Adult eczema; dry and bumpy skin; acne scars that just won’t fade… We’ve all contended with these perfectly normal skin conditions at one point or another. Maybe even all at once, given the unpredictable weather we have been subjected to this year. There is obviously no magical one-size-fits-all solution that will work for everyone, but the arrival of Topicals Skincare, which has just launched at Sephora UK, might prove to be a real game changer.
Topicals, which first landed in the US back in 2020, was the fastest growing skincare brand at Sephora last year. According to founder Olamide Olowe, this means that it had leapt the highest on the retailer’s bestseller list, jumping 30 spots on the rankings within a year. People are particularly wild about the often sold-out Faded Serum, a powerful tool for fighting hyperpigmentation.
The brand’s meteoric rise speaks to the demand for skincare that scores high on efficacy, inclusivity and beautiful packaging. Having experienced chronic skin conditions in her teens, Olowe dreamed of creating products that would work for herself and women who looked like her. She sensed a real gap in the market for skincare created and tested with darker skin in mind.
“Darker skin tones sometimes are a bit more reactive and difficult to treat, because of the higher amount of melanin present — but everyone has melanin in their skin,” Olowe says. “So when you create a product that works on darker skin tones, you actually make a product that works better for everyone.”
Read ahead for our tried-and-tested favourites from Topicals. We’ve also tapped Olowe to walk us through each product, making it easier for you to understand exactly how they target specific skin gripes.
Topicals Faded Serum, £35
Our verdict: “I am a beauty and skincare content creator, and every time I even mention Faded in a video, my audience goes crazy. It’s a bestseller for dealing with discolouration, uneven skin tone, texture and even adult acne. The serum went viral because it was one of the first products to combine multiple active ingredients in a single product, alleviating the need for 10 different serums and allowing people to streamline their skincare needs.
The brand incorporated tried-and-true ingredients like azelaic acid [an anti-inflammatory ingredient beneficial for rosacea and reducing pigmentation] and kojic acid [which brightens skin and improves skin tone] when no one else was doing this. As someone that has used Faded for years now, I really enjoy using it on breakouts as a spot treatment or for general even skin tone maintenance.” — Alicia Lartey, Aesthetician & Beauty Writer
Why it works, according to Olowe: “We use ingredients like melatonin and licorice root in our Faded Serum to target melanogenesis, which is when melanin is overproduced in the skin and dark spots appear. A lot of chronic skin conditions happen as a result of hyper-inflammation; melatonin is an anti-inflammatory ingredient that essentially tells your brain to stop over producing melanin.”
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Topicals Like Butter Moisturiser, £30
Our verdict: “I have oily, acne-prone skin, and never thought this product would work for me had it not been for a happy accident. During a ski trip in Colorado last year, I experienced dry, chapped skin like never before. Luckily, I had thrown a sample packet of Topicals’ Like Butter in my backpack and slathered it on in hope of it quenching my skin’s thirst. To my surprise and delight, it worked like an absolute charm.
“It was like bubble wrap for my face; the occlusive moisturising ingredients (colloidal oatmeal, shea butter and squalane) shielded my complexion and provided long-lasting hydration like I’d never needed before. Even though it’s billed as a moisturiser, I like to use this as an overnight hydrating mask if I’m feeling dehydrated or travelling on a long-haul flight. This stuff is liquid gold in a tube, if you ask me.” — Karina Hoshikawa, Senior Writer
Why it works, according to Olowe: “I like to say that our lineup has different products for fighting and calming, and Like Butter does the latter. We included oatmeal in the product as it helps reduce the appearance of redness and soothes irritation. Our customers use it to manage their eczema and [incorporate] Faded to lighten the discoloration from scars.”
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Topicals Faded Under Eye Masks, £20
Our verdict: “It has been a long time since I’ve come across under-eye patches that truly impressed me, but these eye masks managed to pull it off — and then some. Unlike other hydrogel masks I have tried in the past, they have amazing grip and don’t slip off my face. It makes my under-eye area feel more taut and firm even after just 20 minutes, and the red-and-pink pattern is so darn cute.” — Venus Wong, Senior Writer
Why it works, according to Olowe: “This is basically the Faded Serum — with all of its great discolouration-fighting ingredients — turned into a hydrogel, with caffeine added to it for de-puffing. We’ve seen a lot of really great results with the Faded Under Eye Masks, not only because people are so excited to wear them, but also how they’re so consistent with their routine.”
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Topicals Slather Body Serum, £27
Our verdict: “I have only started incorporating retinol in my body care routine in the last couple weeks, but I’ve already seen a noticeable difference in the suppleness of my skin. This luxurious body serum is to thank for it. The retinol and AHAs gently chip away my dead skin, while hydrating agents like squalane and lactic acid pump up the moisture. It feels delicate and expensive on my skin, like a face cream would, and the scent is clean and milky. The exfoliant works so well that sometimes I can see bits of dead skin rubbing off as I run the lotion through my limbs. My only quip? A lot of product gushes out with each squeeze, so you have to be a bit careful.” — Venus Wong, Senior Writer
Why it works, according to Olowe: “We’ve all seen retinol being preached to us as something we use for ‘anti-ageing’, or in some cases for acne. But it also can be a product that works great for people who have KP (keratosis pilaris — rough bumpy skin texture). It’s a product that smooths any kind of texture.”
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Topicals Sealed Active Scar Primer, £30
Also in the lineup is Sealed, an active primer that fills out your indented acne scars and larger pores, with resurfacing ingredients like retinol and papain. You can use it as a primer for your makeup (make sure to let it sit on your skin for at least 30 seconds, and follow with sunscreen), or on its own to gradually improve texture over time.
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