Well, everything sped up there quite suddenly. We went from more than a year on the couch, muting Zoom meetings so that our colleagues wouldn’t hear us swearing at the family member who just turned on the blender behind us, to seeing people again. Doing things. Going into shops, getting haircuts, and even taking short trips.
Apart from all the important benefits of increased freedom, it has also allowed us to enjoy beauty again. Many of us have forgotten how to re-engage with it, though. Does wearing lipstick to a family barbecue feel like the cosmetic equivalent of a ballgown? I suggest starting small and finding sensorial pleasure in basic products that you can bring with you on the move.
Glossier Ultralip in Villa (€17 at glossier.com) is the ideal reimmersion lipstick. Buttery, lucent and comfortable, it is pigmented, but can also be used to create a balmy wash of colour. Villa is a particularly clever nude shade – you can really just apply it, eat your barbecue (with mandatory Irish coleslaw) and not worry about a halo of colour surrounding bare lips for the rest of the day. It's much subtler and easier than a bright shade and will feel less of a shock after a year without lipstick.
Dermalogica Invisible Physical Defence SPF30 (€59 at dermalogica.ie) is a great portable, non-congesting SPF. The best SPF you could use is the one that you'll actually wear, so this is a great option if you're not realistically going to bother with SPF50. It works really well on all skin types and won't exacerbate congestion. It's also easy to reapply with clean hands or a damp sponge through the day.
Hand sanitiser is just a reality of life now, and a rather drab one at that. I’ve been seeking a slightly exciting one for a while – so many have an eye-watering alcohol scent and a hand-ruining, desquamating effect. A good hand cream can help counteract the latter, but I can never bring myself to drag around both sanitiser and hand cream in my bag.
Jo Loves A Hand Sanitiser & Hand Lotion Duo (€30 at Space NK) is a very "notions" (in the best sense) sanitiser and lotion. You get both in the same tube, and both feature the brand's signature Pomelo scent, which is a sparkling citrus.
Finally, Caudalie Vinofresh Natural Stick Deodorant (€12 at en.caudalie.com) is a nice handbag or gym bag deodorant in warm weather. I tend to ignore the term "natural" in relation to beauty products – it is a marketing term and has no agreed-upon definition apart from the implication that other products are somehow "unnatural", which is nonsense.
There is a lot of scientifically unfounded scaremongering around “traditional” deodorants which are generally far more effective. However, this is a lovely, gentle deodorant for those who do want an alternative.
Product of the Week
A different kind of oil diffuser – portable and water-free, Aromatherapy Associates Home Atomiser (€150 at Space NK) fills a room with the rich, complex scents of the brand's famous oils.
