Beauty editor Emily Algar spends her days testing products and speaking with some of the industry’s leading experts. We asked her which habits make the biggest difference to her skin, what a product has to prove before it earns a permanent place in her routine, and what she wishes she’d started sooner.
Meet Emily
Emily is a writer, editor and content creator based in Sydney, Australia. She is currently the beauty editor at RUSSH magazine, and the founder of best-selling beauty Substack, The Rich Creme.
You’ve spent years testing products and speaking with some of the industry’s leading experts. What are the five beauty or wellness habits you genuinely believe make the biggest difference to your skin?
Daily sun protection. As someone prone to melasma and pigmentation, it’s non negotiable for me. I prefer a zinc SPF, personally.
Collagen supplementation – great for skin elasticity and bounce. I always notice a difference when I’m consistent.
Retinol – my skin responds really well to a mild but consistent retinol application. I like Rationale Crème no. 6.
Sleep, eating well, lots of water. Obvious but true.
TCM – acupuncture and frequent visits to my TCM doctor have made such a positive impact in terms of my skin health, especially complex issues like dermatitis and acne.
As a beauty editor, you’re constantly discovering new products and treatments. What does something have to prove to you before it earns a permanent place in your skin protocol?
I guess it depends on the purpose of the product or treatment and what I want from it. For example, a facial treatment might be all about relaxation or nervous system regulation, not visible skin results – that doesn’t mean I’m not interested or see value.
For topical skincare, I do like a product that creates change (whether that’s long-term or something instantly gratifying, like a hydrating mist, for instance).
I also like treatments/products that are interesting, innovative, honest and have a sense of integrity. I appreciate transparency and upfront-ness. Beauty is so full of fluff and story-telling. When a brand is honest, it’s refreshing.
Your approach to beauty goes beyond what you put on your skin. How have nutrition, supplements and supporting your skin from within changed the way you think about skincare?
I am very holistic on all fronts and find that my overall sense of ‘wellness’ shows up visibly on my face. Skin health can reflect general health – as if I don’t want to support it from all angles? I like to eat real, whole foods, supplementing only what’s necessary (usually collagen, a good probiotic, fibre). I am also big on oral hygiene (tongue scraping, oil pulling), quality sleep… I also like to look inwards for a potential root cause if I’m experiencing some skin issues. I usually rely on TCM for this, or naturopathy. It works for me!
With travel being such a big part of your life and work, what are the beauty and skin rituals you stay consistent with no matter where you are?
I try really hard to maintain routine when I travel – oddly my skin is usually at its worst when I’m away from home, especially if the climate is extreme. For anything longer than a few days, I take my entire skincare routine. I also travel with Par Olive travel sachets, electrolytes and usually tea bags (I like Planet Organic). I also bring my tongue scraper and Cecily Brayden lymphatic facial brush. Otherwise, plenty of water, sleep, exercise (online Pilates is my favourite thing ever – you don’t even need to pack trainers). If there’s a sauna or similar where I’m heading, I might also book that.
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After years of writing about beauty, testing products, and interviewing experts, what have you learned about taking care of your skin for the long term, and what do you wish you’d started doing sooner?
I wish I was better with sun protection as a teenager and in my early twenties because, now that I’m in my thirties, the damage is done – I’m going to be dealing with pigment, sun spots and melasma for the rest of my life.
As for learnings, I really believe there is no ‘one size fits all’. Even the experts disagree or have conflicting opinions. I don’t like to be too preachy because what worked for one person won’t for another. SPF is pretty much the only universal skin truth.