Sarah Loves... for January 2024
A New Year and time for some new ‘Sarah Loves’ – to tend dry skin, wrap up long wet hair, and cheer the dark days…
ilody Rasa Dream Universal Cleansing Oil (above)
I love the idea of cleansing oils for my dry, ‘mature’ (hate the word but it's the truth) complexion but I struggled to find one that didn’t leave too much of an oil slick and (ouch!) a film over my eyes that stops me reading or watching TV and – with some products – made them sore. This nearly totally natural, lightly orange-scented product really hits the mark. It’s a joy to use because it’s so light but super effective, even for mascara and eyeliner – no panda eyes in the morning. I love using a gua sha tool while it’s on to ‘lift’ an oxygenate my skin. Yes, Rasa Dream is an investment. price-wise. but you only need a few drops – it’s lasted over two months so far and more left - and it saves on eye make-up remover. I should add that it’s vegan, cruelty free and the packaging is a glass bottle and FSC paper.
£55 for 100ml – buy here
This extra-large towel wrap is perfect for long, thick hair - capacious enough for the most voluminous mane - and superbly moisture-absorbent. A list of why I love: it’s easy to pop on after rinsing my mop so I don't drip all over the floor and most importantly it helps prevent tangling and damage to wet hair – before I apply a leave in, heat protective product (and you are definitely going to use one before drying, aren’t you?) Oh, and it really does speed up drying and maybe reduce frizz (can’t quite tell as I don’t get it much); perfect for holidays. The turban style is becoming too, and comes in four enticing colours: Tuscan Teal, Ultra Violet, Dove Grey and Powder Pink, above (which I chose).
£17.95 – buy here
We eat lots of fish down here on the west Dorset coast but I’m a firm believer in taking a good Omega-3 supplement too, for skin, hair, nails and also brain. I actually wrote one of the first articles on Omega-3 research back in the early 1990s and I’ve been a believer ever since. This product provides 700mg of the two important Omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA in each capsule, which makes it one of the strongest available in the UK, according to pharmacist Shabir Daya who recommends it. You can also buy it in larger, even better value size: £22.95 for 120 capsules.
£13.95 for 60 capsules – buy here
L’OCCITANE Immortelle Shea Youth Hand Cream
Fair to say that L’OCCITANE has truly made hand creams A Real Thing and actually you could give me pretty well any of the products they offer. (Not least the original Shea Butter Hand Cream, which happened to be our Fab Find of the Week this week, here.) But… my desert island one is this BB Gold Award winner, which garnered an AMAZING seven 10/10s from our (totally independent) tester panel of ten real women trying it in real time. And, golly, don’t our paws need it at this time of year – every season, of course, but now with winter dryness outside and in, they just lap up this 97% natural, vegan-friendly soother and smoother, based on shea butter and immortelle essential oil – with its rejuvenating antioxidant properties . The serum-in-cream formula sinks in like a dream and there’s a subtle scent of immortelle, apple and peach. Good for nails too.
£26.50 for 75ml – buy here
Rainy, grey days are guaranteed to make us all feel gloomy – but this adorable brolly is SO cheering me up. These quackers are made with 100% recycled materials, using post-consumer plastic waste (nine plastic bottles per canopy), with high strength frames, and packed in recycled and biodegradable packaging. There’s a range of plain colours (love the Mint and also Peach), patterns (your own personal sunshine with Christmas Lights Saffron Brush) and this mood-enhancing Matisse Print! I’ve just bought three for me and two besties. Quack, quack!
£36 – buy here
