Month: September 2026

10 Fashion trends for 2026 This is not a forecast of what will be “in”, but of what we recognise as the movements and actions that are shaping the future which can be seen in fashion trends 2026 The fashion industry sits at the intersection of multiple crises: ecological breakdown, deepening inequality, cultural homogenisation, and a loss of trust in institutions and brands. At the same time, it is also a site of extraordinary possibility. It is a place where materials, labour, culture, and meaning converge on the surface of the body. What we choose to wear is never neutral. It is a political, ecological, and social act, whether we acknowledge it or not. The fashion trends 2026 have emerged from farms, workshops, factories, communities, policy rooms, research labs, and from the lived experiences of people working to make fashion fairer, slower, more local, and more accountable. They reflect shifts in values as much as shifts in practice: from extraction to care, from opacity to transparency, from speed to quality, from ego to kinship. These are the ten fashion trends 2026 . They are not styles to consume, but practices to help shift us away from endless growth and spectacle, and towards responsibility, care, and meaning. The work – our work, your work – is to spread these ideas. 1. From self to social The last few decades have seen a sharp focus on the self and personal development. Think about the booming self-help book trade, personal coaching and commodification of the personal brand as evidence of this. It’s led to a very transactional, self-interested world where what matters most are money, influence and personal aggrandisement. The results are the rise of fascist politics, the climate crisis, corruption and deepening inequality. In the fashion industry, we see this expressed in the fact that some of the richest people in the world own some of the biggest fashion brands – and many of the clothes they sell are made by the poorest people in the world. Luckily, there is a shift (nothing radical) in focus from self to social. Of course, we each need to be healthy and happy to be pro-social, but it’s becoming very clear that we can no longer abandon our responsibilities towards our communities and society, and the non-humans with whom we share our planet. In fashion, this is manifesting as a trend to buy local, to buy clothes from designers in your community, and from brands you trust are paying garment workers living wages. 2. Kinship Taking our social responsibility one step further, we are noticing the influence of thinkers like Robin Wall Kimmerer who argues that we need to see the planet and all its animate and inanimate inhabitants as our kin. According to this story, Robin says that we need to rethink human exceptionalism and advocate instead for “kin-centred equality,” where no one species is deemed more important than another. By reconnecting with nature – walks, swims – we are recognising the natural world “not as a collection of resources to exploit but as a community of relatives to cherish. This worldview, embedded in many Indigenous languages, challenges the commodification of land and other species.” Earth sustains us, and we have the capacity and the responsibility to sustain her in return  “We are all interdependent,” Robin says. Earth sustains us, and we have the capacity and the responsibility to sustain her in return. It’s urgent now that we care for the planet as our kin. In fashion, our understanding of how our clothes impacts soil, waterways, air and people continues to grow. And with this awareness, fashion trends are becoming (and need to become ever more) considerate about nature and our fellow kin. 3. Natural fibre revolution Multiple studies were released last year that showed evidence of the proliferation of plastic microfibres. These have been found in the womb, the brain and everywhere in the environment. Without clear evidence (yet) about the health consequences of these, people are turning to natural fibres. We don’t have to look hard to find them. South Africa is home to producers of mohair, wool, alpaca, cotton, hemp… While it’s an exciting time for natural fibres, more investment is needed for fibres to be spun and woven into textiles locally rather than leaving the country as raw materials. We want all retailers and designers to have access to local and affordable natural fibres. Designers like MMUSOMAXWELL, Viviers Studio, and Gerber & Co, with the help of Mohair South Africa and Cape Wools, are driving this revolution. We can’t wait to see the growth in fashion trends 2026. MMUSOMAXWELL at Confections x Collections 2022, by Armand Dicker 4. Biodegradable dyes and finishes We understand the environmental and health value of natural fibres; now, there will be more attention paid to the chemicals used in the processing of these fibres. It’s no use talking about the positive environmental impact of a fibre and then treating it with a chemical that renders it bad for the environment. Producers and brands need to know and keep up to date with the list of toxic chemicals and replace them with responsible ones. 5. Sustainable activewear fashion trend Once upon a time, cricket gear was made from cotton. We ran in cotton shorts and T-shirts. We used these same cotton items for yoga and gym classes. Now, activewear is generally made from high-performance synthetics made from fossil-fuel-based fibres like polyester, which is a plastic. Think of your bathing costume, yoga pants, running gear, and soccer gear. It’s all plastic. There is a movement to find new innovative materials for active wear, and even a call for wool swimwear! 6. Made in Africa What can we say: 2025 was an incredible year for African fashion. There is no turning back.  We don’t believe in one African production system, but rather we see a multiplicity of nodes across the continent doing what they excel at – menswear, womenswear, knitwear, woven textiles, bark clothing upcycling. Designers from … Read more

How to improve skin tone: simple tips to get an even skin tone Well nourished, balanced skin exudes a healthy and youthful glow. But when your skin starts having dark spots, redness, or blotchiness, your skin is signaling for extra care. Typically, irregular melanin production in your skin is the prime reason for patchy, uneven skin tone. Various factors can cause this irregular melanin production, identifying which can help improve your skin tone. Managing uneven skin tone is easy with the right ingredients and a consistent skincare routine. So, if how to improve skin tone is a regular search term on your phone, here are some tips that can really help you get an even skin tone. Let’s start. What is even skin tone? Before we delve into ‘how to get rid of patchy skin’, here’s what can lead to uneven skin tone: 1. Unprotected and prolonged sun exposure UV rays cause irregular melanin production resulting in sun spots, hyperpigmentation, and discoloration in the skin. 2. Hyperpigmentation The presence of dark spots and hyperpigmentation can cause uneven skin tone. 3. Aging As you age, your skin’s ability to repair damage significantly diminishes, leading to uneven skin tone. 4. Post-acne marks Breakouts often leave behind marks as they heal, known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. If you tend to pop your pimples, you can harm the skin, risking the appearance of spots. 5. Skin trauma Wounds, popped pimples, and severe acne can often leave scars. 6. Dry skin Dry and dehydrated skin struggles to repair itself effectively, slowing down cell regeneration. An uneven skin tone is one of the first signs of dehydrated skin. 7. Genes Some people are more prone to pigmentation issues and uneven skin tone due to their genes. What are the most effective ways to improve skin tone? Let’s face it, dull skin can affect our self-esteem and confidence. Thankfully, by tweaking your skincare routine, you can get an even skin tone, which can enhance your confidence and glow. Here’s what helps you avoid uneven skin tone: 1. Sun Protection Sunscreen is an everyday essential because UV rays can penetrate clouds and windows, leading to long-term skin damage. Make it a habit to apply SPF 30 or higher with PA+++, preferably a mineral-based sunscreen, each morning and reapply throughout the day for effective protection. 2. Balanced Diet and sufficient hydration Support your skin from the inside out by incorporating foods rich in antioxidants that help fight free radicals. 3. Consistent Skincare Maintaining a comprehensive skincare routine is crucial. Regular cleansing, toning, and moisturizing will help you keep that healthy glow. Finally, sunscreen will protect you from the sun. Results take time, so be patient and stick with it! 4. Do not pop your pimples or scratch injuries on the skin Skin trauma can lead to stubborn signs of hyperpigmentation. Especially if you have acne-prone skin, it is best to incorporate active ingredients like green tea and glycolic acid instead to soothe the skin, clean out clogged pores, and leave your acne alone. Wait for your pimples to heal naturally, and don’t pop or scratch them. Remember, an even skin tone and glowing skin has nothing to do with the colour of your skin because your skin is beautiful in every shade! So, if you’re wondering how to have even skin tone, start by focusing on the little things that add up because an even skin tone relies on consistency, regulation, right ingredients, and self-care.

Everything I Did to Fix My Blackheads Made Them Worse. Here’s What Actually Helped For a long time my nose was a source of genuine stress. Not in a dramatic way, just, I’d look in a magnifying mirror, see a cluster of blackheads, and go after them with my fingers or a pore strip, feel briefly satisfied, and then watch them fill right back up within a few days.  I was doing this on a loop for years without ever questioning whether what I was doing was making the actual situation worse. Spoiler: it was. All of it. A friend who works in aesthetics sat me down one afternoon and basically gave me a short lecture about what blackheads actually are. That conversation changed everything. First, they’re not dirt, which changes how you treat them. This is the thing that genuinely surprised me. A blackhead is oxidised oil and dead skin cells that have collected inside an open pore. The dark colour isn’t from grime or being unclean, it’s from that oil mixture being exposed to air and oxidising, the same way a cut apple goes brown. I’d been scrubbing my nose raw trying to “clean” something that wasn’t dirty in the way I thought. No amount of aggressive cleansing was going to fix a chemistry problem. Salicylic acid, the ingredient that finally made sense. My aesthetician friend’s first recommendation. Salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which is the key detail, it can actually get down inside a pore and dissolve the buildup from the inside rather than just sitting on the surface of skin doing nothing particularly useful. I started with a 2% salicylic acid toner, used it every other day because daily use irritated me, and within about three weeks my nose looked noticeably cleaner. Not perfect. Just noticeably better. That was enough to keep going. Niacinamide, the slow but steady one. This one works differently. Niacinamide doesn’t go in and dissolve anything — what it does over time is regulate how much oil your skin produces. Less excess oil means fewer new blackheads forming in the first place. It took about a month before I noticed anything, which is annoying if you want fast results, but the combination of salicylic acid clearing existing ones and niacinamide slowing new ones down worked better together than either did alone. I use it as a serum every morning now and haven’t stopped. Retinol — powerful but needs patience I added this last, and carefully, because the first time I tried retinol years ago I went in too fast and wrecked my skin barrier. This time — low percentage, twice a week only, no mixing with acids on the same night. Retinol speeds up skin cell turnover, which means dead skin doesn’t just sit around blocking pores waiting to cause problems. It takes months to really see the full effect. But my pores genuinely look smaller now than they did a year ago and I’m pretty confident retinol is doing most of that work. Clay masks — useful, but not a miracle Once a week, left on for ten minutes, rinsed off gently. Clay absorbs excess oil from the surface of skin and inside pores without the harsh mechanical stripping that pore strips cause. I still use them. They’re satisfying and they do something real. Just don’t expect them to clear deep-set blackheads on their own — they’re maintenance, not treatment. The stuff I had to stop doing completely Squeezing with my fingers — bacteria from hands gets pushed deeper, causes inflammation, sometimes leaves marks that last longer than the blackhead would have. Pore strips — I know, I know, but they really do stretch the pore lining over time and make it fill back up faster. And washing my face more than twice a day because I thought cleaner meant fewer blackheads. It doesn’t. It just makes your skin panic-produce more oil to compensate for what you stripped, which makes the whole thing worse. Took me embarrassingly long to figure that one out. Six weeks of salicylic acid and niacinamide consistently, before I decided whether it was working or not. That was the rule I set myself. By week four I’d stopped obsessing over my nose in the mirror. That, more than anything, felt like the real result. Frequently Asked Questions What is the best way to remove blackheads? Use gentle cleansing and pore-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid to help remove excess oil and buildup. Does salicylic acid remove blackheads? Yes. Salicylic acid helps unclog pores by dissolving excess oil and dead skin buildup. Is niacinamide good for blackheads? Yes. Niacinamide can help regulate excess oil and reduce the appearance of clogged pores. Can retinol help reduce blackheads? Yes. Retinol can help increase skin cell turnover and prevent pores from becoming clogged. How long does it take to get rid of blackheads? With consistent skincare, you may see improvement in 4–8 weeks, depending on your skin and the severity of blackheads. Should I squeeze blackheads at home? It’s best to avoid squeezing them, as this can cause irritation, inflammation, or marks. How can I prevent blackheads from coming back? Cleanse regularly, use non-comedogenic products, and consider pore-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid consistently.