How to keep cool from day to night in the hot weather – from 5p hack to wool bedding
Fabulous' Rebecca Miller and Leanne Hall have tried all the latest gadgets, hacks, and old wives' tales to battle the heat and keep cool as temperatures soar.
Rechargeable Handheld Fan - £12.99, Vonhaus
Handheld fans are the must-have summer accessory for Londoners on the tube, and Vonhaus' rechargeable fan saved me on the hottest day of the year.
It's small enough to fit in your bag, or hang it around your neck using the lanyard. With a long battery life, it survived my 45 minute commute each way, and a little cooling down at the desk during the day. It's also quick to charge.
Pros: Five speed settings, neck loop, stand, quick to charge, cheap!
Areas to improve: None.
Keep cool score: 10/10
ONESIZE Mini Secure the Sweat Waterproof Primer - £15, Sephora
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There's nothing worse than your makeup melting when it's hot. Luckily, that didn't happen once when I wore ONESIZE's Sweat Primer.
This beauty product is a game-changer. No sweaty upper lip, no beads forming on the nose. No need to fan my face or apply extra powder to mop up the perspiration.
I applied it after sun cream and before foundation. Then set about baking my face in golden hour at 32 degrees whilst sipping drinks with friends. Nothing happened.
Ok, let's try a sweaty underground tube ride home! I applied it at 6:30am along with the rest of my makeup, endured a full day in the office under air con, before wrestling the rest of London onto the Piccadilly line home. Still no facial sweating.
Pros: Easy to use, incredibly effective, fragrance free, suitable for sensitive skin, doesn't cause makeup to separate.
Areas to improve: It can pill if used as directed. Instead of patting the primer onto the skin, I found rubbing it in, then letting it dry before applying foundation worked best.
Keep cool score: 10/10
A Cup Of Tea - 5p, Yorkshire Tea
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If you dare tell your nan or grandad you're too hot, you can bet they'll tell you to stick the kettle on.
I've always suspected it was an old wive's tale, but I wasn't going to argue with them, but as it turns out, there's good reason to get a brew going.
A hot drink can help your body sweat faster, which will get rid of the excess heat, while a cold drink will make your body sweat more slowly.
So I sat down and made myself one in the sweltering heat and forced myself to drink it.
I did think it was a gimmick for the first 15 minutes, but then all of a sudden I realised I was feeling a lot more comfortable in the heat.
Pros: Tasty, cheap, enjoyable.
Areas to improve: None.
Keep cool score: 8/10
Cotton Rib Vest Short Set Pyjamas - £16, Next
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While sleeping naked might seem like a good way to stay cool during a heatwave, wearing light pyjamas made from materials like cotton can help wick away sweat and keep you more comfortable throughout the night.
And Next's pair did just the job.
At a bargain price of £16, the cotton rib vest short set comes in an array of colours and designs. They were extremely comfortable, great quality, and washed well.
Pros: Cheap, stylish.
Areas to improve: None.
Keep cool score: 10/10
MeacoFan Sefte® 8' Rechargeable Fan - £99.99, Amazon
I'm completely biased when it comes to Meaco products; their dehumidifiers are incredible, so I had high expectations for the fan.
It arrived the next day (thanks, Amazon Prime Delivery), and I was instantly impressed; all the packaging was plastic-free and recyclable.
It comes with an already charged battery, so you can be cooling a room in seconds after unboxing, and because it's cordless, it can be positioned anywhere.
I tested the fan in various scenarios; to keep me cool at night during the mini heatwave, and a quick cold blast when working at my desk. It was extremely effective.
However, it's more of an occasional fan than a continuous fan. If you choose a high speed setting and want it blasting cold air at you all night, the battery quickly runs out. As a result, you end up having to charge it daily, sometimes twice a day during a heatwave.
On top of this, it's not a fan you can just get out when the temperature hits 33 degrees for four days in the summer and expect it to work...Meaco recommends charging the battery for 1.5 hours during the winter when it's not in use, or its efficiency reduces by 50%.
Pros: Easy to use, sleek design, quiet, brilliant functions, super cheap to run.
Areas to improve: Having a top handle would make it easier to carry from different rooms, alternative shape remote, and better battery life.
Keep cool score: 8/10
Deluxe Washable Wool Mattress Protector - £89.99, Woolroom
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The thought of using wool to keep cool may sound bonkers, but there is science behind it. Wool helps regulate temperature, which means it helps keep you cool when you're hot and keeps you warm when it's cold.
This mattress protector may be thin but adds a nice bounce to your bed. When I grab the sheets to get in, my bed is nice and cool even when it's hot outside thanks to the mattress protector.
Pros: Comfortable, cooling, easy to wash.
Areas to improve: None.
Keep cool score: 9/10
Deluxe Washable Light Wool Duvet - £108.74, WoolRoom
The matching duvet works in the exact same way and has helped stop me overheating and waking up during the night.
While I like it, there isn't much difference to a normal tog duvet, when it comes to keeping you cool, especially when you consider the price.
Pros: Comfortable and light-weight.
Areas to improve: High price point.
Keep cool score: 6/10
Silk Sleep Mask - £69, Drowsy
I was sceptical about how a sleep mask would help me keep cool and have a restful night's sleep, but r esearch suggests a cool forehead reduces brain activity and helps you wind down. And since wearing Drowsy's Silk Sleep Mask, I've been sleeping soundly.
It's insanely comfy to wear - imagine having a tiny duvet wrapped over your eyes and ears - and so smooth, with the silk offering a cooling effect.
I am the lightest of sleepers, and this silk mask is not only blackout, but it doubles up as ear defenders. There's a matching pillowcase, too, which can help regulate the rest of your body's temperature.
Pros: Luxurious, anti-ageing, washable.
Mayfair Cooling Gel Pillow - £79.99, Luff Sleep
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During the summer, I'm constantly turning my pillow around trying to find the cool side, but thanks to the cooling mat on this pillow, I slept soundly.
This Luff Sleep pillow keeps you cool all night thanks to the gel pad actively dispersing heat from it, and you can even add an ice pack on top before heading to bed to make it extra icy.
The memory foam perfectly forms to your head and neck so you instantly fall asleep.
It also comes with a pillow protector that can be put in the washing machine for easy cleaning.
Pros: Cooling, comfortable and easy to wash.
Areas to improve: None.
Keep cool score: 10/10
3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner with Fan & Dehumidifier - £149.99, Daewoo
I was very excited to get an air conditioner, especially as I had to sit waiting for it to arrive in 30 degrees heat.
I was shocked by just how big it was and how heavy but it did come with wheels to make it easier to move around.
Setting it up was relatively easy and the air conditioner instantly gave me some relief from the hot weather.
It was also really noisy when turned on so it's not ideal for sleeping with but works great during the day.
Pros: Three settings, easy to use, breezy.
Areas to improve: Noisy and excessively large.
Keep cool score: 5/10
Cooling Bra Inserts - £14.99, Issviva
BUY NOW
There's nothing worse than being stuck in a heatwave and feeling sweat drip down your chest, especially if you're wearing a bra. So I was eager to try these cooling bra inserts to keep me comfortable while running around central London.
They are super easy to slide into your bra and instantly give you relief and after a few minutes, you forget they are there.
My only problem is that they don't stay cold for long so they aren't great if you plan to be out all day.
Pros: Comfortable.
Areas to improve: Cooling effect could last longer.
Keep cool score: 7/10
3-in-1 4L Tower Air Cooler & Humidifier Fan - £99.99, Daewoo
This Air cooler fan has to be my favourite I've tried. While it is big, I like the fact it comes in a tower shape as it feels like it takes up less space in a room.
The fan comes with a water tank that you fill to help the air cool down.
My favourite thing is that it comes with two ice packs that you can add to the water tank and it instantly makes you feel like you're in Antarctica.
While it is cheaper to buy than the other fan unit, we found that it costs £1.50 to put on for two hours so it's not something to keep running all day.
Pros: Easy to use, breezy and instantly cools the room.
Areas to improve: Expensive to run.
Keep cool score: 8/10
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