Has the unusually dry summer left you with parched skin? Here are some excellent options for deep hydration and much more …
THE OG LUXURY BODY BUTTER
Voya celebrates 20 years in business this year. And we need no excuse to return to the OG body cream, the lavender and rosemary Buoyancy Luxury Body Butter (€46), available at Brown Thomas and pharmacies nationwide. This velvety, skin-nourishing organic cream smells divine and is the last word in luxury, in its glass jar with golden lid. It’s made in Co Sligo, with care and consideration, and is packed with good things, from shea butter and cocoa seed butter to rosehip oil and seaweed extract, plus lavender, rosemary and lemon peel oil for scent. Gorgeous, Irish and luxurious.
SEA POWER
Seabody now lives up to its name with its first body collection. Focused on sleep and relaxation as much as hydration, the Sleep Body Balm (€42) and Sleep Body Oil (€38) are elegant additions to the excellent B Corp Irish skincare line. They’re powered by marine actives derived from Irish seaweed, plus magnesium. Try both for €70 with The Sleep Ritual gift set. There’s also a Movement Body Oil and Movement Body Balm, dedicated to supporting the body before and after activity: the oil is warming and healing, with arnica, ginger and clove, while the body balm is cooling, infused with menthol, peppermint and eucalyptus.
I’m also excited to try out the new Seabody Movement Treatment at Daha Wellness in Dublin; they offer a wide range of Seabody treatments, and this is the newest. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen deep tissue therapists so excited and passionate about a new treatment,” says Daha’s treatments director Jenny Faison. At stockists nationwide and seabody.com.
FOR A GOOD GLOW
I love Skin Deep Shimmer Serum (€34) by This Works, a brand I’ve used for 20 years plus – it was originally founded by a Vogue beauty editor. Remember their Dry Leg Oil, and In Transit skincare line? Still good. And why not have 24-carat gold in your body cream? A little extra, but this Skin Deep Serum offers a bit of everyday luxury, and is surprisingly effective. This body serum boosts elasticity in your tired, sun-worn skin, via vitamin E and jojoba oil, and makes it look glossier and glowier. Smooth it on your arms and you’ll look as if you’ve been sunning yourself in St Tropez.
There are lots of other glowy and fragrant options around, notably L’Occitane’s Amande Sublime Shimmering Body Oil, rich in sweet almond, castor seed and sunflower seed oils, which doubles as a scent, leaving your skin smelling as sweet and warm as an almond croissant.
Try also Beach Skin Shimmering Body Oil by Phlur, with notes of bergamot, coconut, vanilla and tiare flower to capture the glow of golden hour.
THE IRISH AFTERSUN
Even if you’ve avoided the sun, like a sensible person, Elave’s Botanical After Sun with menthol and aloe vera is worth knowing about – it’s made in Ireland, is Peta certified cruelty-free, and it cools the skin down as well as hydrating it. It’s a great option for eczema and dermatitis-prone skin, and very gentle to use (it’s even been approved to use on babies’ skin). It’s free from soap, perfume, alcohol or anything that could irritate. I love the cool feel of it – think of it as air conditioning in a bottle, for under €16. It’s a brilliant product.
THE FRENCH PHARMACY STAR
We also swear by Decléor’s Neroli Bigarade Melting Body Milk, with neroli, petitgrain bigarade (bitter orange) and sweet orange essential oils. The generous 400ml bottle (€35) will keep you going for months …
SEE MORE: French Heritage Brand Decléor Returns
