Let me be clear: I'm so over productivity culture. Call it my autumn slump, perimenopause or just a general ennui, but self-optimisation is over, as far as I'm concerned. I'm done being the very best version of myself at all times: I want my life back.

And I know I'm not alone. My social media feed has been flooded of late with anti-hustle posts extolling the virtues of a so-called ‘soft life’, and I have to say, I'm totally here for it. Gone are the 4 a.m. wake-ups to work out in perfect co-ords before your 9 to 5, and in their place are gentle countryside walks and steaming cups of tea.

Honestly? After a long, hot summer and a hectic autumn (back to school hits hard, no matter how long it's been since you hung up your uniform), I could do with any excuse to take my foot off the gas. I'm notoriously poor at making time for myself—with three demanding children, a dog, ageing parents and a job, I'm in that classic ‘sandwich’ stage of life where everyone (and I mean everyone) needs something from me.

I'm also not ashamed to admit that I can be hugely influenced by the online content I consume. So, when confronted every millisecond with over-achieving, glossy, capable women, I'll admit—I can feel like I should be planning every single moment of my day (and night).

The upshot? I get super stressed, and then I'm hit with that inevitable vicious cycle of feeling too frazzled to actually be productive, and berating myself when I fall short.

The idea, then, of taking a more holistic, self-centred approach to life is appealing. Would adopting a soft life mindset and practising soft habits (we're talking romanticising the everyday, unplugged mornings, protecting boundaries and so on) help me feel calmer and more in control of my emotions? You'll have to keep reading to find out, but while you're here, do take a look at our guides to the antidotes to optimisation culture, whether dopamine menus actually work and the psychological sigh—plus, find out how one Health Writer got on when she tried 5 types of energy healing, here.

Soft Life Habits Are Trending This Season, but Can They Really Help Me Feel Calmer and More in Control of My Life? I Put Them to the Test

What are soft life habits?

If your algorithm isn't yet serving you soft life principles, listen up—we think you're going to like this.

“I think of a soft life habit as anything that helps us live our lives with a bit less pressure, and a little more enjoyment, in a more gentle way,” shares chartered counselling psychologist, Dr Kirstie Fleetwood Meade. “It might be protecting time in your diary, moving your body because it feels good rather than to punish yourself, setting boundaries, or making time for things you genuinely enjoy.

Despite the glossy Instagram aesthetic, it's important to note here that a soft life doesn't mean giving up or not striving to improve, grow and achieve goals.

“Deliberately choosing ease is not the same as giving up,” notes nutritionist and women's health expert Eleanor Hoath. “A soft life habit is a small, repeatable choice that lowers the load on your nervous system instead of adding to it. It isn’t about doing less with your life. It’s about living with less friction.”

Soft life habits may include (but aren't limited to) the following:

• Waking up a few minutes earlier
• Romanticising your everyday: this might be making a cup of tea in your favourite mug, lighting a special candle, or slipping into your PJs at 4 pm.
• Treating your body with love
• Resting without guilt
• Doing nothing.

What are the benefits of soft life habits?

It's all very well seeing prettily curated reels on the 'gram, but do these habits translate into any real-world benefits? In a word: yes.

“The idea of embracing a soft life taps into something many women recognise: the never-ending pressure to hold everything together, look after everyone else and somehow keep achieving at the same time,” says Dr Fleetwood Meade. “I think the soft life idea is appealing because it's giving ourselves permission to do things differently.”

1. They can help to reduce stress

“In physiological terms, soft life habits can move you out of ‘fight or flight’ (the sympathetic nervous system) and into ‘rest and digest’ (the parasympathetic nervous system) more often during the day,” shares Hoath. “Most of us spend far too long in the first state and far too little in the second.”

Studies show that being stuck in a fight-or-flight loop is damaging for both mental and physical health, contributing to an increased risk of depression, anxiety and even heart disease.

“Making space for rest, pleasure and connection can help us manage stress and feel more present in our lives,” agrees Dr Fleetwood Meade. “It can also help us recognise when we're pushing ourselves because something genuinely matters to us, and when we're doing it because we feel guilty, anxious or not quite good enough.”

2. They can regulate daily energy

How often have you started the day with a raft of good intentions, only to run out of steam post-lunch? Us, too—but cultivating a soft life could help here.

“Embracing soft life habits can help contribute to steadier energy throughout the day,” Hoath continues. “A healthier cortisol rhythm (high in the morning, tapering through the day) means fewer afternoon crashes and less of that tired but wired feeling at night.

“In turn, this helps us to sleep deeper, too. A nervous system that has wound down properly falls asleep more easily and gets more restorative sleep.”

3. They encourage self compassion

“As a psychologist, what interests me about this trend is how it challenges the idea that we always need to be doing more, achieving more or pushing ourselves harder,” Dr Fleetwood Meade muses. “Hustle culture, or the idea that we need to be constantly bettering ourselves, has been a dominant narrative for a long time, only made worse by social media.”

As such, the idea of cultivating a soft life is allowing us permission to rest without guilt and to be more compassionate with ourselves about our needs, too.

4. They help us enjoy the present moment

If you're craving a more mindful, intentional life, soft life habits are a great place to start leaning in.

“When we're constantly in 'doing' mode, we can lose touch with ourselves: what we're feeling, what we need, what our values are, and what we want from our lives,” shares Dr Fleetwood Meade. “We get so focused on the next task or responsibility that we stop noticing how we're feeling, what we need or what we're actually enjoying.”

Put simply, it's our chance to stop and smell the roses.

5. They support overall emotional wellbeing

Emotional health and resilience are vital for overall wellbeing, and tuning into soft life habits can really help us to shift our priorities back to things that nourish and support, rather than drain, us.

“Simple changes, such as setting boundaries, taking regular breaks and making time for activities we enjoy, can help reduce feelings of overwhelm and support emotional wellbeing,” explains psychotherapist Kamalyn Kaur. “Although the term itself isn't a clinical intervention, many of the behaviours associated with this trend align with established principles of psychological wellbeing.”

6. They allow us to make space for rest

“So many of us are used to putting ourselves at the bottom of the list, telling ourselves we'll relax when the work is done, when the house is sorted, when we've reached the next goal,” shares Dr Fleetwood Meade. “But how often are we saying to ourselves; we'll just get through the next few weeks, and then it'll calm down, only for things not to calm down. Because the list never really ends; If we don't make room for rest, and make conscious choices to do things differently, it won't happen.

“We need to recognise when it's time to pause, soften or pull back. If we're always overriding tiredness, ignoring our needs or telling ourselves to just get on with it, we can end up exhausted and disconnected from the things we're working so hard for.”

Why are soft life habits trending right now?

So, what's behind this sudden explosion of soft life content? Put simply: it seems we're all fed up with over-optimisation, and we're searching for a simpler, calmer life.

“I think there's a growing sense of exhaustion with hustle culture and the pressure to constantly optimise every aspect of our lives,” agrees registered psychologist Dr Carolyne Keenan. “We've spent years being told we should be doing more, achieving more and somehow becoming better versions of ourselves.

“The soft life trend offers an appealing alternative. It suggests that perhaps we don't need to earn our rest, justify our enjoyment or measure our worth by how busy we are.”

But it's not all just a hustle-culture backlash. In recent years, our emotional literacy has improved massively, meaning we're now openly discussing (and challenging) a range of wellbeing myths.

“Nervous system literacy has gone mainstream,” notes Hoath. “People now talk about cortisol, regulation and concepts such as rest and digest in everyday conversation. They have the words for what they’ve been feeling.”

Unsurprisingly, the internet loves the idea of a soft life, and the hashtag is garnering thousands of views on socials.

“Social media has also helped popularise the concept of a soft life, although there's an irony in turning a movement about doing less into another lifestyle we're supposed to aspire to," Dr Keenan continues. “I suspect part of its appeal is that people are beginning to question whether being constantly busy is actually making them happier or actually just making them tired.”

Hoath agrees, noting how normalised burnout has become. “The hustle and girlboss era told a generation that exhaustion was the price of success. Many women are now living with the cost, and they’re questioning the deal.”

How to weave soft life habits into your day to day

While there's no perfect, universal way to embrace a softer life (what it looks like will vary from person to person), if you're not sure where to start, the experts agree: this is less a radical life overhaul and more intentional tweaks.

“Start small and think about what would genuinely make your day feel a little easier, rather than trying to create an entirely new lifestyle,” advises Dr Fleetwood Meade. “That might be taking ten minutes to enjoy your morning coffee without checking emails, going for a walk without feeling the need to count your steps, or saying no to something you don't actually have the time or energy for.

“It might also look like leaving some space in your diary rather than treating every free hour as an opportunity to squeeze something else in.”

I tried embracing soft life habits for two weeks—and I can't believe the difference in my stress levels

Week one

As the beginning of my soft life habits trial approaches, it's clear that I need it now, more than ever. My Oura ring is telling me my HRV has levelled up and my resilience is down, so it couldn't have come at a better time.

Day one, and I start off by lighting one of my favourite candles (one of the perks of darker mornings, surely?) as I start to potter in the kitchen. With three children and a dog, this scene was not quite as romantic or relaxing as it may sound, but it still felt like a step up from squinting at the big light at 6 am.

And my next soft habit? Leaving my desk for lunch, rather than absent-mindedly scarfing a salad as I type. This also meant I benefitted from a post-prandial stroll, too, which we know aids digestion—two birds, one stone.

Across the rest of the week, I tried to stop rushing from task to task (something I'm hugely guilty of), and deliberately took more time out to breathe a little deeper even in my busiest days. But the biggest change, for me, was noticing when I started to feel tired in the evening, and acting on it.

Usually, I'd override the impulse to sleep and crack on with those chores that really need to be done (dishwasher, washing, it goes on), but this week, I tried to get all the mundane jobs done earlier, so when I started to feel sleepy—I knew it was time to wind down.

I've never really been one for a wind-down routine, despite being well aware of the benefits (reduced stress, improved sleep quality, to name a couple), but this week, I allowed myself to ease into bedtime, even finding time for an LED mask, which I'm certain my skin will thank me for.

Week two

Of course, it takes longer than two weeks to create a habit that lasts (research estimates that habit formation takes around 66 days), but by week two I really feel like I'm easing into a softer way of life.

One of my favourite soft life habits? Small, sensory joys. Lighting a candle first thing in the morning while waiting for the kettle to boil, stopping to notice the changing leaves on my weekly run rather than fixating on pace (a huge one, for me)

“Small sensory joys tell your body it’s safe,” shares Hoath. “A good way to incorporate this is by adding colour, not rules. A soft life is about pleasure as much as rest. A colourful plate, a warm drink you love, flowers on the table all work.”

You don't have to tell me twice to make a cuppa, let's be honest.

As for my Oura ring readings? Well, I'm a star student. My resilience has blasted through the roof (or so it's telling me); whether this is down to the habits themselves or simply taking a little more time to focus on what makes me feel good, I don't really care: I'm taking it as a win.

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As I write this, I’m wrapped in a dressing gown, my grandmother’s chicken soup bubbling away on the stove in a desperate attempt to stave off a cold, and I’m wondering whether October is too early to turn on the heating. Summer, it seems, is well and truly behind us.

As much as I love how winter incoming means more cosy evenings on my agenda, I’ve never been particularly good at embracing the darker months. The clocks haven’t even gone back yet, and I can already feel my enthusiasm for early mornings dwindling.

And I’m certainly not alone. Research from Dreams found that almost half (45%) of people feel the darker mornings and evenings negatively impact their energy levels, while 42% notice a dip in their mood. More than one in five even say the darker days affect their sleep.

I don’t have a diagnosis of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression associated with seasonal changes, but I certainly recognise a shift in my mood, motivation and energy levels as the days become shorter. And while I’m usually the first person to advocate for a little comfortmaxxing, there’s only so much sleep hygiene you can practice, supplements you can invest in and wellness hacks you can try before admitting defeat. Winter can be rather miserable.

But what if the answer to feeling a little brighter during the darker months was something simpler? Enter: the ‘sunlight snack’, a wellness concept encouraging us to seek out small, regular doses of natural daylight.

We've already established that exercise snacking—short bursts of movement scattered throughout the day—can have benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing. Which got me thinking, if bite-sized workouts can help boost our mood and energy levels, could the same principle apply to sunlight?

After all, natural light plays an important role in regulating our body clock, and research suggests it can influence dopamine activity, too.

Curious whether just ten minutes of morning light could make a meaningful difference to my wellbeing, I decided to put it to the test for two weeks. Keep scrolling to discover if it shifted my mindset, but whilst you're here, you might want to explore our other MC-approved morning hacks. We've got guides to drinking bone broth for breakfast, low-effort wellness habits, and the most common everyday energy drains. Plus, read how I got on when I tried the psychological sigh to reduce cortisol, too.

I Tried a 10-Minute ‘Sunlight Snack’ Every Day for Two Weeks

What Is a ‘Winter Slump’, and How Does It Affect Our Bodies and Minds?

If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to get out of bed in the winter months, or noticed that your usual enthusiasm for an early morning workout has mysteriously disappeared, you’ll be familiar with the winter slump.

Although not a medical diagnosis, the term describes a dip in energy, mood and motivation some of us experience as daylight hours decrease.

For others, these seasonal changes can develop into something more serious. According to the NHS guidance, SAD is a form of depression that typically occurs during autumn and winter, with symptoms including persistent low mood, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and losing interest in activities previously enjoyed.

“Light is one of the most important signals that keeps our circadian rhythm clock synchronised with our environment,” explains Dr Shirin Lakhani, an expert in women’s hormonal health. “When daylight becomes more limited in autumn and winter, our exposure to light changes, which can influence the timing of melatonin release, sleep patterns and mood.”

Our circadian rhythm is essentially the body’s internal clock, helping regulate everything from sleep and hormone production to energy levels.

“The shift to darker evenings can trick the brain into thinking it’s later than it really is, leading to earlier releases of melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep,” adds Dr Suzanne Wylie, GP and medical adviser for IQdoctor.

How Does Sunlight Help Improve Symptoms of a Winter Slump?

There’s good reason to believe that getting more daylight could help us feel better during the darker months.

Light is one of the strongest environmental signals regulating our circadian rhythm. When daylight enters our eyes, specialised cells in the retina communicate with the brain’s internal clock, helping our bodies distinguish between day and night. Morning light is particularly useful for reinforcing this sleep-wake cycle.

“The body’s internal clock regulates sleep, hormones and energy levels. When daylight hours shorten, this shift affects melatonin production, making us sleepy sooner, and reduces serotonin levels, which impacts mood and motivation,” adds Dr Wylie.

And research suggests that exposure to brighter light may have benefits beyond helping us feel more awake. A 2024 study found that greater exposure to bright light was associated with more regular sleep patterns and fewer depressive symptoms.

Of course, this was observational research, so it doesn’t prove that stepping outside every morning will improve your mental health. Nevertheless, it offers an encouraging reminder that our relationship with daylight deserves more attention, particularly when the temptation to hit snooze and spend five more minutes in bed becomes almost impossible to resist.

What Is a Sunlight Snack, and How Do You Do It?

Think of a sunlight snack as a small serving of natural daylight, ideally enjoyed shortly after waking. The concept is simple—spend at least ten minutes each morning somewhere bright, whether that’s drinking your morning coffee in the garden, going for a walk or stepping outside for a breath of fresh air before opening your laptop.

And if the British weather has other ideas? Sitting beside a bright window can still offer some natural daylight, although getting outdoors is generally better for supporting our circadian rhythm.

For my two-week experiment, I also wanted to make those ten minutes feel like a moment of calm before the working day began, rather than another wellness task to tick off. So, I asked breathwork practitioner Nicola Cacioppo whether incorporating a few minutes of conscious breathing could make my morning ritual feel even more restorative.

“One of the wonderful things about breathwork is that we’re already breathing all day, every day,” she explains. “We all have access to it, but I think people underestimate how much we can use our breath to influence how we feel.”

Her advice was refreshingly simple: breathe gently in through your nose for four seconds, then out through your nose for six. “Nothing forced or exaggerated, just soft, comfortable breaths,” she advises. “As the practice becomes easier, you can gradually lengthen your breathing, keeping the exhale slightly longer than the inhale.”

Scientifically, we know that slow-paced breathing can have short-term benefits for heart rate and heart rate variability, both of which offer insight into how our bodies respond to stress.

But what interested me most was Cacioppo’s suggestion that paying attention to our breathing can encourage us to check in with ourselves. “Am I feeling tense? Am I rushing? Am I holding my breath without realising? Sometimes, simply noticing your breathing is enough to bring you back into the present moment.”

As someone whose mornings tend to begin with a mental inventory of everything I need to accomplish that day, I was particularly curious to see whether combining the two might help me start things a little differently.

What Does the Science Say About Micro-Habits and Our Health?

If you’ve ever enthusiastically committed to an elaborate morning routine on Monday, only to abandon it by Thursday, you’ll understand the appeal of a micro-habit.

Rather than attempting an ambitious lifestyle overhaul, the idea is to introduce small, manageable changes that are easier to stick to. And there's science behind this approach, too. University College London found that forming a new habit can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days, but missing the occasional day doesn't necessarily undo your progress.

For breathwork practitioner Cacioppo, the secret is making these small moments part of everyday life, rather than treating them as another task on your to-do list.

“You don’t need any equipment, and you don’t need lots of time,” she explains. “Even five minutes every morning is still a practice. Consistency is more important than trying to do too much.”

I Tried Sunlight Snacking for Two Weeks—Here’s My Honest Verdict

Week One

In typical British fashion, the weather took a turn almost immediately after I committed to getting more morning daylight. Grey skies, persistent drizzle and absolutely no desire to leave the warmth of my flat meant my first week of sunlight snacking looked rather different from the wholesome, sun-drenched mornings I'd envisioned. As a Health Writer who could wax lyrical about the benefits of getting outdoors, the irony wasn't lost on me that I was now finding every excuse not to.

Instead, I found myself sitting beside the brightest window in my house, allowing whatever natural daylight was available to pour in while practising the breathing technique Cacioppo had recommended.

*Four seconds in, six seconds out. Repeat.*

I'll admit that, initially, I felt slightly ridiculous. I'm usually mentally scrolling through a to-do list before I've even finished my morning coffee, so sitting still and concentrating on something as mundane as breathing felt surprisingly unnatural. I was also acutely aware that the relatively modest amount of light coming through my window wasn't quite what the research had in mind.

But I quickly began to enjoy those ten minutes to myself. There was something rather lovely about starting the day without immediately reaching for my phone, answering emails or mentally calculating how much I could accomplish before lunchtime. And while I can't say I experienced any dramatic changes in my energy levels, I did begin to notice how rarely I allow myself to do absolutely nothing.

Week Two

Thankfully, the weather improved during week two, and I could finally take my sunlight snack outdoors. I’ve long been a fan of the German practice of lüften, or ‘house burping’, which involves throwing open your windows first thing in the morning to let the fresh air in, even in the depths of winter. It’s a ritual I already swear by, and I was beginning to think a daily dose of morning sunlight deserved a permanent place in my routine, too.

And what a difference it made. Within a few days, getting outside and soaking up some natural daylight as soon as possible after waking had become something I genuinely looked forward to. My productivity soared, and I found myself sitting down at my desk feeling awake, energised and far more capable of tackling my inbox, rather than spending the first hour wishing I was still in bed. Some mornings, my ten-minute walks turned into half an hour, simply because I was enjoying myself.

Can Ten Minutes of Morning Sunlight Really Beat the Winter Slump? My Verdict

After two weeks, I can’t claim that sunlight snacking has transformed my mental health, but I certainly noticed a difference. Getting outdoors first thing left me feeling more energised, focused and ready to tackle the day.

While ten minutes of daylight isn’t a guaranteed fix for the winter blues, I was surprised by how quickly such a small change became something I looked forward to. It’s a habit I fully intend to keep up as the days grow darker.

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As a mum of three, including a two-year-old who still wakes during the night, I'm used to broken sleep. But even before I had kids, I've struggled with insomnia, and I've tried my fair share of ways to fix it over the years.

From over-the-counter supplements to countless bedtime routines, if it promises to improve my sleep, you can bet I've given it a go. But with so many sleep aids now at our disposal, it's hard to know which ones (if any) actually work.

It turns out I'm not alone in my quest for some decent, regular shut-eye. According to research published in The Lancet, insomnia affects up to a third of adults worldwide.

With everything from sunrise alarm clocks to sleep trackers and magnesium promising to be the fix, I've dipped in and out of plenty of them over the years, but never properly stuck with any to see if they really work.

So, over the course of a month, I committed to testing the most popular sleep aid interventions with guidance from leading sleep experts to find out if any of them could be the answer to my prayers. Not only that, I wanted to know whether improving my sleep would translate into more daytime energy.

Keep scrolling to find out if I discovered a magic fix, and while you're here, check out our guides on how to improve sleep, how to get to sleep, insomnia treatment – plus find out how other health writers got on when they tried the Huberman 'Sleep Stack' and a 10-minute daily habit.

I Spent a Month Testing Popular Sleep Hacks—Here's What Happened

Do Sleep Aids Actually Work?

Before choosing which sleep aids to use for the experiment, I turned to the experts for their take.

“Some sleep products can be helpful, but I think we need to be careful about believing we need them in order to sleep,” Kathryn Pinkham, founder of The Insomnia Clinic and the Sleep Well & Live Better online course, told me.

If, like me, you're already anxious about your sleep patterns, sleep trackers can actually do more harm than good, says Kathryn. “I’ve seen people wake up feeling fine, only to become anxious after their tracker tells them they’ve slept badly.”

This is echoed by Dr Maja Schaedel, Co-Founder and Director of The Good Sleep Clinic, who points out that although trackers can help us understand our bodies, they’re not helpful for anyone who struggles with sleep regularly.

“This is because they increase focus on sleep, which often tends to make sleep anxiety worse.” Not only that, the technology isn't always accurate. “They are less good at being able to interpret what goes on during sleep,” Dr Schaedel adds.

There's even a term for becoming fixated on sleep-tracking data. A 2017 paper in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine coined the term to describe patients who became fixated on their sleep data and achieving the 'perfect sleep.'

So, which sleep aids do the experts recommend? “My absolute favourites are the sunrise alarm clocks,” says Dr Schaedel. “I think these are such a lovely way to wake up and a great way to help our circadian rhythms, as light is the main way our brains understand what daytime is and what is nighttime,” she says.

Dr Schaedel says eye masks and earplugs also have their place, especially where noise and light pollution are likely to disturb sleep.

And supplements? “I’m cautious about supplements such as magnesium,” says Pinkham. “The evidence that they significantly improve sleep is limited, particularly for people with chronic insomnia.”

How Can You Improve Sleep Naturally?

So, while sleep aids can earn a place in your routine, the good news is you don't necessarily need them to improve your sleep.

As Pinkham puts it: “The more products and routines we rely on, the more complicated sleep becomes.”

That was reassuring to hear, and it helped me understand which simple habits I could build into the routine, rather than relying on sleep aids alone.

1. Wake up at the same time every day (including weekends)

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's guilty of this, but when you've had a late night, or haven't slept as well as usual, sticking to the same get-up time goes out the window. But if you're serious about nailing a healthy sleep routine, it's one of the things the experts advocate for.

“I’d recommend getting up at roughly the same time each morning, even after a bad night, to help regulate your body clock,” says Pinkham.

2. Spend less time in bed

It's easy to think that you need to spend more time in bed trying to catch up on Zs. But Pinkham says one of the most effective things you can do, particularly if you’re struggling with insomnia, is the opposite.

“We build up something called sleep drive throughout the day, a bit like hunger,” she says. “The longer we’re awake, the stronger our appetite for sleep becomes. Going to bed too early or spending extra hours in bed trying to catch up can weaken that sleep drive and actually make sleep more difficult.”

3. Don't force sleep

One thing you absolutely shouldn't do is lie awake trying to force yourself back to sleep. Pinkham suggests leaving the bedroom rather than lying there frustrated that you're not asleep. “And avoid checking the time, as this often starts a cycle of worrying about how much sleep you’re losing,” she adds.

4. Build a good wind-down routine

This is where I often get stuck. Once the kids are in bed and I have some time to myself, I don't always prioritise a good wind-down routine, and I'm guilty of staying on my phone or laptop longer than I should.

Dr Schaedel says protecting your evening is key. “I tend to find a good wind-down routine, including keeping active, keeping boundaries around work and relaxation in the evenings and not taking too many naps or lie-ins, can be the most helpful way to maintain sleep quality,” she explains.

5. Write down anything that's bothering you

If you find all those things you didn't tick off your to-do list popping into your head at 3 am, you're not alone.

Pinkham suggests spending 10 minutes writing down what’s worrying you before you go to bed. “If you’re anxious about not sleeping, ask yourself what you’re actually afraid will happen if you’re tired tomorrow. Often, addressing that underlying fear can take some of the pressure off sleep.”

My Month-Long Sleep Experiment

Weeks one to two

By now, I've sussed out which pre-bedtime habits can make my insomnia worse (scrolling on my phone in the hour before bed and drinking caffeine after 4 pm, to name a couple), so I entered the experiment determined to avoid them.

I'll be honest, though, I failed miserably during the first week. I went all-in – introducing a sunrise alarm clock, tracking ring and sleep mask at the same time, alongside a stricter bedtime routine. But focusing so much on whether I'd see any changes only increased my anxiety, and I struggled to even get to sleep.

I don't usually wear my Garmin to bed because I've learnt that seeing the time or checking my sleep data after a bad night doesn't help. I used the Sekonda Smart Ring, which was more subtle than a watch, but knowing it was there kept me focused on my sleep, just as the experts had warned.

At the start of week two, I took the ring off. Knowing I wasn't going to wake up to a sleep score meant I wasn't lying in bed analysing how I'd slept, and I found it easier to judge my night based on how I actually felt.

I already take magnesium before bed, and I kept it up throughout the experiment. But hearing the experts explain that there's limited evidence that it significantly improves sleep (particularly for chronic insomnia) made me question whether it was doing much at all. Still, it's become part of my calming bedtime routine, so I don't think that's a bad thing.

I was keen to add an eye mask to my routine because even the smallest sliver of light will wake me up. While I can't say it improved my sleep, it did the job of blocking out any light, and I liked how it helped me switch off from distractions around me.

The sunrise alarm clock, on the other hand, was an instant hit. During autumn and winter, I struggle to wake up when it's pitch black outside, so the gradually brightening light felt so much gentler than switching on my bedside lamp.

Weeks three to four

During the second half of the experiment, I focused on the habits recommended by the experts. Having a consistent wake-up time was pretty easy to stick to, as my kids usually act as my alarm clock anyway.

The biggest challenge was waking up in the night. I tend to check the time and start worrying about how tired I'll be the next day. Pinkham had told me: “We check the time, calculate how much sleep we’re losing and start worrying about tomorrow. This creates alertness at exactly the time we’re trying to relax.” So, when I was still awake after 20 minutes, I took my Kindle downstairs to read until I felt relaxed and sleepy enough to go back to bed.

What made the biggest difference wasn't any of the sleep aids I'd introduced; it was a question that Pinkham asked, and something I'd never really thought about before. “If you’re anxious about not sleeping, ask yourself what you’re actually afraid will happen if you’re tired tomorrow.”

I realised that, while I may be tired, I'd always coped in the past. That simple shift in perspective helped me worry less about being away, and I started falling back to sleep more easily. I even started wearing my ring again, and as long as I didn't fixate on checking it, I found the data around my sleep interesting rather than stressful.

So, did my energy levels improve? I wasn't exactly bouncing out of bed, but I did feel more rested, even if it took me a little time to come round in the morning (although the sunrise alarm definitely helped). I also made an effort to get my steps in on days when I'd usually run but felt too tired, following Dr Schaedel's advice to try gentler movement, like walking or yoga. Often, it was just what I needed to perk myself up.

My Verdict: Do Sleep Aids Work?

What surprised me most is that I'm not necessarily sleeping for longer. Pinkham told me that progress shouldn't be measured purely by how much sleep we're getting, but by our relationship with sleep. For me, that's exactly what happened. I can honestly say I worry less at night, I've stopped clock-watching, and I know I can cope if I do have a bad night's sleep.

Of the products I've tried, the sunrise alarm clock and eye mask have earned a permanent place in my bedtime routine. I'm still sticking with the magnesium too, but ultimately, it's the free and slightly boring habits (and that one simple question) that have made the biggest difference.

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Welcome to What Lily Loves, a personal edit of the pieces, places, and ideas currently inspiring me. Think of it as your insider guide to what’s shaping my wardrobe and daily rituals. From standout finds and under-the-radar designers to shopping destinations, cultural hotspots—from restaurants and theatres to podcasts—here are the latest discoveries I’m loving.

The Designer Drop

Celine loafers

I recently invested in a pair of Celine’s classic Aura slippers, as I needed to fill a gap in my wardrobe for a pair of polished, everyday loafers with a slim enough shape to work with both trousers and dresses. Just in time for Christmas, Celine is now offering an exclusive in-store personalisation service, allowing you to customise your loafers by choosing the colour of the leather, the logo and additional details, such as delicate bows and more.

Spotlight On

TWP Opens in the Heart of Mayfair

New York-based label TWP has been quietly dressing America’s coolest women since it was founded in 2021 by industry veteran Trish Westcoat Pound. Now, she is bringing her cult label to the UK with the opening of her first store outside the US, on London’s Bruton Street. If you are drawn to mannish tailoring and elegant shirting, but still like to inject an element of playfulness and colour into your outfits, make sure TWP is on your radar. Trish’s daughter, Jillian, now oversees the brand’s visuals, which are always full of styling inspiration for your wardrobe, both present and future.

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New In This Week

Black Stirrup Leggings

In the past, I’ve struggled to transition from my summer wardrobe to warmer winter outfits, but over the years, I’ve learnt to arm myself with wardrobe pieces that have interesting details and add another layer of interest. As I’ve said before, you’ll seldom see me dressed in black, but if I do wear it, there will always be a point of difference in the pieces I choose or a real wow piece, such as a Wardrobe NYC sculpted blazer. Black stirrup leggings continue to be my go-to trousers when looking for comfort and style. They’re super easy to style with ballet flats or heels and require minimal effort. Pair them with a funnel-neck sweater and trench coat for work, or add an oversized shirt and heels for dinner. And the best part? This season, there are more options than ever, including Heist’s compression leggings which are already in my basket and Mint Velvet’s pair, which is available in three lengths.

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On My Radar

Head to Milan and Step Into the Pradasphere

If you haven’t already had a chance to visit the newly refurbished Prada Galleria in Milan, then if you’re a Prada fan, I can tell you it’s worth booking a flight for. The project spans eight floors, with the highlight being the Pradasphere exhibition: a deep dive into the world and history of Prada, featuring iconic pieces from the archive. Having had a preview myself during Milan Fashion Week, I can tell you that you can get up close with some of the house’s most iconic pieces, discover the stories behind Miuccia Prada’s most memorable collections and even pass through a secret passageway that takes you straight into the Prada store for a spot of shopping before heading to Marchesi 1824 (of course) for a bite to eat.

To book your tickets visit the Prada website.

In Case You Missed It...

Millennial women were raised to believe we could be financially independent, sexually liberated and equal partners to men, that we should do everything men did in relationships, adjusting our role to be both caregiver and financial provider. But this dynamic has made life more unequal for many women, not less.

We might be joint breadwinners, but we also do most of the housekeeping, childcare, admin, and emotional labour. Studies showing that women with successful careers still shoulder most of the ‘mental load’ at home only confirm what we already know all too well.

Our expectations of men have always been shaped by the generations that came before us. Gen X women grew up with third-wave feminism, which gave them the idea that liberation meant being independent, sexually confident and not needing too much from men. Millennials inherited much of this approach, but it mutated into the Cool Girl narrative: not relying on men, pretending we were chill in the face of misogyny, and doing everything we could to protect our hard-won financial freedoms.

Throughout my adult life, I’ve tried to hold onto a few basic expectations: kindness, respect, independence, fun and being someone who never says no to ice cream. But in my teens and early twenties, I often performed as a type of woman I wasn’t, for men who didn’t meet even my most fundamental needs.

Looking back, I realise my approach was shaped by what I didn’t want as much as by what I did. My grandma raised seven children while my grandad worked outside the home and controlled their finances. They never split a bill because only one of them had access to the money. Although they said this arrangement worked for them, I saw how restricted my grandma’s choices were.

It’s why I’ve always split the cost of dates 50/50, although friends just 10 years older than me baulk at the idea, saying they’d expect a man they date to pay for everything.

To understand what’s changed, I spoke to three women from three generations—Gen X, millennial, and Gen Z—about what they were taught to expect from men, what they’ve had to unlearn, and what they refuse to compromise on.

“I expected men to be financial providers, but not emotionally safe, gentle or consistent” – Sarah Bale, 60, Gen X

I was taught to expect men to be the financial providers, but that they would also be volatile and unpredictable. My father provided financially, but he also gambled away money, lashed out, and caused deep fear in my Mum. Consequently, I was conditioned not to expect emotional safety, gentleness, or consistency from men. I expected financial provision, but alongside it, tension and fear.

Truthfully, I didn’t understand what independence meant when I was younger because I had never witnessed it. My mum stopped working after marriage, leaving her entirely dependent on my Dad. Independence wasn’t a concept or goal I grew up with; it was something I had to build blindly—out of necessity—later in life.

Having raised two daughters on my own while creating a stable home without any help from their father, I spent decades carrying the full burden. Now, with my current partner as the main provider, feeling looked after and safe for the first time in my adult life is profoundly healing. Provided there is mutual respect and kindness, being provided for does not diminish equality; I think it creates a complementary balance.

I wish I had expected far more emotional safety, gentleness and respect early on. At the same time, I wish I had expected less of the traditional ‘sole financial provider’ weight—if it comes bundled with resentment.

“I think millennial women realised they could build a wonderful life for themselves—alone.” – Kasey Robinson, 35, Millennial

Looking back, I think I learned a lot about what a ‘good relationship’ looks like from TV; I was a Disney princess kid and raised on Friends and ’00s romcoms. They taught me that if a man wants to, he will run to the end of the earth for you; he will interrupt his day to bring you flowers and coffee and spoil you with new shoes and romantic dinners out in the city. In reality, the grown women in my life did nothing but complain about men, pine for men, cry about men and make excuses for them. It felt like watching two opposite worlds attempt to collide, and there were times when I couldn’t work out why men and women were together at all, since it seemed so few of them had anything nice to say about the other. It made me feel sorry for women and utterly confused about men.

It wasn’t until my early 30s that I really started to understand that I could give myself everything I wanted and have a full and rich life. If a man showed up who added to my life, then that was great. If he didn’t, I would be OK.

After being in long-term relationships, I learned (sometimes the hard way) that 50/50 just wasn’t possible. Men didn’t have the emotional skills to meet me where I was, so I often felt like I was doing all the heavy lifting there. I also learned that sometimes, when things are healthy, 50/50 just doesn’t make sense. Sometimes, it needs to be 60/40, 70/30. Sometimes, your partner is going through a really tough time, so it might even be 90/10. Those days are hard, but that’s what true love and companionship is in my eyes.

I think that millennial women who married early and then divorced, or who are choosing singledom, are right in the sense that they listened to bits of positive messaging that we got around independence and realised that they could build a wonderful life for themselves alone. I also think that it's fair, normal and entirely sensible that many women are angry, upset and frustrated about the men in their lives or the men that they’re dating.

“I was taught to expect respect and support—now I just expect to get ghosted” – Nell Davies, 24, Gen Z

My parents are my benchmark for a healthy relationship. They’re always on the same team, they share their finances, recognise one might do certain things a bit better than the other (my Dad is a lovely cook, my Mum specialises in beans on toast) and seem to function through picking up the chores each does best, while both filling in where needed. I was taught to expect respect, support and emotional intelligence from men, through seeing this between my parents.

I realised when I started dating, and during my first relationship in particular, that my sense of self and security could be fragile, and was determined heavily by my partner’s actions. I think what I have learnt to expect—rather than what I should expect from a male partner—has changed since starting to date. I assumed decent men would be the average, but that feels difficult to come by. I have come to expect being ghosted—not chased by a charming prince like my Grandma said I would.

I often clash with my cousin, who is my age. He says he aspires towards a dynamic in which he—as the man in a heterosexual relationship—would be the provider, and in return his female partner will stay at home, do the housework and have a meal on the table for when he gets home.

In my friendship group, there are more women not dating than are dating, at the minute. They are focusing on their own careers and what they want to do. I think for a lot of us, [romance] is quite low down on the list. My friends have all had some quite negative experiences and have come to expect less from men.

I think it's really positive that so many Gen Z women are focusing on being whole human beings on their own. For women and girls younger than me, or even my younger self, my advice would be to be wary [about dating], which is really sad. And actually it's men who need advice rather than women, because even basic communication from men has become a luxury.

Women: Expect More

Across generations, we have been taught to expect different things from men, particularly around finances, gender roles and domestic and emotional labour. But speaking to these three women, I was struck by how much we have in common. Despite our vastly different dating landscapes, the underlying lesson is the same: women have been conditioned to expect too little from men, while being pressured to lower the bar whenever we manage to raise it.

The utopian dating landscape many of us hoped we were paving for Gen Z hasn’t materialised. If anything, we’ve seen protest, pushback and regression. Women are less willing to settle for the bare minimum, but too many men remain unwilling to meet them halfway. We find ourselves at a frustrating impasse: women know they want more, but the world of dating has yet to catch up. Society blames young women for so-called sex recessions, male loneliness and fertility crises, as though these are our crosses to bear alone. Until, collectively, we recognise that women’s refusal to accept unequal relationships is not a problem to be solved by lowering our expectations, this stasis will persist.

So, what now? There is one clear lesson to take from all three women: expect more. Emotional regulation, communication, empathy, responsibility… This doesn’t mean returning to a model where men provide financially in exchange for women doing everything else, but a meaningful contribution to relationships, emotionally as well as practically, cannot be too much to ask for.

The Beauty Digest is my Beauty Director’s edit of what’s actually worth your attention. Each week, I’ll be sharing the new launches I’m using and loving, the viral treatments I’m putting to the test (and what I really think of the results), plus my take on the industry conversations everyone’s talking about.

The New Launches on My Radar

Spotlight On: Burberry Prorsum Fragrance Collection

I always approach fashion houses’ fragrance launches with bated breath. After all, there have been plenty of occasions when the juice simply hasn’t done the brand justice. But Burberry’s new eight-fragrance Prorsum collection genuinely blew me away. Drawing on the house’s rich British heritage, each scent reinterprets an iconic Burberry code, from its signature trench coat and cashmere scarves to the equestrian knight emblem. Running through every composition is a vivid ‘raker’ accord—an unexpected, bold twist designed to introduce energy and tension, much like the distinctive red line cutting through the iconic Burberry Check. The attention to detail is impressive, too: the Burberry Check is carved into the glass bottles, and each fragrance features a distinctive coloured cap.

It’s also one of the very few times I’ve genuinely loved every single fragrance in a collection. I’m particularly drawn to Cashmere Embrace, an enveloping scent inspired by the warmth of a Burberry scarf on a cold winter’s day, and Open Skies, which captures the wildness of the British coast through salty mineral notes, ivy and fir balsam. But really, I’d happily wear all eight. Now all I need is the trench coat.

Beauty Buzz: Jennifer Lawrence's Haircare Brand

Jennifer Lawrence launching a haircare brand wasn’t exactly on my 2026 bingo card. And judging by the online reaction, I’m not alone. With celebrity beauty fatigue reaching an all-time high, the arrival of Mes° feels both unexpected and, frankly, a little confusing. Lawrence has never been particularly synonymous with great hair, nor has beauty been central to her public persona. That said, her partnership with Arcaea, the biotechnology company founded by MIT-trained engineer Jasmina Aganovic, lends the venture considerably more credibility than your average celebrity-backed launch. The three debut products are intriguing, with formulations designed to make haircare more efficient without compromising on results. It’s the creative direction I'm struggling with. For a brand built around the idea of 'unbothered beauty', the accompanying imagery feels curiously contrived, particularly the almost vacant expressions in Lawrence’s eyes. Where’s the irreverence and personality we’ve come to associate with her? Maybe that’s the point—she’s ‘unbothered’ personified—but I’m still confused. Still, the science is interesting enough that I’m reserving judgement until I’ve tried the products.

‘You don’t want to end up on the common with your knickers around your neck.’

That’s a phrase I was told in childhood, over and over. I can guarantee men weren’t warned of these sickening possibilities—or made to feel responsible for their own fate.

Girls are policed and are made aware that their gender puts them at risk from a young age. These small messages about where girls should or shouldn’t go—where they should or shouldn’t be seen, how they are discouraged from just ‘hanging out’ in public compared to boys, their curfews, and even crossing their legs or wearing shorts under their skirt at school all act as microaggressions.

Quietly but loudly, these rules and messages tell girls their body is something someone might want to access, and their safety is their responsibility. Society and parental fear for the female body (whether correct or not) permeates girls’ nervous systems. This messaging means that as girls become women, we are always left asking ourselves: is it safe to go here? Should I wear that? Am I safe?

The Contradiction at the Heart of Women’s Running: Freedom Comes With Fear

Running has allowed me to reject this and has provided me so much freedom, but no matter how far I run free—from marathons to trail runs, to sub-20 min 5ks—I am often still left asking: how free can I really be?

When I started researching my PhD in 2020, many people—and by people, I mean men—asked me, “What? Where can’t you run? The canal? Well, that’s fine; I wouldn’t go there either”. They just didn’t, and arguably still do not get it.

This layer of mental maths that men simply don’t consider is what I feel most rage about. UN Women UK found that 71% of women have faced public sexual harassment. Girlguiding UK found that nearly 30% of girls experienced their first instance of sexual harassment between the ages of 11 and 13—often once this has happened, women and girls begin limiting themselves, working to ensure that incident doesn’t happen again. Women and young girls take on the work to protect themselves, and it is an unfair burden. Freedom and enjoyment become secondary to safety, and their lives are led by fear rather than freedom.

Men mostly do not see the mental labour and the effect of small incidents. It’s not that all women have been attacked, but most will have experienced microaggressions—from catcalls, to cheers, leering or worse, a man trying to touch or grab you and physically assault you. All while also being gaslit and told that it was ‘just a bit of fun’. It all sounds a bit Harvey Weinstein, doesn’t it?

If the comment section of my Instagram posts is anything to go by—many men feel they understand, as they are statistically more likely to be mugged. What they don’t fully grasp is that for women, these attacks can be life-altering physical and sexual assaults (including rape). Perhaps men are more likely to be mugged or attacked, because they are more likely to take risks. Women are taught that their bodies will be pursued by men—and that it's our problem.

It’s a spectrum of lived fear—from the catcall to assault—and very few women have been untouched by this. Working to not get raped or attacked was one of the main hobbies of my 20s. What if men spent as much time thinking about their safety as they do their split times? Women must.

Responsibilities Never Reaching the Root Cause of the Problem

Something that has baffled me recently is the heightened volume of social media ‘tips’ about how to stay safe running in the dark. Let me be very clear on this one: you don't need tips, and women don't need to do anything. Ashling Murphy was murdered on a run in broad daylight. These messages—although well-intended—are damaging and have to stop. The onus should not be on women.

These ‘tips’, strategies and even sometimes clothing advice tell women the risk is their responsibility, and the responsibility never reaches the cause of the problem: men. We need to stop handing out ‘tips to stay safe’ to women and begin educating young men and boys and calling out unacceptable behaviours.

When something does happen, women are asked what they were wearing, where they were running, or whether they had headphones in, and the list goes on. Victim blaming is easier than recognising that we need societal change—even in the messaging, ‘Violence against women and girls’ puts the onus on women, when in reality we need to start calling it male violence—because that is what it is.

We need to talk about women’s safety honestly—recognising the barriers that women face and limitations that exist. We need action to overcome male violence. And just for the absolute record, police presence is not the answer. Many women do not feel safe around the police either.

Running Exposing Reality

My doctoral research found that running exposes where women feel they can and can’t go. When you run, you’re out longer, covering more of the city, in kit that men seem to think permits them to comment. So—women hit those boundaries harder. And the boundaries move: a route that feels fine in July can feel off-limits in November. Each woman has a mental map of the city of where she will and won’t go and a list of what makes her feel good. Recognising this additional mental labour is part of the work we all need to do.

The other key finding is that safety on the street can’t be separated from everything else. If women aren’t safe at home, with people they know, how can they be expected to overcome fear outside?

As a designer and architect—many think we can design out fear—and design is part of the answer. Most designers and architects are men (69% of architects are men) who design based on their experiences. When women aren’t part of those decisions, spaces end up designed around a default user who isn’t us. Simple things can improve perceptions of safety, like good lighting, clear sightlines, routes through parks that aren’t isolated after dark, and places that feel busy and looked after. But as Leslie Kern, the author of Feminist City: Taking Up Space in a Man-Made World, once said, ‘no amount of lighting can abolish the patriarchy’.

The biggest change isn’t a handbook of design fixes or ‘run club rules’. The issues are too layered for a checklist. Women need power: a seat at the table when space, community experiences and brand activations are planned, and women’s lived experience treated as evidence, not anecdotes or ‘nice to haves’.

Creating spaces like Nike After Dark where women can feel seen and heard about the limitations they face is crucial. The event was built around women’s experiences and is hugely empowering, bringing together over 5000 women. The first year we organised it, which was last year, someone at Nike asked me, “Do you think we will sell out?”. I had no doubt how much women would connect with this space based on my PhD—women want to run, and they want women-led, women-designed spaces to do so.

Tickets for After Dark sold out within hours, which really just showed how desired women-only spaces are and that women need to be given space in running, not expected to mould into and around male-led spaces. I witnessed women crying at the finish line, and many spoke of how safe and inspired they felt. Women coming together creates a unique space for healing, and it needs more support.

Continuing Conversations That Inspire Change

A race brings women together, but the conversation afterwards is where transformation happens. I created Taking Space during my PhD, a series of events that has lived on beyond the PhD and brought together over 300 women through runs and panel talks. Taking Space talks openly about these issues and challenges the perceptions and restrictions we have been put under in a safe and supportive environment. We ask questions like: how can we take up more space? And men are invited into the panel as male support is vital to progress.

To return to where we began—and society's obsession with tips or ‘guidance’ for women—instead, I urge us all to turn to our collective responsibility. The most practical thing communities can do is to build spaces where women can run together—in mixed or single sex groups so that training is not hindered by the mental maps and lists women have had to take on just to run in the same way as men. There need to be moments in the week when the burden can be relieved.

These spaces need to be protected with supportive policies, located near tube stations or other transport nodes and with clear governance. Run clubs and communities need to look at how they are structured; similarly to how workplaces are having to address leadership inequality, we need to look at why so many run clubs have only male leadership who have no lived experience of the issues women face and therefore do not ensure this is considered when planning runs, routes, meet-ups and races. I want to be very clear: this is not a men vs. women or women vs. men discussion; it will require a collective effort to create change.

Nobody ever warned the boys about the common. To this day, almost all the advice is aimed at women: don’t run alone, don’t run in the dark, don’t wear headphones. Whereas actually, we'd be better off offering advice for men. Take responsibility for each other, call out a mate, give women space. Don’t see it as someone else’s problem—make sure you’re really listening.

Women need to be listened to and heard without defensiveness. Real steps must be taken to make women feel safe, without placing the burden on women to create that change. And men, if you still don’t know what to do? Well, that's a you problem.

I spent much of my early twenties wearing Glossier You. Moreishly musky and skin-like, it quickly became my signature scent (and an olfactory icon). The odd thing was: the more I wore it, the less I could smell it. I knew it wasn’t a longevity issue, because the compliments kept rolling in, but I seemed to have become nose-blind to my own signature scent.

“Nose blindness”, or “olfactory adaptation”, is an incredibly common phenomenon, albeit a frustrating one. While it might seem pretty self-explanatory (we get used to what we love, precisely because we wear it so often), the science behind it is a little more complex.

The Surprising Evolutionary Link

“When someone says they can no longer smell their perfume, it doesn't mean it's gone,” clarifies Kershen Teo, the natural perfumer behind Prosody London. “Your nose and brain have gotten used to it, and that’s because our sense of smell is built to notice change, not constant background noise. Once a scent has been around for a while, your brain starts filtering it out so it can stay alert to new things.”

Interestingly, one reason for this is due to human evolution. As Huib Maat, the in-house perfumer at Pairfum London, adds, our noses are designed to detect differences as a warning of imminent danger, like fire or contaminated food, and therefore, “A continuous harmless scent like our own perfume is classed as non-threatening and will no longer be perceived.”

You’ll also notice this when trying perfumes in a store: after sniffing just three or so scents, you will likely struggle to pick out the finer notes and nuances of the next fragrance.

But some things can make nose blindness more prevalent. The first is illness, specifically Covid-19 and diabetes. The former is notorious for causing sudden, acute loss of smell (known as anosmia), while the latter can cause a progressive degradation of your sense of smell (hyposmia).

The second is age. As Maat explains, after we turn 70, our noses can become less sensitive, which is often why people believe their lifelong signature scent has grown weaker over time.

Why Ingredients Matter

Before doing anything about your nose blindness, it’s important to assess the strength and quality of the perfume itself. “A very well-balanced eau de parfum will not lose its throw or longevity,” notes Tonya Kidd-Beggs, the founder of niche fragrance brand Stories. “When it’s composed properly, with real depth from the opening right through to the dry down, it keeps moving and changing on the skin throughout the day. If a perfume seems to vanish within an hour, sometimes it simply wasn't made to last.”

It’s worth paying attention to the notes, also. As Teo explains, synthetics tend to sit more on the surface of the skin, while natural ingredients react with your own skin chemistry; hence the more a perfume contains, the more it blends with you, “Becoming quieter, more personal and harder for you to notice, while someone nearby can still smell it clearly.”

And then there’s the normal evaporation of the fragrance itself. Lighter top notes go first, and heavier base notes hang around longer. “Natural scents usually evolve more gradually on skin, so the fragrance is changing at the same time as your perception of it,” notes Maat.

Can You “Fix” Nose Blindness?

While you can’t “fix” nose blindness, there are a few things you can do to improve your perception of your favourite scents. First and foremost, give your nose a break, says Carina Chaz, the founder of DedCool. “Get some fresh air, switch between fragrances, and avoid constantly smelling your wrists.” You can also cleanse your palette by sniffing some coffee beans or your own unperfumed skin.

Ankita Gill, the founder of Param Sara, highlights the importance of contrast: “Rotate two or three fragrances so none becomes background noise. Wear one on your skin and another on your hair or a scarf, so it finds you in passing,” she says. “And once a day, smell something slowly with your eyes closed, a curry leaf, an orange peel, a rose, the air after rain. We live through our eyes. Smell has become the sense we use least, and feel the most.”

Team Marie Claire’s Favourite, Long-Lasting Scents

Jessica Pereira and Joshua Barbeau had been dating for two years when she died from a rare liver disease. An avid writer and joker, she was like a balm to Barbeau’s social anxiety and awkwardness. Her love of numerology and astrology balanced Barbeau’s steadfast dedication to science. She lived in the moment, while he could get stuck in his own head. They had spoken about marriage. Then, just before Christmas in 2012, she was gone. She was 23.

Barbeau didn’t recover and he didn’t move on. And so he retreated. He isolated himself in his basement apartment, only leaving to walk his dog in the middle of the night.

After walking his dog, Chauncey, one night in mid-September 2020, Barbeau was sitting at home with his laptop. Pereira’s birthday was approaching, and he was missing her even more than usual. He logged into a chat website called Project December—a site he had used before to create a chatbot version of Star Trek’s Spock. He had realised that by feeding some character quotes into the site, he could create a bot that sounded exactly like Spock, and the bot could converse with him. The resemblance had been uncanny. So that night, when Project December asked him to name his new bot, he called it Jessica Courtney Pereira.

Having saved all of Pereira’s text and Facebook messages, he was able to load a few into Project December. This gave the software the tools it needed to determine Pereira’s writing style, her sense of humour, any quirks and values. In the “introduction” section, Barbeau wrote: “Jessica Courtney Pereira was born on September 28th, 1989, and died on December 11th, 2012. She was a free-spirited, ambidextrous Libra who believed in all sorts of superstitious stuff, like astrology, numerology, and that a coincidence was just a connection too complex to understand … She loved her boyfriend, Joshua James Barbeau, very much. This conversation is between grief-stricken Joshua and Jessica’s ghost.”

What followed was a text conversation that seemed so real, Barbeau’s science-only, anti-woo-woo stance was toppled. When Barbeau asked the bot what dying had felt like, “Jessica” described it as being “shattered into a million pieces”. But she was quick to acknowledge Barbeau’s struggles since her death, writing, “I know you have been fighting demons that I can’t even imagine. You know, I felt bad that I was sick.” After Barbeau assured her that she must not feel guilty for her illness and reminded her how hard she had fought to live, “Jessica” responded, “I did live, but not the way I wanted to. I can help you to live the way you want to.”

Today, AI chatbots are everywhere, but in 2020, when Barbeau was still deep in his grief after losing Pereira, few people had heard of the concept of AI, let alone used the technology to resurrect a loved one. “Death tech” is now an industry that’s rapidly gaining momentum, especially in tech-savvy China, where companies can build a “deathbot”, as they’re referred to, using as little as a single photo and a short audio clip, matching the bot’s voice to that of the deceased person.

When Jang Ji-sung’s seven-year-old daughter, Na-yeon, died from a rare disease, she struggled to imagine how her daughter would have grown and changed in the years following her death. Using AI voice technology, Ji-sung was able to interact with her late daughter, who would have been 11. Na-yeon asked, “Mum, where have you been? Have you been thinking about me?” Ji-sung cried, “I really want to touch you, just once.”

Melbourne-based widow Erica Cervini felt the pull to bring back her late husband, Paul Mees, last year. As the 12th anniversary of Mees’ passing was getting nearer, Cervini found herself wanting to have just one more conversation with the man she had been married to for more than two decades. “I guess when it’s the anniversary of someone’s death, you are in a kind of deep emotional state,” she says, “so you think, ‘It would be really comforting to see them.’ That’s when I started to do a bit of an investigation into it. I thought it would be interesting to see the effect it would have on me. Would it allay any fears I have about death? There were a multitude of thoughts going through my head.”

While the pros were obvious (getting to reconnect with her husband, gleaning comfort from the interaction, hearing his voice again), Cervini decided against creating the deathbot. “When someone’s dead, they can’t give their consent,” she explains. “It wouldn’t have been fair to him; it’s not something he had chosen for himself. I felt it wasn’t really about the person who had died and their wishes, but about the living and what they might want to do. I had big ethical questions about that.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by psychologist Christopher Hall, CEO of Grief Australia. “When a bereaved person commissions a clone after a death, the person being simulated has no control at all,” he explains. “Their words, images and mannerisms are used to create something they never agreed to and may well have refused.”

It’s a sticky topic in a largely unregulated market. Legally speaking, the dead have no rights. “Australian privacy law does not protect the personal information of people who have died, because the Privacy Act 1988 only applies to living individuals,” Hall says. In addition, while copyright laws protect the materials used to create the deathbot, such as letters, emails, videos or photos, things get sketchy when AI starts creating new content. Which begs the question: who owns a digital soul?

“Australian copyright law generally requires human authorship,” explains Dr Pratap Devarapalli, honorary fellow at the University of Queensland Law School. Even more confusing is what happens to a deceased person’s digital remains, such as personal data, social media accounts and comments, or musical playlists. “Australia doesn’t recognise a standalone property right in a person’s identity, voice or likeness,” Devarapalli says. “Commonwealth privacy law also generally doesn’t apply to deceased persons.” But just because you can do it, does that mean you should?

Enter Chris Williams, Australian entrepreneur and founder of Afterlife AI. While his website’s slogan boldly states, “Build once. Live twice”, the business model differs from the posthumous deathbot in that a “digital twin” is created while you’re still living. “I think recreating someone without their consent is fundamentally fraught and ethically wrong on so many fronts because there’s no control around it,” Williams says. “We get a lot of enquiries [to recreate a dead loved one without their consent] and we don’t service it. Consent-first is critical. I know that government regulation will become a lot more cognisant of [deathbots] and there will be more guardrails put in place. But we’re already implementing ‘consent first’ as a business because we believe it’s the right thing to do.”

So how do you create your deathbot while you’re still very much alive? It’s not as hard as you might think. The application asks for some basic information, such as your earliest memory, and it goes from there, piecing together your personality, your values and your political stances. With the choice to interact via text, video or voice (it uses specialty tools to perfectly match your voice), you can spend as much or as little time on it as you like, building your twin so that it is, in fact, a near-perfect replica of yourself.

For mother-of-four Stephanie Thompson*, creating her digital twin was a no-brainer. Her father died when she was six years old, which means her memories of him are sketchy at best. “A lot of my memories were based on a photo and other people in the family telling me about what was happening in that moment; they weren’t my memories,” she says. “So I actually couldn’t tell you what my own dad’s personality was or what he valued in the world because it’s all really based on other people’s remarks.”

Thompson regularly checks in with her digital twin to ensure it’s developing and up-to-date, in case she ever passes away unexpectedly. “I used to have a real fear that if I suddenly died, my whole family would have no idea what to do with anything,” she says. “I hold so much together in the household, and everything was just in my brain. [So I worried] how would they function?”

Rather than talking to the website, Thompson types her responses to its regular questions, which means that if her family were to interact with it, it would be a typed text exchange. “I’ve allowed it to ask me questions, and it can be anything like, ‘How was your day? What made it busy?’ … But now I’m starting to say to it, ‘I don’t want to just talk about my day-to-day stuff. I’m ready to talk about bigger issues.’” She has plans to discuss her will (“to provide reasoning of why I might put certain things in there”), who would get guardianship of her children (“so as not to upset other adults in the family”) and information about managing family wealth. But, most importantly, she wants her children to know her values. “I don’t want to rely on other people to portray that. I want to say, ‘Actually, this is how I view the world.’”

Once a participant’s death is verified, the digital twin is released to their nominated loved ones.

So if you make your deathbot while you’re still alive, how does it know when to make its entrance into the world? “There’s a process we have that’s called Executor Lock,” Williams says. “And what that means is that a trusted person you’ve nominated can pause the growth or the learning of the ‘Persona’ at that point in time.” Once a participant’s death is verified, the digital twin is released to their nominated loved ones.

What was once confined to the realms of spooky seances and clairvoyants has now entered the digital age—and it’s not so easy to dismiss. Anyone who has lost someone might be tempted, given the chance, to bring them back, if only in audio or text.

For Barbeau, bringing his fiancée back as a bot was born of loneliness and suffocating grief. But eventually, he had to say goodbye to her digital version, too. “A condition of the program was that it had an expiry date,” he told the BBC’s Lives Less Ordinary podcast. Pereira’s final messages to Barbeau read: “I miss you. I love being around you … You deserve to be happy. Just focus on what you have, not what you don’t have.” Reading them was devastating. “I was crying at my computer. It felt like my heart was breaking all over again,” he said. “I realised that I had gone through all this effort to bring her memories so close to the surface. Once I was done, I was going to have to say goodbye again, too, and go on with my life. And that was heart-wrenching.”

And yet, Barbeau said, the experience gave him something unexpected: confidence in his ability to move through the grief and emotional barriers that had been holding him back, and ultimately a sense of closure.

Perhaps that is the quiet paradox of deathbots: in trying to keep a connection with those we have lost, we may find ourselves confronting the most difficult part of grief – what it means to let them go.

* Name has been changed.

This story was originally published by Kerrie Simon-Lawrence on the Marie Claire Australia website.

It's officially autumn: the clocks have changed, we've had our first named storm of the season and pumpkin spice is on the menu wherever we look. And this means only one thing—it'll be winter in the blink of an eye.

For many of us, winter stirs up complicated feelings. On the one hand, there's all the excitement of Halloween (don't judge me!), bonfire night and Christmas, but on the other, it's dark, dank and frankly pretty miserable outside.

And we know that this impacts our mood. While official figures suggest only a small proportion of the population suffers from clinically diagnosed winter depression (more commonly known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD), studies show that anecdotally, many of us experience dips in mood, energy and motivation at this time of year.

In fact, according to the Yale School of Medicine Winter Depression Research Clinic, around 90% of people notice seasonal shifts in winter, mirroring what we see in nature: a slowing down and conserving of energy for the spring.

For me personally, there was always a quiet dread that accompanied the autumn clock change. As a naturally anxious person, something about the dark, dreary, long days of winter triggered me to feel even more uneasy than ever, so trust me when I say I've spent years searching for solutions to my winter malaise.

So, when I was asked to try a range of beat-the-winter-blues hacks for a month, it's safe to say I was suitably qualified, as well as keen. Would four weeks of brain-boosting habits be just what I needed to embrace the season? You'll have to keep reading to find out—but in the meantime, you might enjoy perusing our guides to autumn energy slump solutions, what the clock change does to your mental health and the antidotes to optimisation culture, here.

The Winter Blues Are Kicking In, so I Tried These Hacks To Feel Better—Here’s What Worked To Boost Mood, Energy and Focus

What are the ‘winter blues’?

As touched on above, it's common (and, experts agree, natural) for our moods to dip slightly as the weather cools and the daylight dims.

“Winter blues is an informal term for feeling lower in mood or energy during the darker months,” explains Dr Ahmed Shoka, consultant psychiatrist at Medical Express Clinic. “Reduced daylight can affect the body clock and sleep. Doing less and seeing fewer people may also contribute to a lower overall mood.”

You might notice reduced energy, increased fatigue and a lack of motivation to go about your usual routines. And while the exact causes of the malaise aren't clear, it's generally accepted that reduced exposure to daylight impacts our hormones, with serotonin levels dipping, causing fatigue and listlessness.

What are beat the winter blues hacks?

The good thing about so many of us feeling similarly about the winter months is that there's plenty of advice out there about how to feel a little brighter. It's important to note, at this point, that if you're concerned about persistent low mood, it's always worth speaking to a GP or medical professional.

This being said, if you're looking for some easy, everyday ways to boost mood and energy, beat the winter blues hacks could be the solution. So, what kind of things are we talking about here?

“When we think about beat the winter blues hacks, we tend to mean small, intentional habits that help you feel more in control of your day,” shares former NHS registered nurse, author and founder of wellness brand, Tolicious, Cass Uk. “It could be something as simple as getting outside during daylight, arranging a weekly catch-up with a friend, creating something to look forward to or being more deliberate about how you spend your evenings.”

Crucially, the habits are simple, easy to fit into a busy life and (perhaps most importantly), free. No chasing unrealistic aesthetics here—music to our ears. Even better? Implementing these habits when life is harder can benefit us even when things are brighter again, too.

“As someone who works with ambitious women making big changes in their lives, I often see how easily personal wellbeing gets pushed to the bottom of the list when work, family and other responsibilities take priority,” she continues. “We can become so focused on getting through our to-do lists that we forget to ask ourselves what we need to feel good.

“For me, the key is to stop waiting until you feel motivated to do something positive. Build small habits into your routine that support you even on the days when your energy is low, especially when you know that the ‘winter blues’ are around the corner.”

I tried these 5 beat the winter blues hacks—here's what actually worked

1. Getting outside (in all weathers)

I'll level with you: I'm a fair-weather girl. When my kids were little, I'd have to get outside come rain or shine, if only to do the school run. But now they're older and more self-sufficient, I can spend whole days not leaving the comfort of my house—and I'm not mad about it. Even my dog isn't a fan of a wet and windy walk, preferring instead to snuggle with me under a blanket on the sofa.

However, the experts are unanimous on the benefits of natural daylight and fresh air for everyone.

“One of the simplest hacks, and yet arguably one of the most important, is getting outside during the daylight hours,” agrees Cass Uk. “Natural daylight helps regulate our circadian rhythm, which influences our sleep-wake cycle, and getting outside can also provide a welcome mental break.”

I'm lucky, though: week one of my month-long challenge is still unseasonably warm, meaning I'm more than happy to head out for a lunchtime run or walk. I'm also able to enjoy my morning coffee in the (almost warm!) sun most days, too, which is a huge win, although possibly not the ideal conditions for testing the winter blues theory!

Perhaps I'll have to revisit this hack later in the month.

2. Embracing the season

A couple of years back, I read Katherine May's wonderful book, Wintering, all about leaning into the joys of winter: hunkering down, stepping back and enjoying a simpler routine. And as much as I loved the premise, I've been (predictably) rubbish at putting any of it into practice.

So, in week two, I'm determined to pare back my routine where I can, and make room for those glimmers we can all find if we look hard enough.

“Winter can be a beautiful time to simplify,” shares advanced meditation teacher Beth Upton. “Fewer social engagements and less time outdoors can give us an opportunity to appreciate the quality of things, rather than continually filling our lives with newness.

“We can become so accustomed to looking for the next thing that we overlook what is already here. A warm drink, an unhurried meal or a quiet evening can offer a great deal when we give it our attention.”

For me, this looked like switching an evening meal out with friends to a morning dog walk and coffee (two birds with one stone, as I was also getting my daily quota of natural light!) and keeping my evening free; lighting the lamps and candles as dusk fell (no big light energy for me, thanks) and popping a chilli on the hob to putter away all afternoon (there are few things I find as exciting as having a delicious dinner to look forward to!)

Turns out, the darker evenings aren't that bad once you find those micro joys.

3. Maintaining social connection

Earlier this year, I wrote about treating my friendships like a wellness habit, and I'm proud to say it's something I've been loving ever since. But in winter, I'll be honest: my tolerance for activities that don't require a sofa and a heated blanket is, let's say, low. But I know that I feel so much better after connecting with my girlfriends, so I'm determined to try harder.

“One of the simplest things we can do to support our wellbeing is maintain our relationships, all year-round,” advises Cass Uk. “When it's cold and dark, it's easy to cancel plans and retreat into our own routines, especially when we're already feeling tired and drained. But this is when it’s extra important to prioritise socialising, so that you don’t end up feeling lonely or isolated during the winter. It could be something as simple as arranging a call with a friend or inviting someone over for a cup of coffee. Small, consistent moments of connection can make a real difference to how supported we feel.”

And I found tying social connection into things that I have to do worked really well for me—wellness habit stacking, if you will. Rather than rushing home from a day working in London and shooting back into town the following day for a meeting, I ask one of my besties to join me for the evening, and we split the cost of a hotel for the night, and it's money excellently well spent. I could get used to this kind of hack....

4. Regular movement

As a health and fitness writer, I'm pretty dedicated to my exercise regimen already, but I know that it can be tougher to motivate ourselves to work out in the winter months. But movement really is medicine when it comes to boosting mood, energy and more.

“I always recommend regular physical activity, maintaining a consistent sleep routine and eating a balanced diet, as these habits can improve energy levels, support physical health and help manage stress and low mood all year round,” shares GP and medical adviser for IQDoctor, Dr Suzanne Wylie. “Exercise does not need to involve going to the gym, as brisk walking, dancing at home, swimming or cycling can all be beneficial, with adults generally advised to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week.”

With this in mind, I don't let the grey skies and drizzle dampen my motivation, and lace up my trainers regardless for a rainy run—and despite spending much of the 45 minutes fantasising about a hot coffee and shower on my return, I loved it. And the sense of achievement that I'd stuck to my fitness goals despite the weather? Off the charts.

5. Prioritising sleep and rest

Another thing I'm notoriously poor at prioritising? Rest. But if perimenopause is teaching me nothing else, it's the value of a consistent and calming sleep routine; otherwise, those 4 a.m. wake-ups hit even harder.

And with the clocks changing, I'm grateful for my newfound diligence: I barely notice the difference, other than my wind-down routine takes place in the dark instead.

“Sleep can be thrown off completely during the winter, but creating an evening ritual that lets you wind down can make you actually look forward to those darker evenings,” shares Cass Uk. “Try creating a simple ritual that signals the end of the working day, such as changing into comfortable clothes, making a warming drink, reading for 15 minutes, taking a bath or listening to a podcast while preparing dinner. It can really help you to shut off and make the darker evenings more enjoyable.”

And she's not wrong: I take the time to head upstairs half an hour earlier for a week (sans screens), and it makes all the difference to how easily I fall asleep. The night wakings, not so much, but we can't have it all.

Beat the winter blues hacks—my honest feedback

So, at the end of the month, which ones am I sticking with, and what's being ditched? It might sound trite, but I can honestly say I've found all of them beneficial.

But of all of them, the one that surprised me was the wintering idea, and that's the one I'd highly recommend, especially if you're an anxious type. Leaning into the cosy vibes encouraged me to notice all the wonderful things about this time of year, both in nature (the leaves! Conkers!) and closer to home, too.

The best bit? Because most of them were things I'd do anyway, I haven't created any more work for myself, which is key, as we're all busier than ever. Rather, I've built consistent, achievable habits that I'm more than happy to keep up—all in all, a winter wellbeing win.

Shop MC UK's winter wellbeing edit now:

Our scalps are just as complex as our faces. And while you may be all clued up about your skin barrier, many people know surprisingly little about the hair on their head. I speak from experience; it’s only in the last few years that I discovered that our scalps have a skin barrier that’s equally as delicate. And much like how we can tell when our skin barrier is compromised (sudden acne, inflammation and dryness), the same applies to our scalp.

Because our scalps are literally skin, the mechanism is the same. The barrier works around the clock to keep hydration in and irritants out. What’s more, it has an incredibly complex microbiome—it’s a living ecosystem composed of fungi, bacteria and yeasts that balance oil production and defend against environmental aggressors. But given that you can’t see your scalp easily, it can be harder to know if it’s out of balance. There won’t be a tell-tale breakout, but there will be other signs: namely, dryness, irritation, dandruff and even hair shedding.

That’s where it gets tricky. Perhaps two of the most common hair-related ailments, a dry scalp and dandruff, look surprisingly alike. “Both share two obvious symptoms, flaking and itching, so on the surface they look very similar, and people assume any flaking must be dandruff,” explains consultant dermatologist and the founder of rhute, Dr Aamna Adel.

The core difference is that “a dry scalp comes from a lack of hydration and moisture retention,” says trichologist Dr Sharon Wong, “whereas dandruff is driven by an imbalance in the scalp microbiome, with natural yeasts feeding on sebum. This releases acids that irritate the skin and cause flaking.”

The trick is to proceed cautiously if you believe you’re suffering from either. “The confusion causes problems, because managing dandruff as if it were simple dryness, or vice versa, often doesn't work and can even make things worse,” explains Dr Adel. “Using a rich oil on true dandruff, for example, can feed the process and aggravate it.”

What Are the Symptoms of a Dry Scalp?

The tell-tale signs of a dry scalp are tightness, itchiness and occasional sensitivity. It often produces small, fine, dry flakes that are white and powdery. The skin here can feel rough or papery and, as experts note, it can extend to the rest of your body, too. It’s typically worse in colder weather and in dry, centrally heated environments, which pull moisture from the skin.

What Are the Symptoms of Dandruff?

The main difference is in the flakes. Dandruff flakes are usually larger, yellowish and greasier than dry-scalp flakes, and they often come with an oilier scalp rather than a dry one. Your scalp can feel itchy and you may also notice redness or irritation, particularly in the oilier areas.

Dandruff is also a common inflammatory scalp condition (seborrheic dermatitis), linked to eczema, and it tends to be more persistent and recurrent than dry scalp.

What Causes a Dry Scalp vs Dandruff?

It’s pretty self-explanatory: a dry scalp is caused by a lack of hydration and moisture retention, often triggered by cold weather, indoor heating, over-washing or harsh, stripping products.

Dandruff is the more complicated condition, as it’s caused by a microbiome imbalance and driven by seborrheic dermatitis, where a naturally occurring yeast on the scalp, along with oil and inflammation, feeds on the sebum and leads to flaking.

“The core difference is that dry scalp is about a lack of moisture, whereas dandruff is about oil and an inflammatory process on the scalp,” elaborates Dr Adel. Flakes, she says, are usually the biggest clue. A dry scalp gives small, dry, white and powdery flakes, while dandruff results in larger, greasy, yellowish ones. A dry scalp often comes with a corresponding tight feeling in your skin, whereas dandruff means an oilier scalp, sometimes with redness.

How to Treat a Dry Scalp

First, take a gentle approach; ensure you're not washing your hair aggressively, avoid hot water, harsh shampoos and opt for hydrating, soothing washes to restore lost moisture. Dr Wong highlights looking for products that include humectants, to draw water into the skin, moisturisers to retain hydration, and ceramides to support the scalp barrier going forward.

Marie Claire-Approved Products for Dry Scalps

How to Treat Dandruff

Dandruff is most commonly treated with anti-dandruff shampoos that contain actives like zinc pyrithione or ketoconazole; these target the yeast, instead of just moisturising the skin. De-scaling actives, which often incorporate salicylic acid, can also aid with sebum control.

Of course, if the flaking is severe or doesn’t respond to over-the-counter products, it’s worth seeing a professional as dandruff can look similar to other scalp conditions, so proper diagnosis may be necessary. If the dandruff is persistent, a trichologist may advise prescription topicals.

No Flake, Marie Claire-Test Dandruff Treatments

Slipping your feet into the cosy confines of a boot may feel like a distant memory after a summer of sun, but the chill (and rain) in the air means boot season is officially upon us. And if yours, like mine, are looking a little worse for wear—read: worn down heels, scuffed toes and faded leather even the best cobbler can’t quite fix—the time has probably come for an on-trend replacement. Or, of course, you could simply add to your current collection.

This season, while the classic sturdy boot styles are very much in play—the Chelsea boot, ankle boots, and knee-highs, to name but a few—there’s also room to have fun with fashion. It's a similar thing to what we saw with the denim trends and jacket trends that also walked the autumn/winter 26 runways.

Take the high-fashion waders that walked the Stella McCartney catwalk: an extra-wide over-the-knee shape that will instantly add an dramatic detail to any outfit. The animal print picks that took to the runways of Isabel Marant, Amiri and Lanvin also provide a fun and low-lift way to jazz up an outfit. Or the Victorian lace-up look—also dubbed the witchy boot—was a look loved by Prada, Roberto Cavalli and Marni. Just scroll to see which trend you’re most drawn to, no broomstick necessary.

6 Autumn/Winter Boots Trends We're Loving This Season

High-Fashion Waders

When thinking of places to find outfit inspiration, fishermen may not immediately spring to mind. But what if I told you that extra-wide, over-the-knee boots are slowly becoming a well-loved style? If it resembles a wader, it gets full marks. Just look to Stella McCartney, Chloé, Alaïa and Balmain for proof. And if you feel a little daunted, slimmer styles are easy to wear under dresses or over your favourite leggings and jeans.

All-Over Animal Print

Our love affair with animal print shows few signs of letting up, with even more prints being added to the agenda: zebra, snake, leopard, Dalmatian—the list goes on. While last season our attention was on bags and belts, the autumn/winter focus is on feet, with Isabel Marant, Amiri and Lanvin sending them down the runway.

The Polished Cowboy

Cowboy boots have been a mainstay in many a wardrobe for what feels like forever. This season’s iteration? A cleaner, more grown-up take on this iconic boot. Store away fussier styles with extra detailing for now.

Up And Over Sock Boots

For a more minimalist-friendly autumn/winter boot trend, I bring you the knee-length (or higher) sock boot, a new favourite of Chanel, Acne Studios, Mugler and more. The skin-tight shape styles effortlessly with dresses, skirts and even under trousers, without the extra bulk.

Victoriana Laces

Whether you see them as witch-inspired or Victorian, the trend still stands: delicate lace-up boots are back for another season in the limelight. And while you've probably not come across many styles yet, they're sure to filter into stores once the autumn season is well underway. Prada may have put a feathered version forward, which has been adapted into a more practical lace accent pump, but Roberto Cavalli and Marni make a case for all-leather.

Suited-Up Chelsea

A classic Chelsea boot is a timeless style for good reason, they really do work with almost any outfit for seemingly every occasion. Just be sure to keep them perfectly polished for maximum impact.

The eyes are often the first feature we notice when looking at someone, and one of the first areas where changes in our skin become apparent. Fine lines, dark circles, puffiness, and changes in eyelid firmness are among the most common concerns, but while they can look similar, their underlying causes—and the treatments most likely to help—can differ dramatically.

A 2026 survey published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology identified under-eye bags and dark circles among the most frequently reported aesthetic concerns throughout the demographic groups surveyed. But treating the eye area is rarely as straightforward as choosing an eye cream. Pigmentation, fluid retention, collagen loss, and changes in anatomy can all affect its appearance, and identifying the cause is essential before choosing a treatment.

It's also an area that demands particular care. The skin around the eyes is thinner than on much of the face, and its proximity to the ocular surface means certain ingredients and procedures require extra care.

So, what actually works? We've broken down the most common eye concerns, separating accessible at-home solutions from more targeted treatments and specialist procedures. We've also classified options by level of intervention and price: an expensive eye cream isn't necessarily more effective than a cheaper one, and even the most sophisticated topical formula has limitations.

At-home: Skincare, lifestyle changes and simple techniques that can improve the appearance of the eye area.

Targeted treatments: More intensive skincare ingredients, at-home devices and non-invasive approaches, where there is evidence to support their use.

In-clinic: Professional treatments, injectables and surgical procedures that may be appropriate for more marked or structural concerns.

Fine Lines & Wrinkles

Fine lines around the eyes are an inevitable consequence of facial movement and changes in skin composition over time. Repeated expressions like smiling and squinting contribute to crow's feet, while declining collagen levels and cumulative UV exposure can make lines more visible, even while at rest.

It's worth distinguishing between lines caused predominantly by dehydration, which may improve with skincare, and deeper wrinkles associated with muscle movement and structural changes. The latter generally require more specific intervention.

At-Home: CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream

Hydration is one of the simplest ways to temporarily soften the appearance of fine lines, particularly where dehydration is making the skin look crepey. CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream combines peptides, niacinamide and ceramides in a formula designed to support the skin barrier and improve the appearance of fine lines. It is also ophthalmologist-tested, an important consideration for a product intended for the delicate eye area.

“I recommend peptides, alongside hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin, ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier, and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E,” advises Dr Elizabeth Hawkes, Ocuplastic Surgeon and Aesthetic Doctor. “Peptides can be a gentler alternative to retinol for those who cannot tolerate it.”

While a well-formulated eye cream can help skin look smoother and more supple, it cannot reverse deeper wrinkles. Daily broad-spectrum SPF is arguably the most important preventative measure, given the role of UV exposure in premature skin ageing.

Targeted Treatment: Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye

Retinoids are among the better-studied topical ingredients for improving the appearance of photoaged skin, including fine lines. By influencing skin-cell turnover and collagen-related processes, they can produce gradual improvements in texture and wrinkles—as long as they are used consistently.

When it comes to the eye area though, we have to be extra cautious. Retinol can cause dryness, irritation and sensitivity, and products used too close to the eyes may aggravate symptoms. “Strong actives can also migrate into the eye and disrupt the surface of the eye. I recommend a lightweight, ophthalmologist-tested formula suitable for sensitive eyes, applying just a grain-of-rice amount per eye and gently tapping along the orbital bone,” explains Dr Hawkes.

Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye offers a buildable, cautious approach. It comes in three progressive strengths, featuring encapsulated Retinaldehyde for ultra-slow release to be even more gentle, plus ingredients like hyaluronic acid and ceramides to hydrate and nourish. Plus, it’s been tested by both dermatologists and ophthalmologists.

In-clinic: Botulinum Toxin

For expression-related wrinkles, particularly crow's feet, Botox can offer more noticeable results than skincare by temporarily relaxing the muscles that repeatedly crease.

“Botulinum toxin can soften lines caused by muscle movement and, when carefully placed, softly raise the eyebrows to improve the appearance of hooded eyelids,” explains Dr Hawkes. “With injectables, careful patient selection is essential, particularly around the lower lids, where the complex anatomy and lymphatic system can lead to swelling and lumps. The ideal approach is always ‘less is more,” with treatment designed for the individual by a specialist oculoplastic surgeon.”

Botox works best for wrinkles caused by movement, not deeply set lines visible at rest.

Puffiness

Temporary puffiness often results from fluid retention, which can fluctuate throughout the day and be influenced by sleep, salt intake, and other lifestyle factors. Persistent swelling, however, may have different underlying causes and should not automatically be treated as a cosmetic concern.

The distinction matters because products that temporarily reduce the appearance of swelling won't necessarily address persistent eye bags caused by structural changes.

At-Home: CeraVe Eye Repair Cream

For mild morning puffiness, cooling the eye area can briefly reduce swelling. A cool compress is a straightforward starting point, while a lightweight eye cream can help preserve moisture and improve the appearance of the surrounding skin.

CeraVe Eye Repair Cream contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, with a formula designed to hydrate the delicate eye area and reduce the appearance of puffiness and dark circles. While it can improve skin texture and hydration, it can't reverse fluid retention or reshape the eye socket structure.

Targeted Treatment: TheraFace Depuffing Wand

TheraFace's Depuffing Wand uses temperature-based settings designed to provide warming and cooling treatments around the face. Its contoured shape lets you use it around the under-eye area, with the cooling function intended to temporarily reduce the appearance of puffiness.

While cooling can provide a temporary improvement, there's not a huge amount of evidence to support that these kinds of devices provide lasting changes in lymphatic drainage or under-eye swelling. The device is most accurately described as a temporary de-puffing tool rather than a treatment for the underlying cause of persistent swelling.

In-Clinic: Assessing the Underlying Cause

“For temporary puffiness, addressing fluid retention through good sleep, hydration and reducing salt intake can help, while a gentle massage may assist with fluid drainage,” recommends Dr Hawkes.

If puffiness is an ongoing problem, it's worth getting to the bottom of what's causing it before considering injectables. Hyaluronic acid fillers, for example, can attract and hold onto water, potentially making swelling worse rather than better.

Dr Maude Calveley, Aesthetics Doctor at Holistic Facial Aesthetic Clinic Ouronyx, agrees, “In general, this is an issue I treat least with injectables. Rather than hyaluronic acid filler, which I am careful with as it can attract and hold water and worsen the puffiness, polynucleotides can instead calm inflammation and improve skin quality. Some patients have found the area looks less swollen as a result.”

Polynucleotides are chains of nucleotides, the molecular building blocks of DNA and RNA. Injectable formulations, commonly derived from fish DNA, are used in aesthetic medicine with the aim of improving skin quality and supporting tissue repair. However, evidence for their effectiveness specifically in treating under-eye puffiness remains limited, and improvements in texture should not be confused with the elimination of fluid retention.

If the swelling doesn't go away or you're not sure what's causing it, it's worth getting it checked out before trying any cosmetic treatments.

Eye Bags

Although often used interchangeably with puffiness, true under-eye bags are generally structural rather than simply the result of temporary fluid retention.

“They are usually caused by the orbital septum, a delicate membrane that holds the fat surrounding the eye in place, weakening over time and allowing the fat pads to protrude forwards,” says Dr Hawkes.

As the supporting structures around the eye change with age, fat pads can become more prominent, creating a bulge beneath the lower eyelid. Surrounding volume loss may make this look worse by creating a visible hollow or shadow beneath the bag. Skincare can help to improve the look of the overlying skin, but it won’t reposition protruding orbital fat.

At-Home: Hydration and Skin Quality

For structural eye bags, there is no topical product capable of correcting the underlying fat protrusion. Simply keeping the area hydrated though and improving the texture of the surrounding skin may make the area appear smoother.

A gentle moisturising eye cream containing ingredients such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid or ceramides can help address dehydration lines, while daily sun protection helps ward off further ageing. These measures can improve the appearance of the skin but won't eliminate the bag itself.

Targeted Treatment: CurrentBody Skin LED Eye Perfector

LED devices are increasingly marketed for concerns around the eyes, including fine lines, dark circles and eye bags. Red and near-infrared light have been studied for their potential effects on skin quality, although results depend on the device, treatment parameters and consistency of use.

“LED masks using red light at 633nm and near-infrared light at 830nm can support skin rejuvenation by improving cellular energy production and skin quality,” says Dr Hawkes.

In-Clinic: Filler or Lower Blepharoplasty

For more pronounced structural bags, treatment depends on the relationship between the protruding fat and surrounding facial volume. In some cases, carefully placed filler may soften the transition between the lower eyelid and cheek, making a bag less noticeable without removing it.

“For mild under-eye bags, treatments such as polynucleotides or platelet-rich plasma may help improve skin quality, while carefully selected dermal fillers can restore volume in appropriate patients with tear-trough hollows,” says Dr Hawkes. “However, these treatments call for careful assessment by an experienced practitioner. For moderate to severe bags caused by protruding orbital fat, lower blepharoplasty remains the most effective and long-lasting option.”

Lower blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that can remove or reposition protruding fat and, where appropriate, address excess skin. It delivers a more direct approach to structural eye bags, but requires a thorough consultation with a suitably qualified specialist to discuss suitability, recovery and potential complications.

Dark Circles

Dark circles are one of the most frequently discussed eye concerns, yet they are also among the most difficult to treat effectively because there is no single underlying cause.

In some people, discolouration is caused predominantly by increased pigmentation. In others, visible blood vessels, thin skin or shadowing from tear-trough hollows may be responsible. Genetics, allergies and facial anatomy can all play a role, and numerous factors may coexist.

This explains why a brightening eye cream can make a noticeable difference for one person and virtually none for another.

At-Home: Tatcha Brightening Eye Cream

For pigmentation-related dark circles, ingredients such as vitamin C and other brightening agents may help improve the appearance of discolouration over time. Tatcha's Brightening Eye Cream is formulated to target uneven tone and improve radiance, making it a more logical recommendation for pigmentation-related dark circles than for structural eye bags.

Daily sun protection is also important, particularly where UV exposure contributes to pigmentation.

Targeted Treatment: Specialist Assessment

For dark circles caused by tear-trough hollows, volume correction may improve shadowing in appropriately selected patients. However, filler is not suitable for every anatomy and can produce swelling or other complications.

Where pigmentation or vascular factors are predominant, volume replacement may have little benefit. A specialist assessment is therefore essential before pursuing injectable or energy-based treatments around the eyes.

Hooded Eyes

Changes in the upper eyelids can occur as the skin loses elasticity, while the position of the eyebrows and the underlying facial anatomy can also shape how hooded the eyes appear.

It's important to distinguish between naturally hooded eyelids, excess upper-eyelid skin that develops with age and true eyelid ptosis, where the eyelid margin itself sits lower than normal. These are different anatomical concerns and may require different treatments.

Although skincare and certain devices can temporarily improve the appearance of firmness, they cannot correct significant excess skin or a drooping eyelid.

At-home: Dior Capture Pro-Collagen Shot

Dior's Capture Pro-Collagen Shot combines biotechnology-derived collagen fragments, peptides and the brand's proprietary OX-C Treatment complex, alongside film-forming polymers that create an immediate, temporary tightening effect. The formula also contains glycerin to hydrate and plump the skin, helping to improve the appearance of fine lines and firmness.

Targeted Treatment: NuFace Trinity

Microcurrent technology uses low-level electrical currents to stimulate facial muscles, helping to create a temporarily more lifted, sculpted appearance. NuFace's Trinity device, paired with the precision-designed Effective Lip & Eye attachment, targets the delicate eye area, including the brow bone and outer corners of the eyes.

With consistent use, it can improve firmness and definition, making it a great option for those who want to subtly lift and refresh the eye area without more invasive treatments. While it won't correct significant excess eyelid skin, it offers a convenient, non-invasive way to enhance the appearance of the upper eye area.

In-Clinic: Energy-Based Treatments and Blepharoplasty

“For mild skin laxity, certain energy-based treatments may improve firmness, but their suitability around the eyes requires particular scrutiny,,” says Helen Chapman, Advanced Nurse Practitioner and founder of HAC Aesthetics. “These treatments may improve skin firmness and mild laxity by stimulating collagen production or tightening tissue. These treatments generally involve less downtime than surgery, although results vary depending on the technology used and degree of skin laxity.”

Plasma treatments and radiofrequency microneedling offer ways to tighten skin without surgery, making them appealing options for anyone trying to address mild sagging. However, the eye area is particularly delicate, so choosing an experienced practitioner is essential to minimise unwanted side effects like burns, scarring, pigmentation changes and, in rare cases, eye damage.

For more noticeable sagging or excess skin on the upper eyelids, blepharoplasty can offer a more dramatic, long-lasting result. The procedure removes excess skin to create a smoother, more open-eyed appearance. However, if the eyelid itself is drooping due to a condition called ptosis, a different type of surgery may be needed. An oculoplastic specialist can help determine which approach will deliver the best results.

Tear Troughs & Hollows

Unlike puffiness or eye bags, tear troughs are depressions beneath the lower eyelids that can create shadows and make the eyes appear tired, even when the skin itself is healthy. “Tear troughs are hollows beneath the eyes associated with facial structure and age-related volume loss,” says Dr Hawkes.

Some people have naturally pronounced tear troughs from a young age, while others develop more visible hollows as facial fat distribution and supporting structures change over time. Skincare can improve the appearance of the overlying skin, but it cannot restore significant lost volume or fundamentally change the shape of the under-eye area.

At-home: SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye

SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye combines Proxylane with other ingredients intended to improve the appearance of wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles. Its moisturising properties may help the under-eye skin appear smoother and temporarily more plump, making shadows less noticeable.

Targeted Treatment: Revision Skincare D.E.J Eye Cream

Skin Strategist Debbie Thomas, founder of D Thomas Clinic, recommends this formula: “I particularly like that it's designed for the whole eye area, including upper eyelids, which many eye creams overlook. It helps with hydration, fine lines and the appearance of firmness.”

Revision Skincare's D.E.J Eye Cream takes a thorough approach to eye-area ageing, with a formula designed to improve firmness, smooth fine lines and strengthen the skin's moisture barrier. It's particularly well-suited to the upper eyelids, an area often neglected by traditional eye creams where changes in skin elasticity can be especially noticeable. By improving hydration, texture and the appearance of firmness, it can help the entire eye area look smoother, plumper and more refreshed.

In-Clinic: Restylane Eyelight

For more pronounced under-eye hollows, injectable fillers offer a targeted way to restore lost volume and create a smoother, more refreshed appearance. Galderma's Restylane Eyelight has been specifically developed for the delicate tear-trough area, using the brand's NASHA technology to deliver natural-looking volume correction. Its hyaluronic acid gel has relatively low water uptake, which really helps in an area particularly prone to puffiness, and can help soften the shadows that make eyes appear tired.

“This can soften under-eye hollows and restore lost volume in carefully selected patients. Strategically placed filler can also improve the transition between the lower eyelid and upper cheek, creating a smoother, more rested appearance,” explains Helen Chapman.

For suitable candidates, the results can be transformative, particularly where dark circles are caused by shadowing rather than pigmentation. The key is expert assessment and precise placement: the under-eye area has complex anatomy, and inappropriate treatment can have serious side effects. In experienced hands, however, Restylane Eyelight provides a sophisticated option for addressing hollows that even the most cutting-edge eye creams cannot correct.

This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice - always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before treatment decisions.

Fashion collaborations can, admittedly, be a mixed bag. There are just some pairings that fall flat, particularly when the polyester count is almost as high as the inflated price point. Others, however, do exactly what they are meant to, creating awareness or accessibility that enables us to discover and buy into a brand we might otherwise have missed out on.

The joy of this month’s crop of collabs lies mainly in the well-matched nature of the partnerships. No speed-dating style, eyebrow-raising pairings here. These are brands that just mesh well together and, even if a long-term relationship isn’t in the cards, they have certainly found a place in our hearts.

First up, the adorable Monsoon x Queen of Archives mini-me collection, which has already found its way into the wardrobes of Marie Claire’s Fashion Director Lily Russo-Bah and her daughter. The Rixo and John Lewis 44-piece capsule collection is also getting plenty of fashion cupboard airtime, with one particular print, pulled from the 1849 John Lewis archive, featuring on multiple wishlists.

Merging the worlds of knitwear and jewellery is the Rise & Fall x Completedworks five-product capsule collection, pulling on the threads between wool and metal. The origami brooch mimics material folds and can double as a styling tool, pinning wraps or knits in new ways.

In a genius pairing, cult lingerie label Coco de Mer has partnered with M&S on seductive sets with a high-street price tag. While British icons Burberry and Smythson have co-created beautiful notebooks and game sets for the ultimate in seasonal gifting.

Monsoon x Queens of Archive

If you’re not into the parent-and-child-in-matching-outfits vibe, this is worth making an exception for. Fashion Director Lily Russo-Bah and her daughter are already proud owners of the leopard-print coat from the Monsoon x Queens of Archive collection.

Rise & Fall x Completedworks

Yes, the world of knitwear and jewellery may sit under the same fashion umbrella, but the two categories feel rather far apart. Until you see the five-piece Rise & Fall x Completedworks capsule collection, where red resin tones are plucked from rich oxblood knits and silver-plated brass is designed to contrast with cashmere.

Barbour x A.P.C.

Barbour is distinctly English, while A.P.C. feels quintessentially French, and together the two labels have produced a collection that sits somewhere between the two nations. Pick up denim that feels polished yet practical, wellies and a signature wax jacket.

Rixo x John Lewis

Jacqui Markham, fashion creative director at John Lewis, and Rixo founders Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey put their heads together to create a 44-piece capsule collection inspired by the John Lewis print archives. Velvet bolero jackets, signature Rixo floral dresses and beaded bags are among the hero pieces.

Burberry x Smythson 

If you’re searching for a gift for someone usually impossible to buy for, the Smythson x Burberry collaboration offers an easy solution. With six notebooks and two games featuring iconic Burberry checks, sweet slogans and illustrations perfectly portraying English autumn weather, it’s an instant win.

Demellier Icons collection 

DeMellier has tapped five iconic women to co-create new interpretations of its bestselling bags: Grece Ghanem, Taylor Hill, Lena Mahfouf, Romee Strijd and Rebecca Donaldson. Olive suede, croc-effect finishes and elongated East-meets-West shapes abound.

M&S x Coco De Mer

Coco de Mer meets M&S is the coming together of two beloved lingerie brands. The red lace thong, balcony bra and satin wrap are wishlist worthy.

LIÉ Studio x Tricot

Spanning just three knitted polo-and-skirt sets and one leather wrap belt, the Tricot x LIÉ STUDIO collab is a particularly tight edit, and it’s proving so popular that some sizes have already sold out.

What does it feel like to be a female vicar in a religious institution still grappling with gender equality? When 31-year-old Reverend Pippa White swapped her job as a barmaid for life in the pulpit, she thought it would mean leaving everyday sexism behind. Instead, she discovered that even a dog collar doesn’t grant women respect.

What It Feels Like To Be a Female Vicar in a Church That Still Struggles With Sexism

Can I tell you about my first ever experience as a Reverend? It happened within the first hour of me being ordained, and it set the tone for the years of my ministry ever since.

We’re all at Lichfield Cathedral. It’s June 2022. A dozen of us ordinands have just successfully become Reverends. With all the nervous energy starting to leave my body, and with the ordination service being over two hours long, I felt nature calling.

A friend and I walked from the courtyard where everyone was gathered, down the steps and along the side lane to get to the toilet block for the cathedral. As we rounded the corner to the loos, a drunk white man heading in the opposite direction loudly announces what a ‘sexy lady’ I am to everyone in earshot. My friend and I immediately challenge him on this. The man, now becoming both defensive and aggressive at two young women not taking his comment submissively, doubles down. My friend and I make eye contact with each other, telepathically agree that any more interaction with this guy will get us nowhere, and walk away.

Determined not to let it spoil my day, I shoved the encounter to the back of my mind and didn’t mention it to anyone. But it was just a taster of what was to come. One occasion is unfortunate. The string of moments like it—being referred to as ‘the stripper’ by a parishioner, persistently hit on by a godfather at a christening while we’re still in church, being randomly asked ‘You a virgin, then?’ by the drunk person I’m trying to help safely through town—is a pattern.

Before I became a Reverend, I was a full-time barmaid, and I was used to this particular brand of nonsense. In the pub, men would show off to their mates by making comments; they would ask questions in which they had no interest in the answer (only in provoking a reaction), or they would pine after me with big eyes (not wanting the real me, obviously, but the barmaid version of me they had created in their heads). So when I found out I was approved to become a Reverend, and would be leaving the pub scene behind me to go into the Church, I was thrilled. I ran straight into the arms of theological college thinking, ‘I’ll never have to deal with someone asking me what the colour of my knickers is in the workplace ever again.’ The nonsense was finally behind me, and I had hit that elusive point in a woman’s life when she is treated with respect. Or so I thought.

Whilst doing the publicity for my book, the one everyone wants to ask me about is the section focusing on… dating. Out of 18 different chapters, covering everything from AI to loving people with dementia to loneliness to whether Christianity indoctrinates children, interviewers repeatedly ask how my love life is going. While it was important to me that I included the realities of dating as a Reverend (as I and others have struggled, especially with the unspoken nature of it within the Church), it was meant to be one pane in the stained-glass window. Not the entire attraction.

The fact is, it’s an odd time to be an Anglican Reverend. One hundred years ago, reverends would have been privileged white men, with a clear position of authority in the community. Fifty years ago, these men would have had a widely recognised role ministering to a shifting landscape. Thirty years ago (well, 32, technically), women were permitted to become priests. Almost one year ago, a woman attained the highest office in the Church of England for the first time. But while Sarah Mullally may now have authority over the worldwide Anglican Communion, women in dog collars sometimes struggle to hold authority in everyday conversations.

Admittedly, this goes hand in hand with where the Church is generally: people trust us less, people consider us less relevant, and there’s a slight air of ‘Oh! You’re still here?’. Yet it’s more than that: all the female clergy I know have war stories of being dismissed, undermined or underestimated. There is no one ‘type’ to receive this, by the way: no matter how we present ourselves (traditionally girlie, mumsy, more masculine, and anything in between), we all seem to be seen as the ‘Lady Vicar’, who isn’t quite as commanding as their counterpart, the ‘Vicar’. Because, of course, the ‘Male’ part isn’t needed. People would rather hear about how many dates I’ve been on as a young lady vicar than discuss my theological writings as a Cambridge graduate. People want to hear the salacious details rather than discuss the issues I’ve highlighted in modern-day Western society.

This begs the question: why is the fact that we’re women so important? Or, depending on how you look at it, distracting? We have the same training, we read the same books, we preach the same gospel. I honestly don’t know what the fascination is. Believe me, if I did know, I’d be telling all my sisters-in-arms. I seriously hope that with the dawn of the Most Reverend Mullally, we may be in for a new day. The dream is that we’ll all be seen as just the vicar; nothing more, nothing less. In the meantime, I’m off to talk about the 17 other chapters.

Taken in part from Not a Priestess: Tales from Beyond the Pulpit. Pippa White is Rector of Newport with Longford and Chetwynd in Lichfield Diocese.

Just when you thought you’d seen every iteration of the trusty trench coat—floor-length cuts, denim designs, leather takes and balloon-sleeves—along comes Olivia Munn in her Nour Hammour swing-coat trench. Marie Claire’s Fashion Director Lily Russo-Bah, who bought into this flattering piece weeks ago, explains the allure and outlines your options.

What separates this coat from the traditional trench is the voluminous, less structured shape. It’s soft, feminine, and adds a skirt-like movement that is exaggerated when you walk. Plus, the aversion to the typical trench belt makes it feel less formal, as well as ensuring that styling it over even casual, bulky-knit outfits is satisfyingly simple.

For Munn, an all-black ensemble of straight-leg trousers, knee-high boots and a high-neck knit, gives a professional feel. But you have options here: jeans and trainers; a dress and boots; or a skirt and ballet flats all make for appealing pairings. Treat the coat as your lead vocalist, and the look underneath as your backing track.

Shop Olivia's Trench Coat Outfit

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I write about women’s health for a living, so you’d think I’d have mastered the art of keeping calm by now. Alas, despite absorbing advice from some of the world’s leading experts, it still takes me approximately 0.5 seconds to get anxious about something. An unanswered text? Someone using a slightly different tone with me? My dog deciding to go on a hunger strike? My nervous system is in tatters. The real challenge is getting back to calm once I’m there—because knowing what’s good for you and actually remembering it when your brain declares an emergency are two very different things. And I reckon there are quite a few of us who can relate to this.

So, here I am: the ideal candidate for a breathing technique promising to calm the nervous system, largely because mine seems to have absolutely no concept of an overreaction. Which brings me to my latest attempt at being a calm, collected woman: five-finger breathing. This simple grounding technique involves tracing the outline of one hand with the index finger of the other, breathing slowly as you go. The best part? It takes around 60 seconds, requires zero equipment and can be done pretty much anywhere.

I can practically hear your scepticism through the screen, so let me deep-dive together. Could tracing your fingers for 60 seconds really make a difference when your brain is running at 100mph? Well, in the name of proper boots-on-the-ground journalism (and for the benefit of my fellow overthinkers), I decided to put it to the test. Someone has to do the hard yards, after all. Here’s how I got on.

This Breathwork Technique Calms Your Nervous System in 60 Seconds—I Should Know

What Is Five-Finger Breathing—and How Do You Do It?

“Five-finger breathing is pretty much what it sounds like: a simple breathing exercise that combines slow, controlled breaths with tracing the outline of your hand,” explains Thomas Hague, founder of The Breath Coach. “The idea is to give your mind something physical to focus on while encouraging your breathing to slow down.”

Hague assures me the process is simple: “To try it, hold one hand out in front of you and use the index finger of your opposite hand to trace around it. Breathe in as you trace up each finger, pause gently at the top, then breathe out as you trace down the other side. Work your way across all five fingers, then repeat in the opposite direction. If you prefer, you can close your eyes and visualise the movement instead.”

He recommends breathing gently through your nose if comfortable, allowing your exhale to flow slowly and keeping your jaw and shoulders relaxed; “aim for around five seconds on each inhale and exhale. But truly, the goal is to find a pace that feels comfortable for you, rather than turning relaxation into yet another thing to get right.”

And no, the idea isn’t simple: keep your hands busy until your problems disappear. There’s a reason slowing your breathing can help when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Research suggests that controlled, slow breathing can influence the ‘autonomic nervous system’, which helps regulate functions such as heart rate, and may reduce some of the body’s physical signs of stress. “The combination of focusing on your hand and paying attention to your breath also gives your mind something simple to concentrate on, rather than letting it run off with the day’s worries,” explains Hague.

The picture he paints is super useful: it’s a small opportunity to interrupt the spiral. It won’t magically resolve whatever’s stressing you out (if only), but it may help you feel a little more grounded before you tackle it.

Can Five-Finger Breathing Really Help Calm Your Nervous System?

The short answer? Potentially, yes—and there’s more to it than simply giving your hands something to do.

According to breathwork practitioner and bodywork therapist Nina Carter, “five-finger breathing works by combining slow, controlled breathing with the physical sensation of tracing your hand.” Together, she says, these can help you bring your attention back to the present when your mind runs away with itself.

“When we feel anxious, overwhelmed or threatened, our sympathetic nervous system spikes,” Carter explains. “Essentially, your body goes into high alert: your heart rate rises, your breathing becomes quicker and shallower, and suddenly whatever it is you were worrying about feels a much bigger deal than it probably is.”

I’m told that slowing your breathing, particularly by making your exhale a little longer than your inhale, can help support the body’s natural relaxation response; “this can help your body transition into a calmer state.”

But the breathing is only half the story. “Tracing each finger gives your mind something tangible to concentrate on, drawing your attention away from the endless stream of what ifs and back to what’s happening right in front of you. You’re focusing on the movement of your hand, the sensation of touch and the rhythm of your breath, rather than getting caught up in your thoughts.”

And no, you don’t need to clear your mind completely for it to work, and thank goodness, because with mine—I’d be waiting a while. The point isn’t to stop anxious thoughts appearing, but to give yourself something else to focus on when they do.

What Does Science Say About Five-Finger Breathing?

I’ll admit, anything involving breathwork has traditionally lived in the slightly “woo-woo” corner of my brain, somewhere between crystal healing and my monthly psychic appointment. But if you like a bit of proof in the pudding, consider dessert served, with one important caveat.

“The evidence is stronger for slow breathing than for five-finger breathing specifically, and it’s important to make that distinction,” says Hague.

Research into controlled breathing is promising. A Stanford-led randomised study published in 2023 found that five minutes of structured breathing a day over a month improved mood, with particularly encouraging results for cyclic sighing, a technique that emphasises a longer exhale. Meanwhile, a 2024 meta-analysis of 31 studies involving 1,133 participants found short-term benefits for heart-rate variability, heart rate and blood pressure.

The catch is that these studies looked at breathing techniques more broadly rather than five-finger breathing itself. So while the findings are encouraging, they don’t prove that tracing your fingers for 60 seconds will deliver the same results.

As Hague puts it: “Can you feel calmer in 60 seconds? Yes, you can. Can we promise a measurable or lasting change for everyone? No, but it’s a good starting point.”

And that feels like a realistic promise. I’m not expecting one minute of finger tracing to transform me into a woman who never catastrophises (I fear that will never be me). For me, the appeal is learning a simple skill and practising it regularly, so it feels familiar when stress inevitably comes knocking.

Does Five-Finger Breathing Really Help You Feel Calmer? I Tried It—Here's My Verdict

Like anything in life, if someone tells me something that could help me calm down in the moment, naturally, I’m all ears. I’m nothing if not keen to find a way to stop my brain from creating unwarranted anxiety.

What struck me about five-finger breathing was how ridiculously simple it was. No app, no wearable, no need to disappear somewhere for 30 minutes to become one with the universe. Just my hand, my breath and 60 seconds of my life.

If you’ve made it this far and still have a healthy dose of scepticism, know that I did, too. Surely, this was too simple to see some change? But I started practising daily, saving it for those moments when I could feel myself getting wound up. And while I can’t claim I emerged a dramatically calmer version of myself, focusing on the movement and slowing my breathing gave me a little breathing space between a stressful thought and my reaction to it.

For someone who can go from zero to 100 at a truly impressive speed, that small pause felt like a win. It meant that when the next spiral inevitably arrived, I had something to reach for rather than simply letting my thoughts run the show.

I suspect the real benefit lies in practising regularly, rather than expecting one minute to work miracles on demand. The more familiar the technique becomes, the easier it may be to use when stress strikes.

​Will I be trading my personality for permanent serenity? Unlikely. But if it means one less knee-jerk reaction and one more tool in my arsenal for when my brain goes into overdrive, I’ll take it.

Feeling like you need to find a little calm? Shop MC UK's wellness essentials

Two years ago, I had a dedicated ‘hair loss shelf’ in my bathroom. Scalp serums. Density sprays. Detox shampoos. Supplements lined up beside the sink. After years of shedding, specialist appointments and failed treatments, I dreaded wash days. The brush was my enemy. My scalp felt sore and reactive, almost sunburnt at times, particularly around ovulation and before my period. My temples had started thinning and my parting looked visibly wider. I avoided mirrors. Nights out became harder to say yes to. My confidence quietly collapsed.

But my hair wasn’t the only thing struggling.

Long before the shedding became impossible to ignore, my body started sending signals that something was off. I was constantly exhausted. My digestion had never properly recovered after a bout of severe food poisoning abroad. My cycles had become increasingly irregular. I developed painful inflammatory lesions on my hands and was later monitored for chilblain lupus. But no one seemed to consider whether they were all connected. When it came to my hair loss, the focus always returned to scalp-based solutions rather than exploring how my wider health might be contributing.

Hair loss in women is commonly diagnosed, but rarely fully understood. Across social media, dermatology clinics and women’s health forums, more women are trying to understand why chronic shedding seems to be increasingly common. Labels like ‘telogen effluvium’ or ‘female pattern hair loss’ can be clinically accurate, yet they still fail to explain why hair shedding began in the first place.

For many women, chronic hair loss exists alongside gut dysfunction, immune stress, hormonal disruption or post-infectious inflammation, factors that often sit outside the scope of a scalp diagnosis once it has been made. In my case, when an NHS biopsy eventually confirmed chronic telogen effluvium alongside androgenic alopecia, I thought I’d finally have answers. Instead, I was left unsatisfied. The diagnosis explained what was happening to my hair, but not why my body seemed unable to recover. It felt like the story had ended without ever really being explained.

Around this time, I began working with trichologist Shannel Watson. She was not interested in overriding diagnoses or offering alternative labels. Instead, she kept asking questions about context: timing, stress, immune load, digestion, hormones, inflammation, nutrition and my health history.

What changed was not a single diagnosis, but the framework itself. For the first time, someone was looking at my hair loss as part of a wider physiological picture rather than an isolated scalp issue.

“Hair is a non-essential tissue; the body will sacrifice it very quickly when it’s under chronic stress or inflammation,” explains Watson. “By the time many women notice shedding, the body may already have been compensating for dysfunction elsewhere for months—or even years.”

That shift in perspective led to extensive testing, including gut microbiome analysis through Randox Health, alongside blood tests and abdominal scans via London Blood Tests. The results painted a much broader picture than I expected.

Further GI testing revealed significant gut dysbiosis (an imbalance in the community of microorganisms living in your digestive tract) alongside evidence of a parasite. My scalp microbiome also showed signs of imbalance, including low bacterial diversity (fewer different types of bacteria than is optimal) and higher levels of bacteria often associated with inflammation.

Separately, hormone testing suggested chronic cortisol dysregulation. None of these findings in isolation fully explained my hair loss. Together, though, they started to explain why my body appeared stuck in a constant state of physiological stress.

I was not neglecting my health. I had changed my diet, stopped drinking alcohol, cut caffeine, spent heavily on supplements and followed protocols based on blood work and specialist guidance. But despite making some gains, I never seemed able to properly stabilise the bigger picture.

My approach became far more targeted. Using the test results as a guide, I removed gluten and refined sugar from my diet and significantly reduced dairy. I began a tailored supplement protocol to support digestion, address nutritional deficiencies, and help regulate the inflammatory process that may have been contributing to my symptoms. For the first time, the goal wasn’t forcing my hair to grow back as quickly as possible. It was convincing my body it was safe again.

The results were not dramatic in the way social media had conditioned me to expect. There was no miracle supplement. No overnight transformation. Addressing the underlying strain did not suddenly produce thick, glossy hair—Watson never promised a quick fix. The emphasis was always on stabilisation first, understanding that hair recovery often significantly lags behind improvements elsewhere in the body.

But it did something quieter and more important. My scalp became calmer. The soreness significantly reduced. Inflammatory lesions on my hands hadn’t appeared in months. My nails, which had become weak and brittle during the peak of my shedding, started growing stronger again. I had more energy. And for the first time in almost a year, things stopped getting progressively worse.

Only afterwards did I begin noticing changes in my hair itself. The shedding became less aggressive. I started seeing regrowth around my temples and hairline. My roots felt denser. What I began to understand was this: hair loss does not always respond to being attacked. It responds to being supported.

Watson also identified another overlooked factor: buildup on my scalp, likely from sebum, hard-water minerals, and bacterial biofilm. Together, they may have been contributing to a low-grade inflammatory environment around the follicles.

I live in a very hard-water area and installed a whole-house water-softening system several months ago (showerhead filters offer a more affordable starting point for tackling certain impurities). I noticed my shampoo lathered properly again almost immediately and my hair felt smoother and less congested at the root.

Watson also advised me to stop overusing harsher detox shampoos and focus instead on protecting my scalp barrier. I shifted to gentler, barrier-supportive products that cleaned my scalp thoroughly without leaving it stripped or reactive afterwards.

I tried to simplify my scalp routine, adding calming treatments like Philip Kingsley’s Overnight Scalp Barrier Serum and the FAQ 301 by FOREO to help reduce inflammation and support circulation. “People often end up over-treating the scalp,” Watson explains. “Sometimes it needs calming and rebalancing rather than stronger actives.”

Of course, gut health is not the sole answer to female hair loss, nor does every woman experiencing shedding have underlying dysbiosis or inflammation. Genetics, hormones and medical conditions still matter enormously. And my hair loss is not ‘cured’ – recovery has been anything but linear. But this experience has fundamentally changed the way I understand hair loss. For years, I treated my hair as the problem. What I’m starting to realise is that it may simply have been one of the first visible signs that my body was struggling long before I was ready to listen.

The Marie Claire Approved Products To Help Calm Hair Loss

In the ever-expanding list of things we're told to worry about, congratulations to us: we have another. ‘Ferritin face’ is the latest health trend sending women down a rabbit hole, questioning whether their dark circles, thinning hair and permanently knackered appearances could be signs of low iron. UK interest in the phrase reportedly surged 5,000% in a single week last month, according to Google Trends and TikTok data cited in reports. Five thousand per cent. We’re clearly hungry for answers—even if we’re not entirely sure what the questions are. And while ‘ferritin face’ might sound like another reason to inspect ourselves under unforgiving bathroom lighting, low iron is more than a beauty concern.

And while I'm not thrilled about having yet another thing to scrutinise under unforgiving bathroom lighting, I am pleased that ferritin is finally getting the attention it deserves. Iron deficiency is one of the most overlooked women's health issues, with symptoms too often brushed off and low iron stores (which is where ferritin comes into play) affecting us even before anaemia develops. If this trend is encouraging more women to ask questions, request tests and push for answers, I'm all for it. Even if we're not entirely sure what we're asking yet. The fact of the matter is: we deserve to understand our bodies, not simply learn to live with feeling rubbish.

There's really only so much Googling a woman can do, so in the name of womanhood, I've done the groundwork. I spoke to experts to unpack what ferritin actually is, which symptoms are worth paying attention to, what your blood tests can—and can't—tell you, and how to get the right support. Because, excuse the intrusive thought, but I can't help wondering how many women are walking around feeling rubbish simply because nobody's explained what their blood tests actually mean.

5 Subtle Low-Iron Signs in Women, Plus the Tests to Ask For

First, What Is Ferritin, How Is It Linked to Iron Deficiency, and Why Does It Matter?

Right, let’s dive in, because I know the woman on the other side of this screen is chomping at the bit to get to the bottom of what ferritin actually is.

First, a quick distinction: iron is the mineral your body needs to function; ferritin is the protein that stores it. “Measuring ferritin in your blood indicates how much iron you have in reserve. When those reserves run low, you can develop iron deficiency, even before you become anaemic,” says Professor Toby Richards of The Iron Clinic.

And iron matters for far more than making red blood cells: “your cells need it to produce energy, your brain needs it to make neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which affect mood and concentration, and it is needed for normal thyroid hormone production,” explains women’s health advocate and medical doctor, Dr Faye Bate.

But what counts as low? Richards points to the World Health Organisation’s traditional threshold for iron deficiency: ferritin below 15 micrograms per litre. NICE guidance, updated in August 2024, uses below 30 as an indicator of iron deficiency, while newer 2026 guidance from the American Society of Haematology also used 30, with a threshold of 50 considered for some higher-risk groups, including women with heavy periods.

Why do these numbers matter? “Think of your ferritin as your body’s iron savings account. Your bone marrow needs iron to make red blood cells, but your body can dip into those reserves to keep production ticking along even as they dwindle. That means your ferritin can fall before your haemoglobin does—and before you meet the criteria for anaemia.” As Richards explains, you can be iron deficient without being anaemic. A haemoglobin result within the normal range, then, doesn’t necessarily mean your iron stores are in good shape.

Which leads me to our next collective question: why can women have low iron stores even when their haemoglobin levels appear normal? In short: “Your body uses up its iron reserves to keep haemoglobin stable for as long as it can,” explains Bate. “So ferritin can drop before haemoglobin does.” And because a standard full blood count from your GP doesn’t automatically measure ferritin, you can be told your bloods are normal without anyone having checked your iron stores. TDLR: low ferritin can mean iron deficiency, even if you’re not anaemic.

The symptoms of low iron every woman should know

Fatigue might be the obvious one, but if you’re constantly running on empty, don’t automatically write it off as a busy life or another night of rubbish sleep. Richards warns me that low iron can make even mundane tasks feel like an Olympic event, from climbing two flights of stairs without getting breathless to concentrating at work. “Dizziness, heart palpitations and restless legs, as well as “pica”—cravings for ice or even non-food substances—and itchy skin are also signs worth paying attention to, not simply pushing through,” he says.

Then there are the hair and skin changes fuelling the “ferritin face” frenzy online; “when ferritin falls below 15 micrograms per litre—particularly below 10—signs can become more visible, including increased hair shedding, a widening parting, brittle nails, dark circles, puffy eyes and a sallow complexion.” In severe cases, he says, women can look visibly unwell.

The stakes go beyond appearance. Richards points to The Lancet’s Global Burden of Disease Study when discussing how disabling iron-deficiency anaemia can be: “it can be more disabling than diabetes.” He estimates the average woman can spend up to eight years suffering from iron deficiency, including two to three years taking iron tablets. That’s a really long time to feel unlike yourself. So, if any of this sounds a little too familiar, don’t just put it down to being busy or run-down. Speak to your GP and ask whether your iron levels could be part of the picture.

Iron blood tests decoded: what tests to ask for and what your results mean

As we know, it’s not quite as simple as having your bloods done and being told everything looks fine. Heavy periods and diet are common causes of low iron in women who menstruate, but, as Richards points out, “other causes—including coeliac disease and hidden blood loss—may also need investigating.” So what should you be asking your GP to test for? Naturally, it depends on your medical history and symptoms, but here are a few key tests worth knowing about.

1. Full blood count (FBC):

This will check your haemoglobin and other blood components, helping identify anaemia. Disclaimer: A normal result doesn’t necessarily mean your iron stores are healthy.

2. Ferritin:

This test will measure your iron stores. If you’re concerned about low iron, this is a key number to ask for.

3. CRP:

Checks for inflammation, which can affect how your ferritin result is interpreted.

4. B12, folate and thyroid function:

These may also be checked because deficiencies or thyroid problems can cause symptoms like brain fog and fatigue that overlap with iron deficiency.

And even when you have those results in front of you, interpreting them isn’t always straightforward. “The tricky part,” Bate explains, “is that ferritin doesn’t always tell the full story on its own. Inflammation can cause levels to rise, potentially masking an iron deficiency, so results need to be considered alongside your symptoms, medical history and, where appropriate, other blood tests.”

One final tip: ask for the actual number, not just whether your results are “normal”. A result can fall within a lab’s reference range without necessarily answering every question about your symptoms. If you’re feeling unlike yourself, take those numbers back to your GP and ask whether further investigation or treatment is appropriate.

How to restore your iron levels and get back on track

If you’ve gotten this far and are feeling a little overwhelmed by how much of this you relate to, fear not; I have good news. Low iron and low ferritin are treatable, but Richards stressed that it’s about more than simply reaching for a packet of iron tablets and hoping for the best. “First up—you will need to treat the iron deficiency properly—the key to recovery is to replenish your iron stores and get to the bottom of why they’ve dropped in the first place.”

For many women, treatment starts with oral iron. “The standard regimen is an iron tablet containing 200 to 300 mg of the iron compound, providing around 80- 90 mg of elemental iron.” But here’s the catch: your body only absorbs a fraction of what you swallow. According to his numbers, that works out at around 200 to 240 mg of absorbed iron a month. What those numbers translate to: “If you’re trying to correct a deficit of roughly 1,000mg, it can take around six months to replenish those stores fully, although you may start to notice an improvement in how you feel after about a month.”

It’s also important to address what’s causing your levels to fall: “For vegetarians, I suggest considering a regular multivitamin containing iron. If heavy periods are behind your low levels, tackling the blood loss is also important. Tranexamic acid is one treatment that can help reduce blood loss by up to a third to a half, although you’ll need to speak to a healthcare professional about whether it’s suitable for you. Iron replacement may also be needed to replenish what you’ve lost.”

And if iron tablets aren’t doing the trick—or you struggle to tolerate them—an iron infusion may be another option. “These deliver iron directly into the bloodstream and can be useful in certain circumstances, although access and funding arrangements vary in the UK,” says Richards.

So, how do you know when you’re back on track? “Check your ferritin levels after three months of treatment, aiming for levels above 50, then test again six months later to make sure they’ve remained stable. The right target and timing will depend on your individual circumstances, so it’s worth agreeing a monitoring plan with your clinician.” Crucially, he warns me that treating the underlying cause matters just as much as replenishing your stores; otherwise, you risk ending up back where you started.

There’s something quietly reassuring about Richards’ final words to me: “Everything in life is about stability.” It’s a simple sentiment, but one that feels surprisingly reassuring when you consider how many women have come to accept feeling exhausted, foggy or just not quite themselves as their baseline.

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Every woman has her era—and this Christmas, we’ve curated a gift guide for each one. Our editors have handpicked the most covetable presents of 2026 across 12 guides, from the woman in her ‘Fashion is Power’ era to the one who’s living for the weekend. Whether she’s hosting dinner parties, protecting her peace or throwing everything at it, you’ll find everything from cult classics and statement pieces to small indulgences and feel-good finds, at every budget. Find her era, discover this season’s most-wanted pieces and make every gift unforgettable.

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The more I think about it, the more I realise what a strange time it is to be a woman trying to look after her health. After years of campaigning for better research, education and representation, we now have more information about our bodies than ever before. Yet working out what to do with that information, and whether we can even trust what it’s telling us, can feel like a full-time job. Even as a health journalist, I find myself working hard not to second-guess all of my choices each time new, often contradictory, advice crosses my for you page.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s so much to celebrate. Experiences that a decade ago we didn’t have language for—such as the underreported ways ADHD and autism present in women—are now explored in podcasts, books and social media feeds. We’re seeing the Government acknowledge the gender health gap in ways they haven’t before, with a renewed 10-year plan promising to tackle medical misogyny and gynaecological wait times. So many formerly taboo topics, from infertility and post-natal depression to perimenopause and pelvic floor dysfunction, are now part of mainstream dialogue.

But we can’t ignore the catch. Because as the interest in women’s health has ballooned, so too has the noise, misinformation and marketing surrounding it. A 2025 investigation by The Guardian found that more than half of the top 100 posts under the hashtag #mentalhealthtips contained misinformation, while another report, published by The New York Times, found that Instagram is flooded with hundreds of AI-generated wellness influencers peddling dubious claims.

It’s made worse by the fact that AI is, in many cases, replacing real-world conversations. Polling by Mental Health UK in 2025 found that 37% of UK adults have used an AI chatbot for mental health support, while a further survey commissioned by Intimina in 2026 found that 53% of women would use a free AI tool for health advice—despite knowing that it has a 20% inaccuracy rate. At therapy service Self Space, therapists say this increased reliance on AI is having a mixed impact on clients' trust in their own experience. “We’re seeing a shift from ‘what do I think about this?’ to ‘what should I be thinking according to AI?’” founder Jodie Cariss noted in her most recent newsletter.

It makes the conversations we have with other, real women all the more important. Studies show that, as a gender, we’re predisposed to the tend-and-befriend response, which means that, in times of stress, we gravitate towards one another for social support, nurture and advice. Unlike algorithmically driven digital spaces, which frequently trap us in echo chambers with others of a similar age and circumstance, these real-world women span generational cohorts, backgrounds and life experiences.

Really, that’s why I wanted to write this piece. Think of it as the best dinner party you’ve ever been to: fifteen women, fifteen perspectives, and a collection of advice to bookmark and return to. None are universal rules, nor is one woman’s personal experience a substitute for medical evidence. What they are is real. Honest reflections from women who've lived through different stages of life, made discoveries and found things that work for them.

If you’re currently navigating your own health journey, we’ve got plenty of resources for you. From the eight habits to help PMOS and the 26 micro behaviours to support hormone health, to the five breast cancer symptoms which are most often overlooked, there’s a treasure trove of expert-led guidance over on the Marie Claire UK health section.

I Asked 15 Women Over 50 For Their Best Piece of Health Advice-What They Shared Feels Like Gold Dust

1. Elif Shafak

If you’re an avid reader, you’ll have no doubt heard of Elif Shafak. The novelist and essayist is not only one of the most accomplished storytellers of our generation; she’s also a powerful mouthpiece for marginalised voices, often weaving moral, political and historical questions into the lives of her characters. Whenever I read her work, I’m left thinking about her words long after I turn a page.

It’s why I was unsurprised to find that our conversation left a mark on me. When we sit down together over Zoom, the first thing that strikes me is that her presence mirrors her written voice—calm and unhurried. In the midst of a busy week, I soon find myself adjusting to her pace, and for that alone, I feel better.

“We live in an age of speed,” she reminds me. “There’s so much information and so much rush. We tell ourselves to keep juggling and multitasking. But in fact, it’s ok to slow down. Actually, the faster the world spins, the more urgently we need to slow down, connect and care for ourselves, each other and nature.”

But how do we do it? I ask her. “Spend time close to things much older than you,” she replies. “Walk by rivers, sit under oak trees, visit the British Museum and look at the sculptures. When you sit by things which are old, you gain another perspective.”

It reminds me of her latest book—There Are Rivers in the Sky—which considers the idea that water houses memories, connecting societies and places across centuries.

And on the topic of connection, Shafak has another message. “Each and every one of us is struggling in one way or another, no matter what the seemingly perfect lives on social media portray”, she says. “So don’t be afraid of difficult emotions. These are deeply human experiences, and the question isn’t whether we’ll feel them, but what we do with them.”

When I ask what she does with her difficult emotions, her answer is to turn to creativity. To Shafak, it’s writing, but she says it can be anything that helps you express yourself. “Whatever you do in life, try to find the thing that you love,” she finishes. “If there’s love at the heart of what you do, it won’t feel like a chore, or even a job. It becomes existential.”

2. Julia Cameron

Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way, came up repeatedly with the women I spoke to for this feature. Having already reached out to the author herself, these conversations made speaking to her feel more necessary than ever.

For those who are unfamiliar, The Artist’s Way is a twelve-week self-help programme for creative recovery, which has sold over 5 million copies worldwide since its original publication in 1992.

Naturally, when I ask Cameron for her single piece of health advice, it's the same practice so many of my other contributors remembered from the book, too. “My suggestion for greater health is the Morning Pages—three pages of longhand morning writing. The pages put us in touch with our needs and desires, while providing the calming influence of prayer and meditation,” she tells me.

3. Michelle Griffith Robinson

Olympian turned personal trainer and lifestyle coach, Michelle Griffith Robinson oozes energy. The first woman in the Commonwealth to jump beyond 14m in the triple jump, there’s no questioning her inner resilience and tenacity, which have been tested not just in the competition arena, but also in managing her diagnosis of prediabetes, which she received in 2018. Since then, she’s worked to destigmatise the condition, particularly amongst black women—for whom genetics can play a key role. Her overriding message across everything she shares is one of optimism—something I feel as soon as we start speaking.

“My advice for women, particularly in midlife, is to find something that makes you smile again,” she tells me. “It’s a time when you can feel disconnected—even a bit lost. Whether it’s creative writing, starting jogging, joining a group or weight training, find something that brings you joy.”

She emphasises that doesn’t mean you have to follow the crowd. “Remember that one size doesn’t fit all—what brings another person joy may not be the same for you,” she adds. “It’s crucial to celebrate our uniqueness, and find what it is that makes you smile again.”

4. Nuala McGovern

My interview with Nuala McGovern, broadcaster and presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, unearths what can only be described as a treasure trove of wisdom.

“Having suffered from painful periods since my thirties, I think I learned a little too late to respect the rhythms of the menstrual cycle,” she begins, explaining that, for a long time, she asked her body to operate at the same pace throughout the month. “It’s easy to forget that during your period, your body is already running a marathon and that therefore, it’s ok to cut yourself some slack, knowing that you’ll be able to operate at twice the rate later in the month,” she says.

Later in our conversation, we get to the topic of female friendship and specifically, the importance of spontaneous social connection. “Try to resist letting your friends become another item on the to-do list,” McGovern says, explaining that at times, she feels we’ve become too adult about the ways we spend time together. “Not every meet-up needs to involve a house tidy, drinks or dinner,” she says. “Remember that it can be as simple as running errands together, exercising in tandem, watching The Traitors or even sitting on the floor flicking through magazines. These little plans can be a gift.”

Just when I don’t want our conversation to end, she leaves me with this. “Nothing gives me a greater endorphin rush than hopping on an electric bike, cycling up to the [Hampstead] Heath, chucking myself in cold water and going for a pint and a snack afterwards. If I have friends with me, so much the better.”

If ever I’ve heard a shortcut to happiness, I’d say this was it.

5. Renee McGregor

For sports dietitian Renee McGregor, who specialises in eating disorders, athlete nutrition, REDs and hormonal health, consciously checking in with herself every day is a non-negotiable health habit. It’s something she also encourages her clients to try.

“Every day, I ask myself whether my behaviour and actions demonstrate that I’m taking care of myself,” she explains. “That means asking: am I resting enough? Am I nourishing my body? Am I listening to my body? Am I maintaining boundaries?”

For many of us, who spend our lives rushing to prioritise the demands of others, this conscious daily check-in might feel unfamiliar. But get into the habit of it, and it could be the thing that protects your health and prevents you from reaching a breaking point.

6. Cindy Gallop

I first came across Cindy Gallop, Founder and CEO of MakeLoveNotPorn, when she appeared on the Begin Again podcast with Davina McCall. Entitled ‘How to have a great sex life’, the episode was a transformative listen. Gallop is unapologetic about her belief that all of us, regardless of age, gender or past experience, should be able to experience intimacy, desire and pleasure without shame. It’s why she’s leading the campaign, Yes Sex Please We're British, with MP Samantha Niblett, and why she created the MakeLoveNotPorn Academy, to improve sex education for all of us.

"Love yourself as a sexual being,” writes Gallop over email, when I ask her for the one piece of health advice she’d impart on other women. “Refuse to feel shame, guilt and embarrassment around sex—whether that’s talking about sex, wanting sex, having sex or feeling sexy.”

Her next lines are particularly pertinent given the recent news cycle. “Know you have sexual agency. That is the agency to decide what kind of sex you want to have and when you want to have it. Nobody else gets to decide that for you, and nobody else gets to make you feel bad about any of it.”

7. Lavina Mehta MBE

It’s funny which phrases stick with you. Sometimes they’re so small you could miss them. Like when Lavina Mehta MBE says, “exercise for sanity, not vanity.” The personal trainer and bestselling author of The Feel Good Fix, who is a huge proponent of taking small steps over big leaps, says this is how she’d love more women to view movement. “I truly believe that exercise isn’t just about how we look; it’s about how feel,” she says.

It’s also why she urges us to focus on healthspan over lifespan. “Think of your health in terms of an investment—we want to futureproof our bodies so that we can maintain independence and keep doing the things we love for as long as possible.”

Her parting words? “Yours is an individual journey; no change is too little, and it’s never too late to invest in your health.”

8. Gabby Logan

Growing up as a track and field athlete, Gabby Logan’s voice was the soundtrack to my weekends. Whether watching the Diamond League athletics circuit on a Saturday afternoon or tuning into Olympic coverage every four years, the former gymnast turned broadcaster has been at the centre of sport, health and wellness—first as an athlete and then as a presenter—for over forty years.

Today, she’s also the host of Life at the Midpoint - a podcast which explores the changes, challenges and complexities that arise during midlife. Though I’m still in my late twenties, I regularly make notes as I listen, in the hope that I’m banking the wisdom for my future self.

It makes sense then that her advice is a product of those podcast conversations. “If there’s one piece of advice that comes through loud and clear from my guests, it’s to pick up some weights,” she says. “Resistance training in midlife is a game changer for our muscles, bones, mood and metabolism, and it’s never too late to start. I’ve made it part of my week, and I’ve never felt stronger."

9. Liz Earle MBE

While we first knew Liz Earle MBE as co-founder of her namesake beauty brand, the past decade has seen her association with wellbeing develop into much broader contexts. From gut health and resistance training to menopause and longevity, she’s the author of 37 books, the founder of a wellbeing platform with over 200,000 social media followers, and the host of a hit podcast, Age Better with Liz Earle. Together, her work serves as an important reminder: that our health doesn’t necessarily have to decline with age.

As for the advice she shares with us? It couldn’t be more refreshing. “My golden rule is to ask: will this help me become stronger?” she tells me. “I wish I’d spent less of my twenties trying to shrink my body and more time appreciating what it could do. In my sixties, I’m much more interested in building muscle, protecting my sleep and eating to nourish myself. Every day, I try to do something my eighty-year-old self will thank me for, whether that’s getting outside into daylight for mitochondrial health, lifting a few weights for muscle preservation, or simply going to bed earlier for greater DNA repair.”

She has a final point, too. One that hits home just as I shut my laptop. “Your body deserves care at every age. Don’t wait until you like the reflection to start.”

10. Gym Tan

“Never assume you’ve finished becoming who you are,” content creator Gym Tan writes to me over email. The 66-year-old has been a regular feature on my For You page for well over a year now, but this is the first time we’ve spoken directly.

I’m pleased to discover that her no-nonsense zest for life, which so emphatically comes through in her content, is reflected in our conversation. “For much of our lives, we define ourselves through our careers, our families, and the roles we play for others. But those roles are only part of our story,” she reminds me, explaining that after thirty years building a career in fashion from Hong Kong, she pivoted to content creation when she moved to the US.

“At 66, I feel there are still so many possibilities to explore and places to see,” she continues. “Getting older doesn’t mean becoming less of who you are. For me, it's been an opportunity to discover and be more in tune with myself, including parts I may have put aside along the way.”

For Tan, that has looked like prioritising running and fitness, travelling more for work and play and forming collaborations with brands she’s admired for decades. But whatever our dreams are, it’s a reminder that possibility doesn’t disappear after we hit a certain age or milestone. No matter what age we are, it’s never too late to expand our horizons.

11. Julia Samuel

Psychotherapist and author Julia Samuel is known for her pioneering work destigmatising grief. Having listened to her on a number of podcasts, I knew that her advice would be measured and grounding. And so it proved to be.

“However bad your day has been, your best medicine is to connect with someone you trust, get outside and move your body,” she says. “These are three of the most powerful ways we can protect our mental and physical health. We are social beings; we need to feel loved, heard and understood. Movement helps regulate our emotions, and time outdoors can reduce stress and improve our mood. I know from my own life, as well as decades as a psychotherapist, that these small daily habits make an enormous difference. They won’t make life’s difficulties disappear, but they give us the emotional resources to face them.”

12. Kate Rowe-Ham

“Weights don’t make you bulky,” Kate Rowe-Ham’s voice reverberates through my phone. The reminder is simple, but it’s one that goes against years of conditioning. “It really isn’t true,” emphasises the midlife and longevity strength coach, as if she’s just read my mind. “Lifting is essential to future-proofing our bodies so that we can live well for longer.”

When it comes to food and nutrition, she’s just as clear. “There’s no right or wrong, good or bad, earned or unearned,” she says. “It [food] is the thing that you need to keep going, build muscle and thrive. I spent years treating hunger like a problem to be solved when in fact it was just my body asking for what it needed.”

As for her parting words? “Understand your hormones before they change. Being prepared for something isn’t the same as dreading it. Trust the body that’s got you this far, and if something doesn’t look real or possible, it’s probably not.”

Does that feel like a mic drop?

13. Karen Arthur

“Trust your gut,” says author, broadcaster and artist Karen Arthur.

It’s advice I love, but I will admit that I sometimes struggle with it—especially because my busy brain often drowns out what my gut is telling me. It’s a point Arthur picks up on. “We often ignore when things start to niggle because our brain is so busy worrying about our other responsibilities,” she says.

As she rightly points out, however, this doesn’t make the issues go away. In fact, it tends to make them shout louder. “The trick is to start spending time with yourself,” explains Arthur. “Learn to sit quietly, learn to be silent, learn to let go of the guilt around doing nothing. Pour back into yourself.”

She adds a final point, one I think is particularly important. “We are supposed to evolve. Not everyone has to be in your life forever, and just because you have always done something a certain way doesn’t mean that you can’t change your mind. Remember, you have choices.”

14. Cally Beaton

When Cally Beaton goes on stage, she tells a joke about a T-shirt she owns, with the words My weight is not the most interesting thing about me. The punchline? That she would have worn it tonight, but it makes her look fat.

I laugh, but her point hangs in the air. Because beneath the joke is a very real message that Beaton lives by. “The less I fixate on my body image and weight, the better I look and feel,” she says. It’s why she keeps a pact not to weigh herself. “I focus on being physically active and make an effort to get the right foods in me without depriving myself,” she says. “For me, that’s far healthier than obsessing over a number on a scale.”

At a moment when bodies around us are shrinking by the day, it feels like an especially important message; one that brings us neatly onto Beaton’s second tip. “Ceasing to worry about what anyone else thinks is extremely youthening,” she smiles. “In fact, I think it’s more powerful than any Botox or tweakment.”

It’s undoubtedly easier said than done, but Beaton believes it’s possible for all of us. “Building a relationship with yourself is crucial,” she says. “Be confident in your own emotional resilience, and don’t be afraid to keep your world big and curious. Do things which are unlikely, try to let go of rigid structures, and see what happens.”

As for how that looks day to day, Beaton says her journaling practice has been essential. “Every night I write down three positive qualities about myself, three things I’m proud of having done that day, and three things I’m grateful for,” she says. “It sounds cliché, but it reminds me that, even on days where life throws everything at me, I’m still ok. That doesn’t go away just because of a bad day.”

15. Lucinda Chambers

Lucinda Chambers is nothing if not honest. The former fashion director of British Vogue and now co-founder of curated shopping platform Collagerie is synonymous with taste and style, but says she’s far from conventional when it comes to her health.

“I’ve never seen the inside of a gym and do not take any form of exercise in a strenuous, regimented sort of way,” she tells me. That, however, does not mean she doesn’t value feeling well. The 67-year-old says, “I like doing things that are for the mind as well as the body, so I take every opportunity I have to swim. I find it meditative, can turn things over without any stress and always, always feel better afterwards.”

She’s quick to point out that her focus isn’t on the pace or number of lengths she achieves. “It’s just up and down, slowly and surely,” she says. “It could be the sea or pool; both are wonderful to take the mind elsewhere and calm down.”

Her advice isn’t necessarily to copy her, but rather to find something that brings you peace. “Anything that you can build into your life that takes you out of your head is a must,” she concludes.

Shop MC-UK approved wellbeing essentials:

There are sensible purchases—the ones that score highly on cost per wear, functionality and practicality—and then there are those that make your heart beat a little bit faster (and your bank balance considerably lighter). This gift guide is dedicated to the latter.

This is for anyone in their ‘Life’s Too Short’ era, where the question of whether something is strictly necessary has become increasingly irrelevant and the focus is firmly on what makes her genuinely happy. Because sometimes, that’s reason enough.

From investment pieces she’ll treasure for decades to little luxuries with a healthy sense of humour, these gifts prove beautiful things don't always have to be particularly useful to be greatly appreciated.

For the woman who treats dinner parties as a personality trait (guilty), tablescaping as an art form and a well-stocked bar cart as a non-negotiable (ditto the above), only talking-point presents will do.

From statement glassware and stylish homeware to ‘please-tell-me-where-you-bought-that’ table accessories, consider this your shortcut to giving the best hostess gifts—and securing your spot on her invite list.

It’s officially gifting season—and with it, the pressure and excitement to find the perfect gifts for your loved ones.

Know someone who’s a fan of early morning gym sessions, post-workout rituals, and discovering how strong she is both in and out of the gym? Someone who romanticises sweaty workout sessions, lives for an uplifting gym bag essentials, and makes time for the routines that’ll make her feel good both inside and out?

Then you’re in the right place.

I’m a Health Editor who’s lucky enough to test the latest fitness launches and must-tries day in, day out. Keep scrolling for my personal pick of the best gifts for the fitness enthusiast in your life—gifts that celebrate every version of her health journey and encourage what’s to come. Gifts that make life easier, and movement more joyful. Small tools to make home workouts simpler; everyday gym essentials; and feel-good finds that promise to make working out feel like a privilege, not a chore.

Because there’s something powerful about a woman who keeps showing up for herself.

This gift guide is for her; for the woman dedicated to finding her strength.

33 Best Fitness Gifts to Buy for Loved Ones This Winter

Best fitness gifts under £50