A skincare range so good the man in my life stole it from me

The arrival of Fetch beauty to Ireland is good news for real lovers of quality skincare


Fetch Beauty is the brainchild of Lucy McPhail, a former Harrods beauty buyer who has utilised her enthusiasm and skill for sourcing new, obscure, and hard-to-find beauty brands, to bring them to Ireland.

Fetch offers affordable overnight shipping to the whole island of Ireland. This statement will have UK-based beauty lovers shrugging, since same-day delivery isn’t unheard of there. Here in Ireland, we can toil to find interesting, niche or, frankly just new beauty brands, and then pay exorbitant shipping and customs charges to get the products over our threshold.

Fetch does ship worldwide, but next-day delivery within Ireland costs just €4 for orders under €70. McPhail knows beauty, and the relatively small edit of brands she has sourced for Fetch ranges from stalwarts which are not that conveniently sourced in Ireland, like Perricone MD, to small, lesser-known but sensational brands like Dutch skincare company Nuori, which is completely natural, so the products need to be used within about nine months.

Nuori Vital Facial Cream (€65) is also perfect for men (and was promptly stolen by the man closest to me). Of his own volition, he told me how much he liked it, while I listened in astonishment. He declared that it made his skin instantly comfortable without looking at all shiny or feeling heavy. I found the cream to have precisely the same features, but was also wooed by the beautifully chic and simple white tinted glass packaging, which protects the integrity of the product.

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Shangpree, a renowned Korean Spa brand, can also be found on Fetch. Their Black Pearl and Gold Hydrogel Eye Masks (€60 for 60), each shaped like a tadpole to nestle comfortably under the eye, hydrate wonderfully.

Though cleansing wipes should always be an absolute last resort (the alcohol in them desiccates the skin and they don't remove make-up efficiently), sometimes they are the only option. Caroline Hirons says it best (if indelicately) when she describes wipes as being for "flights, festivals and fannies". If the option is use a wipe or sleep in your makeup, then use a wipe. Cleanse by Lauren Napier Cleansing Wipes (€20 for pouch of 15) are a good option. They are also individually wrapped, making them brilliant for travel. At €20 for just over a dozen, you'll only use one when it really feels worth the spend.

Allies of Skin is a pricier brand for those who like to invest in their skincare. Molecular Saviour Mist (€66 for 50ml) is a delicious product layered under and over your serum to maximise the benefit. For a more accessibly priced range, look no further than Lixir, which deserves all its recent hype.

The conservative soft pink packaging (which I love) almost belies the brilliance of the unguents inside. Start with Lixir Vitamin C Paste (€39), a brightening morning mask, or Electrogel Cleanser (€29), which removes every trace of makeup and leaves skin feeling like it has just taken its bra off after a long day.

Fetch is a treat for lovers of good skincare; it really is an Irish beauty resource worth getting excited about. All products are available at fetchbeauty.com.