Latest news with #KateSomerville
Scottish Sun
01-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Beloved British skincare brand to DISAPPEAR from shop shelves after 25 years as consumer giant pulls plug
Unilever said it was a 'difficult decision" to dismantle the British brand WASHED AWAY Beloved British skincare brand to DISAPPEAR from shop shelves after 25 years as consumer giant pulls plug Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BELOVED British beauty brand is to disappear from shop shelves, Unilever has confirmed. Beauty brand REN Clean Skincare is being cut after a quarter of a century with its parent company citing 'internal factors' and 'market challenges'. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Its legendary Ready Steady Glo AHA tonic developed a fanatical following Credit: supplied 4 Unilever is a massive consumer conglomerate worth over £89bn Credit: Reuters 4 The company vaguely blamed internal and market difficulties for the closure Credit: Reuters Consumer behemoth Unilever announced that it took the 'difficult decision' after realising that the brand was 'unable to sustain success in the long term.' Whilst there is no set date for the sensitive skincare brand's closure, they predicted that the brand will be terminated by the end of the year. Last August, Sky reported that the consumer giant was trying to offload both REN Skincare and Kate Somerville, but neither has been sold. A spokesperson said: 'We are proud of the REN team for all they have accomplished during 25 years of business, putting 'clean' skin care on the agenda and creating positive change for both people and planet and thank them as they continue to support us through this closure.' The pioneering brand which was ahead of the 'clean beauty' trend was founded by Rob Calcraft and Anthony Buck in 2000. Some of its prestigious products, such as Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Toner (£30,) and the Evercalm range (£75), developed a cult following. Its innovative approach to skincare attracted the attention of Unilver's prestige Brand director, Vasiliki Petrou. Unilever bought the company for an undisclosed amount in 2015. Under Petrou's mentorship, the 2023 turnover ballooned to £1.2bn. However, last year she left the department, and almost immediately, profits started to dip. After she left, REN reduced the number of its skincare products by a third in an attempt to 'modernise' and crack the US market. But just last August, trouble was in the works as the division reported 'muted' profits. Under Petrou Unilever's Prestige department also gobbled up other clean beauty brands such as Dermalogica and Kate Somerville, which are currently still available.
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Beloved British skincare brand to DISAPPEAR from shop shelves after 25 years as consumer giant pulls plug
A BELOVED British beauty brand is to disappear from shop shelves, Unilever has confirmed. Beauty brand REN Clean Skincare is being cut after a quarter of a century with its parent company citing 'internal factors' and 'market challenges'. 4 4 Consumer behemoth Unilever announced that it took the 'difficult decision' after realising that the brand was 'unable to sustain success in the long term.' Whilst there is no set date for the sensitive skincare brand's closure, they predicted that the brand will be terminated by the end of the year. Last August, Sky reported that the consumer giant was trying to offload both REN Skincare and Kate Somerville, but neither has been sold. A spokesperson said: 'We are proud of the REN team for all they have accomplished during 25 years of business, putting 'clean' skin care on the agenda and creating positive change for both people and planet and thank them as they continue to support us through this closure.' The pioneering brand which was ahead of the 'clean beauty' trend was founded by Rob Calcraft and Anthony Buck in 2000. Some of its prestigious products, such as Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Toner (£30,) and the Evercalm range (£75), developed a cult following. Its innovative approach to skincare attracted the attention of Unilver's prestige Brand director, Vasiliki Petrou. Unilever bought the company for an undisclosed amount in 2015. Under Petrou's mentorship, the 2023 turnover ballooned to £1.2bn. However, last year she left the department, and almost immediately, profits started to dip. After she left, REN reduced the number of its skincare products by a third in an attempt to 'modernise' and crack the US market. But just last August, trouble was in the works as the division reported 'muted' profits. Under Petrou Unilever's Prestige department also gobbled up other clean beauty brands such as Dermalogica and Kate Somerville, which are currently still available. 4
The Guardian
18-04-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
At last – mineral sunscreens that don't make you look like a ghost
I never thought I'd write so uncritically about a mineral sunscreen, but what follows is an unequivocal rave. Sunscreens that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide (rather than synthetic chemical filters) can be useful, even essential, for those with highly sensitive and reactive skin. They tend not to cause the stinging or streaming eyes common with synthetics, and some studies show they're a more helpful option for those with melasma and other pigmentation issues. They also play well with makeup, while some synthetics can ball up and peel off when applying foundation. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. But all this goodness comes with a short but significant cons list: minerals are heavier, greasier and leave a trace, ranging from a fine, chalky veil to a ghostly white cast. It isn't pleasant for anyone, but is particularly intolerable on deeper skin tones. Nowhere near as many consumers enjoy using mineral sunscreen as they do modern, light, fluid, invisible synthetic alternatives, and I don't blame them. But they now have cause to reconsider. Ultra Violette's Future Fluid SPF50+ (£38) is, without question, the best mineral sunscreen I've ever used. It's unlike any I've tested before and is damn near perfect. It has a light, fluid texture that, while dewy and moisturising, is without the suffocating feel of traditional minerals (and thanks to the use of the somehow ungreasy oil squalane, it's suitable for combination and moderately oily skins). It's fragrance-free, and gentle enough for me to use all around my eyes – no stinging, itching or streaming. But best of all, it is almost clear, leaving zero white cast, even when applied lavishly enough that I can skip moisturiser altogether. 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 It is a feat of product development that has essentially delivered a mineral sunscreen for people who hate mineral sunscreens, and further fuelled my belief that the best SPFs in the world are now Australian. That said, US teen brand Bubble is also upping the mineral SPF game. Its Solar Mate Daily Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 (£19) is designed for adolescents but can be used by anyone and is very good. It's a tad heavier than the Ultra Violette, but comfortable and ungreasy, and although the cream is near-opaque, it sheers out almost imperceptibly. This pump dispensing tube is great for keeping in your handbag and well priced for a mineral. Kate Somerville's new HydraKate Illuminating SPF50+ Drops (£39) are also very impressive, giving visible glow without the telltale floury tinge and leaving skin well hydrated and ready to accept makeup. I can't help feeling that mineral sunscreens are about to change for ever. It's about time.
The Guardian
30-03-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Retinol serums: 10 of the best
We should all be using retinol. I say this as someone who constantly drops the ball on her own retinol use. When I get a treatment from yet another facialist who says, 'You need to use retinol more consistently', I have to resist the urge to retort, 'I know!' because I am well aware that, considering the benefits of retinol, not using it is simply daft. It promotes cellular turnover and stimulates collagen production, all of which slow down as we age. It diminishes the appearance of fine lines, unclogs pores (great for acne-prone skin), reduces the skin's propensity for hyperpigmentation, promotes even skin tone and smooth texture. Just remember these things: start slowly (once or twice a week) and build from there; for ongoing results be consistent; apply at night and use SPF in the morning as retinol increases the skin's sensitivity to the sun. Many people shy away from retinol due to fear of irritation, but I think it just needs better PR. The formulations that make your skin flake off are now few and far between. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. 1. Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 Night Serum £49, Lancôme Rénergie CRX Triple Serum £60, 3. Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum £72, Sarah Chapman A2 Vitamin A Power 2 Face Serum £115, 5. Skin Rocks Retinoid 2 Vitamin A Face Serum £75, Farmacy 1% Vitamin A Retinol Serum £58, CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum £17.25, Kate Somerville Mega A Skin Transforming Serum £72, Elizabeth Arden Retinol + HPR Ceramide £75, 10. Murad Retinal ReSculpt Body Treatment £79,
The Independent
28-01-2025
- Health
- The Independent
The Ordinary's retinal is the 'most affordable and effective', according to a beauty editor
From high-tech LED face masks to the most hyped luxury brands, skincare can come with a hefty price tag. So, when a brand like The Ordinary offers affordable products that can get the job done, they earn a spot on beauty editors' watch-lists. Indeed, from its retinol to its retinal offerings, you won't find The Ordinary leaning into superfluous bells and whistles. That means no fragrance, no elaborate packaging, and instead, a roster of solid, no-frills formulas that we can always count on when our disposable income is looking, well, not so disposable. One such product that is firmly on our radar, is The Ordinary's retinal 0.2% emulsion (£15.20, Pocket-sized and potent, this little serum has the power to firm and fill lack-lustre skin thanks to its vitamin A-derived formula. The difference between retinol and retinal lies in the fact the latter is further along the vitamin A cycle, so it works faster on fine lines, boosting cell turnover and all its other anti-ageing benefits. Keep reading for everything you need to know about The Ordinary's formula, plus our tried and tested review. With similar products from competitors – think Medik8, Kate Somerville and K-beauty brand Naturium – costing around £50, The Ordinary offers a more affordable, and, in some cases, more effective formula. The Ordinary's retinal 0.2% features skin-protecting oats to combat the potential irritation that can go hand-in-hand with vitamin A formulas, especially given this retinal's quick-working nature. Take it from beauty editor Lucy Partington who reviewed the product for our review of the best retinol creams and found it 'the most affordable and effective retinal formula'. She enjoyed both the addition of calming oats for any dryness or inflammation and said that it is 'suitable for all skin types'. Plus, boosting the product's value for money even more, she added that 'only a pea-sized amount is needed a couple of times a week', meaning this tube should 'last you a few months'. If you've been considering adding vitamin A to your nightly skincare, this retinal is the way to go. We'd recommend introducing it into your routine gradually, increasing and decreasing use at your skin's pace to minimise any reactions.
