Caitlin Foord spills the secret to her six-week skin transformation (2024)

Matildas football superstar Caitlin Foord has revealed how she transformed her skin after years of sun damage and confidence-sapping pigmentation.

The 29-year-old Super League Arsenal forward started noticing 'dark patches' on her face in 2017 while playing in Japan and became increasingly self-conscious as it worsened from hours of playing in the blaring sun.

Then she discovered prescription skincare brand, The Secret, after hearing about it from a teammate's sister. She credits the Aussie company for overhauling her complexion in just six to eight weeks.

'I first started feeling insecure about my skin in 2017... the pigment started to appear on my face and over time just got darker and darker and more obvious. The main issue was how it looked and how that made me feel,' Foord told FEMAIL.

'I never wore makeup in games but I would be really conscious about wearing sunscreen to try and prevent it from getting darker. Away from the pitch, I would tend to wear a hat to cover as much of it as I could.'

Foord admits she didn't 'have much of' a skincare routine over the years and preferred to keep it simple with a moisturiser and suncream.

But when she found out her teammate's sister had struggled with pigmentation as well, she didn't need much convincing to try The Secret out for herself.

'I had tried other products previously that helped lighten the pigment a little, but never fully removed it… it felt like it was never going to go,' she said.

'After my friend spoke highly of it I wanted to give it a go and after a conversation they were convinced I would be happy with the results, which felt really reassuring.'

The Secret was founded by skin clinic owner Dr Clara Hurst and GP Dr Deb Cohen-Jones who joined forces in Perth to create a simple and accessible solution to common skin issues like melasma, acne and fine lines.

The result was a platform for customers to access bespoke formulations based on their needs. These include powerful ingredients like Tretinoin, Clindamycin and Azelaic Acid.

There is also a base range accessible to everyone with a cleanser, serum, suncream and face oil.

While it does have a higher price point, the consistently outstanding results speak for themselves with countless before and after photos and five-star reviews flooding social feeds daily.

'I started off with the prescribed Day Elixir and Night Cream and I slowly introduced them until I was using them daily,' Foord said.

'I think I first saw results after about six to eight weeks but a lot of people were seeing the results before me - I think it's hard when you look at yourself every day to notice a change immediately.

'It's people who didn't see me every day that really started to notice and compliment me on how good my skin was looking.'

In addition to these products, Foord swears by the Secret's Solar Serum SPF 50 or the O Cosmetics SPF 30.

'I really suggest wearing sunscreen even when you feel like you don't need it. I know it's hard when it runs into your eyes and stings, but there are products that don't do that like the above,' she said.

Foord also recommends the O Cosmetics daily, a mineral pro SPF 30 tinted face moisturiser, and a simple MAC mascara for day to day wear.

She is also careful to take care of her body from the inside out and during the season eats a carefully planned out diet crafted by the Arsenal crew.

This includes half a bagel with Vegemite in the morning followed by half a bagel with an omelette and protein shake.

She then enjoys protein for lunch (usually chicken) with carbs, depending on the training schedule. It will usually be paired with pasta or rice alongside some veggies.

In the afternoon she has a smoothie or protein shake before her go-to meal of chicken breast, potato fries and broccoli for dinner and an after-dinner treat of Greek yoghurt, granola, strawberries and honey.

'I'm lucky here at Arsenal, we get breakfast and lunch provided for us which includes the healthy and nutritious foods we need to fuel day in and day out for training to perform,' she said.

Despite this, Foord still hasn't quite perfected her jet-setting skincare routine ahead of the Olympics this year.

'Honestly, I haven't nailed this yet, I think it's hard to with different temperatures and climates... as well as the dry air on planes,' she admitted.

'I just always have my moisturiser with me to try stay on top of it and reapply as much as I can!'