Latest news with #lowmaintenance
Vogue
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
The 12 Products You Need Now for an Effortless Summer
Nothing says summer like naturally glowing skin that's been kissed by the sun and lived-in hair that's been graced by the ocean. If summer isn't the time to embrace effortless style, then when is? Let your freckles take the spotlight (there's good reason our favorite It-girls have been known to draw theirs on). As for frizz? Consider it the chic new synonym for salty beach waves. If you haven't caught our drift, we're calling it now. The name of the game this summer is all about no-fuss, low-maintenance, and completely pared-back beauty style. We've curated your ultimate top shelf of 12 high-performance essentials from Bluemercury that simplify your routine without sacrificing results. From skincare-infused SPF and multi-tasking makeup to hair and body heroes, these products are designed to work harder so you don't have to–leaving you more time to soak up endless beach days and less time in the mirror. The Not-So Basic Basics If you only buy three products this season, make them these. Start with the ultimate base, Augustinus Bader The Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 with TCF8. This clean, lightweight formula offers broad-spectrum protection while supporting long-term skin health through the brand's signature TCF8 complex. It's where skincare meets suncare–and exceeds expectations. Next, a few swipes of Ogee's Crystal Contour Collection will go a long way. A trio of versatile sticks, these crystal-inspired shades of bronze, blush, and highlight, are buildable, blendable, and perfect for on-the-go glow. No brushes needed. Finish with Damage Reverse Serum by Virtue, a cream-to-serum treatment powered by Alpha Keratin 60ku to reverse damage, strengthen strands, and reduce breakage–consider it summer rehab for your hair. The Top Shelf Revamp If you're ready to upgrade (or perhaps overhaul) your entire top shelf, we have your ultimate lineup covered. In the sunscreen department, M-61's Perfect Body Spray Sunscreen delivers broad-spectrum protection with a luxurious coconut vanilla scent. Packed with antioxidants like vitamin E, green tea extract, aloe vera, avocado oil, and lavender, it hydrates, dries quickly, and leaves no white cast–ideal for beach days, lounging poolside, or a stroll in the sun. For extra sweat and water resistance, Supergoop's Play Everyday Lotion with Sunflower Extract SPF 30 is a fast-absorbing formula that's perfect for outdoor workouts and long hours under the sun. For skincare that quenches like a tall glass of water, reach for the cult-favorite, Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum. This award-winning hyaluronic serum delivers deep, lasting moisture and visibly plumps skin. Think of it as the white t-shirt of your skincare routine. The Everyday Beauty Look When it comes to makeup, this is the moment when doing the bare minimum will pay off. Lune + Aster's Vitamin C+E Lip Gloss offers high shine with a sheer tint and a nourishing antioxidant blend. Available in a range of summery shades–from golden peach to sorbet–it's moisturizing, wearable, and transitions seamlessly from day to night. We recommend keeping one in every bag. Pair it with the Victoria Beckham Concealer Pen–a second skin formula that brightens, conceals, and visibly improves your complexion over time. It's the only overage you'll need. The Au Naturale Go-To's For hair care that embraces a summer state of mind, R+Co's Essential Air Dry Blow Dry Crème will do the trick for frizz-free, smooth strands, whether you're air drying or heat styling. Finish with Maria Nila True Soft Argan Oil that softens and strengthens all hair types, without weighing hair down. Notes of vanilla, rose, and jasmine evoke summer in a bottle. Body care that levels up? Vacation's Shimmer Oil is the black tie of sunscreen, boasting two types of show-stopping shimmer—a pearlescent glaze alongside larger gold mica flecks as well as a blend of naturally derived oils that will turn any poolside moment into a dazzling evening out. As temperatures continue to rise, stay fresh with Evolvetogether's Deodorant. This plant-powered formula absorbs sweat, neutralizes odors, and most importantly, actually works. Feel fresh and smell great. Yes, both are possible. This summer, less really is more. With these 12 essentials, you'll spend fewer minutes getting ready and more time enjoying the season in all its radiant, sun-drenched glory. See you on the beach.
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
B&Q shoppers are racing to snap up incredible £5 plant that will keep flowering until the first frost
IF you're prepping your flowerbeds ahead of summer, one plant is sure to last well into autumn. You can pick up the popular flower from B&Q without breaking the bank. 2 This budget-friendly item will instantly brighten up your garden this summer. Add these colouful flowers to your pots, hanging baskets, and flowerbeds to create a "long-flowering" look. B&Q is currently selling Petunia Frenzy Mixed F1 6 Plug Plants for a lower price than ever, at just £4.99. This Petunia "Frenzy" mixture produces large blooms in "an array of beautiful colours throughout the summer months". And these plants are also known to survive until the first frost, providing a "bold and reliable splash of low maintenance colour which you can enjoy all season long". These plants have a compact upright look, making them suitable for filling small spaces all around your garden. Petunias can also be used to create impressive container displays throughout your outdoor space. When they bloom, these "large trumpet-shaped flowers" create a "mixture of vivid shades all summer long and into autumn". Simply pinch out the growing tip of each stem to encourage branching, helping to form a bushier plant which will produce more flowers later on. Once the weather is warm enough, you can gradually acclimatise petunias to outdoor conditions over a period of 7 to 10 days. I hate my new build garden being overlooked so found a 5 METRE privacy fence to block out nosy neighbours for under £30 Make sure to select baskets, window boxes, and containers with good drainage and place them directly in the sun. Experts recommend feeding and watering petunia plants regularly, particularly during hot, dry periods. You should also regularly deadhead your petunia flowers to encourage further blooms throughout the summer. And the sooner you plant these B&Q buys the better as they will beging flowering in early summer. Petunias are also known to be low maintenance so you don't even need to be a green-fingered pro to see your garden flourish. Meanwhile, a Home Bargains buy is said to add a touch of glamour to your garden. And shoppers can also pick up a £9.99 novelty decor buy that adds character to flowerbeds. A £7 gardening gadget is also available from Home Bargains and is guaranteed to transform your lawn. 2
Forbes
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Your E-Bike Questions, Answered By An Expert
Answers to your e-bike questions Connor Swegle, co-founder and CMO of Priority Bicycles in New York, helped start his company via a 2014 Kickstarter campaign. The brand's selling points were a low-maintenance bike with a belt drive instead of a chain, and selling directly to consumers. The response was overwhelming, in terms of orders and interest in the low-maintenance aspect. The company's been riding smoothly – pun intended – ever since. I've personally owned two of the brand's bikes, and found them to be stellar. So I figured Swegle would be the ideal person to ask common questions people have about e-bikes these days. What's the latest in e-bike technology? Because they've made an investment, people with e-bikes are concerned about leaving them outside during the day. It can be life changing if they're able to separate from a car, and speed up the day by having more accessibility with when and where they can go throughout the day. So some of the high-tech security options for people who aren't able to cover their bike in a safe space all the time are really interesting. Another area is the expansion into the e-cargo bike space, where you can take some of the reliance off of cars and still achieve everything you need in your day. The quality of that experience is really life changing. We're also working on some lower-power e-bike models that make the bike lighter and make the ride quality just like a regular bike that you're used to. But instead of riding two or three miles somewhere, you're able to do seven. You could be on your bike the whole day while having support. So if you're out socially, you're not worried about sweating. If you want to just ride a little bit more to get places and be active, you can have the support to just be comfortable doing it all day. They help you be more mobile throughout your day. What's an e-bike's longevity? Make sure you're keeping an eye on the bike's safety – air in the tires, properly working gears, and no weird rattles or malfunctioning. If your bike can go 22-to-24 mph, that's a lot of speed that could go south if you're having a mechanical issue. So make sure you're assessing the bike's state every couple of weeks. That means tune-ups, if you feel like your gears are going out. And that could be every two months for a frequent rider or a seasonal thing for infrequent riders. If you take really good care of a low-end, sub-$1,000 e-bike, you'll get two years of good use out of it. There's a reason a higher-end e-bike costs more. The motor is more durable, the support is better, and you could get up to six years of rigorous use with it. Seems like a big difference between pricier and cheap bikes. When shopping, it's important to assess how often you're going to use a bike, and how you want it to perform. If you're looking at it as a car replacement, as a daily driver, or if you're taking kids on it, don't shop by price first. Instead, start with features and benefits, and then figure out your price tier and find the best option with those features that you really need. Far too many people buy cheap, and it's a dangerous play. Cheaper bikes are harder to get repaired. Some shops won't work on certain low-cost e-bikes, and you don't want to ride something unsafe. What to consider when buying a cargo e-bike? Make sure it can support all of the weight. Cheaper models may only hold 250 pounds. If you're an adult rider, that can be 200 pounds. Add your kid, an extra bike seat for your child, and extra gear or other stuff you're toting, and you're quickly at the bike's weight limit. Also consider balance: Back-heavy models put additional strain on the rear, so the front can get relatively light, which isn't great when your kid's on the back. So look at the battery placement. More towards the middle or middle front helps in the cargo tier. Some models have a double rail in the back, or a rail outside of the kids hands. That's a huge benefit. If kids can put their hands on the outside rail, that concerns me. Also see if they offer kids covers for the rear wheel so that the child's clothing or shoelace doesn't get pulled into the spokes. Any suggestions about expediting charging speeds? Never buy a higher-amped aftermarket, off-brand charger. When you hear about battery fires, that's not happening generally with UL tested or high-end, name brand systems. And don't use an aftermarket charger that isn't set up for your system. You can get faster, name brand chargers for the higher-end batteries. When you get your e-bike, look into the charging amperage and see if there are options for higher amps to charge the battery faster. Outside of that, plan to regularly charge it when you get home at the end of the day. Best way to maximize battery range? If you have a throttle, don't hammer it down. The best way to maximize battery range is staying in low pedal assist, and letting the motor do its work. If you see a hill coming up, just notch up your pedal assist – rather than hitting the throttle. When you hit that throttle, the battery and motor do all the work. But when you just up that pedal assist and pedal a little bit harder, you'll double that power. It's much more efficient.
The National
21-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Abu Dhabi cyberdog could support elderly in social care
Displayed at Gitex Europe in Berlin, 'Byte' is promoted as a low-maintenance alternative to man's best friend
National Post
20-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
MoistureShield® Expands Distribution in Western Canada with Timberstone Distribution Partnership
Article content ATLANTA — MoistureShield ®, a signature brand of Oldcastle ® APG, announces a new distributor partnership with Timberstone Distribution in Western Canada. This will expand the manufacturer's composite decking portfolio throughout Western Canada, including British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and parts of Northern Ontario. Article content Several of MoistureShield's wood composite decking product lines are now available through this partnership with Timberstone Distribution, including the Vision ® *, Meridian ™*, Elevate ™ and Vantage ™ lines, which feature the Solid Core Difference. MoistureShield's solid core construction, which has seen no field failures in over 30 years, features an impermeable barrier that fights damage from moisture, rot, insects and other harmful elements to provide a low-maintenance decking material specially engineered to last. The brand's CoolDeck ® Technology is the first of its kind to deliver surface heat absorption solutions. Article content 'We're thrilled to join forces with Timberstone Distribution, bringing MoistureShield's ® innovative composite decking solutions to contractors and homeowners across Western Canada. Timberstone is a fitting partner for us in that they are willing to go the extra mile for their customers and their partners,' said Chris Hayn, Executive Vice President, Oldcastle APG. 'This partnership with Timberstone will enable Canadian builders to access quality MoistureShield products through a Canadian distributor who understands local needs.' Article content A family-owned company, Timberstone has a long history in serving Western Canada's construction and service industry. Article content 'We are Canadian-owned and operated, giving us insight into what our local customers need and expect,' said Curtis Koehler, CEO of Timberstone. 'We pride ourselves on our ability to bring high-quality and value-oriented Interior & Exterior building products like MoistureShield to our customers.' Article content MoistureShield's composite decking products** are almost entirely made from recycled materials with post-consumer plastic, industrial plastic, wood fibers and other recycled content accounting for 95% of its Vision ®, Meridian™, Elevate™ and Vantage™ boards' composition. A leader in its category for innovation and sustainability, MoistureShield decking contributes to LEED green building certifications, diverts 27 million pounds of plastics from landfills, and recycles more than 65 million pounds of wood fiber every year, sparing the equivalent of 15,000 trees. Article content * Vision and Meridian decking lines are approved for use in California Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) zones. **Does not include Stratos Composite Enhanced PVC Decking. Article content MoistureShield is the signature composite decking brand of Oldcastle APG, a CRH Company and leading provider of outdoor living and building materials. MoistureShield manufactures innovative composite deck boards with protective cap, color and surface technologies that create a natural wood look with the ability to withstand impact and water submersion. The brand's CoolDeck ® Technology is the first of its kind to deliver surface heat absorption solutions. For more information, visit Article content About Oldcastle ® APG Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Article content
