They have their pick of indulgent treats, but what do our beauty editors really treasure?
Katy Young: Aromatherapy
An insomniac with a propensity to over-think, on paper I am the perfect candidate for meditation, breathing exercises and gentle yoga. But all that having to ‘let go’ just leaves me wanting to, well, hold on, to yet more unhelpful thinking, endless to-do lists and the idea that sleep is impossible. Which is why I have tended to rely heavily on chemicals for any kind of switching off.
But amongst all that tinkering with the circadian rhythm(via whiskey, melatonin, prescription Zopiclone...) there has never been anything so cosseting (and quite frankly, good for me) as my aromatherapy oils. Self-prescribed they may be, but I find that the pure, organic tinctures are just as punchy.
Then there is the ritual I now associate with regulating my mood and energy, which of course you don’t get from a blister pack of pills. Taking time to choose, mix and infuse my space with a new blend forces me to stop, slow down and find intention in that ceremony.
As my love, faith and confidence in aromatherapy has grown, so has my collection. I keep small bottles of grounding frankincense and petit grain by my bed to dab onto my pillow and loosen the grip of redundant worries. And if I didn’t quite get my eight hours, some energising sweet orange and fresh rosemary oils pressed onto my chest before a hot shower turns the steam into something wonderfully energising.
Candles do the same for my space, adding a comfort that grounds me – and anyone who walks in the door – instantly.Just as in my twenties I turned on music before I had taken off my coat and put down my keys, now I get a match and light upas soon as I can, picking a candle’s fragrance to set the tone, a bit like choosing an album. I have candles for working from home days (Diptyque’s Baies), candles for weekends (Neom’s Happiness) and candles for winding down (AromatherapyAssociates candles fill a space like no other).
I try and justify the cost by working out that a Diptyque candle costs 90 pence an hour to burn. And that’s before it’s gone on to transform itself into one of the prettiest make-up brush pots you can find.
Neal's Yard Remedies Aromatherapy Blend Womens Balance
Neom Happiness Scented 3 Wick Candle
Aromatherapy Associates Revive Candle
Medina Azaldin: Manicures
A stint at a storied French fashion house in my early twenties taught me that real luxury can lie in attention to detail. In that hyper-rarefied world, a perfectly sized macaron in the right tone of peachy-but-not-too-salmon pink can make all the difference to a cocktail party. Neither macarons nor cocktail parties feature prominently in my actual real life, but when it comes to groom-ing, little things can also have a subtle but game-changing effect. I’ve never been too precious with my hands. A sanitiser devotee even pre-pandemic, I rarely use washing-up gloves and have a nervous habit of picking at my skin, which leads to peeling and cuts. But then the Big Manicure Renaissance happened, with leading names such as Julia Diogo and Harriet Westmoreland putting simply healthy-looking fingers front and centre.
It's not about eye-catching colour or design, but simple care and attention. Given some time and a boxset to binge I can do this myself at home, but treating myself to a gel manicure with Ioanna at Townhouse in London leaves me feeling indisputably luxurious. My nails are still short and my fingers far from model-esque Instagram hands, but post-manicure they look refined, fresh and clean.
I'm also recommending So Shell in Soho, London, to those who share my love of a neat nail - it's not speedy but the immaculate finish is worth it. Meanwhile, the J-Mani at Young LDN and Hot Oil Manicure at Agua Spa uses Japanese buffing techniques to create a reflective shine on bare nails. In between gels, a clear, nourishing polish is a DIY way to brighten the tips. Just soften and gently trim the cuticles before applying one or two layers underneath a top coat.
Dior Nail Glow
Tweezerman Rockhard Cuticle Nipper
Nails.INC Back to Life Recovery Treatment & Base Coat
George Driver: Seasonal Tweakments
I recently lost my tweakment virginity. After years of working in an industry obsessed with the latest products, services and tools to turn back the clock on your face, I decided to take the bull by the horns and book in for my debut Botox. Now, I swear by it. With some caveats.
At 32, my face is pretty settled into its resting state –no early-twenties changes still to come. If anything, the (literal) downward trajectory of my complexion has crossed the starting line. So, it felt like the right time to dip my toe into a skincare service that might cost more than your everyday moisturiser, but can offer results a fancy pot of face cream never could.
For me, it’s no different from investing in a quality cut and colour. I book in three times a year for a sprinkling of ‘baby Botox’ (a more subtle technique that uses smaller-dose injections to avoid the dreaded ‘frozen’ face) around the corners of my eyes and frown lines, which costs around £250 a session. In the same way I get my faux-copper hair coloured in, I’m not looking to my Botox top-up for a drastic transformation, rather a boost that brings me back to looking like me, but on a really good day. Something that an elaborate 11-step skincare routine just can’t guarantee.
Investing in triannual tweakments feels considered, efficacious and more than worth the cost. But if needles just aren’t your thing, or you would rather stick to formulas that come in a bottle rather than a syringe, I swear by Tata Harper’s eye cream as the only eye product I’ve tried that actually tightens and lifts creases and lines, Exuviance’s Bionic Tonic, which feels like a Profhilo treatment in a pad, and La Mer’s juicy-skin-inducing lotion, which might not be cheap but will bring a dry complexion back to life.
Exuviance Professional Bionic Tonic
La Mer The Treatment Lotion
Tata Harper Restorative Eye Crème
Jennifer George: Fitness
I'm very lucky in this job, in that I get sent lots of lovely products to try: serums to make my skin gleam and mascaras to fluff up my lashes. But nothing that arrives on my desk in a neat little package contains a strong core, powerful legs or Meghan-Markle-in-her-second-wedding-dress shoulders. All that I must source elsewhere. Investing in exercise is an essential expenditure for me, partly because of the mental-health benefits, but also becauseI like feeling fit and strong, and working out regularly helps me achieve that.
The issue is that I have expensive taste in fitness. I’ve tried running, many times, but my body doesn’t like it (in fact, I was left with a dodgy knee) and my mind doesn’t, either. I just can’t get past the ‘I hate this, I’m tired, I hate this, I’m tired’ cycle of thoughts to reach the clear-headed bliss everyone else talks about. I took the Peloton plunge last year and, although I find spinning incredibly dull, I do enjoy the fact that you can hop on the bike during your lunch break to get a little sweat on while someone in a crop top shouts encouraging mantras at you.
The shouting is key, as I'm not at all self-motivated, which is why personal training is a luxury I choose over new shoes or lavish dinners. Artur - my PT who I've been seeing on and off for years – is now a close friend, but one that happens to scold me if I don’t squat low enough and makes me (almost) vomit with exertion in between chats about politics or his dating life. Another indulgence is reformer Pilates, which I swear by for honing and toning but which also strikes the balance between exhausting and meditative. It’s very difficult to think about work deadlines when you’re holding a one-armed plank. I’m never in better shape than when I’m consistent with Pilates and PT, and that makes me feel happy. And that is worth parting with my cash for.
Peloton Set of Two Sweat-Proof Weights
ALO YOGA ALO YOGA Splendor V-neck stretch-jersey bra
Katie Withington: Facials
For most, facials are a luxury, likely to be an every-now-and-then treat, unless you're on a more rigorous regimen. But while I appreciate the benefits of a professional treatment, including targeting post-blemish texture and sculpting a puffy face, what really makes them worth showing up for more frequently is the soothing facial massage. From kneading the tightly wound knots to releasing weeks of built-up jaw tension, there's nothing that sends me into mellowed bliss like the well-practised fingers of a facialist. The added glow is just a welcome perk.
You might carry tension in your shoulders - I carry mine in my face. While I'm glued to my laptop screen I'll suddenly become aware I'm gritting my teeth; when I go to the dentist they often point out the effects of years and years of grinding. I do my best to remind myself to unclench my jaw and relax, but recently I've found that, for me, an indulgent, massage-based facial does the trick far better.
That's not the only reason I love facials. Sixty minutes of massage, away from my phone, offers me a mini digital detox and a small window of me time. The combination of gentle sounds and calming physical stimulation tips me over into a state of real relaxation. This is my kind of meditation.
Fresh Floral Recovery Calming Mask
Pai Century Flower Lotus & Hyaluronic Acid Barrier Defence Mist
