The Beauty Ed®’s Note: The advent calendar trend is huge and the market is saturated, so it’s so helpful to get this honest review from Contributing Editor 🪭 Enjoy!

As a committed K-beauty devotee, LOOKFANTASTIC’s first-ever K-Beauty Advent Calendar immediately caught my attention, arriving just as the pre-Christmas beauty frenzy begins to gather pace. Korean beauty has become such a fixture in our routines that opening a different K-beauty favourite each day feels, frankly, like a rather good way to count down to Christmas.

The calendar was kindly gifted to me by PR for review, but, as always, every opinion below is entirely my own. I’ve tested the products as I would anything I buy myself, and picked out the ones I’d genuinely want to keep using beyond December.

LOOKFANTASTIC K-Beauty Advent Calendar brings together 13 products across 12 boxes, spanning some of the biggest names in Korean skincare and beauty, including LANEIGE, Medicube, Biodance and Beauty of Joseon. There’s a mixture of full-size and miniature products, making it a particularly easy way to discover some of the brands that have become synonymous with the K-beauty boom.

Worth over £140 and priced at £50, it offers a chance to try a sizeable selection without buying each product individually. But, of course, the real question is whether what’s inside is actually worth getting excited about.

What’s Inside the LOOKFANTASTIC K-Beauty Advent Calendar?

Across the 12 boxes is a mix of Korean skincare, haircare and make-up, covering everything from SPF and cleansing to exfoliation, barrier care and overnight hydration. Here’s what you’ll find inside:

1. Anua Zero-Cast Moisturising Finish Sunscreen, Full Size

A daily SPF 50 with a moisturising finish that is designed to blend in without leaving a white cast. The formula contains glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, making this an easy one to squeeze into a morning routine.

2.Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Ceramide Barrier Moisturising Cream, Mini (15ML)

A rich moisturiser centred around a five-ceramide complex, fermented black rice and bamboo shoot bark extract. It is designed with barrier support and hydration in mind, and is particularly appealing if your skin tends to be dry.

3.LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask, Mini (10ML)

One of LANEIGE’s best-known products, this overnight mask has a lightweight water-gel texture and is designed to replenish moisture while you sleep.

4.SKIN1004 Centella Ampoule, Full Size (55ML)

A simple, lightweight ampoule centred around Centella Asiatica, an ingredient widely used in Korean skincare for its soothing properties. It absorbs quickly and makes an easy addition to a routine when you want something hydrating without a heavy texture.

5. Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser, (40 ML)

A gentle foaming cleanser formulated with deep-sea water. It removes everyday impurities and excess oil while aiming to leave the skin comfortable rather than tight after cleansing.

6. Aromatica Rosemary Scalp Scrub, Mini (30g)

An exfoliating treatment for the scalp, designed to remove excess oil and product build up. The rosemary formula gives the scalp a deeper cleanse than shampoo alone and can be used every few weeks as part of a more thorough hair-washing routine.

7. Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0, Full Size

These exfoliating toner pads combine fruit-derived AHAs with salicylic acid, a BHA. Because they contain two types of exfoliating acid, I would use these sparingly, around two times a week rather than daily, particularly if your skin is sensitive or prone to dryness!

8. Biodance Bio Collagen Real Deep Sheet Mask

A collagen and hyaluronic acid sheet mask designed to sit on the skin for much longer than the usual 10-to-20-minute treatment. Biodance recommends leaving it on until the mask becomes translucent; I personally prefer around three hours when I have the time.

9. Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum Ginseng + Retinal, Full Size

A targeted eye serum designed to improve the appearance of fine lines and uneven texture around the eyes, making it one of the more treatment-led products.

10. INNISFREE Green Tea Hyaluronic Serum, Mini (10ML)

A lightweight hydrating serum combining green tea with hyaluronic acid. This is an easy one for dry or dehydrated skin, particularly when you want to add hydration without making your routine feel heavier.

11. INNISFREE Green Tea Ceramide Milk, Mini (15ML)

A milky moisturiser that combines green tea with ceramides for hydration and barrier support. Its fluid texture makes it particularly easy to layer into a longer skincare routine.

12. TOCOBO Glass Tinted Lip Balm in 013 Tangerine Red, Full Size

A glossy tinted balm with a sheer wash of Tangerine Red. The formula contains oils including jojoba, sunflower and olive, while the melting texture gives it that easy, glide-on feel I particularly liked.

13. ISNTREE GIM PDRN Firming Cream, Full Size

A moisturising cream containing PDRN. It is designed around hydration and a firmer-looking complexion, and turned out to be one of my personal favourites from the calendar.

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Review: My Top K-Beauty Picks Tested

To see how some of the products performed beyond a first impression, I took my picks from the calendar to my monthly facial and asked my therapist to use them throughout the treatment.

1. ROUND LAB 1025 DOKDO CLEANSER

Despite the rather extensive collection of cleansers I’ve accumulated over the years, I had never actually tried a foaming cleanser. I’d seen them repeatedly in K-beauty routines and during facials, so when the Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser arrived, I had fairly high expectations.

I had already come across quite a bit of discussion around this cleanser online, particularly among K-beauty lovers drawn to its simple formula and use of mineral-rich deep seawater. The formula is unscented and contains seawater alongside hydrating ingredients including hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramide NP; the deep seawater itself naturally contains minerals such as magnesium and calcium, which Round Lab says help maintain the skin’s moisture balance.

During my facial, the therapist applied only a small amount of the cleanser to my skin and, with a little water, its balm-like texture quickly worked into a rich foam. Watching it transform was perhaps my favourite part of the treatment, but the sensation was even better: it felt remarkably gentle and soothing on my skin, particularly compared with some of the harsher foaming cleansers I’ve tried in the past. It would make an excellent first step in a double cleanse, and after trying it for myself, I’d happily repurchase it.

2. TOCOBO GLASS TINTED LIP BALM

I love the texture of this balm. It feels remarkably light on the lips and melts in almost immediately. I’m particularly fond of a pigmented balm, and this one gives a beautiful sheer wash of rosy red while leaving behind a glossy finish.

It contains jojoba seed oil, alongside sunflower and olive oils, which help give it that soft, nourishing feel. But it’s the texture that really won me over: it glides across the lips so seamlessly and never feels thick or sticky.

3. ISNTREE GIM PDRN

I’d never used a skincare product containing PDRN before, but as the ingredient becomes increasingly hard to miss across the beauty industry and on social media, I was particularly keen to see what the hype was about.

PDRN, short for polydeoxyribonucleotide, refers to purified DNA fragments and has traditionally been derived from salmonid sources, including salmon and trout. Yes, you read that correctly: 🐟 sperm. It has been studied for its potential role in skin repair and regeneration, although much of the established research relates to medical and aesthetic applications, with research into topical skincare still developing.

I really enjoyed this cream. It is now part of my evening routine, largely because of the finish it leaves behind. My skin looked noticeably fresher and more luminous after using it, and I ended up receiving several compliments from friends about how ‘glassy’ my complexion looked, admittedly one of the most overused words in beauty at the moment, but rather fitting here!

4. HARUHARU WONDER 5 CERAMIDE BARRIER MOISTURISING CREAM

I loved this cream for how rich it feels. You only need a small amount, and I’ve been using it every morning, particularly loving how it makes my skin feel wrapped up and properly nourished. It has that luxurious, cocooning quality that I really want from a moisturiser, especially in the winter.

The formula combines five ceramides with fermented black rice and bamboo shoot bark extract, but honestly, it’s the texture that was the most impressive. It feels rich without sitting heavily on my skin and leaves me with a soft, healthy-looking glow.

My Verdict: Is the LOOKFANTASTIC K-Beauty Advent Calendar Worth It?

After trying the calendar for myself, I think it makes a lovely introduction to K-beauty, particularly if you’re not quite sure where to start. There’s a good selection of skincare, haircare and make-up, with a mixture of full-size and mini products that lets you discover some of the brands and formulas that have made K-beauty such a phenomenon.

It would also make a thoughtful gift for a K-beauty lover, and I actually like the idea of splitting the products up and using the smaller ones as stocking fillers.

At £50, with the contents worth over £140, I think there’s plenty here to make the calendar feel worthwhile. If I could have added anything, it would have been a little more from LANEIGE; I love the brand, so I was hoping to see another product and perhaps a full-size Water Sleeping Mask. But that is a very small wish list for what is otherwise a really well-rounded selection.

Most importantly, I’ve genuinely continued using several of the products after testing them for this review, which for me is always the real test. If you’re looking to discover K-beauty, or know someone who is, this is a great place to start!

The Beauty Ed®’s Note: Touchland is one of those brands that I tell my British friends to buy whenever they come over to visit the States. I literally have one in every handbag and Contributing Editor has captured perfectly why we are all such big fans…

Some beauty launches feel surprisingly exciting for something you can technically buy for a few pounds, and Touchland is one of them.

If you have spent any time on American TikTok, or walked into a Sephora, or even asked an American friend what beauty product you should bring home from a trip, you will probably recognise these little colourful bottles.

Touchland has become something of an American beauty staple, particularly for anyone who likes their everyday essentials to be as pleasing to look at and smell as the rest of their beauty collection.

For years, though, getting your hands on one in the UK has usually meant waiting for a trip to America, or asking someone else to put one in their suitcase.

Not any more!

Touchland officially launched in the UK exclusively with Space NK on Tuesday 29th September 2026, with a selection of its much-loved Power Mist hand sanitisers, alongside body and hair fragrance mists.

What is Touchland?

For anyone who has somehow managed to avoid the Touchland takeover, the brand was founded in 2018, following a Kickstarter campaign, with the idea of turning an otherwise rather forgettable everyday essential into something more enjoyable to use. It has since grown into a major US beauty brand and is now available in thousands of stores across America.

The product that really put Touchland on everyone’s radar is its Power Mist Hydrating Hand Sanitiser.

Unlike the thick, sticky hand gels many of us became accustomed to carrying around, Power Mist comes out as an incredibly fine mist. Touchland describes the formula as a ‘skincare-forward’ hand sanitiser containing aloe vera, designed to sanitise while leaving hands hydrated.

And this is where I think the appeal becomes slightly more interesting than simply having a prettier hand sanitiser.

Touchland has effectively taken something we are accustomed to treating as functional and made it feel like part of a beauty routine.

Why Brits have been so obsessed with Touchland

I first came across Touchland properly through American beauty content in 2020, and it became one of those products that I kept seeing everywhere without ever being able to casually pick one up myself.

Americans can wander into Sephora, ULTA and other retailers and choose from an entire wall of scents. For us, it has been considerably less straightforward.

Which, naturally, makes it all the more desirable.

There is something rather amusing about a product being entirely commonplace to those who can easily buy it, yet becoming a small beauty obsession for those of us who cannot. I have genuinely seen people bring a heap of Touchland back from America in their suitcases, and, as someone with a particular weakness for scented products, I completely understand the appeal.

I have an entire drawer dedicated to hand sanitisers, which is perhaps evidence of borderline over-consumerism, but I am also someone who genuinely enjoys having different scents for different moods. I usually have at least two hand sanitisers in my bag at any given time, so Touchland feels very well suited to me.

Which Touchland hand sanitisers are coming to the UK?

The UK launch will include eight Power Mist fragrances (30ml), including: blue sandalwood, berry bliss and wild watermelon.

My personal favourite is Beach Coco, which is the one I suspect will appeal to anyone who likes a warmer, holiday-style scent.

The Bath & Body Works effect

For me, the excitement around Touchland feels strangely familiar.

It reminds me of the reaction to Bath & Body Works finally coming to the UK in 2021. Growing up, trips to America meant filling an embarrassingly large portion of my suitcase with body lotions, shower products and fragrance mists. These were products that felt completely normal and readily available in America, yet somehow became little souvenirs for those of us coming home to Britain.

Touchland has had a similar impact.

It is not that hand sanitiser is difficult to find here.

It is the fact that this particular one has existed somewhere else, in a much larger beauty culture, for years.

You have watched people use it, talked about the scents, seen the colourful bottles on TikTok and Instagram, and then realised you can’t simply walk into Boots and pick one up.

When does Touchland launch in the UK?

Touchland will launch exclusively at Space NK on Tuesday 29 September 2026, both online and across Space NK stores in the UK.

I have a feeling my hand sanitiser drawer is about to get considerably more crowded…

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It kind of annoys me how surprised people are when I tell them that I have never had Botox. Not because I have a problem with anyone having it - I wouldn’t have any friends left if that was the case - but because I think that it has become so common that it’s almost expected to have regular shots as soon as you hit your twenties.

But Botox is not for everyone. Some people have bad reactions - Britney Spears recently documented how it caused her eye to droop. Some see no affects no matter the dosage. And then there are some people, like me, who opt out because they want to see how they age without it.

With nearly 30 years as a Beauty Editor, my choice to skip Botox comes down to the real-skin legacy I’ve spent building during my career.

When I became the Beauty Editor of teen magazine CosmoGIRL! back in 2001, me and the Fashion Editor, Navaz, set out to inspire young girls to ‘love the skin they are in’ by casting diverse models of all shapes and sizes, which, during the era of Size Zero, was not the ‘thing’ to be doing. This meant for my beauty shoots, I wanted to use models that had quirks - a mole, lots of freckles, a gap between their teeth.

In my twenties at the time, and long before my own aging became visible, I became so passionate about this ‘real skin’ legacy that when I was hired to be Beauty Director for Boots UK, I introduced a no-retouch policy to their cover and beauty shoots.

It was my job to oversee the images for their in-store magazine, Boots Health & Beauty, and I had to make sure that not one thing was re-touched out of those images digitally. This meant that not even a stray hair could be removed if it blew across a models face. One time for a cover shoot, a girl turned up with a stye in her eye - so what did we do? Improvise with sunglasses, crops and poses.

I didn’t want to filter out anything. I wanted to see skin texture. I wanted to see expression. I wanted to see individuality.

After each shoot, I would spend hours scrutinizing hundreds of images before choosing the best ones to send to print. Hours of studying faces made me realize that everyone’s beauty is in their unique-ness. What makes them different. And often this was seen in their expressions.

Movement in faces was so important to me. My favourite and best cover shoots where when a models smile came from her eyes, the crinkles in her nose, not just from her mouth. When you could almost see what she was thinking by just her expression. I wanted joy, happiness, hope. Because that is what beauty truly is about.

Fast forward 30 years, and here I am at 50, still banging on about the beauty of expression and individuality.

And this is MY reason why I refrain from trying Botox.

It would feel hypocritical to inject my face with something that freezes movement, considering that I have been championing the exact opposite in my career. But I don’t like to be worthy and holier than though about it. You do you. I just want to show women, especially younger women who fear growing old, that there can be beauty without Botox.

Look, I’m human, and of course I am tempted - smooth foreheads are my weakness - especially because mine is full of lines. My mum always said that you can read my face like a book. And now it’s getting to encyclopedia status ha ha!

But that doesn’t mean to say that I don’t want to look the best version of myself as I age. I crave good skin.

And good skin to me is glowing skin, not wrinkle-free skin. Happy skin to me looks smooth but not poreless. I want my face to move. And be expression-ful. And that’s why I really love treatments like XERF.

What is XERF?

While Botox works by temporarily relaxing facial muscles that cause wrinkles and expression lines, XERF uses radio frequency energy to heat your skin tissue and rebuild your collagen. What does that mean for your skin? You’ll still be able to move your face, but your skin will look glowier and appear more plump.

Does XERF melt facial fat?

But the real magic - and the reason I felt totally at ease trying XERF - is its built-in AI. As the therapist moves it across your face, the device is constantly reading your skin’s unique thickness and resistance in real time, automatically adjusting itself so it never goes too deep or messes with your facial fat pads.

That intelligence matters, especially right now. Everyone in the industry is talking about energy-based devices and the link towards them causing facial fat loss - the kind that makes your face look hollow and gaunt. But this AI depth control acts as a safety mechanism to protect your deep fat pads while stimulating collagen where it actually counts.

Is XERF as painful as Sofwave or Ultherapy?

If you’ve ever sat through a Sofwave or Ultherapy session, which use similar heat technology, you’ll know that the experience can be painful. Even though I love the gorgeous and glowy results, I liken a Sofwave treatment to childbirth. And that’s saying something coming from someone who birthed a 10lb 1 oz baby boy - naturally.

Sofwave feels like a radiating feeling of heat that comes and goes like contractions. And it kills! Although numbing cream helps to take the edge off. As well as a tight grip on a stress ball.

And this is one of the reasons I prefer XERF to Sofwave…

You don’t need to apply a numbing cream with XERF

Wait. What???

When my lovely therapist Jamie (follow her on Instagram here) at the beautiful Óro Med Spa in Tampa (locals - you must check it out!) told me this when I arrived for my first XERF treatment I was shocked.

“It saves time too,” she said reassuringly.

And Jamie was right. On both counts.

Not only did I save half hour because I didn’t have to wait for a numbing cream to set in, the pain really wasn’t that bad!

How does the grounding pad relieve pain?

Jamie reassured me that while the grounding pad that is placed on your back before the treatment starts isn’t a painkiller or a numbing mechanism, it does help by acting as an “exit” for the radiofrequency current. This stops the intense heat from the device from getting stuck or building up in one spot.

The XERF device’s built-in cooling technology helps too!

My tip for pain? Take some Ibuprofen before XERF

That being said, things did get a bit spicy when Jamie treated my eye area and jaw line during my first session, so for my second, which I had a few weeks later, I took two ibuprofen about an hour before.

This was a complete game-changer! The whole treatment was actually really relaxing and I hardly felt a thing.

So, how did my skin look after two XERF treatments?

Let’s manage expectations first: you cannot expect a dramatic, Kris Jenner-style facelift from these kinds of treatments. But you can expect subtle, structural shifts.

I noticed an instant tightening around my neck and jawline, especially straight after my second treatment.

The lines around my eyes and the ones that run from the side of my nose down to the corners of my mouth (aka my labial folds) definitely softened, but nothing much changed for my forehead wrinkles! But that’s ok. They are part of me now ☺️

What I have really noticed and love is the improvement in the texture of my skin. You can really see the bounce and the plumpness that comes with the collagen boost. Think baby skin! But grown up.

What my skin looks like in daylight 12 weeks after my first XERF treatment:

How much is XERF?

Here’s the catch. XERF is expensive. For one full face treatment at the spa I went to, it cost $2500 per treatment. And you ideally want to book in for two, to get the full effects like I did.

How long does it take to see the results?

You do get a nice, subtle snap and a healthy glow after the first XERF treatment. But the real magic happens over the following weeks after your second. Because XERF encourages your body to build fresh collagen, the results build progressively.

I really started noticing that proper magic happening somewhere around the 6-to-12-week mark.

And as for longevity? You can generally expect those results to stick around for 12 to 18 months. Because it’s triggering your own biological collagen production rather than filling you with a temporary substance, it ages right along with you.

Is XERF better than Sofwave?

It’s a tight race. Excuse the pun 😅

While I still have a soft spot for Sofwave, XERF is a clear winner. It has zero prep time, only requires taking two ibuprofen for pain relief, and its brilliant AI technology provides a safety net against fat loss.

At 50, I’m not looking to turn back the clock to 25. I just want skin that looks glowy, feels strong, and still tells the story of my life. And XERF helps me get there!

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Whenever I find myself in central London for a press event or a meeting, the wind mysteriously carries me into a beauty hall of sorts, sometimes it’s Selfridges, sometimes it’s Liberty (and I’ve also recently been loving the SpaceNK on Oxford Street!)

A few weeks ago, I was mooching around Liberty and saw the Jones Road counter - I know it’s a favourite of Donna’s, so I had to go and experiment. After playing around with a few products, Donna was able to get me an appointment with the team to have my makeup done.

I spent the following Tuesday morning with the makeup team, sipping pink champagne and talking all things beauty while having my makeup done - not a bad way to spend the day!

What Makes Jones Road Beauty Different? The Bobbi Brown Philosophy

Jones Road was founded in 2021 by entrepreneur and makeup guru Bobbi Brown, 25 years after selling her eponymous makeup brand to Estée Lauder. Her philosophy this time round is that the world doesn’t need more beauty products, just better beauty products, which is one of the reasons her brand has become so viral. One of the most innovative JR products is the Miracle Balm, which you’ve definitely seen flooding your social media feed (and for good reason, but more on that later!)

The whole idea of the brand is that the products don’t change the way you look, they just enhance your best features - adding glow, a flush of colour or evening out skin tone. These are products that even the most “I can’t do makeup” people can easily use (and look good with!)

Lots of the products also have hydration-first formulas, so not only are you looking gorg, but there are actual skincare benefits.

The Best Jones Road Products: Honest Reviews & Prices

The Miracle Balm (£36/$38)

This was the product I was most excited to try, because yes, I am easily influenced. But sometimes there is a lot of social media hype around the product, and when you try it in real life, you are severely disappointed… not with the Miracle Balm though. It comes in 15 gorgeous shades that can be used as bronzer, blush, highlight or skin tint.

Your Skin Foundation Stick (£36/$38)

This is my new favourite foundation, no contest. As the name suggests, it comes in a stick form, which makes it so easy to swipe over your face and seamlessly blend it in the span of about 20 seconds. It’s super lightweight, there’s no cake-y foundation feeling, and it wears beautifully throughout the day. By the end of the day, my skin was still dewy, and my skin tone still even.

Lip Recharge (£24/$24)

This is the constantly sold-out product that you need in every handbag. I can’t stand having dry lips or pale lips, and the Lip Recharge feels like a soothing balm and a gorgeous gloss rolled into one. Bonus points for this having shimmer, but no grainy bits that you can feel. And now, I think I need one in every shade.

See the products in action here 👇

Shop the products used (in order):

Your Skin Foundation Stick (£36) - shade Warm Linen

The Bronzer (£36) - shade Light Tan

The Brow Gel (£26) - in clear

Miracle Balm (£36) - shade Dusty Rose

Bright Skin Illuminating Drops (£36) - shade Champagne

Lip Recharge (£24) - shade Rosé

How To Create a 10-Minute Everyday Makeup Routine with Jones Road

… Wait, am I becoming a low-maintenance makeup girl?

Words that have never been used to describe me: chilled, laid back, low-maintenance. Yet here I was, having my makeup done with minimal products and a routine I could recreate in less than ten minutes, and still feeling like my makeup was done.

Normally, I wake up around half an hour earlier to make sure my makeup is done, but using these products makes me a “yeah, I did this in ten minutes” girl. It’s the perfect routine for putting yourself together and feeling good without having to set dedicated “getting ready” time.

Final Verdict: Is Jones Road Worth Buying?

Jones Road is one of those brands that you just have to experience in-store so you can try all the products out for yourself - fair warning, you will want one of everything. It is effortless makeup that, as a beauty lover, I love, but I also think it is perfect for people who want to look good but don’t necessarily love applying makeup or feel like they’re good at it. You can’t mess these products up - they’re about making you look like your best, glowiest self, not transforming your entire face!

If you can, I’d recommend going to a physical store that sells Jones Road so the experts can help you pick out the best products for you and your routine.

Did I need another beauty obsession? Absolutely not, but here we are…

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The Beauty Ed®’s Note: For those new to The Beauty Ed® you may not know that I mentor high school and university students and up-and-coming journalists for my mentorship program THE LAB. This is something that has become very important to me, especially in this era of AI and algorithms full of #ads, and the lovely was one of my first mentees. As you will read, her writing is beautiful - so fluent and warm - not to mention honest and thoughtful. Gia is a beauty obsessive and honestly, knows her stuff! Her product recommendations come from a genuine place - she is always so honest in her reviews, not to mention thorough, and as always, I loved reading this article and I know you will get so much from it too. Thanks Gia ♡

I spent spring-summer in Italy, then came back to London briefly, packed up again, and headed to America. Somewhere between the airports, unpacking and repacking, I realised I had accumulated a rather good collection of products I used almost every day. So, after being a little MIA from The Beauty Ed®, I thought what better way to return than with a proper summer beauty edit?

These aren’t products I have simply had sitting on my shelf. Some were kindly sent to me as PR, others I bought myself, and none of this piece is sponsored. I have used all of them properly & all opinions are my own.

I am also quite particular about what I recommend. I don’t think something is automatically brilliant because it is expensive or trending on TikTok. I want to know what it is actually like to use, particularly when you’re travelling, dealing with summer heat, washing your hair more often, wearing less makeup and generally asking your beauty products to do a little more.

So these are my favourite summer beauty products from skincare and body care to hair, fragrance and the pimple patches that came with me on a ten-hour flight.

1.Tatcha The Melting Lip Balm (£27): The Summer Lip Balm I Couldn’t Stop Reapplying

I am very loyal to Tatcha. Their moisturisers have been favourites of mine for a long time, so I was always going to be interested when The Melting Lip Balm launched.

I had actually first spotted it on Troye Sivan and Sarah Pidgeon at the Vanity Fair after-party in March’ 26, which immediately put it on my radar. I was then very happy to finally try it properly this summer.

(Troye Sivan wearing ‘The Melting Lip Balm’)

It comes in four sheer shades: Papuru, Moka, Reddo and Pinku.

It is very glossy, but not sticky, which is probably my favourite thing about it. It gives that glass-like finish to the lips without feeling as though you have covered them in a layer of thick gloss. The application is also incredibly smooth, and the formula feels really moisturising.

I wore it on days when I wasn’t wearing much makeup, by the pool and over lipstick when I was getting ready in the evening. It has been one of those products that keeps finding its way back into my handbag.

The formula contains Japanese tamanu oil, and I really like the softness it gives the lips.

My favourite shade is Moka because I tend to gravitate towards nude and slightly brown-toned lip products, so this was always going to be the one for me!

My only criticism is the staying power. When I wore it on its own, I found that I needed to reapply fairly regularly. It isn’t a deal-breaker for me; I actually don’t mind reapplying a balm but it is worth knowing if you are looking for a lip product that will last through an entire meal.

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2.Sol de Janeiro Badalada Body Lotion (£26): The Lightweight Body Lotion I Used Every Day

I have tried quite a lot from Sol de Janeiro, so I was particularly interested in the new Badalada Body Lotions.

There are three permanent versions: Cheirosa 62 for shimmer, Cheirosa 48 for refreshing hydration and Cheirosa 39 for soothing hydration.

My favourite was Cheirosa 48, and I have been using it every day.

My skin tends to be dry, and travelling doesn’t exactly help. Between flights, air conditioning and being in a much hotter climate, I wanted something that would give me proper hydration without feeling heavy.

The texture was the first thing I noticed.

It is much lighter than a traditional body lotion and has this lovely water-gel consistency that sinks into the skin very quickly. I particularly like that in summer because the last thing I want after a shower is to apply something thick and then immediately feel as though my clothes are sticking to me.

Cheirosa 48 contains star fruit and multi-glycerin, and my skin felt noticeably softer after using it.

It smells incredibly fresh to me. I am quite sensitive to very strong body products in hot weather, so I appreciated that this was noticeably tropical and fresh without feeling suffocating.

The pink packaging is also very cute, but it is the formula that has kept this in my routine.

3.Gustav Fouche Fabulosity ‘Hottie’ (£32): My New Favourite Heat Protectant

I take my haircare quite seriously, largely because I spent so many years doing the exact opposite.

My hair is naturally wavy-curly, prone to frizz and naturally quite dry, so after years of heat styling and experimenting with my hair, I am much more conscious now about what I put on it before reaching for a hairdryer or straighteners.

I was kindly sent ‘Hottie’ by Gustav Fouche, which costs £32, and I was curious to see whether it could justify the price.

It promises heat protection up to 230°C, as well as pollution defence, frizz reduction, shine enhancement, colour protection and reduced breakage.

The first thing I noticed was the scent.

It has that fresh, slightly tropical salon scent that makes your hair smell as though you have just walked out of a really good hair appointment. I am ridiculously fussy about the fragrance of hair products, and this is probably one of my favourites!

More importantly, it doesn’t leave my hair sticky.

This is one of my biggest complaints with the overwhelming majority of heat protectants on the market. I have used plenty that leave my hair feeling coated and slightly grimy after styling, which then makes me want to wash it again. ‘Hottie’ didn’t do that.

I noticed the shine almost immediately. My hair looked glossy before I had even added my usual hair oil, which is usually the step that gives me that final polished finish.

For someone with naturally frizzy hair who still enjoys heat styling, this is one I would genuinely recommend.

4.Sol de Janeiro’s New Limited Edition: Leite Néctar Perfume (£25)

I have always associated summer with lighter, sweeter fragrances, and this year I became particularly obsessed with fruity gourmand scents.

Sol de Janeiro Leite Néctar Perfume Mist came with me to America and quickly became the fragrance I used the most.

It is inspired by a Brazilian peach dessert and combines peach, coconut milk and sweet cream. It is undeniably sweet, but I don’t find it sickly, which is where a lot of gourmand fragrances can lose me.

Sol de Janeiro also released Leite Café, inspired by Brazilian coffee. I actually found that one much heavier and slightly too sweet for my personal taste, so I kept to Leite Néctar instead.

I wore it throughout my holiday and particularly liked it during the day when I wanted something easy to reapply.

It is very much a summer holiday perfume mist rather than the fragrance I would reach for in winter, but that is precisely why I enjoyed it.

5.Pimple Patches (£12): The Travel Essential

I wasn’t expecting more pimple patches to make it into my summer beauty edit, but here we are.

I bought the grace & stella hydrocolloid pimple patches shortly before travelling because I had just run out of my limited-edition Rhode ones.

They come in three shapes: a lilac flower, pink heart and blue cloud, and contain tea tree and salicylic acid.

I have had to become much more comfortable with acne over the last few years. I didn’t grow up with acne, so dealing with breakouts as an adult was something I found surprisingly difficult at first.

I actually think pimple patches have made the whole experience a little easier.

I tested these properly while travelling, including on a ten-hour flight, by the pool and overnight.

Two stayed on throughout the flight, while the cloud-shaped one started peeling slightly at the corner. The pink heart was definitely the strongest in terms of staying in place.

I also noticed that the patches helped to flatten my spots and draw out some of the gunk. I would give them a solid 4/5.

The one thing I would mention is that the different shapes didn’t all perform exactly the same. The cloud patch peeled more easily, although that could have been because of where I had placed it; on my chin, where there was naturally more movement from eating and talking.

I ended up giving some to my sister, too. She had never used pimple patches before and actually preferred the clear versions from grace & stella because she likes her skincare to be much more discreet.

The Summer Beauty Verdict:

The Tatcha lip balm is permanently in my beauty pouch. The SDJ lotion has become part of my everyday routine. Hottie is what I reach for whenever I am heat styling. Leite Néctar has followed me around America. And there is currently a small collection of pastel pimple patches living in my bathroom.

I don’t want to recommend something simply because it is new or because everyone else is talking about it. I want to be able to tell you how I actually used it, what I liked, what I didn’t and whether I would buy it again.

So, after a rather long summer away, these are the products that have genuinely made the cut.

And yes, I am very happy to be back!

Let us know what products you’d like me to review next in the comments!

-G xoxo

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The Beauty Ed®’s Note: Real and honest reviews are hard to come by these days thanks to paid #ads and click-bait hungry algorithms, and that is one of the reasons I started my student mentorship group THE LAB. Not only to help brilliant journalism and media students grow their writing experience, but also to give you, reader, a genuine viewpoint and real-time review of trends and products. Diana’s review is a perfect example of unbiased, thought-led beauty journalism ♡ These are her real and honest opinions that are not there to please advertisers or algorithms, but to help you make informed choices about your beauty purchases. Enjoy!

GrandeLASH and Babe Original Essential Lash Serum: it almost feels as if they’re competing for the top spot in the lash serum industry (although according to GrandeLASH’s website, they are the #1 Lash & Brow Serum Brand in the U.S.- so they’ve already claimed it). But in true THE LAB and The Beauty Ed® style, I had to get to the bottom of these claims, and so took the battle upon myself, and the results were really surprising.

I have always been weird with the textures and feels of things and one thing that has always bothered me, and still does to this day, is anything on my eyelashes. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love wearing light, lengthening mascara to feel a little fancy, but I tend to avoid wearing mascara most days - not least anything heavy or clumpy, and don’t even think about fake eyelashes! That being said, I still want things that help accentuate my natural ones.

At some point last year, I wanted to get a lash lift, but I was terrified by horror stories I had seen online - I’d heard they were super damaging to natural lashes - so I opted to dye them dark brown myself with men’s beard dye. Sounds crazy, I’m aware, but it’s a great way to make your natural lashes stand out for a fraction of the cost.

GrandeLASH Vs. Babe Original: Which Lash Serum Actually Delivers Fuller Lashes?

I’ve been using GrandeLASH Serum for almost two years now, and quite frankly, I’ve seen great results with it. In the first month or so of applying the product every night, I saw a noticeable difference in the length. I also have very sensitive eyes, and I didn’t notice any irritation from the product.

Then when THE LAB received Babe Original’s eyelash serum in the mail, I immediately reached for it. I have seen many of their ads and reviews on social media, and was eager to try it - but I could never justify spending the money on it myself! (more to come on price later).

So I could tell if there was any difference between the two, I continued applying GrandeLASH serum to my right set of eyelashes, and then applied the Babe Lash Serum to the left ones.

First Impressions: How Babe Lash Feels On Sensitive Eyes

The first time I applied the Babe Lash serum on my left eye, I immediately noticed a tingling sensation, which then turned into a light burning. This went away after about a minute, but I do think it’s important to note that my eyes are really sensitive, and if yours aren’t, this might not happen to you. I persevered, and after about a week, it went away so I continued to try it for several months, tracking the progress.

The Mascara Test: Which Serum Actually Makes Eyelashes Fuller & Thicker?

During the first few weeks, a difference wasn’t really noticeable between the two. The first time I saw a real discrepancy, was when I was putting on mascara for a birthday dinner. I curled my lashes like usual, then I put the mascara on my right eye (GrandeLASH) first. It went on like normal, and my lashes looked long and full. The other eye, however, was a different story. Putting the mascara on that eye, it immediately was so much thicker, fuller, and I think, a little longer. This trend continued as I kept applying the serum. I eventually decided to end the experiment because it felt (and looked) weird to always have a good lash day on one eye, and a mediocre lash day on the GrandeLASH eye.

Price Breakdown: Is Babe Lash Serum Worth The Extra $13?

Now, I think it’s unfair to compare the two without mentioning their prices. The smallest size of GrandeLASH serum, which their website claims to last six weeks (though it usually lasted me about 8-12), is priced at $36. Their standard size bottle is double the price, at $68.

The smallest size of the Babe Lash Serum, which also claims to be a six week supply, is priced at $49, while their standard size costs $89. Both seem pretty expensive to me, but these prices are relatively standard for the industry.

Personally,I think it’s a better investment in yourself to have healthy, thick, and long natural lashes rather than having to keep up with the maintenance and uncomfortability of lash extensions or regular lash lifts. However, if that look appeals to you, go for it! Don’t let me hold you back.

All in all, the only thing I’m upset about is that I’ve wasted so much time using the GrandeLASH Serum when I saw insane results from the Babe Lash serum in just a few months. The tingling effect was slightly concerning, but after the first week, I had no other issues and I was willing to trust it with my precious lashes completely.

So…for the extra $13, I would 100% invest in Babe Original’s Essential Lash Serum.

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My history with Jones Road Beauty predates any PR lists - I bought into its founder’s vision (makeup artist Bobbi Brown) with my own money back in 2020 because the brand’s effortless, modern approach to beauty spoke to me. 6 years later, after writing and raving about the products so much, I am on the lovely PRs radar and they are kindly sending me products to review.

Last week, they sent over their new Minimalist Defining Mascara (which launches today, August 13th!). It came in the most gorgeous brown-paper style pouch which I’m 100% going to keep for travel. I love how even this is so on brand - practical, understated, modern and chic.

As I’m a person that often skips mascara - unless I have a work meeting or a dinner on the calendar - I was keen to try this ‘less on purpose’ mascara. I think heavy, spider-leg lashes look dated. Especially as we age. They just weigh down the eyes, making you look tired and drawn.

I like to think of a mascara like this as the equivalent of a great designer white t-shirt - a James Perse if you will: understated but so stylish!

They sent me both the brown and black shades, so I decided to wear-test them side-by-side.

First thing I noticed: I love the shape of the wand

Unlike thicker, fibrous, fluffy wands that are messy and often cause smudging, this wand features a slim, molded design that gives you total control. It also has two edges: the straight edge grips lashes tightly right at the root which is ideal for reaching awkward inner corners and lower lashes. While the curved side coats and pushes the tips up for a soft lift.

The texture is soft and silky

The formula glides on with a cushiony, soft feel rather than a chalky or stiff dry-down. This is due to the conditioning formula which helps to support the health of the lashes. I’m yet to confirm the ingredients - but will keep you posted! This softness also keeps lashes separated and naturally tinted rather than clumped.

Brown Or Black?

The difference is subtle.

Brown (which I’m wearing on my right eye here) gives a lovely warm and soft daytime definition. More of a ‘are you wearing mascara?’ finish.

Black (on my left eye) offers slightly more contrast; my son even pointed out that the whites of my eye wearing the black looked brighter. More of a ‘going out’ option.

Both have a strong colour payoff so I only needed to apply one coat. The brown colour pigment is especially strong - as you can see from what was left on the pad when I removed it.

The Removal

One of the reasons I choose to skip mascara is because of the faff that comes with the removal - it requires extra effort during your night-time cleansing routine. The PR kindly sent me some branded reusable pads and micellar water in the package, which helped both shades came off surprisingly well. There seemed to be more pigment than I realised in the brown shade…which can only be a good thing, especially if your lashes are naturally light.

So is a less on purpose mascara really worth it?

If you want an everyday mascara that enhances your natural lashes without feeling heavy, rigid, or over-the-top, this 100% hits the mark. It’s making me want to wear mascara everyday which means a lot let me tell you…

Jones Road Beauty Minimalist Defining Mascara costs $28/£26 and is availabe on jonesroadbeauty.com

For as long as I can remember, my daily makeup routine has leaned into the comfortably minimal: a sheer base that shows off natural skin texture while subtly blending away pigmentation, a cream blush for a healthy pop of colour, lip balm or a nude lip, a brow gel, and depending on the day, a coat of black mascara or clear mascara.

And I’ve realised that as I’ve entered my fifites, that “less is more” approach has evolved into something deeper than just a makeup choice. It’s become a bit of a reflection of where I am in life. I find myself wearing less makeup because firstly, I have nothing to prove to anyone - as long as I am happy with how I look - but also, I’ve become really turned off by how midlife is performed online. Social media has become so shouty with smug “This is what [insert age here] looks like” posts and passive-aggressive humblebrags. I used to think being vocal about aging was empowering, but now? I just want the quiet ease of living it without shouting about it.

Which brings me to back to how I’ve been wearing blue eyeliner lately (my current fav is Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner in Denim 👖). Wearing it makes me think of Princess Diana in the eighties. When she wore that flash of blue on her waterline, I like to think it wasn’t a calculated trend or experiment to invite newspaper commentary. It was just a quiet, playful quirk - a hint of her mischievous side maybe?

I’ve been wearing just a quick stroke along my upper lash line. It isn’t loud. It’s smudge-y and subtle. It doesn’t scream for a reaction. But it does brighten the whites of my eyes, and gives me a little lift every time I look in the mirror…

I’ve been really struggling with social media lately. Some of you who follow me on Instagram may have noticed. One minute, I’m like yeah, I love being a part of this, and then the next minute, I want to delete the app forever.

Maybe my beauty-focused algorithm is to blame. The industry that I work in often focuses on the negative way too much. And I get it - it’s part of the business model - but as I age, I’m not sure how comfortable I am tapping into your insecurities in order to encourage you to buy products that make you feel better. There’s too much focus on the negative things about aging as it is, and I believe that advertising campaigns targeting 40/50-something women need to be positive, empowering, uplifting, not filled with backhanded compliments convincing us that our value is tied to looking younger.

That’s why I love Jones Road Beauty. It is so celebratory about unique and individual beauty. It’s the reason that I’ve followed Bobbi Brown in her career for so long, and the reason I’ve written about her and her brands so many times over the years.

If you’ve been reading my work for a while, you know this isn’t my first time singing the brand’s praises. Here on The Beauty Ed®, I’ve shared my unfiltered review of the Jones Road Foundation Stick and given an honest breakdown of the Jones Road Lip Recharge. I’ve also written for HELLO! about how female-founded brands like Jones Road are changing the narrative around aging and I was also delighted to share Bobbi’s advice on thriving and living your best life as you get older.

And I just feel like the new Bright Skin Illuminating Drops kind of sum all of that up.

They really make your skin look and feel happier. No matter what your age. They give your skin a glow. They are not meant to fix anything. They are designed to boost what you have. The fact that they are so lightweight, it doesn’t matter how many wrinkles you’ve got - they’re not going to settle into those creases in an ugly way, they’re just going to blend into them - show them off in their best light - and give your skin a gorgeous glow.

I actually recorded an Instagram reel where I mixed the Champagne Shade two ways:

• Direct to Skin: I applied them directly for a deeper tan shade.

• Mixed with Moisturizer: This dilutes them for more of a gentle, lightweight finish.

Both applications give your skin like a lovely luminosity. And if you want more coverage, you can mix them with your foundation too.

Another huge beauty win for me is that all of the 6 shades compliment any skin tone - as you can see from the brand’s marketing image below…

I also love how they can also be used on your body too - they add a lovely shimmer to your collarbones ✨

Have you tried any of Jones Road Beauty? Let me know in the comments 👇🏼

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Jones Road Beauty Bright Skin Illuminating Drops cost $38/£36 and you can buy them online from their website.

I’ve been a Beauty Editor for almost 30 years, so of course I take sun care seriously - but you know, I also live in Florida and I LOVE being outside in the sunshine. And I don’t care what anyone says, sunshine is good for the soul.

I love the beach. I love the pool. They all give me LIFE. Not to mention so much JOY 😁 😎 ☀️ And I believe that as long as you’re sensible (ie. no frying in the midday sun, wear a hat, keep in the shade, hydrate, wear spf etc etc), a day on the beach can make life so much brighter.

What are my favourite tried-and-tested sun care brands?

So this means, especially as I live 5-minute walk from St. Pete Beach, I’m never too far away from a bottle of sun cream. They are dotted everywhere - around my house, in my car, in all of my bags. And even though it’s hard for me to stay loyal to one brand there are a few tried-and-true brands that I always go back to:

✔️ ☀️ Clarins - it’s a classic. A brand that I’ve been using since I was a teenager. If I had to pick one favourite product, it would be the Clarins Glowing Sun Body Oil High Protection SPF 30 .

✔️ ☀️ Neutrogena - I’ve been using the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen Spray SPF 70 which I believe is only available in the US 🇺🇸 for years now. It’s so lightweight and not one bit greasy. Although this particular product isn’t available in the UK yet, it might be soon as my beauty industry insiders tell me that Neutrogena have relaunched their sun care this year online and in Boots 🇬🇧.

✔️ ☀️ Vacation® - I’ve been raving about this brand since they first launched. Again, this is only available in the US 🇺🇸 but I’m sure they’ll be sold in the UK soon. Why do I love them? For so many reasons! The ‘holiday in a bottle’ smell of all the products. The retro packaging. The unusual SKUs - mousse sun cream anyone? The corny but cool marketing. I could go on and on…My favourite product is the Classic SPF 50 Spray.

That being said, when I looked in my beach bag recently - the one that I keep by the pool door for those dash-out-of-the-door emergencies - none of these favs appeared, and what I’m actually carrying around right now is a mix of new discoveries, kid-friendly sprays, lip balms and other random beach essentials.

Here’s what’s inside…

The Products That Are Actually In My Beach Bag Right Now

By the way, my beach bag is from Kurt Geiger 🌈 How gorgeous is it? My son’s friends bought it for me for my birthday a couple of years ago 💕 I couldn’t find any in stock right now, but they do have other options that are just as bright and fun.

What’s In My Beach Bag: The Quick List

• Best SPF Lip Balm: Target Up & Up SPF 50 Lip Balm

• Best Tinted Lip Balm: Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me

• Best for Kids: Banana Boat Kids Sport Spray Can SPF 50+

• Best Local Florida SPF: Florida Squeezed SPF 50 Lotion

• Best High-SPF Spray: Sun Bum Original Sunscreen Spray SPF 70

• Best Post-Pool Hair Conditioner: Nature Well Sunday’s Leave-In Conditioner Mist

• Best Beach Hair Accessory: Emi Jay Hair Clips

• Best Cooling Gadget: Handheld Mini Personal Fan

I have to take a lip balm to the beach

Target Up & Up SPF 50 Lip Balm

Beauty editor duty calls and so I never forget lip protection when I go to the beach! This Target one is my current go-to for keeping my lips protected. It’s cheap and hydrating.

That being said…I also found this in my bag:

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me

My best friend Leah actually got me hooked on this one! It smells amazing and gives lips the prettiest sheer wash of color. But this doesn’t have SPF, so it’s good for trips to the bar once you’re done with the beach.

Best sunscreen for my kids: Banana Boat Kids Sport Spray Can SPF 50+

Sprays in a continuous can are so much easier to apply when you’re trying to chase kids and get them covered quickly. Just make sure you rub it in so you don’t miss any spots! And yes, I still have to do this to my kids even though they’re old enough to know better!

2 local Florida SPFs:

☀️ Florida Squeezed SPF 50 Lotion

Oh, I love this brand. My son is a pool attendant at our local beach hotel - The Don CeSar - and he brought it home after a guest left him a bottle to try. It smells like fresh orange juice and is packed with soothing aloe vera and jojoba. Mine currently has a bit of local beach sand mixed into it, so when I apply it, I get a little unexpected face scrub action too!

☀️ Sun Bum Original Sunscreen Spray SPF 70

Like my favourite Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen Spray SPF 70 , this settles into skin so nicely - no gross sticky residue, just solid, high-performance protection.

The best post-pool hair conditioner: Nature Well Sunday’s Leave-In Conditioner Mist

I don’t believe this offers UV hair protection, but it’s my husband’s favourite and it smooths down frizzy, post-pool hair so nicely.

The best hair accessory: Emi Jay Hair Clips

I keep this clipped right onto the strap of my bag! Emi Jay are hands-down the best clips because they actually grip your hair properly and so help it stay put.

A fan that keeps me cool: Handheld Mini Personal Fan

Essential for sitting poolside in the Florida heat when you need an immediate breeze!

Have you tried any of these? What’s the one product you never leave out of your beach bag? Drop a comment below and let me know 😎

I recently had one of my followers reach out asking for recommendations for her son’s oily teenage skin - specifically what to shop for in places like CVS, Walgreens or Target. Skincare for teenagers is a subject I really care about. I’ve been passionate about helping kids celebrate the skin they are in ever since I worked as Beauty Editor on CosmoGIRL! over twenty years ago. And now, I do just the same with my student mentor program, THE LAB . Please check it out. The articles are so good - my mentees only write totally honest reviews. Plus, there are zero ads!

✍️ READ THE LAB: A 14-Year-Old’s Guide to Surviving Skincare FOMO

A few weeks ago, I asked my lovely dermatologist friend Dr. Justine Kluk to come onto my podcast, Smiling Gives You Wrinkles®, to talk through the best products and routine for teenage skin. I love Justine’s approach because she’s such a realist. We sat down to chat about this whole phenomenon of teens becoming obsessed with skincare, using all the wrong things, and how we can actually guide them to build a simple routine that works.

🎧 LISTEN TO SMILING GIVES YOU WRINKLES® HERE

So, if you’re trying to help the teens in your life find the best products for their skin, start by reading Justine’s expert advice below, and then give them the shopping list that follows, that’s derm (and me) approved!

A Dermatologist’s Guide To Teen Skincare

The 4 Skincare Products Teenagers Really Need:

1. A Gentle Cleanser

2. Lightweight Moisturizer

3. Sunscreen

4. ONE treatment step (if they have spots)

1. What is the biggest mistake teens make with oily skin?

Justine pointed out a huge trap that teenagers fall into when their skin starts getting congested:

“They think: I’ve got oily skin, so I’ll buy a cleanser that’s designed for oily skin. I’ll buy a moisturizer that’s designed for oily skin, then I’ll use the treatments as well. And actually, if everything there is intended to reduce oil on your skin, it’s going to tip over the edge and get too dry.”

The Expert Fix: Keep their cleanser and moisturizer super gentle, and let one active treatment step handle the oil and spots.

2. How many skincare products do teenagers actually need?

Piling on ten different products doesn’t just irritate the skin - it can actually trigger lasting issues. As Justine explained:

“The more things you put on your skin, the more you expose yourself to different chemicals... We are increasing our risk of allergy, and that is really sad when that happens.”

3. Should teenagers use retinol or anti-aging serums?

No! We had a laugh about how obsessed everyone has gotten with ingredients like retinol, but Justine made a really important distinction: most over-the-counter retinols are meant for slowing down signs of aging, not for treating oily teenage skin.

4. Do pimple patches actually work for teenage acne?

Justine is a massive fan of pimple patches. Not only do they help flatten spots faster, but they act as a physical barrier to stop kids from picking and squeezing (which is what leads to scarring). Plus, with brands making them so fun to wear now, it’s turned spot care into a fashion statement rather than something to hide.

🛒 The Shoppable Target List for Oily Teen Skin

I took all of Justine’s tips and mapped out an easy, budget-friendly run through Target. These picks give teens that effortless, clean-skin result without stripping their skin barrier.

🧼 What are the best drugstore cleansers for teen skin?

The Goal: Cleanse twice a day without stripping the skin tight.

• Byoma Creamy Jelly Cleanser: Justine and I both adore Byoma. The bright packaging makes it appealing for teens, and the formulas are ultra-gentle and barrier-safe.

• CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser: This transforms from oil to a gentle foam. It’s brilliant for clearing away excess oil while using gentle ceramides to keep the skin barrier intact.

💧 What are the best lightweight moisturizers for oily skin?

The Goal: Keep oily skin balanced so it doesn’t over-produce oil.

• Byoma Moisturizing Gel Cream: Justine specifically called out this on the podcast. It’s an oil-free gel that soaks in instantly without feeling sticky.

• La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat Moisturizer with SPF 30: A fabulous 2-in-1 SPF/moisturiser for teens who hate layering extra creams. It gives sun protection while actively soaking up shine to leave a clean, matte finish.

🧪 What are the best drugstore exfoliants for blackheads?

The Goal: Unclog pores and cut through blackheads. Use once a day!

• Naturium BHA Liquid Exfoliant 2%: Salicylic acid (BHA) is the absolute gold standard for getting deep into pores and dissolving blackheads.

• Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment (🇺🇸 only): An affordable toner blending gentle AHAs and BHAs to sweep away oily dead skin cells overnight.

🎯 What are the best drugstore acne spot treatments?

Goal: Clear active breakouts without irritating the whole face.

• Target Up&Up 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide Treatment (🇺🇸 only): A gentle leave-on spot cream. 2.5% benzoyl peroxide kills acne bacteria almost as well as stronger 10% formulas, but with way less stinging and dryness. So it’s great for sensitive skin.

• PanOxyl 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Acne Foaming Wash (🇺🇸 only): Keep this one in the shower! It’s an absolute lifesaver for teens dealing with both face breakouts and “bacne.”

• Differin Acne Treatment Gel (Adapalene 0.1%) (🇺🇸 only): An over-the-counter retinoid specifically tested and formulated for acne (not anti-aging) to keep pores clear.

• Starface Hydro-Stars: The viral yellow star patches that combine hydrocolloid protection (no scarring) with pore-clearing salicylic acid.

• Mighty Patch Invisible+ by Hero Cosmetics: Completely clear patches. Perfect for kids who want to wear one to school or sports practice without anyone noticing.

What skincare ingredients should teenagers avoid?

To save money and protect their skin, tell them to skip:

1. Anti-Aging Retinol Serums: Purely for mature skin and totally unnecessary for teens.

2. Harsh Physical Scrubs: (Remember those old apricot scrubs we all used years ago? Avoid!) Scrubbing just inflames breakouts and forces the skin to make more oil.

3. 10-Step Routines: Piling on five different serums is the fastest track to red, irritated skin.

At the end of the day, skincare should be joyful and simple! I hope this shopping guide helps you guide the kids in your life to really love the skin they’re in.

And please don’t forget to share this article with someone who might find it helpful…

I’d rather skip on foundation than blusher. It just really helps zhuzh up your face doesn’t it? Plus, as I live and work in hot-and-humid Florida, I like to wear as little makeup on my skin as possible. When you deal with this kind of heat almost every day of the year, you need products that actually survive the sweat and humidity.

I have tried LOADS in my time, and my top 2 current favs are Merit Flush Balm in Stockholm and the now discontinued ☹️ Jones Road Beauty Lip & Cheek Stick in Bright Pink. They have replaced it with the Blushing Stick which I’m sure is lovely too, but don’t quote me, as I haven’t tried it yet.

✍️ HOW TO APPLY BLUSHER: I wrote about how I love to apply blush in HELLO! which you can read here!

Anyway, any new blushers that I receive from PRs face stiff competition to impress this critical Beauty Editor ✍️😁🪭, but I’m happy to report that I’ve found a new fave - and it’s only $5 (or £6 if you live in the UK).

The Beauty Ed® Review: e.l.f Cosmetics Sheer For It Blush Tint

This is a water-based blusher that, on first application, doesn’t look like it’s going to amount to anything other than just a watery ‘patch’ of colour on your skin. But as you blend it in (I just tap away at it with my fingers) and build the colour (I love the So Petal shade) it delivers such a lovely seamless finish. It really is so easy to apply that it’s hard to mess up - it just looks really natural.

It can also be used on lips too - which is exactly what I’m wearing in this pic!

How it Compares: e.l.f Vs. Merit and Jones Road

Merit and Jones Road give more of a creamy finish. This e.l.f tint is water-based, so it doesn’t sit on your skin like a balm stick. It sinks right in. So if you want a weightless feel, give the e.l.f one a try!

The other 2 shades e.l.f sent me were Mauve Actually (on the left in the pic below) Burgun-did That (on the right). I’m going to ask my mentees from THE LAB to try those, so look out for their reviews soon.

Let me know if you’ve tried these or if you have a favourite blush that you’d think I’d love!

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Donna x

If you watched me and my family on Channel 4’s Escape to Florida (if not you can stream it here - we are in the first 4 episodes), you’ll know that my skincare routine had to undergo a bit of an overhaul when I moved from London. More hydration and way more protection. I had to really up my SPF game.

But finding a good SPF for your face is hard, right? They either ‘pill’ into little balls as soon as you apply your makeup, leave an ugly white cast on your skin, or just make your face look really greasy.

However, after almost 5 years of living in Florida full-time, and of course as a beauty editor who has tested thousands of formulas over nearly three decades in the industry, I’ve become quite the expert at finding the good ones that don’t do any of those annoying things. Actually, the SPFs that I use now don’t just protect my skin - they help it look instantly better.

Right now, I have 3 favourite SPFs that have survived the ultimate Florida humidity test:

My Top 3 Face SPFs at a Glance

• No7 Prime Forever Skin Preservation SPF 50: Best for a blurring, invisible primer effect that targets early sun damage.

• e.l.f. Suntouchable! Whoa Glow SPF 30 : Best for an affordable, pre-makeup radiant base.

• Naked Sundays Cabanaglow Mineral Glow Drops SPF 50: Best for an effortless, dewy beach-town glow without the need for foundation.

How To Layer SPF Under Makeup Without Pilling

One of the questions I get asked often is how to layer sun protection without creating those annoying little grey balls that pill up on the skin. My routine changes depending on what my skin needs that morning and whether I’m wearing a full makeup base.

• The Pre-SPF Step I Always Do: After cleansing, I always apply a serum first. A serum is essential for hydration (remember: dry skin = aging skin) and delivering active ingredients deep down. Right now, I love using a Vitamin C serum. While it isn’t a sunscreen, Vitamin C is packed with antioxidants that act as an extra layer of defense against environmental aggressors like intense sunlight. I absolutely LOVE Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum.

• The Makeup vs. No-Makeup Rule: If I’m not wearing a foundation or base that day, I’ll go straight from serum to a lightweight moisturizer (like CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion), and then apply my SPF. But if I’m wearing a full makeup base, I look closely at how my skin is behaving. If it feels particularly dry, I’ll layer that lightweight moisturizer between my serum and SPF. If my skin already feels nourished and hydrated, I skip the moisturizer entirely and go straight from serum to SPF to keep the layers minimal and prevent pilling under my foundation.

1. The New SPF Discoveries: No7

No7 has absolutely mastered the art of under-makeup SPF formulation recently. I’m currently rotating two of their SPF 50s depending on what my skin needs that morning.

No7 Prime Forever Skin Preservation SPF 50

This is a brand-new discovery for me. It’s part of a new range technically targeted at a younger, 30-something demographic whose skin hasn’t quite shown the visible effects of aging yet, even though any after effects of previous sun damage are bubbling away quietly under the surface. But anyone can still use it. It’s gorgeous under makeup - zero pilling and sinks into skin instantly, making it perfect for makeup.

💌 Read more about the No7 Prime Forever products here - I was lucky to be taken on a trip to Upstate New York to hear all about them

No7 Future Renew Damage Protection SPF 50

This feels just a tad richer on the skin than the Prime Forever version. Just like its sister product, it sits under makeup perfectly without disrupting your foundation.

The Sweat Test: During summer, the sun is already up when I go to the gym or take a walk along the beach. Even though No7 doesn’t explicitly market these as sweat-proof, I’ve put them to the test. They are incredibly lightweight, stay firmly in place, and crucially, they don’t run into your eyes when you start to sweat.

2. The BUDGET SPF I ALWAYS Recommend: e.l.f. Cosmetics Suntouchable Whoa Glow

You all know how much I love e.l.f and this is the SPF base I recommend to my best friend, my closest circle, and my followers non-stop.

e.l.f. Suntouchable! Whoa Glow SPF 30 (I ♡ Shade: Sunbeam)

This has been an absolute staple in my skincare routine for a good couple of years now and I’m obsessed with the shade Sunbeam. While it comes in a few shades, Sunbeam gives my skin tone the most stunning, what I like to call (excuse the magazine speak: lit-from-within glow). My only criticism? As a Florida resident, I always prefer a slightly higher SPF factor than 30 for daily wear. But the finish is so beautiful, I keep coming back.

Because I’ve currently run out of Sunbeam, I’ve been testing the Invisible version which has no tint, and I love it. It works exactly like an expensive makeup primer. It is completely weightless, clear, water-resistant, and visually blurs the skin. If you hate the feeling of traditional sunscreen, this lightweight option will change your mind.

3. The Makeup Base With Added SPF50: Naked Sundays

Naked Sundays Cabanaglow Mineral Glow Drops SPF 50 Sunscreen In Illuminating

When I want an effortless glow without a full face of foundation, I wear these drops for my base. The texture is a total dream - completely lightweight and fluid. It’s a bit like a tinted moisturizer, giving just a slight hint of coverage while flooding the skin with a luminous, dewy glow. It’s the perfect one-and-done product for a healthy, low-key day look.

The Midday Refresh: How to Reapply SPF Over Makeup

If it’s just for incidental sun exposure - like leaving the house to get into the car - I love using a quick SPF mist to top things up. The Vacation® Super Spritz Face Mist SPF50 is a personal favorite. BUT if you live in the UK, that isn’t available yet, so I would also recommend La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Anti-Shine Mist Sunscreen SPF50. My brilliant makeup artist friend, Donna May, swears by that one too - you can read more about Donna’s recommendations here.

The Beauty Ed® Tip: If I’m wearing a full face of makeup and know that I’m going to be working or spending a lot of time outside, I use a brilliant industry trick: take a high-quality makeup brush and gently dab a drop or two of your liquid or cream SPF directly over your makeup. It keeps your protection fully intact and actually gives the skin a really lovely, dewy finish rather than disrupting your base.

📹 WATCH ME DO IT:

I hope this helps you avoid those dreaded SPF makeup/foundation ‘pills’! If you have a favourite SPF that manages to survive the summer heatwave, drop it in the comments below - I’m always ready to test and share a new recommendation.

And if you need a top up, don’t forget to shop my current favs through the links above!

Donna

xx

I think you’ll be surprised - I don’t actually take too much away with me when I travel for work, and it’s not just because of luggage restrictions. I’m a creature of habit when it comes to my makeup look and I like to keep it simple. I always revert back to the same ‘no makeup, makeup routine’.

As a beauty editor who has spent over two decades testing literally thousands of products, I’ve learned that packing light or choosing the simple, less-is-more route, isn’t about compromising; it’s about making sure you’re using products that are multi-tasking and work hard for the result. I just want a fresh, glowy look with zero effort.

Here’s exactly what made the cut for my recent work trip:

1. The Best Luxury Base: Victoria Beckham Foundation Drops

These Victoria Beckham Foundation Drops are the new mainstay in my makeup bag. I wrote a detailed review about them here and while I admit, they’re not cheap, and I didn’t pay for this sample myself as they were sent to me to try by the PR, I will definitely be stocking up when I run out.

• Why they works for midlife skin: What I love about them is that they have added skincare benefits and the finish is really natural. As you get older, I think a lot of women tend to put on more product, but less is definitely more - anything heavy is going to sink into any open pores or your creases! And these are really easy to blend with your fingers or a brush.

• The Only Problem: No added SPF. There’s probably a formulation reason for that, because SPF can make a product a bit chalky. So don’t forget to wear an SPF underneath. I wore it right on top of the new No7 Prime Forever SPF 50 Primer, and it sat beautifully. No balling or pilling.

  ---

2. The Multi-Tasking Concealer: Jones Road Your Skin Foundation Stick

For this trip, I wanted a concealer-cum-base that I could swipe over my skin quickly (there was a couple of early morning starts) and for speed and ease of use, I always recommend the Jones Road Beauty Your Skin Foundation Stick which I previously reviewed HERE.

• Application Tip: I suffer with redness around my nostrils so I blended some there, plus I’ve got a little broken vein on the top of my nose that needs a bit of extra coverage. This can be used all over for a lovely, natural base too!

  ---

3. The Brightening Eye Secret: Beauty Pie Under Eye Genius Corrector

I don’t use under-eye concealer anymore. I used to, but then my makeup artist friend Donna May advised me not to. She said, “I don’t think you need it, I don’t think a lot of women need it unless you’ve got really, really dark circles.” She reckons makeup looks so much better without it.

So instead of using it under my eyes, I actually apply the Beauty Pie Under Eye Genius Corrector directly onto my eyelids!

• The Result: It gives a really gorgeous effect. It blends away any redness and makes your eyes appear brighter and more open. It creates a nice base for eyeshadow too. Or just wear it on its own.

4. The Easy Eye Routine: Jones Road ‘Just A Sec’ & Sweed Cloud Mascara

• The Eyeshadow: I love the Jones Road Beauty ‘Just A Sec’ Eyeshadows in Baby Pink and Pewter. They are really lovely with a shimmery gel-like texture and give enough ‘be-dazzle’ to dress up my daytime look to night-time. I just pop my finger in the pot, apply a wash over my eyelids, and it gives that really lovely natural shimmer that catches the light.

• The Mascara: I packed my Sweed Satin Kajal Kohl Eyeliner in Black to tight-line, but I don’t think I even used it the weekend that I was away - I just went for a quite bare eye look. But I did use the Sweed Cloud Mascara in Black. I love it because the wand is really slim and plastic instead of really fibrous, which I find just smudges really easily. This one gets right in the corners.

5. The Perfect Everyday Lip: Victoria Beckham Lipstick in ‘Sway’

For lips, I took the Victoria Beckham Posh Lipstick in Sway. It’s like a pinky nude which works for day and night events. I also packed the Jones Road Beauty The Lip Pencil in Tawny Nude with me, but I skipped that step this trip.

6. The Face-Framing Brow Gel: REFY Clear Brow Sculpt

Doing my brows is a step that I’ve recently added into my regular makeup routine - probably in the last year or so. For this trip, I used the REFY Clear Brow Sculpt.

• Why it’s a favourite: This clear gel fixes your brows in place and gives them that laminated look, that’s really natural. Setting your eyebrows just really gives a nice structure to your face. If you want a tinted one, try this one by Merit.

7. The One Product I Never Skip: Nudestix Nudies Bloom

I would gladly skip foundation, but I hardly ever skip blusher. As a beauty editor, I’ve tried hundreds, and the Nudestix Nudies Bloom in Cherry Blossom is a new fav!

• The Formula: It has the perfect amount of slip and staying power without looking greasy.

• The Packaging: What I also love about this product is that one end has product - you just dab the stick onto your cheeks - and then you take the lid off the other end, and you’ve got a really lovely flat brush to blend the color in. So handy! And space-saving. I really love that.

Anyone else getting extremely tired of social media these days? The competitive algorithm has become so shout-y. Creators and, actually anyone working in media, including me, are desperately trying to get noticed. We need the engagement to earn a decent living. But to be honest, I’m growing tired of being a slave to it.

Turning 50 has really made me think about what I am putting out there on Instagram. I know that my age is my meal ticket to success as a ‘midlife’ Beauty Editor, but I just don’t want to share, what I often see as disingenuous skincare reels with on-screen captions like: “Hard to believe I’m 50: this is what I use on my skin” All while they are accompanied by a flawlessly lit, hyper-smoothed close-up.

To be honest, when I see content like this, my first thought isn’t about the creator’s skincare routine. It’s about the woman watching it. What must that viewer be thinking? “What am I doing wrong? Why don’t I look like that? What do I need to buy?”

It’s the same old comparison trap and it feels a bit smug.

The Reality Check We All Need

We all have days where we look in the mirror and think: “ugh, I look and feel like absolute s*it.” I don’t care who you are, how many serums you own, how much Botox you’ve had, or what year you were born. Hormones shift, stress happens, life shows up on our faces.

When I have those days, the answer isn’t in a miracle cream. It’s about how I talk to myself. It’s about digging deep, accepting the bad day, and intentionally shifting the focus. I look in the mirror and actively choose to find the positives - focusing on what I do like, rather than obsessing over what I don’t.

Writing about beauty in my twenties, thirties, and even my forties felt very different than it does now. Back then, the narrative was often about correction and prevention. But today, while I absolutely want to look and feel the best I possibly can, my perspective has changed.

What a Clear 50 Year Old Mind Has Taught Me

Yes, my job is centered around beauty and skincare, and yes, I will always champion high-performance, science-backed formulas that give midlife skin its glow back. But the truth I’ve come to realize is this: there is only so much beauty you can squeeze out of a bottle.

When you see a woman who looks genuinely beautiful and alive, that glow isn’t just because she applied a retinoid last night or had a luxury facial. The rest of her beauty is made up of the things money can’t buy. It’s the confidence born from doing work that fulfills her. It’s the warmth of being loved by her friends and family. It’s the deep, unshakeable sense of feeling respected by others - and, most importantly, by herself.

That is what actually builds your confidence. Not a smooth and shiny complexion, but a fierce appreciation for the life you’ve built and the woman you’ve become.

I’ve been writing about beauty for over 25 years, and my obsession with brilliant skincare hasn’t changed just because I’ve hit a milestone birthday. Growing older doesn’t mean we stop caring about how we look - far from it. It just means the goalposts have shifted from trying to look 25 again, to looking and feeling like the best possible version of ourselves.

So yes, I am absolutely going to keep testing, reviewing, and sharing the hard-working formulas that I love and are coming right with me into my 50s. But I’m sharing them as tools for self-care, not tokens of perfection. My algorithm (or business) might not thank me, but I want to leave the smug reels behind, and focus on feeding our spirits, and take care of the skin we’re in - during the good and bad days…

Donna

x

As per, I’m writing to you today from hot and humid St. Pete Beach, Florida, where I’ve lived for almost 5 years. But I know, from all the messages that I’ve received from family and friends back in London, that the weather is boiling there too - in fact, I just checked and it’s 4 degrees hotter in London right now than it is here!

I used to love London in the sunshine - there really is no place better. But when it gets past a certain temperature, things kind of come to a standstill. The tube breaks down (any extreme weather affects London Transport right?). And with no air-con, sea breeze or pool to cool you down, there really is nothing more to do than to strip off - bra included - and just wallow. Or, just grab your bikini, and pop to the beach - if you’re lucky enough to live by one like me (sorry, not sorry 😆)

But the problem is, not many of us can do that. We have jobs to go to!

I remember being pregnant with my first son, Oliver, having to commute into London’s Soho every day in early summer. I was working for Hearst back then in 2005, as the beauty editor for a teenage magazine called CosmoGIRL! As it was a monthly, with three-month lead times (meaning you have to write your articles a full quarter before it hits the press) I’d already written the obligatory How to Sweatproof Your Makeup feature.

I’ve written dozens of them over my 25+ years as a beauty editor writing for various titles, but if I’m being completely honest, the headlines are always the same, and the copy is usually just a variation of the same generic textbook advice like (and I quote) “keep shine at bay by switching to powder formulas” or “swap your regular mascara for a waterproof one to avoid smudging.” Are those tips actually helpful, though? Or just regurgitated clichés?

Living in Florida, where the humidity is relentless - even with air conditioning blasting in almost every building - I’ve had to abandon the standard ‘textbook’ beauty advice. Out here, every single day is a masterclass on how to survive the sweat - and humidity.

A couple of years ago, when Florida was hit by 2 devastating hurricanes - Helene and then Milton - we had zero air con and zero running water for a couple of weeks. So trust me, I understand what the real pain points are when you’re hot as hell. The chub rub. The constant upper lip sweat. The Monica from Friends frizz that takes over the second you step out the door…

To make sure I’m addressing what is actually bothering you beauty-wise in the heat, I asked my lovely Instagram community to share their real heatwave pain points. And that they did. Thanks guys!

So here are my tried-and-tested tips for what actually works when it’s hotter than the Devil’s armpit lol…

🥵 Real Hot Weather Issue #1: “I’m not even bothered trying to look decent!”

“The sweating on my face is unreal 🥵 not bothered trying to look half decent 🤣🤣”

Fair! I get it. There is nothing you can really do to totally stop the sweats, and it does get to a point where you just want to give up and sit in front of a fan, naked, with an ice coffee. But what I will say, is that you don’t have to completely give up!

Instead of wearing a heavy base, try using a ‘glowy’ gel or a face bronzer. It’s often all you need to make you feel human again. Plus, they are so lightweight, you won’t have to worry about your base melting off.

The Weightless Glow: I love the Saie Glowy Super Gel Lightweight Dewy Multipurpose Illuminator. It’s really lightweight and gives the skin such a lovely natural glow that you can skip foundation and just pop on a bit of blush or bronzer on top.

The Sheer Tint: I’m also loving the Victoria Beckham Colour Wash Bronze Water Tints. I like the Tanline shade. They are watery and really sheer so build them up by layering if you want more warmth.

The Suits-All Blush: For cheeks, Merit Flush Balm in Stockholm is my absolute fav and one I recommend to all my friends no matter their skin tone.

One to Watch: They have just been launched and I can’t wait to try them: the Jones Road Beauty Bright Skin Illuminating Drops.

🫠 Real Hot Weather Issue #2: Melting Makeup & Constant Face Sweat

If you have bothered with makeup, and find it’s sliding away by lunchtime, you need to look at your SPF. Anything too thick and creamy will just ball up and ‘pill’ into tiny pieces either the second you apply your base over the top, or a few hours later when the heat kicks in.

• The All-in-One: Try a base that already has built-in protection like IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream which has SPF 40 or SPF 50 depending if you buy it in the UK or US.

• The Invisible SPF: Alternatively, try a lighter makeup primer with added SPF. The new No7 Prime Forever Broad Spectrum SPF50 Primer Sunscreen is gorgeous.

The Pro Secret For Face Sweat: On this episode of Smiling Gives You Wrinkles®, my makeup artist friend Donna May shared how she manages to keep BBC TV presenters looking flawless when they are filming in the heat for 15-hour days at the Chelsea Flower Show:

“Try not to add more powder. Normally it’s round the sides of the nose and around the top lip, so just take that little bit of extra shine off with oil-absorbing sheets or a tissue, then use a powder puff and just pat it in, dampening it down a little bit.”

The Refresh: Donna swears by the La Roche-Posay Anthelios Anti-Shine SPF 50 Over-Makeup Mist for extra over-makeup protection and a bit of a cooling refreshment.

🩹 Real Hot Weather Issue #3: Chub Rub & Boob Sweat

This came up many times in my DMs.

“The boob sweat 🤦🏼‍♀️ never had a problem pre-baby, now it’s real! 🥵🫠”

Thankfully, there are actually sticks designed especially for this issue and to be fair, they’re mostly pretty good.

The Lifesaver: I personally rate the Megababe Thigh Rescue Anti-Friction Stick. I tried it after interviewing the brilliant founder, Kate Sturino, for this article in HELLO!. It goes on smooth like a regular stick deodorant, doesn’t stain your clothes and really does the job the whole day.

👁️ Real Hot Weather Issue #4: Sore, Dry Eyes

I feel your pain here. I have suffered with dry eyes since I was a teenager - apparently I don’t fully close them when I sleep (😳) which causes them to dry out.

When your eyes feel scratchy and sore, I’d suggest skipping mascara entirely to avoid irritating them further. 100% avoid tubing formulas as the tiny tubes that flake off when your remove them might trap in your eyes. But if you can’t bear to go entirely bare:

The Gentle Volume: Use a formula like Clinique High Impact™ Mascara which is opthalmogically tested, won’t irritate sensitive eyes and gives a lovely, natural volume.

The Quick-Set Liner: For definition, choose a gel liner like Ilia Clean Gel Eyeliner which ‘sets’ really quickly and behaves itself on sensitive eyes.

The Beauty Editor Mascara-Free Face Hack: Personally, I don’t wear mascara during the day when it’s this hot. If I want to lift my face and give it structure, I’ll just wear a brighter lipstick instead. I’m loving the e.l.f Glow Reviver Slipsticks that are like a lipstick/lipgloss hybrid. My fav shade is Loveslick - a warm pink.

Frame the Face: If you feel ‘naked’ without eye makeup, add definition to your eyebrows instead to open up your face. I love the Refy Clear Brow Sculpt Gel, brushing it upward through my brows to give them a lifted, naturally ‘laminated’ finish.

🦁 Real Hot Weather Issue #5: Hair Frizz!

As one of my followers put it:

“My hair is naturally curly and I [normally] blow dry it straight but with this weather I wash it every morning and rub in products and let it dry naturally and I just scope it up, but I caught a reflection today of myself and I look bloody awful XXX”

Same same. But you can get your hair looking more than half decent if you follow this ‘air dry’ method that I’ve nailed down to a tee. No frizz allowed:

1. Ditch the Silicones: Use a silicone and sulphate-free shampoo. Silicones actually dry the hair out over time, and the drier your hair is, the more moisture it will suck out of the humid air, causing it to poof! I love the Chāmpo shampoos, and the Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo is great.

2. Swap Rinse-Out For Leave-In Conditioners: You want your hair to be as smooth as possible to trap the moisture in so go straight for high-performance leave-ins to trap moisture deep inside the hair shaft. My absolute fav (and probably one of my most recommended products) is the K18 Leave-In Molecular Hair Mask - I’ve written about it loads - read more about why I (and loads of you too) love it here.

3. The Multi-Tasker: I also love the Michael Van Clark Lifesaver UV Leave-in Styling Treatment. It’s a phenomenal multi-tasker that treats, styles, and protects hair against UV rays all at once. I slather it on damp hair and let it air-dry. If you have wavy hair like mine, it defines your natural texture without the crunch.

🌟 The Ultimate K18 Air-Dry Power-Combo

You all know how much I absolutely love the original K18 Molecular Repair Hair Mask, but the K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil is the real secret weapon for toning down the frizz in between shampoos. Just make sure you use it quite sparingly.

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The Beauty Ed®’s Note: As a beauty journalist with over 25 years experience, I have witnessed how the ‘viral skincare’ trend has changed how we shop. But let’s be honest, looking cute on camera doesn’t always equate to cute results on the skin. And when the Grace & Stella PR asked THE LAB to try some of their products, I couldn’t think of a better person than my brilliant contributor . I wanted her to give this ‘cool girl’ brand an honest, real-skin test. And that she did…

Beyond the pretty packaging: can a ‘cool-girl’ brand actually deliver high-performance skincare results?

Grace & Stella might just be the next viral skincare brand, so when their products landed on my desk, I was obviously going to put them to the test.

I got sent their eye patches (as seen on Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada 2, mind you) and their *adorable* pimple patches. I’m a sucker for anything that looks fun, so they really had me from the get-go.

The Overnight Fix: Testing the Internet’s Favorite Pimple Patches

I feel like I’ve tried every pimple patch out there since the Starface ones became super popular in 2020. While my go-to pimple patches are usually whatever is the best value from Amazon, the Grace & Stella ones piqued my interest because they are SO cute - sue me, I’m easily influenced.

The Ingredient Upgrade: More Than Just Hydrocolloid

Most pimple patches are just standard hydrocolloid patches that draw out the oil and gunk from your blemishes. On top of that, the Grace & Stella ones also contain Salicylic Acid (which reduces swelling) and Tea Tree Oil (an antiseptic to combat acne bacteria and speed up healing).

The added ingredients make these super effective not only at calming the redness of angry blemishes but also at reducing their size and drawing them out of the skin more quickly. Since going on Accutane a few years ago, my skin has definitely improved and I don’t get nearly as many blemishes as I used to but I do get the odd pimple here and there. These patches are so aesthetic that they almost make you want to get a pimple just so you can use them, so I was actually quite delighted to get to test them out.

I’m a pimple patch overnight girl, and by the time I had woken up, the redness and swelling had gone down, and with a little dab of concealer, it was like there was nothing wrong in the first place.

The Prime Day Verdict: The best part is that the patches are included in the Amazon Prime sale from the 23rd-26th June and are nearly 15% off!!

The £0.83 Pamper: Putting the Viral Eye Masks to the Test

As an avid beauty fan, the first thing I noticed about these eye masks is the number of pairs you get in a single box - 24! For a little comparison, Sephora’s best-selling eye masks are the Topicals ones, which come in a pack of 6 pairs for £20 ($22 in the US!), which comes to around £3.30 per use. BUT, the Grace & Stella masks are currently £20 for 24 pairs, which is around £0.83 per use. So it’s pretty clear to see which ones are the most cost-efficient. Okay, maths lesson OVER, let’s get into the eye masks themselves.

Grace & Stella are really spoiling us with 6 different kinds of eye masks to try! Energising, moisturising, restoring, firming, illuminating and revitalising - I received the illuminating ones (which were actually the perfect selection because I am noticing dark circles at the ripe age of 22).

When I first received these, I put a pair straight into the fridge because I just knew that the added coolness would upgrade the experience, and I was right (shock!) It also made me wonder if I should invest in one of those skincare fridges for my bedroom, but that may be taking things too far, even for me.

The Application Test: Do They Actually Stay Put?

Anyway, when I tried them the next morning, one thing that immediately stood out to me was that they weren’t slipping down my face every five seconds (huge win!) and the cooling effect made me feel de-puffed and more awake. While you definitely don’t need a pair of eye masks every day, they feel like a little treat when you want an elevated morning routine, or a pamper night in.

The Beauty Ed® Approved: The Honest Verdict

It’s hard to cut through the noise in the beauty industry, but I think Grace & Stella have done just that. Not only are their products effective and cute, but they also come at a reasonable price point that doesn’t make you dread your restock.

Here is how they stack up:

Grace & Stella Pimple Patches Verdict

Best For: Overnight blemish healing and calming acute inflammation without stripping the skin barrier.

The Experience: Somehow, these pimple patches strike the perfect balance; they stay put firmly on your spots, but they are gentle to take off. I find that some pimple patches that look playful, like this, aren’t always the most focused on skincare, but the Tea Tree Oil and Salicylic Acid in these give you genuine results. I have no complaints (and I’m a Virgo, so that’s pretty rare!)

Grace & Stella Illuminating Eye Masks Verdict

Best For: A cost-effective, cooling luxury treatment to de-puff the under-eyes and prep skin for makeup.

The Experience: I don’t know that I noticed a huge difference visually, but as a pampering treatment, they definitely made my morning routine feel a little more luxurious, and they feel amazing on my under eyes. I’d also definitely repurchase these over other brands I’ve tried; they’re cost-efficient, look good and feel fabulous.

Now, please excuse me while I scroll the rest of their website, adding to my wishlist!
P xx

Today’s announcement that the UK will be banning social media for under-16s is huge, especially for the beauty industry - and it’s a moment I’ve been preparing for.

Reclaiming the Roots of Responsible Teen Media

Long before algorithms dictated what girls saw in their feeds, I learned exactly how to speak to young demographics with absolute responsibility. As an editor on the core team of CosmoGIRL! magazine back in 2001, we built trust through real, fun and approachable imagery and genuine skincare education - long before digital filters existed.

That specific, pre-algorithmic media blueprint is exactly why I launched THE LAB. As a beauty editor with nearly 30 years of industry experience, I designed this mentorship program to be the calm, truthful alternative to fake influencer culture for high school and college students.

How the UK Social Media Ban Impacts Gen Alpha Beauty Marketing

Today’s news that the UK government is planning a full social media ban for under-16s by spring 2027 is a very welcome one.

But let’s be real: this probably won’t completely get teens off the platforms (they’ll just fake their dates of birth). But what it will do is force the beauty industry to completely shift how they market to this demographic. And that is a brilliant sign. It’s going to force brands to be more responsible, more thoughtful, and to finally lead with purpose.

I know from personal experience that Gen Z and Gen Alpha are the absolute golden ticket for these brands. As a Gen X creator, I see it all the time - it can feel like total crickets when you’re trying to get brands involved in any kind of commercial partnerships for midlife. But the second you mention younger demographics? You have them instantly engaged.

If brands want to keep that engagement once that ban is in place, they need to stop looking at these teens as easy sales and start looking at community-driven programs like THE LAB that talk about beauty in a responsible, meaningful way, and they have to start leading with purpose.

Why the Beauty Industry Must Pivot from Sales to Youth Education

Yes, beauty is a business, but profit cannot be the primary intention when approaching teens. The focus must shift to skin health education, truth, and transparent reviews.

Teenagers are incredibly savvy. They know ingredients, they know formulas, and they spot disingenuous marketing a mile away. They don’t want filtered hype; they want real, peer-to-peer recommendations.

Beauty at this age should be fun, creative, and joyful - not a clinical obsession with anti-aging before they’ve even finished school.

Building THE LAB as a Responsible Solution to Algorithmic Beauty

The era of predatory, algorithmic youth marketing is facing a massive shift. If you’re a brand looking to pivot your strategy toward something more purposeful, or a student wanting to learn how to create honest, impactful media, this is the perfect time to work with me and be a part of THE LAB.

What are your thoughts on the ban? Do you think it will actually force beauty brands to clean up their acts, or will they just find a new backdoor? Let’s talk in the comments below.

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Lately, I’ve been missing the camaraderie of working in an office amongst a team. So it’s nice to get ‘out’ so to speak. Plus, now that I live in Florida, it’s great for me to attend beauty press events as much as I can. When I lived in London, they were ten-a-penny, so now I cherish them 💕

Inside My Finger Lakes No7 Press Trip & Staying at The Inns of Aurora

Anyway, this No7 press trip was in Finger Lakes - a beautiful area in Upstate New York, and it was an honour for me and The Beauty Ed® to be invited alongside other amazing journalists from legacy media brands like Allure, Good Housekeeping, Instyle and Refinery 29.

Before I get into the new No7 skincare products, I must give a shout out to the hotel we stayed at: The Inns of Aurora. What a magical place! It was founded by the creator of American Girl dolls and no wonder - it almost feels like you are living in a dolls house fantasy when you’re there. In the most natural, down-to-earth way.

The setting by the lake is absolutely stunning! We went lake boating, to the hydrotherapy spa, bird-watching (saw some Bald Eagles nesting) and even did some glass blowing.

🎥 Watch the Finger Lakes Press Trip Vlog: You can come behind the scenes, see the stunning lakeside property, and watch me test the skincare as well as attempt to glass-blow a flower (!) over on my channel. Click here to watch the full vlog and subscribe to @thebeautyedvlog on YouTube!

The New No7 Skincare Launches Landing in the US

OK, back to the No7 skincare launches - which was the whole reason why I was there! These ranges have already launched in the UK in Boots and are becoming available here in the US over the coming months (more info below). While neither is technically targeted at my own midlife skin, they are filling some massive gaps in the market:

No7 Prime Forever (Best for Late 20s & 30s Skin)

First up: Prime Forever, which is launching in the US in August - find it at Ulta and No7 Beauty. Prime Forever is designed to preserve all the good stuff (like collagen) while your skin is still in its prime. It’s a fantastic range if you’re in your late 20s and 30s - a demographic that is often ignored. You’re coming out of your 20s, you aren’t seeing deep visible signs of aging yet, but your natural collagen stores are just beginning to deplete.

The formulations focus heavily on a brilliant peptide blend to preserve skin elasticity. My standouts from the line are the Preservation Serum and the SPF 50 Primer (which sits beautifully under makeup with absolutely zero balling or pilling). The Weightless Moisturiser is also a treat - it has this fascinating, bouncy memory-gel texture that flattens itself back out in the jar so it’s always smooth as you pop your finger into the jar.

No7 Good Intent (Active-Free Hydration for Teens & 20s)

Next up is Good Intent which is available NOW in the US and also in the UK. Good Intent is a non-active skincare collection with the most beautiful pastel packaging - the bottles are so soft and tactile. Because it’s active-free and deeply hydrating, it’s perfect for teenage and 20-something skin types. But I love it too! Especially the Radiance Reflect Spray Serum. I’ve never tried a serum spray before and as this is one of my must-do skincare steps, I am obsessed! It’s so lightweight and a great one to keep on your desk to top up your hydration and glow throughout the day.

I’m actually going to send a selection of the Good Intent range to my group of mentees in THE LAB to try - I expect they’ll be fans of the Skin Sip Moisture Milk , which is a beautiful, press-on milky toner that works exactly like the Rhode Glazing Milk which they are all obsessed with.

🍄 Read our full Rhode reviews and breakdown from THE LAB here

I look forward to sharing exactly what THE LAB think once they finish testing them!

In the meantime, let me know in the comments: Do you have someone in your life who fits into these 30-something or teen brackets who would love these?

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The Beauty Ed®s Note: As part of THE LAB, my student mentorship program where I oversee the work of the next generation of beauty writers, I’m so happy to share this helpful piece (especially if you suffer badly with frizz) by Contributing Editor, . I introduced Gia to the PR agency who handle the press for Moroccanoil in the UK as she is the perfect candidate to road test their frizz fighting formulas. And here, she gives an honest review as she trials a complete curl care routine during her travels in hot and humid Italy 🇮🇹

This is a PR/Gifted Review with no obligation to post

After years of bleach, heat styling and trying to force my hair into being something it simply isn’t, this summer in Italy has become an unexpected turning point.

For most of my teenage years, my relationship with my hair was built around control. Blow-dries, straighteners, and endless attempts to tame the frizz. If there was humidity in the forecast, I immediately assumed it would be a bad hair day.

Perhaps it’s the wider beauty conversation moving away from perfection. Perhaps it’s getting older. Or perhaps it’s spending summer in Italy, where the heat, humidity and reality of everyday life quickly make you realise that fighting your natural texture is exhausting.

So this summer, I’ve decided to embrace my natural hair properly…

Coincidentally, I was kindly sent the Moroccanoil Curl Collection to test just before leaving for Italy. Having used Moroccanoil products since my early teens, I wasn’t completely new to the brand. In fact, the original shampoo, conditioner and iconic treatment oil have been staples in my hair routine for years.

What was new, however, was committing to an entirely curl-focused routine and seeing how it performed against the ultimate challenge: an Italian summer.

The Best Routine For Thick, Frizz-Prone Wavy Hair

For context, my hair is naturally thick, dry, wavy-curly and extremely prone to frizz.

When I say frizz-prone, I mean it. If a drop of rain touches it, it expands. If there’s humidity, it expands. If someone merely mentions moisture in the atmosphere, it somehow expands.

Years of bleach certainly didn’t help matters, and whilst my hair is far healthier today, hydration is still something I have to prioritise constantly.

Because of that, I tend to judge products quite harshly. If something weighs my hair down, leaves it sticky or makes my roots oily, I notice immediately.

How To Properly Prepare Textured Hair For Styling: The Clarifying Step

Before using any of the Moroccanoil products, I started with my favourite OUAI detox shampoo.

This is something I’ve become increasingly strict about because so many people underestimate how much product buildup accumulates on the scalp.

If you’re using mousses, curl creams, oils, dry shampoo or hairspray throughout the week, your regular shampoo is not enough.

A clarifying wash essentially gives you a clean slate.

Only after doing this did I move on to the Moroccanoil Curl Enhancing Shampoo, followed by the Curl Enhancing Conditioner. One thing I immediately noticed was that the shampoo doesn’t foam nearly as much as the Moisture Repair Moroccanoil shampoo. The scent is also softer and less distinctive.

The conditioner, however, was lovely.

Because my hair is naturally dry, I applied a generous amount throughout my lengths and ends. A professional stylist once told me that most people with textured hair simply don’t use enough conditioner, and ever since then, I’ve become much more generous with it.

🐄 I also used the “milking method” that Gustav Fouche previously taught me during an appointment at his Notting Hill salon. It sounds unusual, but it involves taking small, manageable sections of hair and gently running the conditioner down each strand from root to tip with your fingertips, almost as if you were slowly pressing moisture into the hair.

It helps distribute moisture evenly and has genuinely transformed how hydrated my curls feel.

Moroccanoil Curl Defining Dream Review: Is It Worth The Hype?

The standout product in this entire routine was, without question, the Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream.

In fact, this product had been sitting on my wish-list long before I received it.

My best friend Maria has been telling me to buy it for months and absolutely swears by it, and now I understand why.

I applied around three pumps through damp hair when it was approximately 90% wet.

The first thing I noticed was how lightweight it felt.

So many curl products promise definition, but leave the hair feeling coated or sticky. This did neither. It almost disappears into my hair.

The second thing I noticed was how smooth my curls looked. Not stiff, nor crunchy, but soft and defined.

The scent is also beautiful without being overpowering, and it gives the hair that luxurious salon-product feeling that makes styling feel less like a chore and more like self-care.

❤️ If I could only recommend one product from the entire collection, it would be this one.

How To Protect Curls and Waves From Summer Humidity

After the cream, I followed with the Curl Control Mousse. Again, I was pleasantly surprised.

I’ve used mousse since I was around thirteen years old, desperately trying to understand my hair texture before I really knew what I was doing.

Many mousses leave a sticky residue or make curls feel hard; however, this one didn’t.

I scrunched it throughout my hair, concentrating particularly around the roots where frizz tends to appear first.

I then added a small amount of gel to the ends of my waves. (This is something I always do during the summer).

No matter what curl products I’m testing, a small amount of gel helps lock everything in place and prevents humidity from undoing all my hard work within the first hour.

The Ultimate Hair Oil For Shine and Smooth Ends

Once my hair had dried slightly, I finished with the Moroccanoil Treatment Oil.

This is the product I’ve used the longest from the brand.

I’ve been buying it since I was thirteen years old, and it remains one of the most reliable hair oils I’ve ever tried. It adds shine, smooths the ends, and somehow manages to make hair feel healthier instantly.

I used a few pumps throughout the length and then headed out into the Bologna heat.

The Honest Verdict: Which Moroccanoil Curl Products Are Actually Worth It?

• The Curl Defining Cream is exceptional.

• The mousse is excellent and will be a product that I repurchase.

• The conditioner is lovely.

• The shampoo, however, was my least favourite product.

Whilst it may work beautifully for someone with a different hair type, I found it made my hair feel slightly heavier, and my roots became oilier more quickly than they usually do.

Interestingly, this is something a few friends of mine have also experienced with Moroccanoil shampoos generally…

That doesn’t mean it’s a bad product. It simply means it wasn’t the best fit for my particular hair.

And I think that’s important to say. Good beauty journalism isn’t about telling people everything is amazing. It’s about explaining what worked, what didn’t and helping readers decide what might work for them!

Final Thoughts

This summer has been less about achieving perfect hair and more about learning to appreciate the hair I already have.

The curls, the volume and even the frizz! Because the truth is, hair doesn’t need to be perfectly sleek to look beautiful. Sometimes it just needs to look like yours.

And somewhere between the heat of Bologna, countless scoops of gelato, and finally letting my natural texture take up space, I’m beginning to think my hair agrees.