My Skincare Life by Ateh Jewel

With 14 years in the beauty industry as a journalist writing for magazines such as Vogue, Sunday Times Style, Daily Mail and Marie Claire, it would be safe to say that Ateh Jewel is an old veteran when it comes to beauty. In May she set up Jewel Tones Beauty in order to celebrate and draw attention to the best products and techniques for women with deeper skin tones. As a mother of twin girls, Ateh leads a very hectic life and she took time out to tells us about her skincare regime.

The first time I came across skincare products was when I started wearing makeup around 14. I remember going to Miss Selfridges and buying a goth lipstick called Morticia, which was a black purple and purple eyeshadow. I realised I have to get this off and start to take care of my skin. The first cleanser I ever bought was The Body Shop’s Passion Fruit Cleansing Gel. It was great for my oily skin, as it didn't strip it and left my skin hydrated and cleansed. I remember when I first met my husband at 19 at university, I spied he also had this cleanser in his bathroom and I knew this man was for me.

My mum is very glamourous and the 80s were full of Dynasty worthy glam with shoulder pads, Elnett hairspray, makeup and skincare. I grew up with my mum taking care of herself and her skin. My mum used to go to Selfridges and Harrods and buy Kanebo and La Prairie and was religious when it came to cleansing, toning and moisturising. You do what you see and I can count four times since I was 14 that I haven't taken my makeup off at night and cleansed my skin. The four times were all during the first few weeks of motherhood when my twins were born and my husband and I literally passed out from exhaustion.

As a teen there wasn't much cash knocking about but I remember looking for products that wouldn't dry and overstrip my oily skin. Fragrance, foaming agents and D&C dyes were also a big no no. At the time I just knew my skin didn't like it. I used a lot of The Body Shop Tea Tree range, Simple Cleanser and Boots Witch Hazel range.

Since my teen years I’ve learnt what you put is what you get out. That’s a life lesson as well. If you want juicy and moist skin, you have to do weekly face masks, do facial massage and exfoliate and do all the little extra bits and pieces in your routine and not just the cleanse, tone, moisturise mantra.

When I first entered the beauty industry in 2001 I was like a kid in a sweet shop and tried every skin care product at the same time and my skin almost fell off. The big lesson was keep it simple, consistent and less is more. I love using facial oils and balms and can’t live without Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm at night to take off my make up, Elemis Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules, which I use morning and night. Oils are a great way to massage your skin, which as well as being relaxing also boosts circulation and lymphatic drainage.

I also cleanse in the morning with Dermalogica’s Special Cleansing Gel which is soap free yet gently foams and cleanses the skin without stripping it. I also love serums such as Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair, to protect and help with anti- ageing. In my late 30s I now have dehydrated, combination skin and I moisturise in the morning with Dermalogica’s Skin Smoothing Cream and at night I use Neal’s Yard Remedies Beauty Sleep Concentrate, it smells like a spa with Ylang Ylang and Peptides and Aloe Vera calm and regenerate the skin.