Sali Hughes on beauty: I've got a real problem with neck creams. Here's why …
The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.
The things we know can help produce collagen lost on the face and neck as we age, naturally or prematurely, are retinoids and, to a lesser degree, antioxidants like vitamin C. So I use these on my face and neck (usually at both ends of the day).
If your neck is more sensitive, you could soften the blow by first applying a thin layer of bland moisturiser (like those from Simple, CeraVe or Cetaphil) underneath these punchier actives, or using something better tolerated all over, like Naturium's well-priced Retinaldehyde Cream Serum 0.10% (£35 for 50ml). Just apply before nighttime moisturiser and take down to your chest.
No fancy product under the 'anti-ageing' umbrella is worth a damn if you're not applying sunscreen in sufficient quantities. You're almost literally burning your cash. And so I'm saddened by how many people seek neck creams and yet stop applying SPF at their chin.
An ultra-light, fluid sunscreen like La Roche Posay's exceptional new Anthelios UVAir SPF50+ (£25 for 40ml), sinks in instantly, so you can do up your shirt without delay or faff. If you hate most sunscreens, I think you'll love this.
Sign up to Inside Saturday
The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend.
after newsletter promotion
If you still have an insatiable desire for a neck product, then try Beauty Pie's Über Youth Neck & Chest Super Lift Serum-Spray (£17.50 for 95ml to members; £38 otherwise). I give this props for being incredibly easy to apply (just mist on to your neck and chest and stroke for fast absorption) and pleasantly refreshing in a hot spell. Optimal levels of niacinamide (from which our entire skin benefits) may help any with brown spots, while glycerin should help temporarily plump any fine, crepey lines.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
20 minutes ago
- The Sun
Cooling eye masks shoppers say ‘reduce dark circles and puffiness' slashed from £20 to £10 on Amazon
*If you click on a link in this article we will earn affiliate revenue EYE SAY Cooling eye masks shoppers say 'reduce dark circles and puffiness' slashed from £20 to £10 on Amazon AMAZON shoppers have been racing to buy a set of cooling under eye masks reduced by 50% on Amazon. The 24 pairs of cooling masks with over 5,000 five-star reviews usually cost £19.95, but they've been slashed to £9.95 in a limited-time deal. Advertisement The viral Grace & Stella eye masks are 50% off on Amazon Grace & Stella Energising Eye Masks, £9.95 (was £19.95) The Grace & Stella Under Eye Masks have been going viral online, as beauty fans have been raving that they instantly "reduce dark circles and puffiness". Formulated with hyaluronic acid and glycerin, the beauty buy works to hydrate the skin, with a cooling effect that soothes the under eyes (and is perfect for the current heatwave!). The energising and illuminating masks are both discounted on Amazon, but it's the luxe-looking gold masks that have been flooding my TikTok For You page. Advertisement Grace & Stella's website recommends applying under the eyes on make-up-free skin and leaving for 15-20 minutes (or for however long they stay cool). When removing, the brand advises beauty fans to pat in any remaining product to the skin, stating that there's no need to rinse. Eye masks are a popular choice when it comes to anti-ageing products, along with serums and moisturisers. You can also read our full roundup of the best anti-ageing serums, along with our tried-and-tested article on the best moisturisers for mature skin. Advertisement The trending eye masks have racked up thousands of glowing reviews, with over 5,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. One shopper wrote: "I absolutely loved these under eye masks, they feel super cooling and soothing the moment you apply them, and after just a few uses, I noticed my under eyes looked less puffy and more hydrated. The eye masks have racked up an impressive 5,000 five-star reviews on Amazon They're gentle on the skin, vegan and cruelty-free (which I really appreciate), so I highly recommend if you're looking to reduce dark circles and puffiness!" Advertisement Another added: "These under-eye patches have truly transformed my skincare routine. I put them on for 15 minutes when I wake up, and I noticed a significant reduction in puffiness and dark circles after just a few uses. Each patch stays in place perfectly, allowing me to go about my tasks while they work their magic, and my under-eyes feel refreshed, hydrated, and visibly brighter. These have quickly become an essential part of my self-care, and I can't imagine going without them now!" Advertisement While I'm yet to try the Grace & Stella Eye Masks for myself, I'm always on the lookout for skincare products that will help to minimise my puffy under-eyes. My LED mask has been the most effective beauty tech tool for soothing puffiness, and you can read by full review of the Shark CryoGlow LED mask. Amazon's limited-time deals have been lasting for as little as a day, so it's possible that the Grace & Stella Eye Masks will increase in price very soon.
Sky News
32 minutes ago
- Sky News
What does the data tell us about road traffic accidents?
Under "tougher" plans to tackle road deaths and injuries in England and Wales, the government has announced measures to make over-70s take compulsory eye tests every three years or lose their licence. But are they really needed? Drivers over the age of 70 already self-report their medical fitness to drive every three years, and British roads are safer now than they've ever been. In 2023, the latest year for which the Department for Transport has published data, the casualty rate on British roads fell to 398 per billion vehicle miles. It's the first time that figure has been under 400, and has halved since just 2006. In 1960, the casualty rate was 10 times higher than it is now. The total number of people killed on the UK's roads also reached a record low in 2023, other than the COVID-affected years of 2020 and 2021. There were 1,624 people killed in total, just under half of which were in cars. This figure has plateaued somewhat since 2010, however, after rapid improvements between 2006 and 2010. There was a similar plateau between 1994 and 2006 before the last significant piece of road safety legislation was introduced. The 2006 Road Safety Act introduced higher fines and more points for the most severe speeding offences, as well as greatly expanding the use of speed awareness courses. It was also the first year people could get points on their licence for using their phone. In the four years that followed, there was a 40% decrease in deaths among road users. In the 13 years since then, it's fallen just 12%. There had been a slight rise in deaths among older drivers for a few years between 2014 and 2019, but that has started to fall again now. There are now fewer deaths among over-70s compared with either the under-30s, people aged 30-49, or those between 50 and 69. In 2019, there were a similar number of deaths among people of each of these age cohorts. Academic studies have previously found that older people are also more likely to develop symptoms of depression, be admitted to care facilities, and even have a higher mortality rate, once they stop driving. The academics found that those links remained even after adjusting for other factors like baseline health and cognitive ability. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: "It is certainly good for our eye health as we age to have a regular eye test - every two years the NHS advises - but this doesn't automatically mean that a compulsory eye test at age 70 is appropriate. People can develop eye problems at any age so why confine such an approach only to those aged 70 and not to younger drivers too? "From the data we have seen, there is no reason to suppose that eye problems lie behind a significant proportion of accidents. While there may be a case for introducing a regular mandatory eye test for drivers of all ages, it is not clear that this would have a big impact on the numbers of serious accidents involving older drivers." Are younger drivers a danger to themselves? Edmund King, president of the Automobile Association, said that the government's strategy is "much overdue", while pointing to the figures showing that the number of road deaths have plateaued since 2010. He said that making vision checks compulsory for older drivers was a "practical step that can make a real difference", but added that failing to introduce a six-month limit on new drivers transporting passengers of a similar age is "a major oversight". A limit like this has been active in parts of Australia since 2007. Research by road safety charity Brake says that, in the UK, around one in five drivers crash within a year of passing their test. The Department for Transport data also shows that younger people are also significantly more likely to die as passengers compared to people in other age groups. There has also been a suggestion that younger drivers are more likely to die as a result of not wearing seatbelts. More than a third of 17-29-year-olds who die on the roads didn't have their seatbelts on. But the same is true of 30-59 year olds. There is a significant difference between men and women however - 31% of men who died did so without wearing a seatbelt, compared with just 11% of women. That also means that 89% of women who died on the roads did so despite wearing a seatbelt, perhaps adding to evidence that suggests that seatbelts offer better protection to adult men. Drink driving Since 2014, Scotland has had a lower drink drive limit than the rest of the UK. The government's new proposals would reduce the drink-drive limit in England and Wales to the same level as in Scotland - 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, instead of the current level of 80mg of alcohol. For an average-sized man, that means they would be over the limit after one pint of beer, instead of after two. In diverging from the other nations in the UK, the new standards in Scotland aligned with most of Europe. It seems to have had some impact. The number of collisions involving drink drivers has fallen by more than 40% in Scotland since it was introduced, compared with 20% in England over the same time period, and 38% in Wales. The improvement is less pronounced when it comes to the most serious drink-driving road accidents, though. They are down just 7% since 2014. Where are the safest, and most dangerous, places to drive? The Isle of Wight has the highest current fatality rate, after accounting for how much driving people do. There were 18 deaths per billion vehicle miles on the island in 2023. Next was Blackpool, with 16. The central London boroughs of Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, and Lambeth were the only other local authorities with a rate higher than 10. At the other end of the scale, Stockport (Greater Manchester), Thurrock (Essex) and Nottingham each had fewer than one death per billion vehicle miles. When it comes to accidents that included not just deaths but also serious injuries, London has the worst record. Drivers in Westminster were most likely to end up in a serious collision, but the nine most dangerous local authorities in Great Britain were all London boroughs. Bradford completed the bottom 10. Bath and North East Somerset was the safest area, although three Welsh areas - Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot and Cardiff - joined South Gloucestershire in the top five. Scottish drivers were among the most likely to avoid being in crashes altogether. Eight of the 10 local authorities with the lowest overall collision rate were north of the border, although Rutland in the East Midlands had the lowest overall rate. The top 20 areas with the most collisions per mile driven were all in London. How does driving in the UK compare with other countries? The UK is one of the safest places to drive in Europe. Only Norway and Sweden had a lower rate of road deaths per head of population in 2023 than the UK's 25 deaths per million people. The figures in places like Italy, Greece and Portugal were more than twice as high. There aren't any directly comparable figures for 2023 for the US, but in 2022 their death rate from driving was five times as high as the UK, and 50% higher than the worst performing European country - Bulgaria. The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
I can smell death and pregnancy... I can't stand to be around my elderly dad because the stench is so strong
A woman who has claimed that she can smell death and pregnancy on people has revealed how the unusual skill is both a blessing and a curse. The 34-year-old woman, who will be referred to as the pseudonym Michelle throughout the story as she asked to keep her name hidden for privacy reasons, from Italy, said she has 'had a strong sense of smell' since as long as she could remember. As a teenager, she said she'd sometimes pick up on scents that no one else did, but never thought much of it. But as time went on it only got more intense - and now, she has claimed she can detect when someone is expecting or if they're close to the end of their life based on their smell. During an exclusive chat with the Daily Mail, she explained that it started with her partner's elderly cat. '[The cat] was 21 years old and still seemed to be enjoying a fairly healthy life for her age… she wasn't in terrible physical shape, yet I remember clearly the day I smelled it on her,' Michelle recalled. '[It was] acrid, pungent, and it made me feel alarmed and anxious. I didn't tell my partner - I just didn't have the heart to. Two months later she died.' Michelle lives with her 87-year-old father, who she described as 'active' and 'mostly lucid,' but she said she recently started smelling the same stench on him. A woman who has claimed that she can smell death and pregnancy on people has revealed how the unusual skill is both a blessing and a curse (stock image) As for what it smells like, she described the scent as an 'elderly person but much sharper.' 'It hits your nostrils like a punch, and it's hard to stay in the same room with someone who's close to death,' Michelle explained. 'It's not chemical or poor hygiene, it's something entirely different.' She said she sometimes gets 'so overwhelmed' by the smell of her dad that she needs to sleep at friends' apartments. 'I wash my hands as if my sanity depended on it, and it probably does,' she added. 'When he touches my clothes (like a pat on my shoulder), I throw it in the washing machine the same day, even if it's just been cleaned.' She also claimed that she can tell when someone is expecting, because they too have a strong smell. 'I can smell it even before there's a belly, in the early weeks. I've guessed right and, sometimes, ruined the surprise for colleagues or friends,' Michelle said. She described the scent of pregnancy as 'intense and sweetish,' and while it's better than death, she said the smell is so 'intense' it often makes her nauseous. She revealed that sometimes she'll be walking down a crowded city street and suddenly start gagging if she passes someone who is expecting. 'I can smell it even before there's a belly. I've sometimes ruined the surprise for colleagues or friends,' she said of her ability to detect when someone's expecting (stock image) She also claimed to be able to use her nose to recognize her loved ones with her 'eyes closed,' as well as a whole array of other things. 'I can unfortunately smell when a man nearby is aroused (not necessarily by me, just in general), when people have had sex (disgusting, but I try to mind my own business), menstruation (sometimes even my own), colds and/or fevers, and many other things…' Michelle said. Michelle claimed that she's mentioned her unusual skill to doctors but none of them have taken it very seriously. She said its negatively impacted her life, and as someone who works in a grocery store, she often has to take breaks at work to get air due to the intense smells. 'At work, being in contact with the public, it's hell. Luckily I have a healthy work environment and they know I sometimes need to go out for air because I'm physically unwell,' she said. In the end, while she noted some may be jealous of her 'super-sense of smell,' she said she looks at it as more of a curse than a blessing. 'I consider it more of a curse given how it tends to at least partially ruin my life,' she concluded. 'I'd gladly trade it for an 'ordinary' nose without a second thought.' According to Very Well Health, there's a condition known as hyperosmia which involves having a 'heightened sense of smell.' Michelle recently opened up about her talent on Reddit, and in the comment section, some people confessed that they too have a similar ability 'Some people are simply born with a stronger sense of smell (olfaction). The exact genes responsible for inherited hyperosmia are unknown,' the website states. 'Super smellers might even be able to detect medical conditions by scent alone. For instance, a 2019 study by the American Chemical Society showed that a super smeller could identify the 'musky' smell of Parkinson's disease from 64 sebum samples collected from people with and without the condition.' Michelle recently opened up about her talent on Reddit, where the post went viral, raking in more than 7,000 likes and hundreds of comments. In the comment section, some people confessed that they too have a similar ability, while others shared their experiences with friends or family members who seemed to be able to smell things about them. 'I was six weeks pregnant, hadn't told anyone at work and obviously wasn't showing,' one user wrote. 'My student comes up to me and whispers, "I just know you are pregnant, I can smell you."' 'My best friend can also smell pregnant women! So crazy,' added another. 'You're not alone. I smell everything so bloody strongly I want to cry just trying to walk through a subway tunnel downtown,' someone else shared. 'Some things are unmistakable smelling and a bit "louder" for me too - death, illness (diabetes, some cancers, anemia)... I've been able to smell pregnancy on myself before, and guessed it quickly on most others, but nothing I can identify I smelled for certain triggered that one. 'I stopped asking questions about the why's and the hows of it all, and started focusing on how to survive a commute without vomiting lol.' 'I can smell cancer and death. My grandmother died from cancer, and I never forgot the smell,' read a fourth comment. 'I've smelled cancer on other people's grandparents, a neighbor, my pet cat. I didn't realize it wasn't something that people couldn't regularly smell until recently. 'I can smell mild sickness before fever and symptoms set in. Like a stomach bug or flu, it's like the body is starting to sweat out what it can beforehand.'
