I have been involved in the Irish beauty industry for nearly 20 years now – working as a beauty editor for 15 years and featuringas a beauty expert on broadcast media for the last 11 years. I also ran my own Beauty Bootcamp for 12 years. There are always interesting trends emerging every year in skincare but, over the last five years, I have noticed two particular trends emerge which are on opposing sides of the market.

One half of the market is completely focused on being eco-friendly, green and as natural as possible with their product ranges. The other half, which I gravitate towards, is focusing on the clinical skincare space. Companies are realising now that standard cosmetics, in particular skincare, have to up their game and incorporate clinical treatments led by clinical experts into their brands and ranges.

I always say spend your beauty budget on people, not products. Healthcare experts can cut through the noise and prescribe exactly what your skin body needs. They take the guess work and gamble out of the minefield that is the cosmetic industry.

If a product delivers and is priced competitively, word of mouth will propel it to the masses. 

The cream (pardon the pun) always rises to the top! Instagram is also another huge driving force in beauty today, but I predict the influencer market will self-implode. Influencers originally garnered notoriety and power over consumers/followers because of their honesty, transparency and real use, opinions and reviews of products. But now, every post seems to have an ulterior motivation, mostly commercial, and consumers are starting to see through that.

With the RELIFE brand, its unique selling point is simple – it works. It is reasonably priced and is quick and easy to apply to my children’s skin – I find other creams I have used are typically thick, greasy and take too long to absorb.

I encountered the RELIFE Relizema range initially when I was on holidays with my kids in Italy a couple of years ago and as they experience eczema flare-ups on a regular basis, I promptly brought back a caseload. It was so effective and great value. I’m thrilled RELIFE Relizema is now available in Ireland, not just for children with eczema, but for the millions of Irish people who suffer from skin sensitivities too. RELIFE is a game-changer. As I am always asked about rosacea, acne and pigmentation, it would be great to see if any products catering for these will be rolled out in the RELIFE brand in future.

This year, when my sister Nikki and I founded and launched the Future Beauty Show, the world’s first interactive clinical and aesthetic show and exhibition, it was crucial that we had qualified experts and high-quality skincare brands featuring at the Show in order for it to be a success. I have been very fortunate to have worked with and met the best medical experts and beauty gurus over the years through my work in beauty journalism and I wanted all women from all walks of life to have that same access, even if it was for only two days!
I really believe once you find the right experts with the right experience, education and knowledge, they will be able to advise and recommend the right products for you. At the moment, in Europe, a growing trend is emerging where consumers are no longer attending beauty departments for their skincare needs or buying these products from supermarkets, they are going to their pharmacist as a first port of call. Trust has become an important factor when buying skincare products and consumers are viewing pharmacists as the next best thing to a dermatologist.
As RELIFE is part of the Menarini Group, which is responsible for medicinal products for many different healthcare disciplines, I knew the brand would be an ideal fit for the Show and the feedback was excellent. For me, a skincare nerd, the fact that the company has so many scientists and medical professionals involved in the development of the brand, is a major plus. For many consumers though, packaging, marketing and sensory experience are what will attract them to skincare brands, not efficacy, but I do think we are all becoming wiser and more conscious about the science behind the product and this interest will only increase in the future!

RELIFE Relizema is know as DermoRelizema in Italy.