Becoming a mum for the first time is always a period of adjustment, but for Louise Redknapp it wasn’t just about getting to grips with night feeds and nappies. ‘I’d remember I’d just had Charley and I went to the bathroom a couple of days after having a Caesarean,’ she tells GH. ‘I looked at my face in the mirror and was shocked by just how two-toned it was.’
With hormones swirling, it was a time of conflicted emotions for the singer: ‘On one hand, I was so happy having this gorgeous baby, and on the other hand, I didn’t know what I was going to do with my face.’
Louise, 50, is one of the millions of women in the UK who suffer with facial pigmentation, a condition that can be triggered or worsened by a number of factors, including sun exposure, genetics and hormones. 'I started noticing it a bit when I went on the Pill, those late teenage years,’ she recalls. ‘Everybody said: “Oh, it’s quite natural. The Pill can do that.” And I probably wasn’t as conscious with SPF as I should have been.’
It was also around the time she began her pop career with girl band Eternal, which brought its own level of scrutiny. ‘I was surrounded by lots of people who always check in and govern what’s going on – how you look, and everything else,’ she says. ‘Everyone told me: “The pigmentation will settle down.” So I ignored it and I left it.’
It wasn’t until severe post-birth melasma was staring her in the face that Louise decided to take action. ‘I saw the doctor pretty soon after having Charley [who was born in 2004 ] and he said: “It’s one of the worst pigmentation cases I’ve seen.” My face was as patchy as a world map.’
A simple solution was not forthcoming. ‘I saw a few dermatologists and they all said that laser treatment could make it worse because I’m naturally quite dark-skinned,’ she says. ‘A lot of people didn’t really know what to suggest: bleaching creams, SPFs, just hoping it would fade.’
There was precious little in the way of maternity leave to allow it to settle, either. ‘After I had Charley, I was doing photo shoots within six weeks. It was same with both my sons. I didn’t get that privilege of hiding away,’ she says. ‘I had to cover it with makeup and live with it.’
‘I hate doing that whole “Oh my god, my confidence was really damaged” thing,’ she adds. ‘But of course, when your face is patchy, it does affect how you feel. I'm somebody that really likes to not wear a lot of makeup and let my skin breathe. And I’m in a job where people always have something to say, so obviously the pigmentation affected me. Of course it did.’
With lasers off the table, Louise tried resurfacing peels, but the pigmentation persisted. ‘Mostly, I just learned to live with it. It would fade when it wasn’t summer, and I kept it away as much as I could with SPF. It’s only been in the last four years that I’ve really got it under control.’
For her, the difference has come not from expensive salon treatments or medical-grade skincare but a £31 Nivea serum that’s currently on Amazon for under £16.
‘When Nivea first approached me and said, “We’re doing a range for pigmentation and we’ve seen you suffer with that,” I was a bit sceptical,’ she admits. ‘It’s a wholesome brand, but is this really going to work? But then you hear about the 15 years of research that’s gone into Luminous 630. I’m someone who commits – I need to know if something’s going to really help – so we shot my face makeup-free every four weeks over three months, and I genuinely saw the transformation. I really saw it across my nose. And a dark spot I’d had on my cheek almost just disappeared.'
That was four years ago, and she says she’s continued to use the Nivea Luminous 630 range daily since, alongside religious use of SPF. ‘My skin is definitely 100% better as far as the pigment goes. This just keeps it under control. Even when I’ve been away somewhere sunny, I don’t get bad pigmentation – my whole face sort of blends. Maybe I have a few more lines, but it happens to all of us! Nobody’s got perfect skin that’s all one tone, but I do think my face looks more fresh. That’s made me feel more confident.’
A further inner boost has come from speaking openly about her pigmentation issues in a world of airbrushing and filters. ‘We’re so used to seeing everybody so perfect all the time that I think if you’re honest, people relate to that,’ she says. ‘I get so many DMs saying, “I’m so pleased you’ve talked about this.”’
‘Nothing to do with the music,’ she adds with a laugh. ‘Just my patchy face! But it shows what hits home and what women at home relate to. That’s something I’m passionate about – I’m a real advocate for women feeling confident in who they are.’
In Louise’s beauty bag
Louise talks us through her must-haves…
Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint
'I really believe in letting your natural skin shine. I love Glossier face tint – it’s really, light, really easy and gives just enough coverage that you feel more confident. As I’ve got older, the less makeup I wear, the more youthful I feel. I don’t wear concealer because my skin is sensitive and most have oils that make my skin flare up.’
NIVEA Luminous 630 Anti Dark-Spot Night Cream
‘I use this range day and night. As well as being great for pigmentation, it doesn’t aggravate my skin. I love the smell of the night cream because it reminds me of my nan, and the texture has that creaminess and comfort. I like the serum in the morning – it’s a really nice base for makeup and if I’m bare-faced, it gives my skin a little bit of a glow.’
Benefit BadGal Bang! Mascara
‘I wear lashings of mascara. I’m always grabbing a new one from anywhere I am. Benefit is my number one airport buy – the mascaras are so good and the way they market them is so brilliant.’
Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal Liner
‘I wear the same makeup day and night. My friends always laugh and say, “Louise, the only thing you do differently is put on some eyeliner for a night out.” Every Thursday night, the bronzy Victoria Beckham eyeliner comes out. That’s when I mean business!’
