Our Spring 2021 Beauty Guide is here! As the first spring flowers appear and we re-emerge from our wintry pandemic hibernation, we’ve tried and tested some of the newest pampering beauty products that will help you shake off those winter woes.
With spring comes new beginnings so we’ve focused this guide on anti-ageing, highlighting renewal, reinvigoration and confidence — whatever your budget.
Spring 2021 Beauty – Skin maintenance & repair
DermaQuest Retinol Peptide Youth Serum
Cosmeceutical skincare brand DermaQuest has an amazing range of pro-quality retinols suited to various different skin types but we’re particularly taken with Retinol Peptide Youth Serum, which is perfect for countering advanced ageing concerns.
For those in need of radical skin rejuvenation, the Retinol Peptide Youth Serum pairs 2% retinol with powerful peptides to double-up on anti-ageing effects. Working to reverse stubborn signs of photo-ageing, the super-strength serum accelerates cellular turnover, increases collagen production and thickens the lower dermal layers to reveal skin that is smoother, firmer and more even in tone. So say farewell to fine lines and wrinkles and hello to more youthful radiance. It’s potent though, so go easy and only use once a week when first starting out.
From Derma Quest Inc
Price | £76
L’ abu Retinol Complex Oil
The mother/daughter duo of L’abu Skin opened its first clinic in 2017 and have created its own brand of salon-grade skin care at affordable prices. The pair work closely with a chemist to create formulations that benefit the skin but are uncomplicated, so easily used. As they say, they want clients to look and feel the best versions of themselves!
This feather-light Retinol Complex oil combines with a unique selection of botanical ingredients to target most skin concerns, promoting collagen and elastin, whilst refining dark circles, skin tone and clarity.
From L’abu Skin
Price | £22
Kat Burki Calming Gel Cleanser
Kat Burki is a trendsetting beauty and skincare line pioneered from cutting-edge modern nutritional scientific research, creating therapeutic remedies for maximum efficacy. These remedies are specifically created to be effective and personalised for every skin concern.
The Calming Gel Cleanser will brighten your skin, removing impurities and excess oil without irritation or dryness, restoring, softening and protecting the skin’s barrier by retaining moisture. Better still, it is suitable for the most sensitive of skins.
From Kat Burki
Price | £47
Skin Generics Retinol Anti-Ageing Serum
Often sceptical of so-called anti-ageing products, our reviewer Julie McHugh was much taken with Skin Generics Retinol Anti-ageing serum that’s inspired by Korean know-how and high-quality, concentrated formulas.
Easy to apply, with a deep, almost earthy fragrance, it left our reviewer’s skin feeling notably healthier and, dare we say it, plumper. Retinol is a known anti-ageing active component but combined with the other ingredients, grapevine extracts, soy isoflavones to promote the synthesis of collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin that reduce wrinkles and fine lines, Vitamin C and Hawaiian algae, it aims to reduce deeper wrinkle lines while firming and illuminating the skin. A sure win.
From Skin Generics
Price | 32.95 euros / £28.50
Function of Beauty Bespoke Skincare Trio
What could be more pleasing than seeing your name adorning a pretty pastel-coloured bespoke skincare regime? The brand behind the gorgeously unique haircare has moved into the skincare space with these perfectly customised potions – there are three billion formulation possibilities. All you need to do is take a simple quiz then viola, a few days later your cleanser, serum and moisturiser appear in beautiful glass packaging with your name inscribed. What a treat.
From Function of Beauty
Price | £103
Katherine Daniels Rehydrating Concentrate
The Katherine Daniels Rehydrating Concentrate gives a salon-strength skin boost, providing an immediate and long-term moisture surge to rehydrate parched skin, particularly from the winter perils of central heating.
Powerhouse ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Seaweed Extract, Mushroom Extract and Glycerine, work to hydrate, firm and oxygenate your skin, while forming an invisible shield to protect against pollution, leaving skin supple, hydrated and soothed.
From Katherine Daniels
Price | £55
TEMPLESPA Truffle Elixir & Exalt Cream-Gel Treatment
Always love a truffle which is why we were drawn to TEMPLESPA’s Anti-aging Truffle Elixir Serum, a high-performance super-serum that has been crafted by Swiss derma-scientists using a unique patented technology, powerful botanicals and highly refined ingredients, as one might expect from the name. It plumps up the skin, targets visible ageing AND adds radiance to dull skin – what more can you ask?
And for the often problem areas of the neck and decolletage, why not try TEMPLESPA’s Exalt cream-gel treatment to help lift and tighten the skin. Multi-purpose, effective ingredients combine to firm and tone the look and feel of your skin whilst smelling divine with the essential oil of rose.
From TEMPLESPA
Price | £75
Spring 2021 Beauty – Look to your eyes
Natura BisseNatura Bisse Inhibit Eye Retinol Lift
The perfect antidote to fight those saggy upper eyelids, wrinkles and worry lines, Natura Bisse’s new Inhibit Eye Retinol Lift helps fight the signs of ageing and fatigue by filling, lifting and brightening your visage.
Using an anti-ageing Octamioxyl-6 Advanced molecule to help relax facial contractions, which cause expression lines and helps the skin return to its normal state more quickly, this helpful little treatment promises to fill and smooth wrinkles with encapsulated retinol, HyA Complex-4 complex (contains 4 types of hyaluronic acid) to form a 3D mesh. And for the upper eyelid lift, it uses a combination of darutoside and silk for a lifting and skin firming effect.
From Naturabisse
Price | £128
Osmosis Beauty Refresh Revitalizing Eye Cream
Another eye product – the intensely hydrating Osmosis Beauty Refresh Revitalizing Eye Cream – contains proven actives that increase collagen and elastin as well as firm and effectively reduce puffiness, lines and dark circles. We highly recommend it.
From Osmosis Beauty
Price | 67.50 euros / £57.50
Dr Levy Eye Booster Concentrate
We often search for products to help rejuvenate that delicate eye area and so we discovered Dr Levy Eye Booster Concentrate – a patented formula enriched with Argan CVD to activate the epidermal stem cells. Other ingredients include retinol, hyaluronic acid and a multitude of peptides, fatty acids and vitamins perfect for combatting crepey-ness, diminishing dark circles and eliminating fine lines.
From CultBeauty
Price | £165
Spring 2021 Beauty – Banish lines and wrinkles
Cosmydor C/5 Anti-Wrinkle Cream
Cosmydor is a luxury cosmetics brand that is really pushing the envelope on sustainability, biodegradable products, eco packaging and gentle manufacturing processes with no wastage of either energy or water.
C/5 Anti-Wrinkle cream with prickly pear vegetable oil and ho wood essential oil ticks all the right boxes – an undiluted organic-certified face cream containing natural ingredients including high concentrations of sesame oil, shea butter, coconut oil, beeswax and jojoba oil gather to provide both strong moisturisation and an anti-ageing effect on the skin.
From: Cosmydor
Price | £81
Lady Showbiz Beauty ACE Anti-Ageing Serum
Lady Showbiz Beauty, known for its nail care, is a newcomer onto the beauty scene, introducing its ACE anti-ageing serum as an antidote to a time-worn visage. The potent combination of multivitamins, hyaluronic acid and carrot infusions, orange, grapefruit and sweet fennel seed essential oils alongside Ylang Ylang stimulates collagen production and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
From Lady Showbiz
Price | £26.99
Seres Boosted Collagen Serum
Seres Boosted Collagen Serum is from the modern conscious luxury beauty brand, ilody, grounded in traditional Indian Ayurvedic roots.
Where possible, ilody avoids using unnecessary synthetic ingredients, aiming to use naturally-derived ingredients without compromising on safety and efficacy. Seres is formulated with key pro-collagen ingredients such as bakuchiol, the natural retinol from the Indian babchi seed to plump and firm and Centella Asiatica, a herb that helps to repair UV damage and stimulate collagen production. The word Seres means “people of the silk”, an apt name for this light, satin-textured serum perfumed with notes of bergamot, hibiscus, hawthorn with patchouli, cedarwood and vanilla.
From ilody
Price | £70
Spring 2021 Beauty – Radiate wellbeing
The Organic Pharmacy Hydrating Bronzer
Banish pale skin with a long-lasting natural glow with this silky sheer powder from The Organic Pharmacy. As it’s infused with Hyaluronic Acid and Antioxidants, it instantly smooths skin and fights signs of ageing, too, whilst being Ecocert Natural Certified 100% natural – therefore kind to your skin. The company also cares for the environment as its packaging is eco-friendly and made from recyclable materials.
From The Organic Pharmacy
Price | £39
PERLcosmetics Pearl Powder Pink Clay Mask & Illuminating Oil
Reviewer Julie McHugh said she loved the “DIY approach” to this mask. The powder clay comes with a small wooden spoon, a silicone brush and a small vial of illuminating oil which you blend yourself. The mask is made of pink British and other active ingredients including Kaolin Clay, Aloe Vera, Elderberry Powder, Pomegranate Seed Oil to repair and regenerate and Raspberry Seed Oil to deeply nourish. After just 15 minutes, the result is visibly brightened and illuminated skin that’s soft to the touch, healthy and glowing – and that’s after just one use. One to add to your weekly skincare regimen.
From Perlcosmetics
Price | £29.50
Amanda Harrington Radiance-Boosting Ultimate Face Cream
Wrinkles, what wrinkles? Part of the tan-compatible skin range, this age-defying, radiance-boosting ultimate face cream from Amanda Harrington firms and plumps the skin. It contains multi-active Neodermyl which triggers the skin to produce collagen and elastin to reduce the appearance of fine lines.
From Amanda Harrington
Price | £40
Pat Maguire Natural Body Balms and Oils
Hampshire-based Pat Maguire Natural Body Balms and Oils sources her ingredients locally and where possible, organically. Having spent twenty years honing her skills as a qualified aromatherapist and massage therapist, she developed a chemical-free joint and muscle balm to help her clients. It was so popular she has now developed a range of hand-made body balms and oils including foot and hand balms, face oils and a sports massage oil.
Her toning Frankincense and Orange Face Oil is particularly good for anti-ageing. Frankincense has been used for centuries to help treat a variety of ailments and in recent times, has been found to have natural anti-ageing qualities. Combined with other ingredients such as Sweet Almond, Chia Seed Oil, Palmarosa among others, this oil promotes a youthful and radiant complexion and is particularly good for dry skin that needs a bit of a boost.
From Pat Maguire
Price | £32
Image Skincare’s Vital C Hydrating Facial Cleanser
The stresses and strains of lockdown can be abated with Image Skincare’s Vital C Hydrating Facial Cleanser. Creamy and hydrating, use both in the morning and evening to melt away makeup and banish impurities, leaving you feeling renewed and nourished. If this isn’t your cup of tea, then there are 11 products in the range including hydrating serums and intense moisturisers.
From Image Skincare
Price | £32
Skinwoof Vitamin C Radiance Serum
Another product that has caught our eye – Skin Woof’s Vitamin C Radiance Serum – aims to give your skin a healthy and radiant glow. This light, easily absorbed gel-based serum has a natural oil floral fragrance to plump and firm skin, reduce signs of wrinkles and boost collagen and elastin production for smoother skin. It also evens out skin tone and gives a hydrating boost to your face – what more can you ask?
From Skinwoof
Price | £23.95
Vitamin A Game
Bolt Beauty’s pure retinol Vitamin A Game helps create brighter, firmer and smoother skin. This pure retinol at a 0.15% concentration, reduces fine lines and pigmentation for clearer, blemish-free skin. Cleverly, this 100-drop serum is housed in single-dose, air-tight drops to extend the product shelf life for up to 30 months. That’s upping the A game indeed.
From Bolt Beauty
Price | £50 / 100 drops
Spring 2021 Beauty – Bathing beauties
Eco Warrior Hand and Body Bars
Sometimes when you change your beauty routine with the seasons, you do feel that you are at war with your skin so the aptly named Eco Warrior brand might swiftly become part of your ongoing armoury, particularly with its agreeable price point.
The Eco Warrior Sensitive Face & Body Cleansing Bar is suitable for even the most sensitive skin with a traditional recipe with Olive Oil and Green Clay for an ultra-nourishing soothing cleanse. Add to this Sweet Orange, Lemon, May Chang and Eucalyptus for an invigorating start to the day.
After a long day, the Eco Warrior Chill-out Hand & Body Bar sets the tone for winding down. Made with Shea Butter, it creates a creamy rich lather that will leave your skin feeling moisturised and beautifully cleansed.
From Superdrug
Price | £4.49
Jane Scrivner Balance Body Splash Oil
If you prefer a liquid instead of soap, then Jane Scrivner BALANCE Body Splash Oil will feed and nourish the skin whilst leaving it scented, hydrated and glowing. The Jojoba Oil is anti-bacterial and nourishing, restoring the skin’s collagen and elastin, the Coconut Oil will hydrate and soften whilst the perfect blend of feminine and masculine essential oils balance and clarify – Ylang Ylang flower from Madagascar, Sandalwood from India, enrobing with Indian Frankincense resin and Lemongrass, finishing with the lightness of Lavender from high altitude French fields.
As its name suggests, splash it on all over or add a few drops to a warm bath – the choice is yours.
From Jane Scrivner
Price | £33
Spring 2021 Beauty – While we sleep
Zoetic’s Jasmine & Lavender CBD Night Cream
Wake up to a smoother complexion after using Zoetic’s Jasmine & Lavender CBD night cream to soothe and repair skin cells whilst you sleep, especially if your skin is inflamed. Say farewell to fine lines and boost that collagen with the help of Cannabidiol from Hemp extract, Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid to aid the skin’s natural regeneration process.
From Zoetic
Price | £60
Lily & Loaf’s Bedtime Revitalising Cream
We love products that work busily to help restore and replenish your skin whilst you enjoy sweet dreams.
Lily & Loaf’s Bedtime Revitalising Cream with Hyaluronic Acid was specially formulated to help recharge, intensively hydrate and revitalise your skin overnight. Packed with skin nourishers like Shea Butter, Coconut Oil and Evening Primrose Oil, this luxuriously rich cream melts instantly into the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines while Green Tea Extract soothes and calms as you sleep, resulting in a morning glow.
From Lily & Loaf
Price | £28.95
Spring 2021 Beauty – And not forgetting our hands and cheeks
Purdy & Figg Hand Balm
With our now customary pandemic hand-washing rituals and the dryness this brings, luxury natural cleaning brand Purdy & Figg has thankfully come up with a Hygienic Hand Balm. A first of its kind product, the balm combines the nourishing qualities of a hand balm (Shea Butter) with the antibacterial properties of a hand sanitiser, killing up to 99.9% of bacteria.
As Covid seems set to be part of our daily lives, this seems like the perfect solution to constant hand washing to keep our hands looking and feeling beautiful. Even better, it is scented with Rose Geranium, Lemon Citrus Oil and Vetiver to created Purdy & Figg’s signature Charlotte’s Floral fragrance.
From Purdy&Figg
Price | £12.99
Joy Adenuga Make-up Brushes
These tools are often overlooked in your makeup arsenal and investing in decent brushes is definitely worth it. Celebrity makeup artist and beauty expert Joy Adenuga’s brushes are all made from high-quality synthetic hair and come with ombre grey tips for a really modern look. The brush handle is black with gloss shimmer coated wood and shaped with accurate application in mind, feeling dreamy on your skin.
From Joy Adenuga
Price | £75
Featured image courtesy of Andrey Zvyagintsev/Unsplash
All product images courtesy of the brand