Here at The Cosmo Black Beauty Hub, we absolutely do not gatekeep, so when we get a chance to quiz some of our favourite Black women about their go-to beauty products, tips and treatments, we don't hold back – after all, that's how our Little Black Beauty Book Franchise was born. All the tea on our favourite star's life in beauty, served hot.
This week, we caught up with television presenter and previous Cosmopolitan UK cover star, Vick Hope, to find out her top beauty tips, tricks and secrets – from her hair wash routine to the product she uses for radiant, plump skin...
What does beauty mean to you?
When I think of the word 'Beauty', I immediately think of nature. Beauty is the ocean, it's forests, flowers, rivers... And I feel most beautiful when I'm in nature, because that's when I'm calmest. So I guess beauty to me is about peace, quiet confidence, feeling healthy and balanced, from the inside out. When you feel good, you look good.
What’s your favourite skin treatment?
I find the most effective things I can do for my skin come from the inside: eating well, drinking plenty of water, sunlight, getting enough sleep (I know this all sounds simple and obvious, but often easier said than done!) and taking my vitamins. I take Perfectil Max which contains Biotin and Vitamin C, which are so great for skin health, as well as the Perfectil Collagen drink after lunch each day, and have really noticed the difference to my skin's elasticity, plumpness and radiance.
Any cosmetic procedure recommendations?
After having tried so many sculpting tools and tech, I've found that nothing beats a good old-fashioned hands-on massage to de-puff, drain and contour the face! As a special treat, I love going to Guendalina The Skin Sculpter, who does a brilliant Buccal Facial massage, where she gets right inside your mouth. I actually find it relaxing as it releases so much jaw tension, defining your cheekbones, lifting the brow and tightening the skin. Combined with really nourishing, hydrating products and 30 mins of LED light therapy, you leave looking so glowy.
Incorporating even just a few minutes of facial massage into your daily skincare routine helps the products sink in, gets that bone structure popping, and just generally feels lovely.
What’s a body treatment that you love?
Recently, I've been taking a bit of time pre-shower to dry brush my body, and post-shower to use a gua sha all over with my body oil and moisturiser. Particularly with the cold weather and change in seasons, my skin is so dry, so brushing or stroking towards the heart, these tools respectively help buff away dead skin and maximise moisturiser absorption, while both boost circulation and lymphatic drainage (plus it feels so good).
Combining this with Perfectil's lush Biotherapy Body Oil has the skin feeling so soft; plus taking Perfectil Max supports the whole rig: giving my body what I need for healthy Skin, Hair and Nails.
What’s been your biggest beauty splurge?
Although there are some great red light masks on the market for a quick portable blast, probably the biggest, fanciest bit of kit I've ever gone for is the Dermalux Flex MD LED Light Therapy Device; it's the real deal. It's the most powerful system out there for home use and it just really works. 30 minutes a day under that bad boy using the red, blue and near infrared lights has been totally transformational for my skin, erasing dark spots and hyper-pigmentation, blemishes, scars, redness, you name it! It's great for reducing wrinkles and signs of ageing, even healing cuts and scrapes, and before bed, the red light is super relaxing and helps me sleep. I just lie back underneath it in bed and pop on an audiobook.
What’s your wash-day routine?
Infrequent, to be honest!
But when I do... About an hour before washing, I lather up my scalp and hair with natural pure Batana Oil, which acts as a deeply nourishing damage repair treatment. It's really helped the growth and condition of my curls. I'll pop on a shower cap and wrap in a towel so it's nice and warm and let that sink in for as long as possible before rinsing, then shampooing with something gentle and as free from nasties as possible (I like Imbue's curl range which contain no sulphates or parabens) and detangle with a wide tooth comb.
Next is a couple of rounds of deep conditioner (Fenty Hair The Richer One Moisture Repair Deep Conditioner is gorgeous), left in for a while to give it time to do its thing, followed by a good wash out before gently towel-drying and spritzing with leave-in conditioner. Again, the Imbue range is great for hydrating and revitalising curls, which I also like to use in-between washes to pep up wilting curls.
The Richer One moisture repair deep conditioner 340ml
Do you have a go-to salon or hairdresser?
I'm forever in awe of some of the truly brilliant afro hair stylists I've met and worked with over the years. Michelle Sultan helped me embrace my curls after about 20 years of straightening (and damaging) my hair, and continues to be my go-to for hairstyles, treatments and advice. Molecia (Momo's Hair) is an absolute hair architect who creates such beautiful, creative styles, and it's been a privilege to work with her on photoshoots and red carpet looks recently. And for braids, Jacinta Rutana is the Queen, not to mention the fastest hands I've ever seen! I love getting boho/goddess braids, particularly for summer or holidays, as they're such low maintenance and make you feel like a mermaid.
The skincare product you can’t live without?
After years of trying every product and combination under the sun (and subsequently regularly breaking out), I found the most effective thing was to strip it all right back. I keep my skincare as gentle and natural as possible: just a simple cleanse, vitamin C, peptide serum and moisturiser, and once a week, I enjoy a little pamper with the Alumier MD enzyme peel mask to gently exfoliate.
And your most affordable beauty obsession?
Dunking my face in a bowl of ice if it's puffy. It really works!
Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
