Latest news with #SamBunting
Irish Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish doctor's face cream wins fans for soothing redness and boosting glow
If you've ever wished you could get dermatologist-approved skincare without shelling out for a pricey private appointment or sitting on a long waiting list, there's a brand that's catching the attention of beauty lovers here in Ireland - and it's already winning big with experts and shoppers alike. Dr Sam's is the brainchild of Co Down woman Dr Sam Bunting - a former doctor who now runs her own private skin clinic on London's famous Harley Street. Her goal is to give everyday people access to "dermatologist-adjacent" skincare routines, without needing a prescription or specialist appointment. One product in particular is getting rave reviews across beauty circles - the Flawless Moisturiser Intense, priced at €42 for 50ml or €76 for 100ml. If your skin is dry, sensitive or just struggles through Ireland's colder, windier months, this could be the hydration hero you've been searching for. Designed to create results in just 60 seconds, it has not only picked up awards - including Best Healing Moisturiser in Woman and Home Magazine and Best Barrier Repair in Red Magazine - but this face cream clinically proven to repair the skin barrier in just one use. This isn't your typical thick, heavy cream that smothers skin and ruins makeup. Instead, it's light enough to layer under SPF and foundation, but powerful enough to deeply hydrate, calm redness and keep your skin barrier strong. It uses Sunflower Sprout Extract, a breakthrough ingredient that boosts NAD+ levels in the skin to speed up cellular renewal - plus skin-loving staples like ectoin, squalane, ceramides and glycerin. On the release of the Flawless Moisturiser Intense back in 2023, Dr Sam said: "This heals dry, sensitive and redness-prone skin from the inside out in a cosmetically elegant formula. Unlike those other heavy, gloopy and clogging face cream that wreak your makeup and stain your pillowcases, get ready to glow with the product you didn't know you needed." Elsewhere, a 50ml pot of La Roche-Posay Nutritic Intense Moisturiser Riche is available on Amazon Ireland for €30.25. Or shoppers can pick up the Clinique Moisture Surge Intense 72HR Cream 50ml for €48.95 at LookFantastic. Ideal for dry and very dry skin types, the rich face cream delivers long-lasting hydration to dry-feeling skin. Dr Sam herself swears by a simple four-step routine: "There's cleanse, activate, hydrate and protect". She recommends using the moisturiser as the third step (hydrate) in conjunction with the three other pillars of skincare. The expert doesn't believe in unnecessary steps or gimmicky "skincare entertainment" - just formulas that work. Shoppers have hailed the Flawless Moisturiser Intense as a 'lifesaver' (Image: Dr Sam's) And according to over 1,300 five-star reviews, her approach is paying off. One fan wrote: "This is a fabulous product, it sinks in easily and my skin feels so soft. It helps to reduce redness." Another said simply: "Love this moisturiser, it's fantastic." Others shared more detailed praise: "Using this product every morning and night, I have combination dry mature skin. I am 64 yrs old. I use Brightly eye and face first, then intense moisturiser. I have so many compliments about my skin." Another happy customer said: "I love this moisturiser! I have very sensitive skin with eczema but I'm also prone to breakouts. This moisturiser is the only one I've found that is soothing enough to help with the dryness and redness, but also doesn't feel heavy or break me out. It is expensive but worth it to be honest!" For some, the results have been life-changing: "Amazing. Cleared my cystic acne and no future break outs. Takes about 6 weeks but well worth the long term results". One mature-skin user added: "The best moisturiser I've tried so far for my mature skin. It just works!! 100% recommend this!" Another called it their "holy grail", adding: "I am obsessed!!! I will never use any moisturiser on my face apart from this one. Immediately I use it, I just have a heathy, glowy, dewy face." Someone else shared: "I would never leave a review but with this product I had to. Simply the best!" However, one shopper awarded the Flawless Moisturiser Intense a three-star review because they noticed "no real difference" to their skin. They said: "Seven days of using this moisturiser and I've noticed no real difference. I'm disappointed as it was reviewed as a great cream for dry skin." Dr Sam's also understands that trying new skincare can be daunting. That's why they offer a Happiness Pledge - if you're not delighted within 60 days, they'll make it right or give you a full refund, no questions asked. For more information or to buy the Flawless Moisturiser Intense, head to the Dr Sam's website. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Times
25-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Dr Sam Bunting: ‘By 40, your skin has half the energy it had at 20. It can't respond the same way'
Two things put Dr Sam Bunting, and her namesake skincare brand, on my radar a few years ago: her love for azelaic acid (an unsung hero skincare ingredient for tackling everything from pigmentation and redness to breakouts and bumpy texture), and her unapologetic stance against double cleansing at night. 'I've always been firmly in the single cleanse camp. I just think double cleansing takes too much from the skin barrier. At night, yes, I might spend a bit longer massaging it in, but it's still just one cleanse,' says the dermatologist and in-demand skin expert, originally from Co Down. She moved away from double cleansing after years of seeing what she calls 'London skin' at her practice on Harley Street – dull, bumpy, congested complexions that weren't responding to expensive skincare. 'So many people were overloading on longwear make-up, setting sprays, oil cleansers, foam cleansers – it was too much. Their skin was overwhelmed.' So, she started stripping things back. 'We'd take away the make-up, the sprays, the heavy layers. We'd swap in a simple cleanser, a lightweight moisturiser, a non-comedogenic sunscreen – and within two weeks, their skin would be better. That happened again and again.' READ MORE This 'less is more' philosophy underpins her brand, Dr Sam's, which launched in 2018 with just one product, Flawless Cleanser (€23 from ). 'The less you degrade your barrier, the more room there is for the actives to work, and the more naturally beautiful your skin becomes. Then make-up becomes optional – not something you rely on to hide behind,' she says. 'It all happened from my livingroom,' she recalls of the launch. 'We were bootstrapped, super lean. I invested my own money. But we were profitable from the first month, which gave us confidence that we were on to something.' The decision to launch her own brand was personal, rooted in her own skin struggles as a junior doctor. 'The clinic had become really popular, just through word of mouth, because of the results I was achieving with people dealing with breakouts,' she says. 'At the same time, many of them were also trying to build routines that addressed ageing. But at that point, there wasn't really a brand that straddled those two very common scenarios.' At her clinic, Bunting's patients weren't just handed a prescription – they were given a complete toolkit. That meant a foundational skincare routine paired with explicit guidance on how to use it, cutting through the confusion and overwhelm that so often comes with skincare. The Dr Sam's brand launched in 2018 with just one product: the Flawless Cleanser 'It really was that complete approach that led to such great results, but not everyone could access it. There was only so much I could do from one room in London, and dermatology appointments are expensive. I wanted to offer this kind of service to everyone, so that was the mission with the brand. I felt very strongly that we could do something different.' Visitors to Dr Sam's website are guided to create a personalised skincare plan. 'Most people have more than one concern,' she says. 'We give step-by-step instructions. No ambiguity. No guesswork.' That clarity, she believes, is what keeps people consistent. 'Skincare often derails when things get confusing.' And confusion, she says, often stems from trends – something she consciously avoids. 'We're an anti-trend brand. If I haven't needed it in over two decades of clinical practice, why would we need it now?' [ The six skincare products I always return to after trying everything else Opens in new window ] What she does want, however, is meaningful innovation, especially when it solves product-related problems. Take vitamin C, for example, an ingredient that never worked for her own redness-prone skin. 'I'm Irish. I just couldn't use L-ascorbic acid any more,' she explains. 'And I kept seeing it in patients too – barrier issues, dermatitis, general skin unhappiness.' So, she developed a gentler option - with a twist, Flawless Vitamin C NAD+ Serum (€75). Her formula includes NAD+, a molecule linked to skin energy and longevity. 'By 40, your skin has half the energy it had at 20. It can't respond the same way. NAD+ helps activate youthful pathways. I feel really proud of that formula,' she says. Of course, it's impossible to talk about Bunting without talking about azelaic acid. It's everywhere now – on TikTok, in dermatology circles, in your friend's bathroom cabinet – and Bunting's name is often mentioned in the same breath. 'I think we might be responsible for starting that conversation,' she says. 'It was maybe seven or eight years ago. I've had a long-standing love affair with azelaic acid – both for my own skin, and for the patients I treat.' Bunting says deciding to launch her own brand was personal, rooted in her own skin struggles as a junior doctor Azelaic acid is effective for acne, pigmentation and redness, safe to use during pregnancy and unusually gentle. 'It's safe, multitasking, non-irritating. The challenge has always been formulation. It's tricky to work with. It's kept me up at night,' she says. 'But when you get it right, it's incredibly satisfying.' The brand's retail expansion has been slow, considered. It just launched in Sephora in the UK and is now coming to Ireland. 'Ireland has always been really close to my heart, emotionally,' she says. 'It just felt like the right time – not just to launch physically, but to actually come over and meet people, have conversations, shine a spotlight on what we do.' This week I'm loving ... Trinny London Miracle Halo Complexion Illuminator Trinny London Miracle Halo Complexion Illuminator (€38 from Brown Thomas) An excellent multitasking, glow-giving product (€38, from Brown Thomas) designed to be worn alone for instant luminosity, mixed with moisturiser or foundation for added radiance, or tapped on to the high points of the face to catch the light. Available in four shades.
NDTV
25-05-2025
- Health
- NDTV
This Dermatologist-Approved Breakfast Porridge Is Loaded With "Best Foods" For Glowing Skin
Breakfast is the first meal of the day and quite an essential one to determine our energy for the rest of the day. However, not many know that the power of our breakfast is not just limited to our energy, but our skin health as well. If you want clear skin that is soft, supple and healthy, your choice of breakfast can play a vital role. So what should we eat in the morning for glowing skin? Here is a simple, delicious and skin-healthy porridge recipe shared by popular dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting on her YouTube channel. This porridge is easy to make and is packed with delicious ingredients that are some of the best foods for young and healthy skin. The recipe includes not just one or two, but nine nourishing foods for your skin. Let's learn how to make this breakfast dish. Also Read: What Is 'Carrotmaxxing' And Why Is It Trending? All You Need To Know How To Make Dermatologist-Recommended Breakfast For Glowing Skin | 'Skin Food Porridge' Recipe First, take a pan and add some oats to it. Follow this by adding soaked chia seeds and some almond milk. Cook the oats for a few minutes. Now move the oatmeal to a bowl, sprinkle some cinnamon powder and top it with walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Finish with some delicious, colourful berries. Enjoy this filling and delicious porridge with lots of interesting flavours and textures. Watch the recipe video here. Also Read: 5 Things You Need To Be Aware Of If You Are Planning To Quit Sugar Here Is How Each Of The 9 Ingredient In This Breakfast Benefit Your Skin: Oats are packed with fibre and essential nutrients that nourish your skin. Chia seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, that help combat skin inflammation, irritation and also prevent wrinkles and fine lines. Almond milk is a fantastic source of vitamin E which improves skin elasticity and protects the skin from harmful elements of sun exposure. Cinnamon powder is a rich source of antioxidants that help maintain healthy and younger-looking skin. Walnuts are an incredible source of essential fatty acids. Almonds are rich in protein and zinc which is great for the skin. Pumpkin seeds contain squalene and Vitamin E, which can help protect your skin from sun damage. These seeds are also a great source of zinc, which can help prevent breakouts and promote collagen production. Sunflower seeds can work wonders for your skin as they are packed with vitamin E, selenium and zinc. Fatty acids like linolenic, oleic and palmitic acids are found in sunflower seeds, which can boost collagen production. Berries are full of powerful antioxidants which neutralise free radicals and help prevent the signs of ageing. Include this breakfast in your daily diet and reap the skin health benefits of all these powerful and tasty ingredients. Advertisement About Jigyasa Kakwani Jigyasa finds her solace through writing, a medium she is exploring to make the world more informed and curious with every story published. She is always up for exploring new cuisines, but her heart comes back to the comforting ghar-ka-khana. For the latest food news, health tips and recipes, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and YouTube. Tags: Glowing Skin Breakfast Porridge Show full article Comments
