Skincare diaries – Tracey’s journey to clear skin

Tracey’s routine

Age: 51

Skin type: Oily, with visible pores

Trinny London Scrum Master Tracey, 51, has a skincare story many of us can relate to. She lives a busy life, which leaves her with little time to apply skincare, let alone research the latest products. So far, she’s kept her routine simple, sticking to a cleanser and moisturiser without active ingredients, but is keen to up her skincare game.

Tracey has oily skin, with visible pores, uneven texture and excess shine. Her skin goals are to improve all three of these gripes, for a clearer, smoother complexion.

Step 1: Cleanse

The basis of any skincare routine is good, regular cleansing. For Tracey, embracing a new routine meant washing her skin three times a day (twice in the evening and once in the morning) with Trinny London Better Off AHA/PHA Gel Cleanser. Designed for normal to oily skin, it goes a little further than your average cleanser, delivering alpha and poly-hydroxy acids to the skin to help reduce congestion and improve texture.

To take this improvement in bumps and blemishes even further, Tracey has incorporated Find Your Balance, our BHA exfoliant, as the next step in her routine.

“I’ve not used an exfoliant before,” says Tracey. “This is meant to unclog my pores and promote clearer skin.”

The star of Find Your Balance, our BHA exfoliant, is salicylic acid, an oil-based ingredient that dives into pores to dislodge dead skin. With these out of the way, oil can flow more freely, reducing the risk of congestion and spots.

From day fourteen, it’s fair to say that Tracey was reaping the rewards of this new addition to her routine. “I feel that my skin looks a lot fresher. It’s glowy, and less shiny. I normally get the odd blemish around the cheek area but I haven’t had as many blemishes.”

“I can’t believe such a simple step added to my routine has had such a big impact on my skin. I can’t wait to continue…”

Step 3: Serum

Skincare can feel like a balancing act at times, especially if you want to target more than one concern at the same time. Overnight Clarity, our retinal + niacinamide serum, is perfect for this exact conundrum, targeting breakouts and fine lines in one swoop — without the need for separate serums.

In as little as three weeks, Tracey was overwhelmed by the difference this extra step had made to her complexion. “This serum has absolutely transformed my routine. My skin was looking a little saggy but now it's firmer, smoother and lifted. I didn’t think you could get this sort of results from a serum so I am amazed to see them.”

Step 4: Moisturise

The idea that oily skin doesn’t need moisturiser is nothing more than a skincare myth. Skin will always function at its best when it's being taken care of, and hydration and moisture are high up on its wishlist.

Tracey trialled Bounce Back, our intense peptide moisturiser, which is everything skin needs and more. As well as providing skin with 24-hour hydration, it is formulated with skin-boosting peptides to bring back lost vibrancy and bounce.

“I have been using Bounce Back for a while now and my skin feels smoother and a lot firmer,” says Tracey. The wrinkles around my eyes are not as prominent – they’ve smoothed out quite a lot. My skin feels hydrated all day, whereas before it felt a little bit dry. This is the perfect finish to my routine.”