Victoria Woodhall: editor’s picks, everything I’ve tried and tested this week

Victoria Woodhall 4 September 2023

Want thicker locks, a dose of Hair Botox, Margot Robbie’s favourite serum and some really innovative menopause supplements? So does our editorial director – and she’s found them

Any products in this article have been selected editorially however if you buy something we mention, we may earn commission

Welcome to the second of my regular editor’s picks columns, where I share with you the beauty and wellness discoveries that I hand-on-heart recommend. There are some definite themes emerging based on my personal quest for thicker hair, better mood, improved sleep – oh and a healthy glow that doesn’t look try-hard on a 50-something face.

I love a female-founded brand that's born out of a quest to solve a personal issue; meet some of the inspirational women I’ve caught up with recently below.

If you missed my first column, you can catch up with my editor’s picks here. Look out too for Kerry Potter’s fitness-inspired picks and our Beauty Director SJ’s choices for the time-poor makeup obsessive.

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By Far Daydream mini discovery set, £28

Sister-founded accessories brand By Far has turned the perfume discovery set into a giftable visual treat – better than a box of posh chocs! Their seven modern ‘Daydream’ fragrances are perfect eye (and nose) candy. You can wear a different one every day of the week – there’s a range of greens, florals, vanillas and spices, all with a certain attitude. I’ve been returning to 'Daydream of a Bingo Queen', a floral musk ‘inspired by the exhilaration of winning a competition'. The full-size refillables come in the form of very stylish handbag charms. Oh dear, did I just buy the By Far bag as well?

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Calecim Professional Advanced Hair System, £315

Trying not to lose any more hair is a full-time occupation for me. I’ve been seeing the Hair Whisperer Ricardo Vila Nova for scalp microneedling (effective but pricey) and so I’m thrilled to have discovered an at-home version, rated by many doctors I’ve spoken to and with clinical trials showing a 15 per cent increase in hair follicles over 12 weeks and a 16 per cent increase in individual hair thickness. You pat the 0.5mm derma stamp along parted wet hair twice a week and apply growth factor serum which absorbs through the microchannels. Easy, effective and science-backed.

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Emma Lewisham Skin Reset Serum, £90

Margot Robbie is among many dewy-skinned celebs to repeat buy this ‘performance natural’ pigmentation perfecting serum. I’ve been wanting to try it for ages as it’s the brand’s best-seller. What swung it was meeting New Zealand brand founder Emma, whose dazzling complexion and commitment to proper independent clinical testing of her products (not to mention refillable packaging and being the first carbon-positive beauty brand) is unrivaled. It made me understand the relatively high price tag a little more. High performance and high values but also a real treat.

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Dr Sophie Mort Unstuck, £13.89

I’ve been following @DrSoph, the bleached blonde, nose-ringed clinical psychologist on Instagram for a while – she always has a new and inspiring take. Her latest book is a must-read if you are full of September ‘fresh start’ intentions to ditch old habits and start new ones. Leveraging neuroscience, she shows you how to set your environment up for success, removing cues and patterns that trigger unhelpful automatic behaviours. I found myself saying “oh thaaaat’s why!” on practically every page.

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Reeson Beauty – Bronzing Balm and Highlighter Duo, both £38

Really Ree is one of the OG beauty bloggers and if you’ve tried as much makeup as she has over the years and want to go one better, it’s a tall order. But she’s done it (and funded it all herself) with a highlighter duo (balm and powder) and a bronzing balm in two shades. Seeing Ree in the flesh recently with her mid-life skin so naturally aglow, was all the incentive I needed to get these in my makeup bag, quick. The skincare ingredients mean they sit well and stay well. I found her tutorials on how to apply especially helpful.

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Mpowder Mood Food, £42.50

Mpowder (a female-founded perimeno- and menopause brand ) was one of the first products to put the word perimenopause on the map with nutrition products created by crowd-sourcing information from mid-life women as to what they really needed. This is their first capsule supplement and addresses mood, sleep and brain fog, and no surprise it sold out on launch this month, but is available on pre-order with 20 per cent off. Taking it for two weeks now, I definitely feel less wired.

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Who to see: Gustav Fouche 3D Dry Cut and hair Botox from £90, West London

When your hair is a source of strife, as my thinning hair is, a visit to your hairdresser has to be a ‘can-do, no problem, you’re gorgeous!’ experience. That’s exactly what a cut with Gustav Fouche is like – a sheer tonic with trichologist-trained knowledge thrown in. Gustav cuts dry, so he can see how hair falls and can adjust for your idiosyncrasies (ie thinning patches, kinks and curls). He also recommended a smoothing treatment called Hair Botox (tiny bit of keratin, lots of conditioning, no needles!) that lasts three months and now makes blow drying a cinch.

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Lords Fragrance House Bug Sur Candle, £29.99

This relatively new British female-founded brand takes the ‘spark joy’ motto to the max at sensible prices, especially impressive given the quality. Even when I’m not burning this Californian coast-inspired candle (there are many others, all named after places you definitely want to transport yourself to – Positano, Monteverde…) I love looking at it. The three-wick versions invert the colour scheme – green pot, pink label. I’m tempted to join their candle club – a different one every month sent to your door. Dreamy!

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Revive Collagen Menopause Max, £39.99 buy one get one half-price

There’s an accelerated collagen loss in perimenopause and menopause, so Revive (co-founded by TV's Sam Faiers – pictured – and rated by doctors such as The Perimenopause Doctor Shahzadi Harper) has brought out three suckable liquid sachets (add to water if you prefer) called Perimenopause, Menopause Beauty Sleep and Menopause Max. Each has specific nutrients to suit the concern as well as marine collagen. The Max, my choice, has the recommended 10g of collagen for skin improvement. I chuck a couple in my handbag so I never miss a dose.

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Institut Esthederm Reflets de Soleil Hydra Boost Self Tanning Cream Gel, £44

This self-tanning caramel gel cream is one of those products that I buy at least two of in case they stop making them. It gives a noticeable warmth with one application. It's a bit more than a gradual tan but not quite as full-on as a full fake tan (with which I can’t be trusted). Two coats on consecutive days deliver a lovely ‘holiday’ tan. I top up every three days or so, using this in place of my normal body moisturiser. It works really well on the face too.

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Silvina London shampoo and conditioner £24.99

In 2015, Silvina Neder stopped dying her hair, embraced a fabulous mane of grey curls, ditched a job in marketing and became a pro-age influencer and grey hair model. (Silvina, isn’t a made-up name, more a case of nominative determinism). Although I’m not ready to do the grey transition yet (see her Silvina London website for tips on this) my dyed grey locks - p[ractcally white in places - face similar issues to hers, namely dryness, a tendency for brassiness, and the propensity to go purple with the wrong kind of blonde shampoo. I now adore her hair wash duo, which is silicone- and sulfate-free and full of scalp-friendly natural ingredients.

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