Privacy Policy

1. Our Commitment

At Skin Deep, we believe that protecting people’s data is part of the care we extend to everyone we work with. Whether you are a contributor, community member, collaborator or team member, your privacy matters to us.

We are committed to keeping your personal data safe, using it responsibly, and being transparent about what we collect and why. This policy sets out how we handle personal information, in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Who and What This Covers

This policy applies to all personal data processed by Skin Deep. That includes data relating to:

  • Team members, freelancers and collaborators
  • Contributors, customers and audience members
  • Anyone whose data we process in the course of our work

It covers both digital and paper-based data, and includes data processed by us or by others on our behalf.

3. Our Approach to Data Protection

We work in line with the following key principles:

  • Lawfulness, fairness and transparency: We only use data in ways that are lawful and respectful, and we’re clear about why and how we do so.
  • Purpose limitation: We collect data for specific reasons and don’t use it in unrelated ways.
  • Data minimisation: We only collect the information we genuinely need.
  • Accuracy: We do our best to keep data up to date and correct it when asked.
  • Storage limitation: We don’t keep personal data longer than necessary.
  • Integrity and confidentiality: We take appropriate steps to protect data and keep it secure.

4. When and Why We Use Personal Data

We process personal data for a range of reasons, depending on the context. These include:

  • When we have someone’s consent
  • When we need to do so to fulfil a contract
  • When the law requires it (legal obligation)
  • When it supports our legitimate interests, such as managing projects, improving our work, or keeping in touch with our community – provided this doesn’t override individual rights

5. What We Collect

Depending on how you’re interacting with us, we may collect:

  • Basic contact details, like your name, email address or phone number
  • Financial information, if we’re paying you or receiving a payment
  • Employment or freelance details, if you work with us – this may include job titles, work history, and performance information
  • Engagement data, such as feedback you’ve given us or interactions with our website, emails or events

We’ll only ever collect what’s relevant and necessary for the task at hand.

6. Your Rights

You have rights under data protection law, and we are committed to upholding them. These include:

  • The right to be told how your data is used
  • The right to access your personal data
  • The right to correct or update inaccurate information
  • The right to ask for your data to be deleted in some circumstances
  • The right to limit how your data is used
  • The right to move your data elsewhere (data portability)
  • The right to object to certain uses of your data
  • Rights around decisions made by automated systems (which we don’t use at present)

If you want to exercise any of these rights, please get in touch with us using the contact details at the end of this policy.

7. Keeping Data Secure

We take appropriate measures to keep personal data safe, including:

  • Secure digital storage and encryption
  • Access controls and password protections
  • Clear systems for managing, reviewing and deleting data when no longer needed
  • Regular check-ins with our systems and procedures to make sure they are fit for purpose

Everyone who works with Skin Deep is responsible for protecting data and reporting any concerns or breaches straight away.

8. When We Share or Transfer Data

We may share data with trusted partners or service providers who support our work – for example, finance and admin providers, event partners, or digital platforms.

We will always make sure data is only shared when necessary, and with appropriate protections in place. If we ever need to transfer data outside the UK, we will ensure equivalent safeguards are in place in line with the UK GDPR.

We may also need to share data if required to do so by law or regulatory authorities.

9. How Long We Keep Data

We keep personal data only for as long as we need it for the purpose it was collected – or as required by law.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete it or anonymise it so that individuals can no longer be identified.

10. If Something Goes Wrong

If we experience a data breach, we will assess the risk and act quickly.

  • If the breach could impact people’s rights or freedoms, we will report it to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) within 72 hours
  • If the risk is high, we will also inform those affected as soon as possible

11. Who’s Responsible

Everyone at Skin Deep is responsible for handling data with care and in line with this policy.

If we appoint a formal Data Protection Officer (DPO), their details will be shared here. For now, questions or concerns can be directed to the contact below.

12. Training and Awareness

All Skin Deep staff, contractors and regular collaborators will receive an introduction to data protection as part of onboarding. We will continue to review and update our practices so they stay relevant, accessible and clear.

13. Reviewing This Policy

This policy will be reviewed every other year, or sooner if there are major changes to the law or to how we work. We are committed to learning and improvement, and welcome suggestions from within the team or wider community.

14. Contact Us

If you have a question about this policy or how your data is used, or if you want to exercise any of your rights, please get in touch:

Skin DeepEmail: team@skindeepmag.com