Ealu Body Care
First on my list is a very new Irish brand, Ealu, which takes its name from the Irish word for “escape”. It was founded just a year ago, the brainchild of two Irish entrepreneurs, Carly Colgan Bates and Susan Fox. The range focuses on body care, and as the name suggests, all the products are designed to help you escape and have a self-care moment.
So far, there are three products in the range: Body Sand, an exfoliating body scrub; Body Gloss, a shimmering body oil, and Body Drench, a hydrating body cream. All three are beautifully formulated and packaged – I appreciate the peach-hued tubes and unique typography – but I’m particularly enamoured of Body Gloss. Containing a whopping 51 per cent squalene (a naturally occurring oil that ramps up hydration in the skin), this is an intensely hydrating and deliciously shimmering oil that deserves to win awards.
A few seconds after application, it sinks into the skin, leaving behind a glass-like sheen – no stickiness, no greasy feeling. And one thing I haven’t mentioned yet, which is probably the biggest selling point of all, is how it smells. It reminds me of summer holidays, but in the evening, as the heat starts to fade – you know that warm, balmy scent of a summer night? That. It’s truly transportive and absolutely lives up to the brand’s name. All three products are less than €40. Body Gloss is priced at €38, while the scrub and cream are €25 each.
Ground Wellbeing Skincare
I’ve written about Ground Wellbeing before in this column – a beautiful Irish wellness brand founded by spa industry veteran Peigín Crowley. This month the brand has ventured fully (and quite excellently) into the skincare category. BIOME is a thoughtfully curated skincare range specifically designed to nurture, repair and care for compromised or sensitive skin. It includes a cleansing oil, an exfoliating treatment cleanser, a botanical face mist, a serum, a cream and a facial oil.
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Crowley’s expert touch is evident in the whisper-light textures and carefully crafted formulas of each product. All are intensely soothing, calming, and feel like an enormous hug for the skin. I’ve always been partial to a cleansing oil, and the one in this range checks all my boxes. It’s light, nourishing and deftly sweeps away make-up and impurities, and the ingredient list is a who’s who of skin protectants, including cotton seed oil, jojoba, and castor oil.
Another standout is the uniquely beautiful Plant Water facial mist. Yes, it’s a mist, but it takes soothing and calming to a whole new level. It smells incredible, feels incredible, and makes you feel like you’re treating your skin with each spritz.
There are various sizes available of each product in the range, conveniently allowing for affordable sampling before committing to a full-size purchase. Price points range from €14 to €60.
Sea+Solu Hair care
Still relatively new on the scene but already winning awards, Sea+Solu is an Irish haircare brand to watch in the coming years. The brand, created by Irish entrepreneur Sinead Asple, is aesthetically pleasing in both packaging and formulation, and is designed to nourish and repair all hair types and textures.
The brand’s key product so far is Moisture Melt Hair Mask (€33.95 from seaplussolu.com) – a deeply hydrating and conditioning mask with a creamy but lightweight texture. The range also includes rather clever hair boosters, which can be added to the mask based on your individual hair needs. These include the Anti-Frizz Hair Booster, Moisture Hair Booster and Strength Hair Booster. You just add a couple of drops of your chosen booster to the mask and use as normal. Again, the products are reasonably priced, the mask retails for €33.95, while the boosters are €20.95 each.
This week I’m loving ... Charlotte Tilbury Beautifying Eyeshadow Palettes
A somewhat swoon-worthy launch from make-up queen Charlotte Tilbury has arrived in the form of a collection of six beautiful eyeshadow palettes called Beautifying Eye Trends (€60 from Brown Thomas). Each palette features nine shades, a mix of matt, shimmer and metallic finishes. The colours are intensely appealing, as is the packaging. The price point is a bit steep, but I suppose that’s the trade-off for creating arguably hundreds of different eye looks with just one product.
