#9: The Hardest Part
Straight from my brain to your inbox
September is here and the UK definitely got the memo about autumnal weather. As someone whose skin hates both summer and winter, this season is my sweet spot. Still warm enough that you can go out in jeans and just a jumper - perfection. Sunny but not sweaty and burny? Lovely. A few months of bliss before everyone turns on their moisture-sucking, flare-up-inducing central heating? Divine.
What is contained in this delicious newsletter parcel, I hear you cry? My song of the moment, some great articles covering many topics (Nora Ephron fashion inspo, skin postivity, shady online grifters, sunscreen and quality of life, triggers, make up…), a request for your help, and some TV and book recommendations. A lovely mixture for you this week!
This song: My current musical obsession is The Hardest Part by Olivia Dean. Her voice, the lyrics, the gentle boppiness of it all. Love!
“A bouquet of sharpened pencils” - I thought you’d like this article about dressing like a Nora Ephron character. It was originally written in 2021 but it gets shared every year around this time when we all start to reach for chunky jumpers and pretend we own a struggling bookstore in leafy and chilly New York (even if I am already wearing chunky knits and stomping around in the Old, Original York).
Get Your Skin Out! In my last newsletter (linked below!) I shared some instagram account recommendations: Get Your Skin Out and Fordtography.
I hinted at a really exciting campaign they put together that I was a part of, and this article gives some more information and a sneak peek at some of the incredible images. I am so proud to be a part of such a powerful and important campaign and can’t wait for you to see more of it.
Lex 4 Dr Jart IDST - I posted a really fun collaboration with Dr Jart on instagram yesterday and I would so appreciate you watching and showing some love on the video HERE with a like, a comment, or a save. I am really choosy with the brands I work with and the collabs I want to create (this is my first paid collab since March!) and these partnerships mean I can keep creating free content for you.
"If it sounds too good to be true, it is." I nodded the entire time I was reading this article about the ubiquitous online grifters who try to sell you a course/supplement/skincare product that will cure/reverse/transform your skin. They usually throw in a bit of greenwashing (‘contains no chemicals!!’), some chemphobia (‘big pharma doesn’t want me to tell you this!!’), and some good old fearmongering (‘everything you put on your skin gets absorbed into the bloodstream!!’) There are a few of these people who are infamous in rosacea circles, particularly the ones who hint at their supposed medical expertise but have no relevant training. Remember that the title ‘Dr’ doesn’t always mean what you think it does, and anyone can use the word ‘medical’ in their name, regardless of their actual job title. Hint: if their ‘information’ about healing incurable skin conditions comes from ghosts, you probably should buy it!
This sunscreen and quality of life study. I talk a lot about sunscreen (and if you think I’m annoying about the topic on the internet, try to imagine how my friends and family feel - they get hassled in person!) I know it’s a tricky topic. I know that it can sometimes feel impossible to find one that suits your skin, your life, and your bank account. But it’s so worth it when you find one that does suit you. Sun exposure is one of the most common rosacea triggers (and that’s before we even get into the risk of skin cancer) so it is really important.
While we’re talking about triggers… I wanted to share my post all about triggers. It includes tips on how to identify them, some advice about how trigger management doesn’t just mean living like a molewoman underground, and it also has a free trigger checklist that you can download and use.
Harper’s, darling! I was thrilled to be asked to contribute to this fantastic article about make up for rosacea in Harper’s Bazaar. Over the years I’ve seen a shift in the tone in articles about make up for rosacea, which is wonderful - the focus used to be on high-coverage make up that left no trace of skin or detail on the face. If that’s your vibe, that’s great, but the assumption that everyone with rosacea wants to wear a full face of foundation every day is thankfully changing. I love to see more recommendations for lighter, tint-like products.
TV series: I’ve recently started watching Evil and am really enjoying it. It’s about 3 experts investigating possible supernatural happenings for the Catholic Church: there’s a priest in training, a techie non-believer (who’s there to identify the trickery people sometimes use to fake these things), and a forensic psychologist (there to assess the mental state of the subjects). It’s interesting, funny, a little bit spooky, and all three leads are brilliant. Also, if like me, you are wary to start a new TV series because you’ve been burned by mid-story cancellations in the past, it’s currently on it’s fourth and (planned!) last season. I’ve also watched a few episodes of the new Netflix show KAOS. You’ve probably seen it advertised all over the place, but it’s a mythological black comedy and Jeff Goldblum plays Zeus. If these two facts don’t convince you, then I’m not sure what else to tell you…
Two very different book recommendations: the first is a really unique whodunnit ‘Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone’ by Benjamin Stevenson. I love the way this is written: the narrator talks directly to the audience, dropping clues, (sometimes outright giving up whole plot points and the chapter number in which to expect them), and openly admitting his own unreliability as a narrator. It’s funny and clever, and I can’t wait to read the follow up.
The second book is ‘How Not To Be A Supermodel’ by Ruth Crilly. I’ve followed Ruth online for years and she is hilarious, so I already had a feeling I would like this book. A lot of memoirs about the modelling industry are dark and depressing but this is light, incredibly funny, well-observed, and a nostalgic throwback to the early 2000s. Yes, there are some shocking and sad bits (it touches on the all-consuming industry obsession with weight and appearance and the impact that has on a person) but overall it’s an irreverent look at a topic rarely discussed in such a way. I listened to it on audiobook as part of my Audible trial and if you like audiobooks I’d highly recommend this one, hearing Ruth tell the stories really adds something to the experience.
I hope you enjoyed this newsletter. As always, I’d love to hear from you in the comments: What did you like? What would you like to hear more about? What are you reading and watching? Talk to me!
Hey Lex! Love the Substack. Thanks for your writing and advocacy.
I saw you in the cinema in old York last year but didn't want to say Hi in case you didn't like randoms off the internet accosting you. Plus I was v hungover.
Something I find really hard with rosacea and the internet is the constant stuff that pop up in your feed if you use or are members of certain groups. It's v hard to separate the wheat from the chaff and I'm instantly turned off anything that's an add even if it's from somewhere I trust.
Along these lines what's your view of Dr Sam? Hard to tell if decent product as there's so many paid sponsorships.
Love your writing style and the topics in this substack AND what a lovely song mention that I’m listening to right now.