Dr. Johanna Ward is a top skincare doctor in London, she has a busy practice (Vitalize Skin & Wellness Clinic), and is a mom of three(!).  If anyone does, she knows the struggle of the modern mom AND the busy professional. And on top of all that- her award winning skincare line ZENii London is full of cutting edge science, intelligent formulations, and products that make the most of the ingredients and micronutrients she chooses to optimize skin health. We are thankful that she could take some time from her clearly busy life for a Q & A. Read on for her insights into what she wants people to know about their skin, what she uses everyday, and what is coming next.

Who (or what) do you think influenced you most to pursue developing your skincare line?  I created a skincare line to fill a gap in the skincare market where I didn’t see the kinds of products that I wanted to use on my patients to help them achieve long term skin health. 

What is the one thing that you do every day without fail for your skin? I wear SPF every single day. UV radiation accounts for so much extrinsic and preventable skin damage so I am never without SPF, even on rainy and cloudy days. 

What is one product that you did not create, but you wish that you thought of? I love the Revision skincare Revox line eraser eye cream. It's phenomenal. 

If you could only use one serum from your line for the next 30 days- which one would it be and why?  Antioxidant power serum. It’s a cocktail of the most powerful antioxidants on the market in a super light weight serum PLUS its a glycation disruptor and anti-inflammatory. It ticks so many boxes so I couldn’t be without it anymore.

What do you think is the most important thing that people should understand about their skin? The skin is a dynamic, active organ with huge nutritional needs. The skin has a dual nutritional supply. Firstly it gets nutrients from the products that we apply on to the skin topically and secondly the blood supply brings vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids to the skin. For great skin we need to tap into this duality and remember to feed the skin from the Inside Out. Consistent, high performance skincare combined with skin specific supplements can have a huge impact on long term skin health & positive ageing. 

With the business of being a founder, how do you carve out time to foster your creativity? Over the years I have learnt to share my energy between my businesses (I also run an advanced skin & laser clinic in the UK) and my family. I am quite boundaried and try to share my energy evenly and sensibly to avoid burn out. My favourite thing to do is create new products. I have an amazing new menopause specific bio-revitalising skin cream coming out in May 2022 so thats when my creativity really gets to flow. New product launches are always super exciting..

What was the first skincare product you ever bought for yourself? I had lots of freckles as a teenager and brought a product called something like FADE OUT that I was hoping would erase my freckles. Little did I know that controlling my excess pigmentation would be a lifelong pursuit. 

What are the key things that you look for when creating and testing a new product? For me skincare is ALL about the ingredients.. Ingredients have to be active and clinically evidenced, in the right concentrations, the right delivery method and in a nice formula that feels great on the skin and doesn’t cause congestion. Its a precision task but when you manage to get all of these things in one formula it feels like you hit the jackpot!

What is your current skincare routine? I am a big believer in double cleansing. I layer serums a lot for hydration and nutrition (esp antioxidants) and I love Vitamin C and Vitamin A. Of course I take ZENii Skin Fusion supplement daily to nourish and fortify my skin from the inside out too. On a monthly basis I also have a professional facial or peel and every 3 months I do a deep micro needling and radio frequency treatment to keep my skin stimulated and tight. 

What is the one product (yours or anyone else’s) that you cannot live without? Skin Fusion. It’s a high strength marine collagen supplement with hyaluronic acid, MSM, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. It’s just a quick 25ml shot everyday and then I know that from head to toe that I have all the micronutrients I need daily for cellular health and vitality. It just makes keeping myself healthy so easy and convenient. 

Shop ZENii London here.