Latest news with #CarolineHirons
The Guardian
20 hours ago
- Health
- The Guardian
From showstopping summer dresses to wildflower seeds: what you loved most this month
With each month that passes, we learn more and more about our readers. For one, you clearly love a bargain – the top budget choice in our group tests is often your favourite. You also love to get outdoors, whether that's a camping trip or a walk in the local park. So it was no surprise at all to see that our favourite budget walking boots and camping mattress were among your favourites, too. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Nor was it much of a surprise to see two bestsellers under £10: a bargain skincare pick much loved by Caroline Hirons and a wildflower seed mix to up the eco-friendliness of your gardens. Bargains aside, however, you also want to buy things that last, whether that's the vacuum cleaner that excelled in our thorough tests or a stunner of a dress to wear to weddings for years to come. Here's what you loved most in May. Garnier Body Repair body lotion £5.99 for 400ml at Amazon When we asked experts for the beauty products they've found gamechanging, we heard all kinds of recommendations, from fancy light therapy masks to vitamin C serums. But your favourite? This basic £5.99 body lotion. Of course, it might have helped that it was chosen by skincare guru Caroline Hirons. 'This incredible body lotion is my most used skincare product of all time,' she said. 'I've lost count of how many bottles I've got through. It has been around for 25 years, and my mum and nana used it almost as evangelically as I do.' Lee Rider loose jeans From £85 at Lee 'If you make one change to your wardrobe in 2025, switching to a loose jean shape should be it,' said Jess Cartner-Morley in her May style essentials. 'I have found the holy grail of jeans for grownups, which look cool but not ridiculous.' And many of you agreed, judging by the popularity of these jeans from heritage denim brand Lee. Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye £42 at Cult Beauty Beauty journalist Sabine Wiesel has tested plenty of eye creams and serums over the years – but perhaps what most qualified her to test 25 of them for us is the fact that she's afflicted with the issues they're designed to address. 'With undereye bags and dark circles revealing themselves when I haven't had enough sleep, and fine lines that began to appear as I hit my 40s, I'm the perfect candidate,' she said in our roundup of the best eye creams. Her favourite was this Medik8 formula, which contains retinal, an advanced retinoid 'known to work 11 times faster than standard retinol'. Her only negative? 'On a personal note, [that] I didn't start using this from an earlier age.' Simond inflatable trekking mattress MT500 £44.99 at Decathlon Camping season is upon us, and former science correspondent and regular camper Linda Geddes has been hard at work testing 26 camping mattresses. She tested each mattress on top of sharp stones, Princess and the Pea style, and left 20kg of boxes on them overnight to see which could avoid the midnight sag. Linda's top budget pick – this £44.99 inflatable mattress from reliable, affordable brand Decathlon – has been far and away your favourite. Colour block pleated midi dress £259 at John Lewis This showstopper of a dress was chosen as an ideal wedding-guest look by fashion writer Ellie Violet Bramley in our recent roundup of women's spring wardrobe essentials. 'The work of a popular recent collaboration between John Lewis and the British label Awake Mode, it's a beautifully bold rebuke to all those years of quiet luxury,' she wrote. 'Best worn for many years to come – and luckily the fit should mean it needs only very occasional (eco) dry cleaning.' Wildflower seed collection £3.89 at Amazon It's not often you can buy something that's beautiful, good for the environment, and cheap. But these £3.89 native wildflower seeds tick every box. 'An immaculate, weed-free lawn is becoming as taboo as an outdoor heater,' wrote professional gardener Matt Collins in our guide to making your lawn more eco-friendly. The lawn still plays an important role in many of our gardens, though, so a lot of you were tempted by the idea of introducing some biodiversity. We'd like to think that thousands of these flowers are blooming in your gardens by now. Shark IP3251UKT PowerDetect cordless vacuum cleaner £349 at John Lewis When we test products, we really test them: so when Andy Shaw rounded up the best cordless vacuums for us, he had to clean up flour, cat litter and pet hair (sourced from the local dog groomer) repeatedly, on both hard floor and carpet, with all 10 models. This Shark vacuum was his all-round favourite – and not only because it's an excellent cleaner. 'If there's one thing that makes cordless vacuum cleaners a pain, it's the emptying,' he said. That won't be the case with this one, though: 'It empties itself.' Native Union City Sling strap From £19.99 at Amazon Phone straps have become a must-have: 'On a practical level, it means you don't have to root around in your bag every time you need to check Google Maps for directions,' wrote deputy fashion and lifestyle editor Chloe Mac Donnell, and 'it could keep your mobile safer.' Your favourite of her pick of the best phone straps has been this 'minimalist, urban strap by Native Union, with nautical knots and an adjustable length to turn it from necklace to cross-body. One for the purists'. Merrell Moab 3 hiking boots Men's, £129.99 at DecathlonWomen's, £150 at Merrell Paddy Maddison has been back in the bogs testing men's hiking boots for the Filter – but the Merrell Moab 3s remain his favourite budget pick, and our readers' favourite. 'I'd recommend the Moab 3s to anyone looking for a comfortable, versatile hiking boot that won't completely drain their bank account,' he says. This versatility is their real strength. 'Whether you're strolling along coastal cliffs, bagging Wainwrights in the Lake District or traipsing around a field with the dog, this is the perfect boot for the job.' Mushroom wall light £38.40 at John Lewis 'In the past few years, rechargeable lights have become a mainstay,' said interiors expert Kate Jacobs in our guide to decorating small spaces. 'They work brilliantly in spaces where wiring is hard to access or looks ugly.' You've been loving this simple, dimmable design from John Lewis, which comes in eight colours and is now 20% off. Suspension trainer £19.99 at Decathlon Can you really fit a full-body workout into half an hour? Yes, according to personal trainer Nick Finney, in this guide to making the most of a power half hour. By attaching an affordable suspension band to the back of a closed door, and following the routine outlined in the article, you can 'improve strength while giving [yourself] a cardio workout, exercising your heart and lungs'.
Irish Independent
08-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Louise McSharry: ‘A friend was struggling with acne when a chance encounter with a drag queen changed her life'
There are some skincare brands that I believe allow you to do just that — feel confident that whichever of its products you choose, you'll be on solid ground. The following are brands I'd be happy to use a full skincare routine from, such is my faith in them. 1. Skingredients (via — When a brand is created by someone who has built a career around skin expertise, you can be fairly sure it's going to be good. Jennifer Rock's Skingredients is an excellent example of this. Rock spent years guiding people towards the products and practices which would result in their best skin through her business The Skin Nerd before using all her experience to formulate her own products. I highly rate every single product in this small but perfectly formed range. 2. Paula's Choice (via — A friend of mine was struggling with acne when a chance encounter with a drag queen in Belfast changed her life. 'You need Paula,' the queen said, and after ascertaining that Paula was referring to a skincare brand and not another drag queen, my friend made some purchases. She says it's the best thing she ever did. Unlike Skingredients, Paula's Choice has a very large range of products, which means almost every skin concern is covered. Unlike some large ranges, though, these products are really effective. If you're confused on which products are best for you, the brand has a guidance section on its website which includes a helpful skin type quiz. 3. No7 (via — A brand that needs no introduction, the Boots beauty brand was launched in 1935. In my lifetime, it's been such a constant presence that you'd be forgiven for overlooking it. When something is always there, you might forget about it. The launch of the brand's Future Renew range, however, led me to use a full No7 skincare routine, and I was impressed. The products are consistent and effective — I guess there's a reason the brand has been a success for 90 years! 4. Skin Rocks by Caroline Hirons (via — Caroline Hirons's skincare expertise became a staple in many a product-lover's life long before the launch of her brand, Skin Rocks, in 2022. After years of trusting Hirons's lead when it came to skincare products, I knew I could have faith in a range she was happy to put her name on. I could use only Skin Rocks products for the foreseeable and be happy. Buying Irish Influencer Lisa Jordan's beauty brand Luna has an impressive array of products in its range, with all bases covered from foundation to brows and mascara. The brand's new Butter Balm Lipsticks have a formula which delivers the pigment of a lipstick but the comfort and hydration of a balm. Honestly, they do feel a bit like butter! With a satin finish, Butter Balm Lipsticks are available in five shades, which include two pinks, two nudes and a red. Rumour has it there's not a Cork woman in the world who doesn't have a Luna by Lisa product in their make-up bag — I'm sure this will be a happy addition. Something old… When I think of cream bronzer, my mind immediately goes to Chanel's Les Beiges Bronzing Cream (€55 via I can't say for sure that it was the first bronzing cream on the market, but it was certainly the one that got everyone's attention. For years, it was the only cream bronzer anyone was talking about. Aside from the chic Chanel pot it comes in, the product itself is great. It blends beautifully, and thanks to a total lack of sparkle and shimmer, it mimics natural bronze brilliantly. Les Beiges Bronzing Cream was initially only available in one shade, which worked for lots of people but not those with dark or fair skin tones, so Chanel introduced two new shades a few years ago which means more people can enjoy the product. It's pricey, but a little goes a long way so a pot will last you ages. For me, even the light shade is too dark in the winter, but I'm looking forward to getting back to it this summer. ... Something new For many people, Benefit has been a go-to brand when it comes to bronzer for as long as they've worn make-up. Hoola, a matte powder bronzer, is incredibly popular thanks to its matte finish and soft texture which blend beautifully and, like the aforementioned Chanel product, deliver a realistic bronzing effect. Now, Benefit has brought a new Hoola to the party. Hoola Wave Original Cream Bronzer (€41 via contains jojoba seed oil, shea butter and avocado oil, which means it applies smoothly and leaves the skin feeling nourished. It's not so balmy that it slides around the face though — Hoola Wave stays where you put it. Available in an impressive five shades (this shouldn't really be impressive but unfortunately the bronzer market has a long way to go when it comes to inclusivity), this product will work on most skin tones. If you like the original Hoola, but would like to layer your bronzer or simply prefer a cream, you'll like this, which delivers the same shimmer-free natural finish as its predecessor.
Telegraph
07-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
What's going wrong at Kate Moss's beauty brand?
So where did it all go wrong for Cosmoss, the wellness and beauty brand fronted by supermodel Kate Moss that, according to some, was set to make her the next Gwyneth Paltrow? The range — comprising everything from herbal tea bags (£20 for 20) through cleansers (£52), moisturisers (£95) and perfume (£125) — launched in September 2022. However, records from Companies House show that the company's last accounts, for 2023, which were due at the end of December 2024, have yet to be filed, the Instagram account hasn't been updated for almost three months, and the products are being sold for a fraction of the original price — you can snap up the cleanser for £11.99 and the perfume for £39.99 — at online discount stores. For a start, according to many, the products just didn't stand up to scrutiny. Reviewing the range when it launched, beauty expert and founder of the Skin Rocks brand Caroline Hirons was unimpressed. Writing about the £95 face cream, she said: 'There is nothing revolutionary about this moisturiser, and the claims are designed to give the impression that it will do far more for your skin than it is scientifically capable of.' More broadly, she took umbrage, not at Moss entering the beauty arena, but at the fact that, with the overblown claims and underwhelming formulations, Moss didn't seem to be taking it seriously. 'We are an industry full of trained, qualified and quantified experts with proven track records,' she wrote. 'Feel free to join us […] but you need to meet us high up at our level, not invent your own 'whimsical' one that fuels the distrust and disregard for something that we all love so dearly.' But even distinctly average products can sell in their millions if you get the marketing plan right, and this was Kate Moss, the face that — over the years — has sold everything from Calvin Klein jeans to St Tropez fake tan. Previous ventures in her own name have hardly flopped — her first fashion collection with Topshop was an instant hit, boosting Topshop sales by an estimated 10 per cent. So why couldn't she sell her wellness range? Fundamentally there was a serious disjunct between what she was trying to sell and her image. After all, she's never exactly been synonymous with the wellness movement. And the fact that she'd signed to Diet Coke mere months before trying to flog us Cosmoss homeopathic teas didn't exactly help cement this as a brand that she'd poured her heart and soul into. 'Her reputation as a hardcore party girl did her no favours,' says Hirons. 'If she had bought out a make-up primer that made your face look as good as the night before the morning after, and a really sexy lip gloss or something, it would have flown. But the fact that Kate Moss brought out a wellness line just seemed to be taking the piss.' Other industry insiders, who didn't want to be named, agree. 'She's synonymous with smokey eyes, late nights and effortlessly edgy glamour. She should have gone for make-up. You could have had the Kate Moss eye, or the 3am face that still looks good,' one said. 'But wellness? She's more well known for her hedonism than her herbalism!' And that seems to be part of the key to the success of a celebrity brand – authenticity. Charlotte McCarthy has been in beauty branding and communications for more than 25 years, working with founder brands including Jo Malone London, Anya Hindmarch and Bibbi Parfum. She says: 'Celebrity brands go wrong when the individual doesn't live and breathe their product and purpose pre launch, at launch and after the launch. When you think about Gwyneth Paltrow, the Kardashians, Selena Gomez – they've built strong communities and a world you can access and feel part of. So when they launch a brand, it feels like a natural extension. 'But with Kate Moss and a wellness brand, it feels like people just didn't buy into it.' But Moss just didn't seem to do the graft that's required. Like it or loathe it, if you've got a brand, you need to be on social media. The likes of Paltrow, Trinny Woodhall and Rihanna are on Instagram all the time — not just plugging their wares, but engaging with a community. Moss just doesn't play the game. View this post on Instagram A post shared by COSMOSS (@cosmoss) 'The main thing that drives sales these days, especially if you're a celebrity, is community,' says Hirons. 'Think [Selena Gomez's brand] Rare Beauty, think Hailey Bieber [founder of Rhode Skin], which Kate Moss does not have. She doesn't talk to people, doesn't talk to the press, she's almost a recluse if you think about it. And fair play, she can do whatever she wants, but you can't then suddenly be surprised that you don't have this big community that come running when you release a product.' The apparent demise of Cosmoss should be a cautionary tale for any celebs looking to cash in on the beauty industry. Not least because some believe that it won't be long before the only way that celebrities will be able to make money from beauty is through their own brands, making the stakes even higher. Beauty marketing consultant Camilla Craven, who has worked with brands including Charlotte Tilbury and FaceGym, thinks the days of brands paying out for celebrity endorsements could be numbered. 'Brands are increasingly turning away from big-name celebrities towards micro-celebrities, who offer stronger engagement, and more targeted reach,' she says. 'They also tend to foster genuine trust within their niche communities, making their recommendations feel more authentic and persuasive.' She adds: 'As audiences grow weary of glossy, impersonal campaigns, it's this relatability and consistent presence that can deliver better ROI and lasting brand loyalty — especially when traditional celebrity endorsements often come with high costs.'
Business of Fashion
29-04-2025
- Business
- Business of Fashion
Caroline Hirons' Skin Rocks Lands First Growth Investment
Skin Rocks, the UK-based skincare brand founded by writer and esthetician Caroline Hirons, has received a growth investment to help fund its international expansion and the development of its professional line, the company announced on Tuesday. The round was led by UK-based firms Redrice Ventures and Jamjar Investments, with participation from Saffie Investments. Terms were not disclosed, but a spokesperson for Skin Rocks said the brand has generated over £10 million ($13 million) in net revenue since launching in 2022. In a statement, founder and chief executive Hirons said the brand was 'thrilled' to have the support of Redrice and Jamjar, which 'bring invaluable experience in scaling high-growth consumer brands.' The funding is earmarked to help expand the brand's professional business, Skin Rocks Pro, as well as expand its consumer-facing line and push into international markets, though the brand did not specify where. The 2022 launch of Skin Rocks was bootstrapped by Hirons, who rose to prominence on social media through her eponymous beauty blog, Instagram content and YouTube videos. In January 2025, she launched Skin Rocks Pro with more potent skin formulas marketed to aestheticians. This investment is the brand's first private equity fundraise. Hirons will remain majority shareholder, alongside managing director and shareholder Alexandra Forbes, who helped found the company. Learn more: The Changing Face of Caroline Hirons Hirons is arguably the most important figure in British beauty, but she'll test the limit of her authority as she transitions from skin care expert to brand founder with her line Skin Rocks.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Caroline Hirons: 10 things you need to do for great skin
When it comes to skin care, few hold as much sway as Caroline Hirons. Whether advising her hundreds of thousands of followers on how to tackle dry skin or seeking out the best product for itchy skin or acne, Caroline's steer is revered. Here, she outlines ten rules for really, really good skin. Less is more; people use too many products. My routine is simple: in the morning, I cleanse, use an acid on occasion, mist, put on eye cream, then apply serum — mine is called The Antioxidant (£70, — moisturiser, and, if I'm leaving the house, SPF. At night it's as little as two or three steps: I cleanse, apply my retinoid and follow with eye cream. I might throw on a moisturiser or oil afterwards if my skin feels dry, but not always. You really can get away with it being that simple. Remember the old 'grip don't slip' rule, too: if you're applying so much product that your skin is greasy, scale it back. Ditto if your make-up sits oddly or pills (where it bobbles as you apply your foundation), which are both signs of using too much product. Washing your face isn't good enough — you really do need to exfoliate. Cleanser will remove dirt and surface grime, but exfoliation, ideally done with an acid such as the Skin Rocks Gentle Acid (£49, really helps the skin to look smooth and healthy. Think of it as priming a canvas; I always tell people Picasso didn't paint on concrete and skin needs to be prepared properly too if you want it to look good. How often you exfoliate and which acid you should use depends on your skin. If your skin is oily, you will likely need salicylic acid, which will help to dissolve clogs in pores. Most people should exfoliate once or twice a week but if you're worried about wrinkles, you might need to do it more often as skin turnover slows when oestrogen is depleting. You don't need six serums or eye creams for different things. With my new eye cream (Skin Rocks The Eye Cream, £65, I purposefully made it to target lots of things at once. I wanted it to make an immediate difference to fine lines and wrinkles — without the benefits being washed away at the end of the day. By the way, that whole thing about applying your eye cream in three dots under your eyes is a mistake — for the best effect, you should apply it mostly to the side of your eye, where laughter lines gather. This is a cardinal rule, especially if you have acne. It's important to avoid harsh foaming cleansers that contain surfactants, which throw the skin out of balance and strip away natural moisture. A gentle version is fine, because that way you won't be dealing with dehydration as well as acne. Retinoid is a good way to go if you want to reduce acne — that's what it was originally used for. You may notice a slight reaction at first if using a good one, but I'm talking about it being a little pink, nothing dramatic. If it's red and sore, you should back off. We are a nation of boozers and it's just not good for you, full stop. If you're perimenopausal or menopausal, I'd suggest giving up alcohol entirely because when you have less oestrogen, the liver can't break down alcohol properly. Alcohol is especially bad for skin, causing dehydration and inflammation. I always tell people that they have every reason to stop, because the body starts to repair itself quite quickly, and you'll notice the difference in how your skin looks. Vaping is in the same category as smoking for me. It's horrendous for skin and lungs — and, trust me, anything that goes into your lungs goes into your skin. Yes, it may not have as much nicotine but it has formaldehyde and other crap. It also still means smokers' blackheads emerge, along with that grimy skin hue. Just as with alcohol, when you stop vaping, skin quickly starts to look lively again. Sugar causes glycation, which I describe as taking the joints out of the scaffolding holding up the building, meaning things start to collapse. If you're a sugar addict, at 50 you won't have the face you could have, and you absolutely won't look your best. Remember that sugar sneaks in everywhere — I'm not talking about the odd bit here and there, but rather the daily sugars hidden in foods such as bread, pasta and chips. Glycerin is an emollient that helps barrier function by repairing and softening skin, acting like a shield against the elements. As a primary ingredient, it's a much better hydrator than hyaluronic acid for lots of reasons. The claims made around hyaluronic acid are too big and it can be very aggravating for skin, especially if barrier function is compromised, but glycerin rarely causes those sorts of reactions. It seems mad to me that if people had a problem with a nail they'd go to see a podiatrist, or with their hair a hairdresser, but they would turn to the internet for advice before going to see a facialist. That's insulting and just completely wrong — we need to bridge the gap of trust between the professional world and the consumer. Remember too that a dermatologist is different from a facialist; you should go to a facialist when you want to take care of your skin's health and have overall maintenance, but visit a dermatologist for a specific issue. I pathologically avoid trends because they are part of marketing. If you want to know who to trust outside your facialist, look for someone who doesn't only talk about their own product. Brands I trust, aside from my own Skin Rocks — for which every product is clinically tested by a third party— include BYOMA, Sam Farmer, the INKEY List, Jordan Samuel Skin, and Josh Rosebrook; I like to know who's behind the brand, that's important for me.
