioritise the things that make us feel good, however big or small. Beauty, unsurprisingly, plays a huge role in helping me to feel calmer and more centred, and so I’m unapologetic when it comes to scheduling in time for the things that make a difference. For me, regular manicures always make me feel more pulled together and like I’ve got a handle on things, even when I haven’t. I recently went back to DryBy after a little hiatus and quickly wondered why I ever stopped going. Yes, it’s pricier than lots of other salons, but the quality of the job and the technicians’ attention to detail is unmatched as far as I’m concerned. Which of course means my nails last longer, so my trips are more cost effective. 

The other non-negotiable when it comes to my personal self-care routine is a regular massage. I try to book in once a month if I can. Massage has been proven to stimulate endorphins which help with mood regulation and stress reduction – in other words, it’s practically medicinal. I’ve never had a bad treatment when I’ve booked through Ruuby, the at-home beauty service app, but I also recently experienced a 90-minute treatment with Sarah Jane Watson, which was nothing short of glorious. An at-home session with her is a bit of an investment (it’s London only) and maybe not something to do every month, but with 30 years of experience under her belt and techniques borrowed from her background in yoga, spiritual practice and even dance, it melted away my pre-Christmas tension and left me feeling like I was floating on air.

I’ve always been a fan of skincare tech, tending to choose machine-led facials over pampering ones, so the recent flurry of high-quality at-home devices has got me excited. First up is the mothership; DermaLux’s Flex MD is a serious piece of kit for serious skincare aficionados. Originally only for in-clinic professional use but now available to buy for use at home, the Flex is suitable for all skin tones and uses three clinically proven LED wavelengths (blue, red and near infrared) to deliver seven different treatments for everything from rosacea to acne and acne scarring and muscular pain. The set-up is simple and quick, and because of the nature of its design, it can be used to treat any area on the body, not just the face. I’ve been using mine for skin rejuvenation, particularly pigmentation problems and fine lines, but my husband has also used it to soothe and repair sore muscles. So, in short, although it’s undoubtedly a big investment, in my opinion it’s worth it if you’re going to use it a few times a week (and you should for best results). Just think of it as the skincare equivalent of your lockdown Peloton, only much less pain and lots of gain. 

The other device I really rate is the Ziip. Co-created by tech aesthetician Melanie Simon, it uses electrical nanocurrents to stimulate the body’s natural production of collagen and elastin, which means an improvement in fine lines and wrinkles, texture and muscle sculpting. To make things even easier, it works in tandem with the mobile app which contains dozens of follow-along videos of targeted treatments that range from a three-minute brow lift to a 12-minute energising treatment. Smart, simple and it really works.

Follow @GeorgiaLDay on Instagram.