Few beauty brands have enjoyed the same buzz as Trinny London. Helmed by Trinny Woodall (yes, that Trinny), the brand’s low-key, low-maintenance ethos has struck gold since its inception in 2017. We’re talking stackable pots of cream makeup (blush, eyeshadow, lipstick and more) and skincare tailored to your skin type and concern via the brand’s Match2Me tool, which delivers bespoke routines that don’t confuse you with jargon or complicated science.
Much like Charlotte Tilbury and Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty, Trinny London has become synonymous with regular product sell-outs and lengthy waiting lists. Even R29’s beauty director is a fan. When it comes to skincare though, it takes a lot to nail the right formula, even for the tried-and-true names already crowding our bathroom shelves.
Curious as I am (a shopping writer who often tests out industry cult faves), I decided to use Match2Me to build a personalised Trinny London skincare routine. I wanted to see whether it’s worth the hype — especially given the price. And with the brand currently holding a very special, site-wide, 24-hour-only sale, there’s no time better than the present. Right now, you can score 10% off orders under £100 and 20% off orders £100 and over.
After filling out the questionnaire, my dry, sometimes sensitive skin was suggested Be Your Best Enzyme Cleanser, £32, Tiptoe In PHA Exfoliant, £34, Plump Up Peptide Serum, £65, and ‘intense’ peptide moisturiser Bounce Back, £49, as a morning routine. Overnight Clarity, £62, a retinal and niacinamide serum, joins the lineup for evening. I also tagged on Boost Up Serum, £65, because I’m a sucker for vitamin C. In total that’s a whopping £307 for one skincare routine.
Read on for my honest thoughts and what I think is worth your money. Spoiler: I was right to add that vitamin C serum.
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Trinny London Be Your Best Enzyme Cleanser, £32
First up, Be Your Best smells amazing, with a soft, fruity scent. It’s all thanks to the key ingredients: pineapple enzymes, which have mild exfoliating (and therefore brightening) properties, and sweet almond, borage and linseed oils to nourish the skin. A prebiotic complex is added to keep your skin balanced. At first, the formula is an oily balm. The brand recommends two pumps massaged onto dry skin to loosen makeup, SPF and residual dirt, before adding water to transform it into a milky consistency that can be massaged into the skin with a warm muslin towel (the brand sent me its T-Towels, £10, to try out). I’m already a big fan of the brand’s skincare packaging. There’s no digging your fingers into a pot here — simply twist, pump and go. It’s also perfect for travelling. (I made several staycation trips over the test period and had no spills.)
Two pumps is fine for a light face of makeup but when it came to taking off a full face of foundation, concealer, blush, contour stick, eyeliner, mascara (neither one waterproof) and brow gel, it took more like four or five to really dislodge anything. Considering the vigorous massaging I felt like I needed to do, especially around my delicate eye area, I’ll probably stick to my usual Pai Light Work Cleansing Oil, £33, which removes stubborn makeup easily. I feel this is more nourishing on my dry skin. I’ll keep Be Your Best for secondary cleanses and morning wake-ups — I really do love the smell, and it hasn’t yet irritated my skin or felt drying.
Trinny London Be Your Best Enzyme Cleanser, 80ML, $, available at Trinny London
Trinny London Tiptoe In PHA Exfoliant, £34
Usually my skin is pretty clear, apart from the odd hormonal spot, but I do often suffer from annoying little white- and blackheads around my nose. After a few weeks of using this as advised (two pumps twice a week at first, building up to nightly use once your skin is used to it), I’ve noticed a distinct difference in my skin. It’s brighter and clearer, and my pores are less obvious.
It’s all thanks to a clever combination of PHA (poly hydroxy acid, a gentle acid exfoliant) and azelaic acid bonded with moisturising glycerin, which soothes and calms redness and irritation. Both are ideal for sensitive skin or those new to exfoliating acids. Again, Trinny London has thought about skincare on the go — you don’t need to apply this with a cotton pad (like many exfoliating products) and can simply use your fingertips.
Trinny London Tiptoe In PHA Exfoliant, 75ML, $, available at Trinny London
Trinny London Plump Up Peptide HA Serum, £65
There’s lots of goodness in here: dehydrated skin must-have hyaluronic acid and peptides, which are essentially skin-strengthening proteins. Together they’re designed to boost our skin’s natural collagen and elastin production and plump the skin. I haven’t yet seen a difference in my fine lines and I think I’ll need longer with the products to tell, but I like how it feels on my skin. The gel formula absorbs instantly and doesn’t make skin feel tacky. Rather, it’s baby soft. I tend to prefer creamier serums like Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir, £65, so this has taken some time to get used to. I’ve started to alternate between the two, especially at night and when my skin needs an extra dose of moisture.
Trinny London Plump Up Peptide HA Serum, 30ML, $, available at Trinny London
Trinny London Boost Up 30% Vitamin C Serum, £65
With a super strength of 30% vitamin C, this serum is one of the highest concentration products I’ve tried. The brand’s website says it should only be used by experienced skincare users. I’ve already been using vitamin C every day and, following the brand’s advice, I patch tested it before using it on my face. Now, after using it every morning for two months, I have definitely seen a difference. My skin looks a lot brighter and more even in tone, especially across my cheeks, which can get red when my skin is extra dry and sensitive. It has a faintly chemical scent, which I don’t love, but I’ll take it for glowing skin.
Trinny London Boost Up 30% Vitamin C Serum, 30ML, $, available at Trinny London
Trinny London Overnight Clarity Retinal/Niacinamide Serum, £62
You’re probably familiar with retinol. But experts argue that retinal is more effective, in some cases working up to 11 times faster to resurface the skin and encourage new collagen production. Compared to the few times I’ve dabbled with retinol, Trinny London’s Overnight Clarity serum hasn’t aggravated my skin. After using it a few times a week (twice at most, just to be on the safe side), my skin looks brighter. Old acne marks are faded to the point of almost disappearing (I’m a nervous picker, I’m afraid) and, combined with Tiptoe In exfoliant, the clogged, oilier pores around my nose are clearer with fewer breakouts. For newbies, a warning: this stuff is tinted a bright yellow which, when first applied, does tint your face a little. After a night’s sleep, though, this disappears. Just be sure to wear SPF when using retinal as it makes your skin more sensitive to UV rays.
Trinny London Overnight Clarity Retinal/Niacinamide Serum, 30ML, $, available at Trinny London
Trinny London Bounce Back Intense Peptide Moisturiser, £49
Because of my dry skin, I’m really particular about my moisturisers. Bounce Back is a lightweight cream moisturiser that smells great (lightly fruity and sweet) and is packed with Trinny London’s four peptide complex, plus hyaluronic acid to replenish the skin’s natural moisture barrier. For me, it’s great for the daytime. It absorbs quickly and creates a nice, slightly tacky base that makeup grabs onto well. For the evening, I really like dousing my skin in moisture, especially as we ease out of winter and into spring, so I’ll be sticking to my usual Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, £79, which is a lot heavier and creamier.
Trinny London Bounce Back Intense Peptide Moisturiser, 50ML, $, available at Trinny London
Final thoughts
My favourite Trinny London skincare product(s): The Boost Up Vitamin C and Overnight Clarity serums are winners in my book. These products have transformed my skin the most dramatically over the period of testing.
Trinny London skincare product(s) I would probably shelve: Be Your Best Enzyme Cleanser is nice to use and smells lovely but doesn’t melt my makeup off quite as easily as I would hope.
What I would love Trinny London to do next: I would love for the brand to launch an eye cream, especially as none of the products I’ve tested has irritated my sensitive skin — and the delicate skin around my eyes is especially temperamental.
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