Sophie Habboo Shares Her Wedding Skin-Care Routine
Sophie Habboo's Wedding Skin-Care Journey Was "Really Stressful"
As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.
It's not an exaggeration to say that Sophie Habboo's wedding looks whipped the internet into a complete frenzy. First, there was the London wedding (Chelsea Registry office, Vivienne Westwood minidress, bouncy blowout), then there was their Spanish wedding (luxe villa, bespoke lace gown, chic low bun). The constant between both? (Aside from her husband, fellow podcaster, and "Made in Chelsea" alumni Jamie Laing, of course.) Skin so flawless that it's almost impossible to believe Habboo has ever experienced a blemish.
Meeting with POPSUGAR via Zoom, Habboo is at home, makeup-free, and quick to tell us that her journey with her skin hasn't always been straightforward. "I've always been really obsessed with my skin," she says. "I had bumps on my forehead that used to bother me, and I got really into skin care from a young age, like 17."
However, it wasn't until she was filming for "Made in Chelsea" in Sri Lanka in 2018 that Habboo started to notice dark marks on her skin, which she now understands were hyperpigmentation. "I'd just had a spray tan before I flew, and there were splatters across my face where I thought it had left dark spots. Every day I was exfoliating and trying to rub it off — I had no idea what it was. Of course, not knowing, I was still sunbathing out in Sri Lanka. I never really reapplied my sunscreen, and I probably lied about how much I was putting on," she says.
"Over the year it got progressively worse, and I couldn't cover it with makeup. I felt really self-conscious because it was so out of control."
"I got back to England after filming, and it had sort of spread across both cheeks, all over my nose, and was getting onto my forehead. Over the year it got progressively worse, and I couldn't cover it with makeup. I felt really self-conscious because it was so out of control," she says. "There was nothing I could do to stop it. It was really stressful."
Eager to find a solution, Habboo sought advice from a dermatologist, as well as skin-care experts at local department stores, who advised her she was experiencing two types of hyperpigmentation known as sun spots and melasma. Unfortunately, both are notoriously tricky to treat, and she was given frustratingly few treatment options. "The options I got were either to have laser, which was so expensive and really intense — I was also filming at the time, so I couldn't really have five days off while my face peeled. Or, topical creams, which were essentially bleaching creams, and I didn't want to do that either."
As a stroke of luck, after sharing her complexion concerns on Instagram, skin-care brand Eucerin got in touch to recommend its dedicated hyperpigmentation range. "I probably didn't expect anything from it, as it was so accessibly priced and easy to use, but I stuck with it and after three weeks, my pigmentation was pretty much gone," she says. "It had the most amazing and miraculous results."
This turning point was around five years ago, and since then, Habboo has managed to keep her pigmentation under control. But a wedding in Spain, where she would be exposed to plenty of UV rays — a key trigger of hyperpigmentation — was a concern. "I'm quite a pro at knowing how to not get it to flare up, but there were obviously worries about it before the wedding day, especially as I flew out a few weeks before. Luckily, it all held out fine."
Image Source: Getty/GC Images/GC Images
Habboo's top tips for keeping pigmentation at bay? "I'm wearing SPF 50 basically night and day, whatever the weather. Even in a thunderstorm, I've got it on," she says. "All my makeup has SPF 50, as well as my Eucerin SPF 50 sunscreen, and I reapply it during the day. I'm a hat girl, so if I'm walking around London, I'll have a hat on and sunglasses. On holiday, I'll maybe have my legs in the sun with sun cream, but I never get my face in the sun. It's a little high maintenance, but it's just the way it has to be."
Over the years, she's found that simple skin care works best for her, especially as inflammation is another driver of hyperpigmentation. Her current (and pre-wedding) routine involves a single cleanse in the morning, followed by serum and suncream, and is bookended by a double cleanse, toner, serum, targeted pigmentation treatment, and moisturizer at night. This less-is-more approach extends to her top piece of advice for brides-to-be, too.
"Try not to do too much," she says. "I think a lot of people go overboard with their wedding and when they walk down the aisle people are like 'Whoa, who's that?' You don't want to look back at photos in 10 years and not recognize yourself. Just stick to a minimal routine — that's always worked for me." If it's good enough for Habbs, it's good enough for us. Keep reading to see the exact products that she uses.
Sophie Habboo's Favorite Serum
Eucerin Anti-Pigment Dual Serum ($37)
This is a multitasking serum that targets existing hyperpigmentation and prevents new marks at the same time as hydrating the skin. Habboo uses it every day, morning and night, to keep those darker areas of skin at bay.
Sophie Habboo's Favorite Spot Corrector
Eucerin Anti-Pigment Spot Corrector ($26)
This targeted treatment is great for zapping particular areas of hyperpigmentation. "If I've got a flare-up, I'll apply the spot corrector in the morning," Habboo says. "It's really easy and I can just keep it in my bag and reapply throughout the day."
Sophie Habboo's Favorite Suncream
Eucerin Pigment Control Sun Fluid SPF50+ ($32)
"My best skin tip I would say 100 percent is sunscreen," says Habboo. "1,000 percent for aging, or just the overall look of your skin. Just wear fake tan instead. I didn't start doing this until I was 20 and, boy, do I wish I'd known sooner."
Sophie Habboo's Favorite Toner
Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant ($34)
"Sometimes in the evening I'll use a toner to help refine my pores," says Habboo. "I like the Paula's Choice BHA toner."
Sophie Habboo's Favorite Moisturizer
Augustinus Bader The Cream ($180)
Before bed, Habboo is a fan of a nice cushiony moisturizer, although this one doesn't come cheap. "I like to use Augustus Bader The Cream — a really thick moisturizer, so I'm locked in. I do feel at night especially that my face is getting a little bit dry. It didn't used to be, but now I've got older, I feel my skin is a lot more combination."
Sophie Habboo's Favorite Self-Tanner
Bare By Vogue Self Tan Foam Dark ($24)
As Habboo takes her sunscreen seriously, she relies on fake tan to give her an all-round glow. "I tan my body as well as my face. I use Bare by Vogue, the dark mousse," she says.
