2023 hasn’t been a massive beauty product year for me. Since trialling Renude’s skincare advisory a while ago, I’ve stuck to a few regular trusted skincare products. Plus, I don’t get sent nearly as much PR stuff to try these days, which is something of a relief. But here’s an end-of-year rundown of new-ish products I’ve been enjoying and old ones that still deliver. (more…)
Here’s a quick suncare heads-up. This Shiseido X Roxy SPF set* (above) has arrived at John Lewis and it’s a very good buy for topping up your SPF if you’re out and about.
The mini size (20ml) Clear Suncare Stick SPF50+ Very High Protection works under and over make-up and its clear formulation obviously means there’s no issue with blending it in. As well as protecting against UVA and UVB rays, it offers skin moisturising properties and is suitable for combination, dry, normal, oily and sensitive skins. Also included in the Roxy printed cotton pouch is a 30ml Shiseido After-sun Intensive Recovery Emulsion. This calms sun-exposed skin and adds a dewy après-sun finish. The set is £32 – buy it here*. (more…)
After the longest winter ever, we’re finally seeing glimmers of brighter days ahead. The one thing that’s kept me going beauty-wise has been products that engage the senses. Much as I appreciate purely functional products, I’m far more likely to use things if they look, smell and feel nice.
SKINCARE. Apart from the odd central heating-induced breakout, my skin’s been surprisingly well behaved this year. My morning routine is fairly simple – oil or balm cleanser, followed by hydrating serum, moisturiser and facial oil. Shiseido’s Vital Protection Radiance Serum* (£106 below) has been a joy to use. Even though it’s a creamy texture, it’s quite ‘wet’, so it gives a good amount of slip for morning facial massage (I use my knuckles but you can also use a gua sha stone). While it’s pitched as anti-ageing (for fading dark spots and firming the jawline), I just use it as an extra boost of hydration. (more…)
It’s happened with skincare, it’s happening with oral care, could Vacation by Poolside FM be the ones to make sunscreen a feel-good ritual, not a chore?
There are many reasons we all love to hate sunscreen. It’s expensive, it’s impractical (who can be arsed to reapply it throughout the day?!), it feels icky or it leaves a white zinc oxide cast on the skin. It’s just not a pleasure.
Enter Vacation by Poolside FM, a brand extension of the 80s throwback online radio station and app. Its premise is to make a sunscreen as nostalgic and joy-inducing as the radio station (more…)
