We caught up with Dermalogica’s new brand ambassador, Made in Chelsea’s Georgia Toffolo, to discuss the impact that bad skin had on her mental health and why she uses social media to inspire others.

Why is it so important to you to normalise talking about our skin concerns?

What I took away when I was suffering with my skin was that the impact was not just aesthetic, but also had a knock-on effect on my mental health. I’m so fortunate to have this lovely platform on social media where I can get direct access to people, and I think it’s important to use that. I’ve become an unintentional advocate for skin positivity.

What advice would you give to anyone who is struggling to go make-up free?

Don’t force it. Even six months ago, the thought of going make-up free would have made me shudder. Truthfully, the days of me avoiding people in the street because I have no make-up on really aren’t that long ago. Sometimes even now when I’m having a bad skin day, “make-up free” is just a little bit of concealer, and maybe I’ll skip the mascara. And that’s really OK.

How do you keep a healthy balance when it comes to your general wellbeing?

If I didn’t have a really fun girls’ dinner and go dancing once a week, I would go stir crazy. I’m also quite good with walking to my meetings if it’s not really raining. Walking when I can, and a naughty night out once a week – I think that’s true balance!

What motivated you most to team up with Dermalogica for its new #skindividual campaign?

The campaign stood out because I’ve been preaching for so long that perfect skin does not exist. The goal has to be healthy skin. I was fortunate enough to use some of the products from the range for a whole month before the launch, and I saw such a positive reaction from my skin.

When you’re in the middle of suffering with a break-out, what is your go-to product?

The Age Bright Clearing Serum: it’s a real game-changer for me. I love that it combats breakouts as well as looking after premature ageing. Also, I think you cannot fault a healthy diet most of the time, a really rigid skincare routine you believe in and love, and always drinking loads of water.

Are there any specific types of make-up products you tend to avoid?

I don’t wear really thick foundation any more. Now I’ve been on this journey, I’m not embarrassed by my skin, so I’d much rather wear a really light, subtle foundation that shows off my natural shade.

What’s your beauty regime for your hair and body?

I’m definitely not a natural blonde, so I use to make my colour last longer. I also love slathering up in NUXE oil, which is really versatile. If I go on holiday, I use it on my hair as well. When it comes to make-up, I like to keep it natural, so I use No7 The Full 360 Mascara in brown, because it’s nice and subtle.

When you’re not all glammed up, what do you like to do in your downtime?

I love reading. I’ve got a little book club that I started on my Instagram, and it’s so wonderful to have a different kind of engagement from people. We read one book every three weeks, and then talk about it on the last Sunday of the month. I’m so glad I started it!

Have you found any lifestyle factors have affected your skin?

I used to find it so frustrating when people would always say things like “cut out dairy and it’ll go” and “make sure you’re taking off all your make-up”. Like it could be solved so easily!

Can you talk us through your usual morning routine?

I kick things off by reading a paper, having a cup of tea (builders) and catching up with my mum and grandparents on FaceTime. Then I’d probably go for a walk around Hyde Park. I love watching the swimmers at the lido!

Georgia Toffolo is a Dermalogica Brand Ambassador