A comfy bralet, classic eyelash curler and brightening Charlotte Tilbury eye palette all made it into your basket this month. Here’s your top ten…
I get the distinct sense that you guys are easing into winter in a chilled fashion - much of this month’s most bought have a ‘down time’ vibe, from at-home aromatherapy to hot cloth cleansers and Christmas candles (never too soon). Scroll on for your most-loved this month…
Olaplex No 3 Hair Perfector, £24 for 100ml
It may not look particularly fancy or flashy but this basic white bottle hides a hair fortifying complex that can bring broken, bleached and colour ravaged hair back from the brink. It won’t happen overnight (although you can leave the pre-shampoo formula on while you sleep for extra nourishment), and it certainly doesn’t deliver “perfect” hair as the name would imply (no such thing) but it does help to rebuild broken bonds in hair caused by colouring and heat styling. In doing so it actively strengthens hair rather than simply glossing over rough cuticles and helps hair to hang onto colour and post-salon silkiness for longer. Combing it onto damp hair getting in the shower does add another step to your haircase routine, but the end results will make it worth your time.
O ribe Signature Shampoo, £31 for 250ml
If you want to follow up your Olaplex No 3 with something decadent and definitely more extravagant from a packaging POV, hairdresser’s favourite Oribe’s classic shampoo is the way to wash - I can imagine Elizabeth Taylor lathering up with this. First off there’s the smell - some Oribe fans buy the range for the rich amber scent alone, then the moisturising cleansing action - the formula uses plant based humectants such as coconut and oat starch to hydrate as it rinses away dirt, dust and grease. Keratin and hydrolysed keratin are added with the aim of protecting your hair shaft from damage and kaempferia galanga root extract adds a degree of UV and colour defence. Not cheap, but it does deliver on leaving hair soft and shiny.
Foamie Aloe Spa Shower Sponge, £7.99
Showering has clearly been a popular November activity among GTGers and this cream-cleanser loaded shower sponge has gone down particularly well in your shopping baskets and bathrooms. It’s a pretty simple idea (but a patented one) - a gently exfoliating natural sponge that’s ready soaked in pH-balanced soap that foams once it’s saturated with water. Give it a squeeze, buff and then hang out to dry. Smooth.
Disciple Night Shift Cleanser & Cloth, £26 for 100ml
Could you get any cleaner? This particular dirt buster wants to blow away the cobwebs in every sense - from the surface of your skin by way of a grime attracting plant oil and lightly exfoliating glycolic, lactic and and malic acid based formula and from your mind on account of the apparently adaptogenic properties of the thoughtfully blended plant extracts. The brand was founded by psychotherapist Charlotte Ferguson to alleviate stress and improve wellbeing by way of natural scent as well as provide tangible skincare benefits. Your daily wash just became a 360º wellness exercise.
Aromatherapy Associates Clear Mind Roller Ball, £18 for 10ml
Also bringing the calm in this on the go nerve settler - simple swipe over pulse points and inhale when you’d like to pretend you’re on a blissed out desert island rather than a cramped commuter train or hectic office. Chamomile and lavender soothe the senses while bergamot is uplifting and frankincense makes it even more apt for relieving Christmas shopping overwhelm.
Jo Loves Christmas Trees Candle, £55 for 185g
November may have been a little too early to put the tree up for some of you so apparently you lit this instead. Lavender, incense and amber make this slow-burner relaxing rather than overtly sweet and stimulating as many festive fragrance offerings tend to be - it’s warm, but not overpowering.
Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette of Pops in Starlight, £39 for four eyeshadows
By ‘pops’ the newly honoured Charlotte Tilbury MBE means gem-like glittery shades that catch the light and onlookers’ attention and these four gilt-edge eyeshadows do just that wherever you choose to blend them. Try keeping the focus at the inner eye or the centre of the lid to makes eyes look brighter and wider and offset smoke elsewhere. If you’re after party season sparkle but balk at anything too chunky or garish, Charlotte has done the legwork for you.
Kevyn Aucoin Eyelash Curler, £17
From a current makeup legend to a timeless icon of days gone by, Kevyn Aucoin’s eyelash curler remains a favourite among pro makeup artists the world over to this day - it’s perfectly angled to catch lashes of any length and send them skywards. The red rubber pad is designed so that you can see every lash and the shape adapts to lids of every size and shape without catching or painful nips (nothing worse).
Lululemon City Adventurer Backpack, £98
Yes, that’s a nigh on triple figure price tag just for a sack to keep your stuff in, but as rucksacks go, this sleek and sporty take is well thought out. There are compartments for almost everything you’ll need to cart around, from water bottles to laptops to phones, and a seperate ‘sweat bag’ in which to store your clammy gym kit as far away from your packed lunch as possible. It also looks streamlined and it’s very lightweight which makes it ideal for hauling all over town on a busy day. One for the Christmas list.
Marks & Spencer Lace Non-Padded Bralet, £20
This Rosie Huntington-Whiteley designed non-wired bralet make it into our edit of current comfortable underwear favourites (because wires that dig in and back clasps that chafe can stay on the shelf thanks). It’s available in sizes 6-22 and looks surprisingly chic for an easy slip-on bra that’s actually supportive. If you’re fed up with restrictive corset-like underwear options, RHW is here for you.