Sasha Pallari is driving change in the beauty industry. In just one year, the make-up artist has helped bring the damaging effects of filters to the attention of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), thanks to her inspiring #FilterDrop campaign.

After seeing more and more beauty adverts on Instagram that used face-changing filters, Pallari realised how misleading this could be to consumers. She decided to post her thoughts on the social media platform, telling her then-2,000-person following that “flawless, poreless, scarless, wrinkle-less skin does not exist and it’s only because of the overuse of these [filters] we believe it does”.

From there, #FilterDrop was born. The hashtag encourages social media users to avoid using filters, if and when they feel comfortable doing so. But Pallari didn’t stop there. Alongside spreading awareness of how mentally damaging these filters can be, she contacted the ASA to express her concerns about how misleadings social media filters can be when used to advertise beauty products. After an investigation, the ASA ruled that all brands, influencers and celebrities are advised to not apply filters to content that promotes beauty products – all thanks to months of Pallari’s hard work.

Cementing herself as a driving force for positive change in the industry, it’s no surprise that Pallari’s following has quickly shot up – her growing Instagram account sits just below 40,000 people.

On there, not only will you find refreshingly unfiltered photos and relatable content, but also heaps of helpful beauty content, in which Pallari draws on her years of experience as a make-up artist. Just take a look through her IGTVs for videos covering everything from natural glowing make-up to her tips on nailing a dramatic smoky winged liner look.

So, as somebody who has an impressive breadth of beauty knowledge and frequently helps her followers with their own beauty queries, what’s the one product Pallari relies on day to day for herself? Here, she tells us.

“I can’t go without Beauty Pie’s Super Healthy Skin Deluxe Moisture Body Crème, £15.05 for members and £50 for non-members. My best friend told me about it, and I’ve trusted her recommendations for 19 years without fail so I just knew I was going to love it before I’d even added it to my basket. Beauty Pie had given me a three-month trial membership to see how I enjoyed the brand and so I added it to my first order. Now, I’m currently towards the end of my second tub.

“The texture is so rich and luxurious but sinks into your skin, leaving it feeling hydrated for so long. And the smell – I feel like the only way to give the smell justice is to say it smells like a holiday I can’t afford right now. Everything about it is so luxe except the price point [as a member], but as well as feeling and looking luxury it does the absolute best job of hydrating my body and keeping it that way throughout the day.

“I use it not too long after I’ve got out of the shower because when it’s used on damp skin it locks in that moisture even more.

“Before, I don’t think I even cared whether the skin on my body was hydrated or not until I started using this cream and noticed how much difference I felt. If I’m being totally honest, it was never a step in my beauty routine I could often be bothered with. Now I can’t even imagine getting myself ready for an occasion and not including it within the process (and it’s a process).

“I remember the same best friend telling me when we were about 14 that she thought if I moisturised my body it may help me to learn to accept it more. For so many years, the reason why I never paid much attention to my body was because I truly hated the way it looked, and so to rub cream all over it was a literal reminder of those negative thoughts.

“It really did help and now I see it as such an important part of my routine, to really nourish my skin from head (read: neck) to toe. I always say that looking beautiful is an opinion, and feeling beautiful is a choice and I think it’s so important to find time for those moments that make you feel something.”

Main image: Sasha Pallari/brand