Happy Beauty

The six beauty products that will bring optimism to your life this week

The six beauty products that will bring optimism to your life this week

Each week, Marie Claire’s Beauty and Style Director, Lisa Oxenham, brings you the lowdown on her edit of products that will add joy and positive energy to your beauty ritual and self-care routine. From uplifting oils and calming serums to relaxing bath-time classics, these products are designed to give your self-esteem a boost.

Tata Harper Revitalising Body Oil, £100

I’ve been evangelical about Tata Harper ever since it launched 14 years ago because it ticks all my boxes; it’s 100% free from GMO, artificial fragrances and synthetics, makes me feel good, is packaged in as eco-friendly a fashion as possible, and it really works. This Revitalising Body Oil is now a fixture in my morning routine, with the rich though not greasy oil giving me an invigorating burst of pink grapefruit and 20 high-performing oils packed with antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and a concentration of nutrients to brighten, protect and moisturise. Happy skin, happy planet.

Legology Holiday-At-Home Scented Candle, £45

Spring is calling and so I will be massaging Legology’s Cellu-lite, £62.50, into my thighs and ankles; it’s my go-to for lighter legs and reduces fluid retention. The Capri Crush signature scent reminds me of the sun’s energising rays, which is why I was so delighted that they have transformed their fragrance into a candle. The sustainable UK-sourced soya and beeswaxes contain uplifting citrus notes of lime, bergamot, Amalfi lemon and grapefruit alongside rose and jasmine florals and lingering notes of woods, amber, moss and musk, which give it a lasting aroma - just 30 minutes of burn time should scent your happy home all day. £10 from the sale of each candle goes direct to Greenham Trust's Laptops for Lockdown Learning, to support children's education at home.

Evolve Organic Beauty Tropical Blossom Body Polish 180ML, £22

Tropical paradise in a jar. The organic sugar grains melt into Tahitian coconut monoi oil to buff away rough cells and reveal skin that’s silky soft and glowing. Evolve is dedicated to leading the way in sustainable beauty and has just been certified as the world's first climate-positive beauty brand. The company is also plastic negative which means removing twice as many plastic components from the planet as they buy each year, as well as having obtained the gold standard COSMOS certification.

Voya Lazy Days Seaweed Bath, £19

Many of us have been surprised to discover that it’s the little things that we’ve missed the most over the past year. For me, it’s been the ocean. The salty breeze, the hypnotic sounds of the waves, the stress of the day melting off my gliding body as I float in the seawater, my anxiety easing with every stroke like therapy. I’ve tried to harness some of the elements I so love about the ocean by bathing in this seaweed bath by Voya. It helps to aid the skin healing process, boost the immune and lymphatic systems, and ease anxiety. This soak contains home-grown, sustainably farmed seaweed with minerals that have been scientifically proven to have positive effects on the body and mind. Top tip: the seaweed makes a great garden fertiliser after its benefits have been absorbed in the bath.

SkinCeuticals Silymarin CF, £145

The structure of a skincare routine works as an anchor in everyday life and boosts psychological wellbeing. I’m a massive fan of the SkinCeuticals antioxidant serums and this new Silymarin CF has been hailed as an antioxidant game-changer that has been specifically created for those with oily and blemish-prone skin to help control sebum production. Its formula contains silymarin, L-Ascorbic acid, ferulic acid and salicylic acid, which took six years in the making to ensure the highest and most effective potency and it’s left my skin hydrated, toned and glowing after a few days of use.

WelleCo Super Elixir Daily Greens Lemon + Ginger Flavour, £62.50

To kick off my spring cleanse, which lasts a full 30 days (enough time to begin to see significant changes in my body and complexion), I have started to make a daily smoothie to mix in the WelleCo Super Elixir. It’s a green, plant-based powder made from whole foods and, when consumed in a liquid form, allows the body to recognise each nutrient and absorb it at a cellular level. Each of the body’s 11 major systems—like the integumentary system (hair, skin, nails) and digestive system, among others—are nourished from the inside out. And when they're taken care of, I genuinely believe you can expect higher energy levels and that inner glow.

Lisa Oxenham

An award-winning health and beauty writer, stylist and creative director, Lisa Oxenham is one of the UK’s top beauty editors and the Beauty and Style Director at Marie Claire UK. With 20 years of editorial experience Lisa is a brand partnership expert, and a popular speaker, panelist and interviewer on a range of topics from sustainability to the future of beauty in the digital world. She recently spoke at Cognition X and Beauty Tech Live and is on the Advisory Board for the British Beauty Council’s Sustainable Beauty Coalition.

A well-respected creative director she works on celebrity, model and influencer shoots with the highest calibre of photographers, filmmakers, make-up artists and hairstylists to create timeless images, attention-grabbing videos, digital events and masterclasses. Most recently Lisa has directed covers such as Lily Cole and Jameela Jamil, films such as Save The Arts featuring Francesca Hayward and sustainable fashion shoots such as Be The Change. Supporting the beauty industry over the pandemic has been a top focus, directing the British Beauty Council’s six inspirational short biographical films for their Bring Back Beauty campaign.

Lisa is a wellbeing and beauty influencer with a focus on mental health and a large and engaged audience on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.