Sometimes, following a meticulous skincare routine isn't enough for a clear, glowing complexion.
Here, our beauty editors and experts share the one thing that made the biggest difference to their skin… take note!
Donna Francis: A major lifestyle change
"For me, 'best skin' doesn't necessarily mean skin without lines or wrinkles – I'm 50 next year and don't have Botox, so of course I have wrinkles already. For me, 'best skin' looks happy, healthy, bright and glowing.
"And when you work as a beauty editor for as long as I have, you like to think that you have tried every secret for achieving that 'best skin' - serums, facials, the ingredients to trust. But I truly found my best skin at 49, not in a jar or a treatment room.
"Like so many women my age, I have invested a lot of my faith in skincare, which of course, does work wonders for your glow. But I was cancelling it all out every time I drank. Alcohol is incredibly dehydrating and can make skin look dull, dry and more lined. And all of those acids and retinols can only do much if that daily gloss of wine is draining your skin of moisture from the inside out.
"When I gave up alcohol last year, I noticed my skin changing within weeks. It looked less crepey and so much more radiant. People asked me what I'd done if I'd changed my routine and of course, I hadn't. I’d simply removed the thing that was dulling my glow - inside and out. Because with sobriety, there comes a new confidence in both your skin and your attitude.
"So yes, my best skin ever came at 49, and I can't wait to see what sobriety brings to me and my skin at 50. "
Cassie Steer: Adding in retinol
"I don’t know why it comes as a surprise that actually following my own advice has paid skin dividends. Despite extolling the virtues of a curated skincare wardrobe featuring an antioxidant vitamin C serum, a retinol and SPF for years, it wasn't until very recently that I consistently incorporated all three into my regimen.
"It was adding in a retinol that really levelled up my glow game. Having tried many different formulas over the years, I never really got to grips with any that I liked but Dr. Sam's 'Flawless Nightly Serum', £50 / $76, has changed that forever. I now use it every other night (which seems enough for my skin) and I've never had so many compliments."
Vanese Maddix: The red carpet facial
"I'm always in pursuit of my best skin ever. My skincare routine is meticulously honed, but lately, my attention has shifted to monthly skin treatments, which give me a chance to sit back, relax, and let a true professional take over.
"I've raved before about how much my skin loves a HydraFacial, as it always leaves my complexion feeling plumped, refreshed, and glowy for weeks. But there's one treatment I tried last year that truly changed the game for me: the iS Clinical Fire & Ice Facial.
"Dubbed the 'red carpet facial' (thanks to its celebrity fanbase and zero-downtime results), this treatment combines warming and cooling sensations to leave the skin feeling refreshed and encourages a youthful and luminous complexion in just one session. I found it to be the perfect balance between a gentle facial and a more intensive peel, without the need to hide away indoors afterwards.
"My treatment was with facialist Sarah Brown, who was incredible. She really took the time to understand my skin concerns and explain how each stage of the facial would help. That level of care made all the difference, and my skin agreed.
"I walked out of my treatment glowing. My pores looked clearer, my skin texture felt smoother, and that post-facial luminosity didn’t disappear after a day or even a week. A-listers, I completely get the hype!"
Glynis Barber: A big change at 30
"I grew up in Africa and spent the first 18 years of my life baking in the sun. Controversially for some, I believe that the sun is good for us in moderation and that completely avoiding the sun is bad for our health.
"However, in my mid-teens, I became obsessed with having a tan. I would bake to a deep mahogany brown and my hair would go platinum. I'm not going to lie, it looked good, and I loved every minute of it. But as we all now know, this is the very worst thing you can do to your skin.
"At the age of 18, I moved to England which undoubtedly saved me from myself. And then at 30, I made a life-changing decision. I decided to no longer put my face in the sun - ever. I would still tan the rest of my body, but I felt that my face had had enough. There were already a few signs confirming this. Pigmentation had begun to appear and when I sunbathed, I no longer got a lovely even tan on my face. It began to look patchy. I've never put my face in the sun since.
"The pigmentation never left me, but it also never became worse, which is somewhat of a miracle considering how much sunbathing I did. Friends who continued to sunbathe, on the other hand, have certainly paid the price. From deep lines to extreme melasma to melanomas, they’ve certainly been through it.
"I did wonder at the age of 30 if I'd left it too late to save my skin, but now I realise it was the best decision I ever made. I believe that my skin would be very different if I hadn't taken it."
Sidra Imtiaz: A transformative facial
"As a brown skinned girl with breakout-prone skin that scars easily, I've learnt over time that at-home skincare routines can only go so far for me, and the real difference is seen in a professional treatment at the hands of an expert. I can say with confidence that Sarah Chapman Skinesis Clinic unlocked the best my skin has been since I was a teenager.
"Their treatments are results-driven, and what's important to me is they don't overpromise. I didn't leave with miraculously glass skin, which so many facials offer.
"I did, however, enjoy four months straight without a breakout (unheard of for me!). Whilst they don't come cheap, the treatments themselves don't waste a single minute and in just one hour, your face will be treated to extractions, exfoliation, LED, needling and more. Whatever combination of magic the therapists at Sarah Chapman are offering, trust the process. I highly recommend the Deep Glow + Meso Facial - it was truly transformative for me."
Melanie Macleod: A super-charged supplement
"When my skin is at its clear, fresh best, I attribute it to a variety of habits, including injectables (Botox and filler), and hydrating skincare, but the ritual I think makes the most difference to my complexion is consistently taking supplements.
"After being ill for the whole tail end of 2023, I started taking immunity supplements every day, and not only have I been healthy for the last 18 months, but I attribute Altrient 'Liposomal Vitamin C', £54.96, with brightening my skin too.
"Liposomal vitamins mean they're a gel, which your body absorbs more efficiently, so they're more effective in the body, and these powerful sachets support collagen production, contributing to vitamin C's anti-ageing effects, promising to leave skin smoother and more youthful, which I can definitely attest to. They also claim to soothe redness, which my currently even skin tone is proof of."