Having signed a record deal at just thirteen, released her first EP at fourteen and won a MOBO award at 22, it's no surprise that singer, songwriter and actor, Mahalia, is equally as tenacious when it comes to her skincare routine. Although blessed with a complexion so glowy even the most committed TikTok detectives would wrongly think it was a filter, the 24-year-old isn't hanging about when it comes to keeping her skin in tip top condition.
'Serums are something that I'm quite new to,' Mahalia tells ELLE UK whilst on set for the latest episode of '5 In 5'at The Ned, London. 'I dot a little bit on my cheeks, on my forehead, my nose, my chin. I never knew that it was important to also move on to your neck with products and my mum once told me that it was really important to also get the jug!'
Her top tip for actually committing the time to a proper skincare routine? Distraction. 'Usually this is the time when I would be singing or watching something on Netflix,' the Leicestershire native reveals. 'I'll have my phone right in front of me and I'll watch something so I actually take the time to do this. I'm currently watching Waterloo Road on BBC, which, if any of you are my age, you know how important that show was.'
Although a firm 111SKIN fan, it's Mahalia's low-key pharmacy product hacks that we're noting for our next shopping haul. 'I was in LA and I'd just got a tattoo and it was killing and the tattoo artist told me to get Aquaphor. So I went to the drug store, picked it up and started putting it on my tattoo, realised how quickly it was healing and thought, "God, I've never had a product like that. One day, my lips were cracked, I think I'd burnt them, so I took a bit of Aquaphor off my tattoo and put it on my lips and they've never felt so moisturised. Now it's my favourite thing ever.'
Shop Mahalia's 5 In 5
'I don't know that much about skincare but I have a brilliant make-up artist that does and she put me on to this collection.'
'I got a hydrafacial a few months ago and after the facialist told me to get this so I did and I've been using it since and I love it.'
111SKIN Celestial Black Diamond Day Cream Light
'If you want something that feels gorgeous and smells even better this is stunning.'
'I was told your ring finger is the best finger to use to apply eye cream because apparently it's the softest pad.'
'I was in LA and I'd just got a tattoo and it was killing and the tattoo artist told me to get this. So i got it and started using it and realised how quickly my tattoo was healing.'
Watch Mahalia's full 5 In 5 in the video at the top of this article.
With thanks to The Ned, London.
