My skin journey has been a rollercoaster. I’ve always jumped between a love, hate (mainly hate) relationship with it. Specifically, when coming off the pill I was very hesitant to see how my skin would react – and when it would potentially start breaking out.
Skip forward and I started to notice my skin flare up. I became obsessive over trying to find the best products to help with acne prone skin – involving numerous steps of acids, toners, serums.
It was Victoria, Cosmo’s former Beauty Director, who suggested trying Skin + Me. After eight months of consistent use, my skin has completely transformed. My chin and jawline look less congested and more balanced – even my complexion is a lot brighter. And rather than having multiple breakouts, it is now the occasional spot.
Explore Skin + Me’s over-the-counter products here – and keep reading for Jaime’s review of the subscription service.
What is Skin + Me?
Skin + Me is a bespoke treatment plan which is based on your skin issues and goals. The treatments cost £29.99 per month and this includes ongoing medical consultations with an expert dermatology team and a personalised prescription – named the Daily Doser – which is shipped to your door on a monthly basis.
Subscribe to Skin + Me for £29.99
They specialise in treating acne, rosacea, skin-ageing and maintaining healthy skin. Rather than researching endless skincare brands and endless products (which nowadays is very overwhelming) – you will only receive a single small tube, which will arrive every month through your letterbox.
Skin + Me: Over-the-counter products
Skin + Me is a service which delivers a personalised formula to your door every month. However, if you want to try the brand but aren't keen on locking into a subscription, they also have a super affordable high street range, available at Boots.
As the formulas are over-the-counter rather than prescription, the potency isn’t as strong and you won't find ingredients like tretinoin or clindamycin in there, but there are lots of other well-known and loved actives in the line. Here Keeks, Cosmo's Beauty Director, talks through some highlights in the range...
Skin + Me Pigmentation + Dark Spots Serum
There are four different types of the Daily Dosers in the Skin + Me range available at Boots each targeting specific concern, they are also then available in different formulas depending on skin type. I tried the oily/combination range and this was my favourite doser of them ones I tested. I watched as my post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation faded quicker than normal as I clicked through the doser. The compact size of the tube meant that I actually took this away with me too so I kept up my skin care routine, even when away.
Skin + Me Breakouts + Visible Pores Serum
“I don’t have a breakout-prone skin type, however when I am due my period I have a timely eruption on my chin – the same, pulsating collection of pimples that visit me every month. So while the prescription doesn’t feel that necessary for me, I’ve found major improvements just by using this over-the-counter serum. Every evening I apply the serum before moisturiser, focusing on my chin, and it calms inflammation and redness, while also helping prevent upcoming breakouts.” – Clare Stephenson, Senior Beauty Ecommerce Writer.
Skin + Me Daily Moisturiser with SPF
“Be honest with yourself: do you wear SPF everyday? If the answer is ‘no’ this is the easiest way to introduce it into your routine – as, yes, daily SPF is essential for protecting your skin. Whether you have a dry, oily or sensitive complexion, Skin + Me has launched a Daily Moisturiser with SPF 50 coverage, including UVA + UVB protection, that dispenses the perfect amount of sunscreen to apply. Just twist the tube and out comes a lightweight, silky cream that feels hydrating and comfortable on the skin.” – Clare Stephenson, Senior Beauty Ecommerce Writer.
Skin + Me Rich Moisturiser
This is rich in how much it quenches thirsty skin, not in how thick it is, which is great, especially for year-round use. The texture isn't too dissimilar to the light moisturiser, just slightly thicker, but it's a powerhouse emollient that soothes dry skin without leaving an oil slick. It contains urea and ceramides for true long-lasting hydration.
Skin + Me Cream Cleanser
Sensitive souls, this one’s for you. This cleanser makes a great second cleanse and feels super soothing to use. The glycerin and isoamyl cocoate in the formula nourish and lock in moisture to prep your skin for the rest of the routine.
My Skin + Me review:
After taking a few selfies of my skin and answering the online dermatology consultation, I was sent my first bottle, which was prescribed by a group of medical experts. It was super easy and only involved adding it to my evening routine. They have even created a cleanser and moisturiser, if you prefer to complete the set and keep your regime to a minimum.
The application takes away your worry about how much cream you should apply. When dispersing the cream from the tube, (AKA The Daily Doser) it automatically clicks and stops after the right amount has come out.
The ingredients in my first month’s bottle were tretinoin (0.006%), clindamycin (1%), azelaic acid (4%) and after a couple of months clindamycin was replaced with niacinamide. Each month the dosage of tretinoin went up slightly, as my skin began to adjust to it – essentially tretinoin accelerates new skin cell growth and speeds up the removal of dead skin cells and debris that causes blocked pores.
Whilst keeping a photo diary of my progress across the months, I noticed my skin getting slightly worse in the first month. It became more irritated and red – possibly reacting to the tretinoin. After persisting every evening with the dosage, I felt after the first couple of months had passed my skin started to calm down.
The first observation I made was that the bumpy texture under my skin started to smooth out and settle. It felt like my skin was less angry and aggravated underneath the surface, but the redness still remained quite obvious.
My tretinoin dosage went up to 0.021% which was the highest amount I had received in my plan. I did start to experience dryness and flakiness to my skin, especially around the chin area. After getting in touch with my Skin+Me dermatologist, I was taken back down to a lower dosage and my skin began to improve quite drastically. Their response during the process was super speedy and the 1:1 attention I got made me feel well looked after and listened to.
Of course, I’m still on my journey of healing and still will occasionally break out – especially when it hits the time of the month. But after trying endless options and then finding a great solution, I can now sleep easy at night. I’m so happy that I pushed through with Skin+Me over the past year and now I feel more in control of my skin.
I would recommend sending updates to your online dermatologist every few months, so that they can check your progression. I have absolutely loved getting my confidence back and not always reaching for that concealer.
I will 100% be continuing to use Skin+Me and will vouch for it wherever I go. I know that I will most likely experience a dip in my skin again, but I feel more at ease now knowing I have a simple solution with just a simple one-step routine.
Jaime holds the position of UK Art Editor at Cosmopolitan, overseeing all things digital design across the brand. Her role encompasses the art direction of our digital covers, the animation of our forthcoming video franchises, designing Cosmo's social media presence and the curation of the visual identity across Cosmopolitan UK. Before joining Cosmopolitan, Jaime has gained experience working with renowned brands including ELLE, Stylist Magazine, and Woman's Health. Notably, her contributions to the world of design were recently recognised with the prestigious BSME's 2023 Designer of the Year award. Find her on LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.
