I’ve long been a fan of oils. This love was cemented by a certain A-list actress I was working with, mentioned she splits open a vitamin E capsule and layers onto her glowy dermis every week – I quickly hot-footed down to Holland & Barrett to load up on my very own anointed skin fix. In fact, most supermodels and red carpet royalty incorporate some kind of oil into the skincare mix. The benefits of oil are two-fold; the oil itself penetrates well, and the act of the massage boosts blood supplies to the skin. Win. Win. I have many tried-and-trusted favourites (a whole shelf full) – but here’s my list of the oils I’m testing right now, which are great for the summer months and beyond.

Nadur Genie Rinsable Cleanser & Make-up Remover, £25

This oil-based cleanser is water-soluble and gently lifts dirt and makeup without stripping skin or irking the dermis. Plus it gets rid of waterproof mascara and smells beautifully floral – meaning it’s such a pleasure to use. Plus it’s ethically sourced, non-toxic cruelty and gluten-free and vegan.

Buy here 

MV Organic Skincare Rose Plus Booster, £80

I got a little too much sun at the weekend, and this totally took down the pink-tinge. I’ve heard it’s especially useful after a microdermabrasion or peel treatments, courtesy of the Rose Otto, Rose Geranium, and rosehip oils. Plus it really sinks in – so don’t be afraid of using it during the day – I promise you won’t look like a greasy mess.

Buy here

Olverum Bath Oil, £29

This is brilliant if you’re suffering from a summer cold or are full of hay fever. The Siberian fir needle, rosemary, and lavender provide a nice herbal aroma, while the inclusion of eucalyptus, lemon, and lime give a refreshing boost. It makes your bathroom (and the rest of the house) smell great, long after you pull the plug.

Buy here 

De Mamial Settle Oil, £38

June has been pretty brutal, and if you’re anything like me, it’s always at bedtime where my brain goes into overdrive and is an active mass of thoughts. Annoyingly this starts as soon as my head hits the pillow. So, I roller this onto pulse points and into my hands, rub them together and take a few deep breaths and the little ritual reduces some of the listlessness.

Buy here

One of the first women to embrace the selfie – artist and feminist Frida Kahlo, employed the power of make-up (and a good folksy ensemble) to help bolster her career. Of course, this is not to say there wasn’t a complete powerhouse behind the visage too. She has become one of the most important female artists of the 20th century. She was a staunch feminist and communist, and her female-orientated paintings, her Self-Portrait On the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States, along with the female gaze, is as relevant today, as it was in the 30s and 40s.

Her image, life, and work are being celebrated today with an exhibition at the V&A, Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up. Over 200 of her personal effects, including clothes, makeup, medicines and prosthetics that were discovered in the famous Blue House – her family home in Mexico City, Casa Azul, where she was born, worked and died – are all on display in this intimate presentation.

Inspired by Frida? Me too.

If you want to find your inner Frida-esq beauty, then you have to start with the brows. My go-to girls are the staffers at Shavata, they’re all excellent at giving you the best brow shape and helping you to grow them in the right direction, plus give hints and tips on finding the perfect hue too. Then go for a pop of colour on the lips and cheeks – Bobbi Brown’s new limited edition Pretty Power Pot Rouge I, is an easy-to-use shade that can be dabbed on the go. Plus for each compact sold in the UK, the full RRP less VAT will be donated to Smart Works, a UK charity that gives high-quality interview clothes, styling advice and interview training to out-of-work women on low incomes – something I’m sure Frida would approve of. I also love the Art Stick – a chubby pencil that reveals your inner artist and acts as lipstick and liner in one. Even though Frida loved Guerlain’s Shalimar (as do I), I’m featuring a new fragrance, Cuadra by Paul Schutze, whose inspiration was the skies of Mexico. It’s a heady, smoky mix, full of bay, jasmine, and tobacco. More lipstick offerings are the beautifully packaged Charlotte Tilbury’s The Queen and also Avon’s newbie, Epic lipstick in Be Loud – that has a built-in primer for smooth application, stays put for hours and seals in 36% more moisture than regular lippies. Frida wasn’t a fan of mascara or nail polish – but I couldn’t help slipping in this lovely new shade from Essie, The Fuchsia is Bright. Want more Frida? Pop over to the V&A’s exhibition…

Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up, sponsored by Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, at the V&A

16 June – 4 November 2018

 vam.ac.uk/FridaKahlo

Bobbi Brown’s new limited edition Pretty Power Pot Rouge I £22

Bobbi Brown Art Stick £22

Avon Epic Lipstick in Be Loud £8

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in The Queen £24

Essie Nail polish in The Fuchsia is Bright available at Superdrug £7.99

Tassel necklaces by Tribe + Fable, from £43

Blank Canvas Hot Pink Brush Set and pouch £30

BomBom Morocco Clutch £60 

Paul Schutze Cuadra EDP £135 

Frida Kahlo Making Her Self Up available from the V&A, £30 

Inside Frida’s beauty bag

Dress by Ranna Gill at Anthropologie £158

Did you know that if you have 2-3 spots, a Dr might diagnose you with acne? Wow, that’s got to be most of us, right? According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it affects up to 50 million annually, and people of all ages, race and gender. Alexia Inge, co-founder of Cult Beauty says, “acne questions are on the rise and it makes up about 35% of all skincare queries on the site.” No surprise. After recently having a breakout episode myself I thought I’d do a little research…

Realising acne is a normal occurrence may not be the easiest thing to live with, but it’s not something to be embarrassed by either. Photographer, Peter DeVito, has created a series of Instagram posts to show acne is normal, saying, “I’ve struggled with acne for a while, but recently, it has been getting progressively worse. I’m working on some photos that portray acne in a more positive light, that aim, at the very least to show that having acne is normal.” His 40k Instagram followers seem to agree, with some of his slogan portrait shots, (images of models with acne, un-retouched), stating; “perfect doesn’t exist” “retouch” and the one Cara Delevingne reposted: “sick and tired of the photoshopping”, are amassing over 15k likes.

Plus hashtags like #skinpositivity and #acneisnormal are popping up all over our feeds. People exposing their skin struggles for what they are is empowering, and it fits snugly with the #metoo and inclusivity movement happening.

Whatever the state of your skin, you have to think over 80% of all people have encountered an acne breakout at some point in their lives – meaning you are not alone: acne-is-normal!  And the remedy? Nearly every derm’ I’ve ever interviewed all agree – opt for something that contains the ingredient benzoyl peroxide is definately a good zit-zapping place to start. (I whole heartedly agree). My skin has calmed and the spots are starting to disappear.

THE NEW BATCH OF BLEMISH BLASTERS

Allies of Skin Promise Keeper Blemish Facial at Cult Beauty £110

Skin Owl Beauty Drops at Cult Beauty £24

Neutrogena Light Therapy Acne Spot Treatment at Boots £29.99

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Acne Treatment £12

Put down that fugly can of sweat stopper you robotically buy in the supermarket. Deo is raising its game. Thankfully. The latest launches not only look good on your bathroom shelf but have some good-for-you ingredients too.

Photo: Caroline Hernandez

The pretty one: I don’t like the thought of my fragrance clashing with my deo sprays – so to match up with those bouquet inspired Jo Malone spritzes I do love a squirt of M&S Magnolia Anti-Perspirant Deodorant, it has a pretty floral smell, keeps sweat at bay and is alcohol-free so doesn’t sting. Also, comes in a roll-on formula for people who are a lot more patient than me – and can wait for it to dry.

While I’m in M&S I always have a nosy around their brilliant beauty section – they’ve upped their game with the brands and products on offer – but more about that later.

The organic spritz: I love The Organic Pharmacy’s Deodorant Spray post-workout. It’s refreshing and clean smelling – with antibacterial rosemary and eucalyptus, and soothing aloe is also made without aluminium, parabens and all artificial preservatives, colourants and fragrances. It does have a little alcohol so I wouldn’t spritz this post shave. Available at www.theorganicpharmacy.com and www.naturisimo.com

The game-changer: Aurelia Botanical Cream Deodorant. You apply it like a moisturiser, with your fingertips but the creamy formula dries to a powder. It contains antimicrobial Arrowroot and pure Kaolin that sit invisibly on the skin ready to absorb wetness. Shea butter gently hydrates (so no itchy dry pits), essential oils Tea Tree, Eucalyptus and Peppermint, with their antiseptic and antibacterial properties, blended with distilled Lavender and Bergamot, so you’re fresh as a daisy, all-day. Amazing. Buy from www.aureliaskincare.com, and you’ll receive a travel-sized version, worth £5.