Latest news with #AuntieFlo
Metro
7 days ago
- Health
- Metro
Byoma launches new Blemish range to target breakouts for all ages
Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more BYOMA first launched in 2022, and ever since it has gone from strength to strength. There are numerous products I have tried, tested and adored. But the new six-piece Blemish range from Byoma has blown my socks off. In recent years I have been plagued with hormonal breakouts, more so than I did when I was a teenager – who would have thought it? I have tried so many products and home remedies, even supplements to help beat the breakouts bubbling under the skin when Auntie Flo comes knocking, but nothing quite gets rid of them for good. Even if the redness and whitehead disappears, it often leaves a raised lump, or redness I can't shift, only for it to reappear a few weeks later with vengeance. I have my best friend's wedding approaching, and I'm a bridesmaid, so I have been more conscious of my skin than ever. Unsurprisingly, my skin has decided to have a flare up, and I have erupted in more boils and red bumps on my face than I care to admit. Thankfully, BYOMA sent me its new Blemish range ahead of its official release in Boots stores, and it's making quite the impact on my skin already. The six-part range includes face and body products, but I have mainly been testing the face products of late in the hope I'll get a clear complexion once again. Spoiler: In three days I've noticed a huge difference already. It's commonplace for blemish busting products to be quite drying on the skin, or burn as it hits the spot. But not BYOMA. This collection has been formulated to treat the breakouts, clear those blemishes, but without compromising the skin barrier, or stripping my skin of its moisture. Not only is this rare, but it's essential considering this is designed for all ages and sensitivities. Instead, BYOMA has patented its Clearamide Complex with salicylic acid to treat those blemishes, but strengthen the skin's barrier, which can be the cause for some breakouts. I cleanse morning and night, sometimes even twice in the evening, but this doesn't stop a breakout. Lately, I have been leaning on BYOMA's Clearing Cleanser to remove the dirt and grime lingering on my skin, and to unclog congested pores in the morning and evening. Unlike other toners I have tried over the years, BYOMA's Redness Relief Soothing Toner is super gentle on the skin. Interestingly, it is a spray rather than a liquid formula that needs to be applied sparingly to a cotton pad and swept across the face. This toner is ultra gentle, in fact I'd say it's more like a face mist. For the more aggressive breakouts on my skin, I have applied the Blemish Clearing Paste directly to those areas to minimise the redness, and treat that specific spot by pulling out its impurities. It applies like a clay mask, and leaves behind a chalky texture that is slightly coloured, so I would recommend applying at night. Though wait until it has dried to put your head on the pillow. Just like the toner, this product doesn't sting or cause my breakout to react like other spot treatments, which can leave my skin more inflamed. More Trending The moisturiser is also a dream to apply. If I didn't know any better I would assume it was like any other lightweight, oil-free moisturiser to hydrate my skin. However, it is packed with skin-loving and acne-busting ingredients that help to nourish the skin, repair the skin barrier, and minimise any pigmentation. Every item in the collection is super affordable, as it ranges from £9.99 to £14.99. The best part is this collection is suitable for all ages, so whether you are a teen having a breakout or an adult, this range offers gentle yet effective solutions. Formulated with 25 salicyclic acid, bakuchiol, green tea extract and allantoin, which combine to provide a potent treatment to reduce excess sebum on the skin that can contribute to clogged pores and breakouts, as well as combat post-blemish marks. Green tea extract is the key ingredient to calm stressed and inflamed skin. It is a milky texture that blends into the skin and is not drying. BUY NOW FOR £12.99 This toner comes in a fine mist spray form, which is unlike other toners and more like a face mist – just more has been formulated using panthenol, heartleaf extract, BYOMA's signature Clearamide Complex and chamomile extract. Not only does it treat breakouts, but it also hydrates and soothes the skin. It has also been claimed to improve the skin barrier by 60% within one hour. BUY NOW FOR £12.99 I love a spot treatment, especially when I want to double down on a particular area and target a specific aggressive breakout, which this paste is great for. It contains salicylic acid, Kaolin Clay, as well as Camphor and Kojic Kaolin Clay works to extract the impurities to treat the spot's source, while salicylic acid also helps to unclog pores. It has been clinically proven to decrease redness in 30 minutes, and the size of spots in 24 hours, which I can attest to. An aggressive spot on my cheek was visibly reduced in size and soreness when I left this on overnight. BUY NOW FOR £9.99 My skin always needs a moisturiser to keep it hydrated, but one that is safe to wear in the daytime and nighttime without stinging or irritating my skin is a new level of innovation in my eyes. This formula is enriched with 1.5% salicylic acid, bakuchiol and Clearamide Complex. It is oil-free, lightweight in texture, easy to blend, and suitable for those with sensitive skin. BUY NOW FOR £13.99 For those who suffer with 'bacne', uneven skin tone or texture on your back, this body wash is a simple step in your beauty routine to treat it. The formula contains a prebiotic complex to soothe the skin barrier, as well as salicylic acid to reduce any active spots or post-blemish marks. BUY NOW FOR £13.99 Some are put off of wearing body lotion in fear it may clog their pores further, but that's the opposite effect of this body lotion. BYOMA has called on lipid-rich oils, including safflower, jojoba, and soybean to hydrate the skin, while salicylic acid targets the clogged pores. It is lightweight and non-greasy on the skin, but also fast absorbing so you can apply your clothes afterwards without feeling greasy. BUY NOW FOR £14.99 Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Share your views in the comments below MORE: This new Trinny London serum is a non-negotiable in my skincare routine MORE: One P. Louise skincare base is sold every minute – and it's your multitasking beauty essential MORE: Everything you need to know about Korean skincare brand Anua – including our favourite buys Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
Irish Examiner
05-07-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Esther McCarthy: Period dignity should never be a luxury item
Auntie Flo is visiting. The painters are in. It's shark week. The things, the yokes. Code red. On the rag. The curse. Bloody Mary is in town. A visit from the red fairy. These are all euphemisms I've heard since the day I got my first period, age 12. That last one — the red fairy — I only ever heard from one girl, I knew her in secondary school. I like to believe she's now living a life full of whimsy in a cabbage patch cottage on the edge of a bluebell-filled wood. I liked her. As I type, we're getting ready for a reader event in Cork with my colleague, Feelgood editor, Irene Feighan and guest speaker Shalini Wiseman, a chartered physiotherapist in women's health at Pelvic Health Programmes. It's called Coffee & Conversation, and it's all about making your wellbeing a daily priority. We're hoping for an open, informative chat on women's sexual health. But it got me thinking about how being advocates for our own health, starts with how we're taught about our bodies. Sure, I didn't even know I had a vagina until I was in secondary school. We never called it a vagina, let me tell you. There were no hand-mirror shenanigans in the suburbs of Cork in the 1980s. And when I did get my period, I was unprepared, to say the least. It turns out tomboys are not immune to biological realities. I was in denial for a while. I thought if I just ignored it, it might just go away. And it did! For about three and a half weeks, and then whabammo! Leak week. I guess it's called a cycle for a reason. The whole vibe back then was that your period was something embarrassing, shameful, something to be hidden and endured until, like the tides (crimson or otherwise), it rolled in again the next month. It was like Thanos. Inevitable. It was something boys in school sniggered at or used as an insult. If a fella found out you had your period, it was mortifying. It became a weapon to be used against you. I was determined my kids wouldn't see it that way. Since they were tiny boys, it's been treated as a normal fact of life in our house. No mysterious red fairies for them. I'd tell them each month, or whenever I was buying those quare products with the sticky wings, that a period is when blood comes out of the vagina as part of the menstrual cycle. It happens because the uterus builds up a soft lining each month in case a pregnancy happens. If it doesn't, the body lets go of that lining — and that's what a period is. It's normal, healthy, and a sign that the body is working the way it's meant to. By the time I got to the end of that sentence, they were usually off shooting pretend webs in their Spider-Man rig-outs. 'Spinning webs is nothing compared to what the female reproductive system can do!' I'd shout after them. 'We can CREATE LIIIIIFE!' Side note: Aww! I just got a flashback to how much they adored Spider-Man. Each of them wore the costume as their main outfit for most of their early years. I can chart their childhoods by who their favourite Spider-Man was: Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, Tom Holland, and the best of the best — Miles Gonzalo Morales. But I digress. I may not have been well informed, but I was lucky enough to always have what I needed, there was a cupboard in the bathroom in our house where there was always a supply of pads and tampons, but that's simply not the case for everyone. Nearly one in four women in Ireland have experienced period poverty, according to the 2022 Healthy Ireland Survey. Imagine being a teenage girl in school, with those sniggering boys around you, worrying whether you're bleeding through your uniform. Dignity shouldn't be a luxury item. Back to the coffee and conversation event. Caring and sharing — it's something women do well, right? As part of the 25th anniversary of Feelgood, Irene recently initiated the Irish Examiner Women's Health Survey 2025, and wow, does it highlight the fact that women in Ireland face significant systemic gaps. And not just in reproductive health, but across the spectrum, from period pain management and fertility awareness, to PMS support, mental health, and GP care. What's both infuriating and quite sad is that, despite growing awareness, many women in Ireland still report feeling uninformed, isolated, or blocked from accessing basic health services. The survey revealed that more than 40% of women report difficulty getting a GP appointment. How can we take responsibility for our health if we are facing barriers to something as basic as routine care? Acknowledging these gaps is one way to dismantle taboos. We're crying out for information, access, and ready for better policies, better supports, better conversations. And coffee. Really good coffee. Period. Read More How wellbeing festivals have grown more popular in Ireland
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
The Documentary Podcast Auntie Flo: Making plants dance
Brian D'Souza, aka Auntie Flo, is a Scottish musician, DJ and sound recordist who has played at some of the biggest festivals and clubs around the world. His compositions fuse field recordings from around the globe with cutting edge production techniques to transport the listener to different places and states. He has spent the last few years trying to bring together the natural and electronic worlds, experimenting with a complex setup of sensors and synthesisers to create music from plants. Last year he released an EP called Mycorrhizal Funghi that sampled the sounds of four different mushroom species and a full-length album called In My Dreams (I'm A Bird And I'm Free), built from field recordings and genres from across the world. Tom Raine follows Brian on a trip to Kenya and Goa to conduct field recordings and create plant music for a brand-new album and a listening app he is developing. This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from In the Studio, exploring the processes of the world's most creative people.
