The below is from editor-in-chief Andrea Thompson's weekly newsletter, Andrea's It-List. Subscribe here.
There's nothing like that first hint of proper sun to get me thinking about summer skincare. When it comes to my beauty routine, I have sensitive skin so have never had an exhaustive list of products I use regularly. There are, however, a few tried and tested cleansing, refining, moisturising and protecting products I swear by to keep my face and body looking fresh and hydrated. Here are my favourites.
SHOP MY TOP PICKS
You may have seen the hype around Barbara Strum's glow drops, and it’s for good reason. Whenever I get blemishes on my face or my skin looks dull and tired, a few drops seem to even out my complexion giving me a healthy glow.
I like sunscreen that is light, non-greasy and doesn't make me feel like I'm wearing a mask. This one by La Roche Posay is sweat-resistant and perfect for sensitive skin, too. It's perfect alone or under makeup.
I'm slightly obsessed with this curling gel which I use on wet hair after my shower each morning. It eliminates frizz giving me soft bouncy curls. But I'm also a huge Aveda fan and have used their products religiously for years. This shampoo and conditioner duo have transformed my dry damaged hair making it manageable and shiny.
The uplifting smell of Neal's Yard Rose beauty balm alone makes it a stand-out part of my beauty routine. I use it mainly as a cleanser but it really is a multi-tasking hero. I also rely on it as a gentle exfoliator every other day and a mask on weekends. My skin is always so soft and radiant afterwards.
My skin is on the dry side so this nourishing body balm is exactly the tonic it needs, particularly in summer. Its distinctive vanilla and sandalwood aroma always elicits compliments and the combination of Hyaluronic acid and bacuri butter work to leave my skin super soft and supple.
When I've spent too much time on screens in air-conditioned offices or am plain old fatigued from early mornings and long days (which is often), I rely on these rich eye gel patches to bring a bit of a sparkle back to my eyes. They never fail.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK
This week, talk has turned on Marie Claire to a key investment buy for summer - sunglasses. For SS24, as you can read about in Marie Claire's extensive guide they're getting the oversized treatment. Celine's Triomphe oval frames have been a firm favourite with the street-style set, while Prada has released a pair of oval cat-eye frames to rival last year's ever-popular rectangle shape. Bright pops of colour are also one of the biggest summer trends, while sporty frames -think futuristic shapes, mirrored lenses and minimal frames- are having their moment. But in the words of Contributing Fashion Editor Penny Goldstone, whilst it may be tempting to scrimp on sunglasses, it would be ‘a false economy’. "You want to look for good quality, hard-wearing frames and lenses that will protect you from harmful UV rays. A timeless pair will last you forever (see Prada for the best rectangle styles or Celine cat eye sunglasses), making the cost-per-wear of the item very minimal."
