Today is my friend Anna’s birthday. She would have been turning 44. Almost eight years ago Anna took her own life after battling depression. The day she died she’d been due to come and see me to get advice on her skin.  Pai Mind Day, now in its 4th year, marks Anna’s special day, and is a platform to elevate mental health awareness.  What feels important is to normalise it.  One in four of us experience a mental health problem on any given day. I suspect that statistic may actually be understated right now. Anna felt unable to speak of the pain she was in or to access the right ..read more

What Does Hand Sanitiser Do? Hand sanitisers are usually alcohol-based gels, used to kill bacteria and viruses on the hands when hand washing isn’t available.  More than ever, we’re now encouraged to carry them with us and use them throughout the day to keep us safe.  Are Hand Sanitisers More Effective Than Hand Washing? Truly, the best way to safely clean hands is to wash them with running water and soap. Unlike sanitising gels which work to kill the virus or bacteria, hand washing with soap loosens the viral cells from our skin, washing them away entirely. It’s important to wash fo ..read more

This year, we re-launched our popular Hello Sunshine SPF as the new British Summer Time Sensitive Sunscreen. We often get asked a lot of questions around using an SPF as part of your skincare routine. It’s often a concern of those who have sensitive skin – from acne through to eczema – as SPFs can be quite thick formulas. But wearing an SPF is so incredibly important to the overall health of our skin. That’s why we have worked hard to develop a formula that is suitable for all sensitive skin types. In this post, we answer all of your frequently asked questions around SPF. From t ..read more

Muslin cloths should be an essential part of every skincare routine. They help you remove daily dirt, SPF, makeup and skincare products in a gentle and calming way. It’s easy to amass a number of old muslin cloths over the years. If your muslin cloths are starting to pile up, or if you simply want to make the most of your new cloths, here are our pointers for using and recycling them. How to use a muslin cloth for your face 1. Everyday gentle exfoliation Using a muslin cloth as part of your cleansing routine is a great way to lift away dead skin cells and impurities that have built up througho ..read more

When you think of vitamins and minerals that can benefit your skin, it’s unlikely that zinc ranks too highly on the list. But did you know it’s essential for cell growth and renewal? Zinc offers a number of impressive benefits for skin. In larger doses, zinc has even been shown to improve the symptoms of acne and rosacea. But before you reach for the nappy rash cream, it’s worth remembering that not all zincs are created equally! Zinc vs zinc oxide for skin Zinc is a safe ingredient and well tolerated by those with sensitive skin. Unlike other derivatives of zinc (such as zinc PCA), zinc oxid ..read more

What is Retinol and is it safe for sensitive skin? Retinol is a form of Vitamin A. When applied, our skin cells work to convert it into retinoic acid, which has been clinically proven to have benefits to skin health. Though Retinol is known for its ability to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, when it comes to sensitive skin, it can cause irritation. Often when you first start using Retinol there is a ‘break-in’ period, when you can experience redness, peeling or dryness. For those of us with sensitive skin, we already have a compromised skin barrier, and so are more susceptibl ..read more

Whether it’s a pump of cleanser, a dollop of cream or a drop of facial oil – one of the most common questions we get asked is: “How much product should I be using?”. Whilst we’d love to be able to provide a ‘one-size fits all’ answer, it’s not quite as simple as that. The amount of product you should be applying varies massively from person to person. But we can provide some simple guidelines to help you get the most out of your Pai favourites. How much moisturiser to use on face? A “standard” application of moisturiser should be between 1-3 pumps. The amount you require can easily change on a ..read more

Interestingly, it isn’t just dry skin (that’s skin lacking in oil) that can become dehydrated. Unlike dry skin – which is a skin condition –dehydration is a skin state. This means for the most part, it is temporary and easily remedied. The simplest way? Upping your daily intake of water and finding the best products for dehydrated skin. If you’re not sure if your skin is dehydrated or dry, you might like to read this. In the meantime, we’ve rounded up our all-star lineup of hydrating products. Meet your new dehydrated skin routine.  Double Cleanse If you’ve ever had a free skin consultat ..read more

While face-to-face treatments might be on hold for the foreseeable future, that doesn’t mean skin should forego having a luxurious facial. Pai’s in-house facialist Kate shares how to do a spa-worthy, sensitive skin-friendly treatment at home. First, Double Cleanse  Every great facial starts with a really thorough cleanse. First remove makeup and SPF using our Light Work Rosehip Cleansing Oil. Follow with our hydrating, calming Camellia & Rose Cream Cleanser. For oily or blemish-prone skin, try a soft facial brush on the second cleanse, using upward circular motions to gently dra ..read more

‘Cold-pressed’ has become a buzzword over the last decade for everything from juices to olive oil. It’s also one of the most common ways to extract organic oils for skincare. You’ll often hear brands singing its praises – but it’s not necessarily the best extraction method. So what does cold-pressed mean? Cold-pressed oil is obtained through pressing and grinding fruit or seeds with the use of stainless steel presses. The raw plant material is placed between horizontal plates which are drawn together by a rotating screw (the ‘expeller’), and the oil is squeezed out. Despite the name, a certain ..read more