The best feel-good beauty products for your mood, mind & make-up bag
Heather Gwyther
Beauty & skincare
Reading time: 6 minutes
From spa-inspired skincare to blissful aromatherapy designed to de-stress both body & mind
Feeling good. That’s all we really want from our day-to-day lives, isn’t it? Everyone has their go-to methods for boosting their mood, whether it’s a hearty meal or an evening streaming their favourite TV programmes – but what about our beauty rituals?
For many, our bathrooms provide us with a form of much-needed solace in stressful times. It’s the perfect place to indulge in the art of self-care, whether that’s taking a long, hot bath or trying out some new skincare. If you’re anything like us, you’re increasingly on the hunt for products that work beyond the surface.
So, what are these feel-good beauty products that we speak so fondly of? From playful options, for those of us that wear make-up, to cleansers and serums that are a joy to apply, here are our favourites...
Discover our full range of beauty products here
THE BEST FEEL-GOOD BEAUTY PRODUCTS
Sensorial skincare
Many people have really got into skincare over the past few years, but it’s not only wonderful active ingredients that we now look out for. We want things to smell great and be a joy to use too! After all, certain application techniques (such as facial massage) are all the better for our skin and can promote relaxation.
For a silky serum to help your face catch the light
Try: Boots Glow Dewy Facial Serum
• Size: 15ml
• Vegan*
Two drops of this utter bargain of a serum and you will be glowing. It’s the perfect pick-me-up for dry winter skin.
For a cleanser that invigorates your senses
Try: Ole Henriksen Truth Juice™ Daily Cleanser
• Size: 150ml
This is like a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice in cleanser form, but it isn’t just pleasing to the touch and nice on the nose, it also has enough power to (gently) remove even long-wear mascara. We think we fancy another glass actually!
For a cleanser that’s oh-so-satisfying to touch
Try: e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm
• Size: 56.5g
• Vegan*
Melting from a balm to an oil before becoming a nourishing milk, this cleanser slips onto skin for the most indulgent face wash experience. It comes with the added benefits of hydrating hyaluronic acid and moisturising ceramides, while also doubling as a make-up remover.
For a high-gloss shine that catches the eye
Try: Clarins Lip Comfort Oil 01 Honey
• Size: 7ml
• 8 ultra-nourishing shades
With a gorgeous blend of natural ingredients from jojoba oil to sweetbriar rose and hazelnut oils, pucker up and say hello to luscious lips. This Comfort Oil provides a sensorial texture and nourishing hydration, all while strengthening the skin barrier function.
To effortlessly remove impurities for luminous skin
Try: Liz Earle Cleanse & Glow Transforming Gel Cleanser
• Size: 150ml
• Cruelty-free
• Fully recyclable tube
The ultimate combination for a luxurious gel cleanser? Organic ingredients and a melting formula. Enriched with natural micelles, brightening vitamin C and organic black bee honey, minimise the appearance of pores and melt away SPF, dirt, pollutants and make-up, as this gel transforms into a skin-softening milk.
Playful make-up
It’s always prime time for a full face and we’re keen to put the most exciting products we can find on our faces. The good news is there are plenty out there. Here are a few favourites.
For a creamy pinch of colour that makes you look lively
Try: Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush
• Size: 3g
• 10 shades
• Cruelty-free
Bring a pop of rosy colour to your cheeks with this, a cream blush with a sheer buildable finish that’s resistant to sweat and water whilst not being at all sticky. Strawberry Drip is one of our favourite shades!
For a desirable shimmer that lasts all night long
Try: No7 Midnight Glow Eye & Face Palette
• Size: 3.80g
• 6 shades
Perfect from day to night, make your eyes pop and your face shimmer with this all-in-one palette. Mix and match tones to create endless looks, from perfectly pigmented matte and shimmer eye shadows to finely milled powder highlights.
Aromatherapy-inspired beauty
Aromatherapy is about more than things simply smelling good, certain essential oils can help uplift your mood or relax you too, which is exactly why aromatherapy products like these are so wonderful.
For a calming bathing experience
Try: Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil
• Size: 55ml
With its aroma of vetivert, camomile and sandalwood, a capful of this in your bath (or all over your body before a shower) should be enough to help give you a tranquil night’s sleep – or just make you a bit more relaxed.
For a dewy complexion
Try: Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Chamomile & Lavender
• Size: 118ml
Looking for a skin pick-me-up? Bask in the mist of this hydrating formula. Use over your face, neck or hair to help soothe your skin and the senses. Formulated with calming chamomile and lavender, this multi-purpose spray boasts multiple benefits – we can’t get enough!
For super soft hands
Try: Farmologie Hand Cream Pink Grapefruit
• Size: 75ml
• Vegan*
• Cruelty-free
Excellent hand hygiene can often mean dry hands, so it’s good to always have a hand cream in your bag. And if it’s a hand cream enriched with shea butter and colloidal oatmeal that has an uplifting pink grapefruit scent? Even better.
For supple skin that smells glorious
Try: Clarins Tonic Treatment Oil
• Size: 100ml
This body oil contains a combination of plant extracts such as rosemary, geranium and mint, which not only invigorate, but help to prevent the appearance of stretch marks and leave your skin feeling smooth to the touch.
Sensorial bodycare
If the skin on your face deserves sensorial care, so does the skin on the rest of your body! We love these multi-tasking products for their ability to make us feel lovely all over.
To scrub & sniff your way to delightfully soft skin
Try: Drunk Elephant Sugared Koffie Almond Milk Scrub
• Size: 270ml
• Vegan*
• Cruelty-free
With powdered coffee beans and brown sugar to exfoliate, this body scrub smells as good as it sounds and removes dead skin cells without disturbing the skin barrier.
