We ring in the height of spring with bigger hair, glowier skin and far less pasty limbs than we settled for all winter
A foundation that doubles as skincare, a hair volumiser that treats your scalp and an SPF that fights pigmentation. Who says the latest beauty products can't work wonders?
The viral second skin tint: Yves Saint Laurent Nu Bare Look Tint , £27
"This latest launch from YSL is a lightweight foundation that is part of the new NU collection, created to 'enhance your natural beauty' with skincare and makeup hybrids. More like a tinted moisturiser, it leaves my skin dewy and glowy which is right up my street. Ingredients include hyaluronic acid and glycerin, both of which hold moisture in the skin and brightening agents to amp up your glow. There are 20 shades which veer a little too much towards the lighter end of the spectrum for my tastes; some more diverse shades would be great to see in future. Overall I love the way this leaves my face looking and feeling juicy." Amy Rostas, GTG Beauty and Social Media Assistant
The suits-everyone multi-tasker: La Roche-Posay Pure Niacinamide 10 Serum, £38
"So you’ve got the message that retinol (or alt-retinols such as bakuchiol for the more sensitive) and vitamin C are the heroes of your age-well skincare routine. Now meet the third member of the gang niacinamide . It’s an antioxidant also known as vitamin B3, it goes with everything and does almost everything from balancing oil production to knocking back pigmentation and helping the build skin barrier. According to Dr Emma Wedgworth, it works best in concentrations of five to ten per cent and this super silky serum with moisturising glycerine has the full ten. What’s more, it’s a delight to use. If you have oily skin this could be your straight-up moisturiser, if for dry skin like mine skin it makes a great hardworking base. For speed, I mix it with mix high strength vitamin C for daytime brightening.” VW
To get a youthful glow: Beauty Pie Youth Bomb Concentrate, typical price £185, members pay £44
"Radiance is the hallmark of healthy skin, but how do you get it? Of course, eating a healthy diet, getting lots of sleep, leading a stress-free life and using suncream daily are your basics, but if not all of those are in your orbit right now you may be interested to know that clever Beauty Pie has bottled it. Formulated with the help of dermatologist Dr Andrew Markey, this light and quenching serum with a texture of an essence has 27 actives (it’s peptide-heavy) that work on all aspects of radiance, evening out tone, increasing springiness, smoothing texture and plumping to increase the skin’s capacity to reflect light. I use it twice a day on bare skin including up to my eyes and on my decollete. It has nothing that will aggravate (Dr Markey says his own skin is sensitive but that he practically face plants in it) and pairs well with my vitamin C and niacinamide during the day and retinoids at night. It’s pregnancy-safe too. Yes, I have wrinkles, but when you have radiance, that's what makes people remark that you've got great skin." Victoria Woodhall, GTG Editorial Director
Use code GTGSENTME to get £10 off Beauty Pie annual membership when you sign up.
The iconic scented bar: Chanel No5 The Soaps , £89
"Ahh, the familiar smell of Chanel No5 emanating from as a set of soaps encased in a predictably gorgeous presentation box. Now I know £89 might seem a tad OTT for such everyday objects but these five blocks of delight really do elevate the washing experience, plus they last forever. They don’t skimp on the scent: when we opened them in the office, their perfume filled the room and they will do the same with your bathroom. They lather well but not too much, and leave my body feeling less dry than regular soaps tend to do." Catherine Fulwood, GTG Commercial Manager.
The shine-boosting hair tool: T3 Airebrush Duo, £169.95
“As a sufferer of limp hair, I am forever on the hunt for a simple hot hair tool that can turn my puny mop big and bouncy with no sweat. The T3 Airebrush Duo has garnered accolades for giving salon-worthy results at home, so I figured it would be the right investment to cut down on my blowdry bills (It has a 30-day return policy if you are not happy with the results). It looked enormous at first, but is very light and proved super-easy to use. It has two interchangeable brushes (a round one for volume and a paddle for a sleek look), 15 heat and speed combinations and it’s been engineered with a 'negative ion generator' that ensures shiny frizz-free results. I’m very cack-handed with hair tools and have had numerous tangle disasters, but not with this one. The brushes are very soft so it’s impossible to get caught up in knots. I love the round brush for giving my hair a flipped-out look: all in all, it now takes me 15 minutes max to style my hair to perfection.” Marie Louise Pumfrey, GTG contributor
The two-in-one: Nivea Sun Dark Spot Control Luminous 630 SPF50, £15.99
"As a child of the seventies, I was always shoved out in the sun with no protection. In my teens, I chased a tan like everyone else. Now of course, I’m paying for it as pigmentation comes home to roost (I also have annual checks at the Mole clinic). Nivea’s latest facial SPF has a patented formula - ten years of research apparently - to balance out the pigmentation you already have and stop new spots forming with broad-spectrum SPF 50. It calls itself a fluid, but it’s not as runny as say La Roche Posay Anthelios (also brilliant) and so is a little easier to apply on the go. As a chemical rather than mineral suncream, it leaves no whiteness and so is very easy to top up after a few hours, as we should all be doing. It has that classic Nivea fragrance if that's a draw for you. Interestingly, my older sister, who baked alongside me and whose pigmentation is more noticeable, rang me to recommend this as she’d just bought it in Boots. I was already on it, I said!” VW
The gentle cleanser: RoC Energising Cleansing Mousse, £10.12
“On those mornings that I need a little more shut-eye and less time at my bathroom sink, I opt for RoC's energising cleansing foam, which refreshes my skin without making it dry. Its mousse texture and gentle ingredients are perfect for clearing out my pores while respecting my sensitive skin. The pump transforms the liquid into an airy foam, which breaks up impurities and excess oils and leaves my skin spotless and soft. It's quick and suitable for all skin types and its pastel pink hue brings back memories of my first skincare routine in the 90s. Best of all, the price is not extortionate.” Hattie Sloggett, GTG contributor
For that fresh-hair feeling: Tresemmé Pro Pure Airlight Volume Shampoo and Conditioner, £2.99 each
“'How do I get volume and lift into my hair?’ is a question I ask every hairdresser I meet. Some say it's the products, others it’s the tools you use. I still haven’t found my perfect formula for effortlessly big hair but this shampoo and conditioner duo is helping me head in the right direction. Somehow, I ended up with a great bouncy blowdry after washing wth these two - no extra volume products needed. There are no sulphates or silicones to dry out or weigh down my hair, but there is coconut oil to help hydrate and detangle it - no crying over knots here! Tresemmé's Pro Pure franchise also features colour protection and damage recovery ranges, and all of them are Peta-approved.” AR
MooGoo Natural How Now Brown Cow Gradual Tanning Cream, £12.49
"Having been super busy of late I couldn't be bothered applying tan, but now things have settled down a tad I am in desperate need of a boost. Reaching for my trusty dark mousse seemed a step too far for my pasty limbs so enter a gradual tan, which admittedly I haven’t used since my university years. Moo Goo (whose deodorant I recently tried) is new to me for self-tan, but the price point and efficacy are spot-on. The tan is not only moisturising and super-subtle but doesn’t actually smell (it’s made from two plant-based tanning agents but no stale biscuit-scented DHA). Neither does it stain my bedsheets. The only point to flag is that for optimum results, you are advised to use it on damp skin post-shower, which differs from your usual self-tan application methods. Great for those of you with more sensitive skin who react to the ubiquitous DHA. " CF
The rich-hair treatment duo: Watermans Hair Grow Me Shampoo & Grow More Elixir - Optimal Hair Routine, £39.45
"As someone with an enormous mass of hair, I never thought I'd be looking to a hair loss shampoo and treatment for help. However, someone suggested I try Waterman's shampoo and elixir to help with my dry, itchy and flaky scalp, and I'm surprised and delighted to report that they've worked wonders. The elixir is a leave-in serum that is sprayed directly to the scalp and massaged in. I have found it best to use it at night or after a shower before blowing dry. Formulated to thicken and lift but also to soothe the scalp and strengthen roots, it has rosemary, biotin, niacinamide, allantoin, lupine protein, silica, cottonseed, azalea extract, and vitamins and antioxidants known for their protective and fortifying benefits. The shampoo is packed with extra biotin, caffeine and argan oil for a mega-dose of strengths and moisture. I alternate it with my usual shampoo, and it really aids with my scalp health and hair quality.” HS