Latest news with #cultbeauty.co.uk
The Guardian
23-03-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
New-wave SPFs: 10 of the best
I never tire of banging on about SPF, which I wear 365 days a year, because I believe in its importance. It's a protective veil that lessens the chance of skin cancer. And the new wave of SPFs also combats a myriad of skin issues. There are SPFs that are super-hydrating, perfect for dry and mature skin types; SPFs for those constantly battling breakouts – it's important you have something that won't clog your pores and make things worse. There are SPFs for brightening and tackling pigmentation (which the sun has a habit of exacerbating), eradicating dark spots and keeping them at bay. For anyone caught up, even subliminally, in society's increasingly terrifying obsession with youth, the demand for tweakments has begun to wane. Now people in their 30s and 40s are having mini-facelifts, and while an SPF will do nothing to combat what you might consider a saggy jowl, anyone who uses an SPF consistently will absolutely have more youthful-looking skin than someone who doesn't. I still hear excuses about SPFs being thick and heavy and that they leave a white cast, but these iterations have mostly disappeared. Now you have sunscreen brands like Beauty of Joseon, so silky and light, they make wearing sunscreen dreamy. So there's no excuse. Because even without the health implications, at the very least, you will have better-looking skin. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. 1. Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics SPF 50+ (perfect for sensitive skin) £16, Emma Lewisham Sunceutical SPF 50 Mineral Face Crème (brightening and protects from pollution) £55, 3. Kate Somerville HydraKate Illuminating SPF 50+ Drops (illuminating and non comedogenic) £39, Shiseido Expert Sun Protector Cream SPF 30 (antioxidant rich, defends against pollutants) £37, 5. Naked Sundays Hydrating Glow Mist SPF 50+ (radiance boosting) £30, 6. Supergoop PROTEC(TINT) SPF 50 (comes in 14 shades) £40, 7. Ultra Violette Future Fluid Superlight Mineral Skinscreen SPF 50+ (lightweight and great for oily and sensitive skin) £38, 8. Mecca Cosmetica To Save Face SPF 50+ Matte Sun Serum (matt finish, great under makeup) £38, 9. Kosas DreamBeam Sunlit Comfy Smooth Sunscreen SPF 30+ (ceramides, peptides and hyaluronic acid for plumper, smoother more hydrated skin) £36, 10. Kopari Sunglaze Sheer Setting Mist SPF 50 (includes hyaluronic acid and vitamin C for hydrating and brightening) £30,
The Guardian
02-03-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
Get the glow with liquid highlighters
Liquid highlighters will give you luminous skin – quickly. Tap and blend on the bridge of your nose and the high points of your face, like your cheekbones. But avoid using them on the forehead, otherwise you will look greasy rather than glowy, especially in photographs. (Top tip, though: if you mix it in with your foundation, the results are sublime.) Solid highlighters are another option, but if you are new to this, they have disaster-waiting-to-happen written all over them. I once had a shimmering gold, solid highlighter smash in my bag. And yes, it was every inch as bad as it sounds. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. 1. Rare Beauty Luminizer Liquid Positive Light £24, 2. Vieve Nova Glow Liquid Light £27, 3. Saie Glowy Super Gel £22, 4. Dior Forever Glow Maximalist Highlighter £36, 5. Ilia Liquid Light Serum Highlighter £42, There is a small part of me that is cynical about the efficacy of a lot of the skincare gadgets around. Not to mention that the constant 24/7 manipulation of our faces cannot end well – there is only so much the face can withstand and still look normal. Also, there is a part of me that is really irritated by the labour of beauty – sacrilegious for a beauty editor, I know. Why do we have to work soooo hard and soooo constantly to make our faces 'better'? For what? For who? But the more basic argument than all the above is, at heart, when it comes to beauty I can't be bothered with anything that isn't easy. That said, I will go to lengths to discover a good facial, and I am always open to trying new ones. It's not with its perils – a recent not-so-good facial left my skin looking as clogged up as it did when I walked in. Happily, it coincided with me receiving the Sarah Chapman steamer. My easy saviour. You fill it up with water (a bit like you would an iron) and within seconds it emits steam that penetrates your pores, cleansing and declogging your skin. Using a mask afterwards will take the (Glowy! Clearer! Healthy looking!) results to the next level. It takes just five minutes (you can do it up to three times a week) and, honestly, I am obsessed. This is one gadget I can really get on board with. Sarah Chapman Pro Hydra Mist Steamer, £138, The multitool Doubling up as an exfoliator as well as a dark-spot corrector, this mask will give your skin a smoother, clearer texture and make the rest of your skincare work much harder. Dr Idriss Major Fade Flash Mask, £50, The equaliser Anyone battling dullness, dryness and hyperpigmentation should make a beeline for this lightly textured arbutin and niacinamide mask. Paula's Choice Radiance Renewal Mask, £36, The reviver One by an A-lister facialist. You can expect great things from this brightening, dark-spot diminishing mask. Kate Sommerville Mega-C 30% Vitamin C Brightening Facial, £63,
