Journal
Our writing on beauty, fragrance, home, children, jewellery and gifting: how to choose, how to use, and the houses behind it.
Everything we publish, in one place
Latest
Citizen: Light-Powered Watches and How to Choose One
The Citizen approach to watchmaking, what Eco-Drive means for you, the difference between dress, everyday and diver's watches, and how to choose and care for a women's Citizen.
Jean Paul Gaultier Perfume: Choosing Scandal, Classique or Divine
How to choose Jean Paul Gaultier perfume for women: the character of Scandal, Classique and Divine, eau de parfum or eau de toilette, layering and gifting.
Chanel Perfume: Choosing Your First Fragrance or a Gift
How to choose a Chanel perfume: the fragrance lines and their characters, parfum, eau de parfum and eau de toilette in plain words, and simple choices for a gift.
How to Choose a Fragrance or Beauty Gift for Someone Else
Choosing scent for someone else is a question about them. How to read the taste you already know, what to do when you know nothing, and where the line falls between a safe gift and a personal one.
Gifting by Occasion: Milestones, Thank Yous and First Gifts
A milestone, a thank you and a first gift are three different briefs. What each one should say, and how to choose a scent that says it.
World Time and Travel Watches: How to Choose One
What world time, GMT and dual time watches do, why the day and date help on a journey, and how to choose a movement, water resistance and strap for travelling.
Masterclass
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World Time and Travel Watches: How to Choose One
What world time, GMT and dual time watches do, why the day and date help on a journey, and how to choose a movement, water resistance and strap for travelling.
Watch Water Resistance: What 3, 5, 10 and 20 ATM Really Mean
ATM, bar and metres describe pressure, not depth. What 3, 5, 10 and 20 ATM are generally suited to, why leather and water do not mix, and when to have resistance checked.
Mechanical, Automatic, Quartz or Solar: Watch Movements Explained
Mechanical, automatic, quartz and solar watches keep time in different ways. How each movement works, what it asks of you, and how to choose.
How to Choose a Hair Dryer for Your Hair Type
What wattage and airflow really mean, why the cool shot matters, when to use a concentrator or a diffuser, and how to choose a hair dryer for fine, thick or curly hair.
Concealer: How to Choose the Right Shade and Formula
A touch lighter under the eyes, an exact match on a blemish. How to read your undertone, choose a texture, use a colour corrector and apply concealer so it looks like skin.
Vegan, Cruelty-Free or Leaping Bunny: What Beauty Credentials Mean
Vegan is about ingredients, cruelty-free is about testing, and Leaping Bunny and PETA-Approved are the certifications behind it. What each label means, and how a product earns one.
Ritual
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Reed Diffusers: How to Scent a Room Without a Flame
How a reed diffuser works, which scent character suits which room, and how to control the strength.
An Evening Ritual at Home: Rituals' Relaxation Sets
An evening ritual is a sequence, not a product. How the Rituals relaxation sets are built, and which to choose.
Baby Skincare: A Gentle Daily Routine
A baby's skin needs very little. How to cleanse the face and folds, when to moisturise after the bath, how to use baby oil, and why young babies stay out of direct sun.
Sesderma and Instituto Español: A Summer Vitamin C Ritual
A summer routine in two halves: vitamin C on the face in the morning, and a body ritual for after the shower.
Caffeine for the Scalp: Plantur 39 and How a Tonic Fits In
Where a leave-in scalp tonic belongs in a hair routine, and how the Plantur 39 shampoo and tonic are used together.
La Roche-Posay: A Sensitive-Skin Routine, Step by Step
How a sensitive-skin routine is built with La Roche-Posay: what to use, in what order, and how often.
Ingredient
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Vitamin C Serum: How to Choose and Use It
What vitamin C does for skin, which form to look for on the label, why the bottle matters, how to spot oxidation, and how to use it each morning under sunscreen.
Retinol: How to Start, How Often, and What to Pair It With
Retinol is a form of vitamin A. How to start it slowly at night, how often to use it, what not to layer with it at first, and why sunscreen comes with it.
Niacinamide: What It Is and Who It Suits
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 used for the look of pores, uneven tone and skin that feels balanced. What it does, how to pair it, and how to read the percentage on the label.
Hyaluronic Acid: What It Does for Skin and How to Use It
Hyaluronic acid draws water to the skin and helps hold it there. What the names on the label mean, serum, cream or mask, and how to layer it.
Collagen in Skincare: What It Can and Cannot Do
Collagen in a cream, serum or mask moisturises and smooths at the surface. What it can and cannot do, and where peptides, retinol and vitamin C fit.
AHA and BHA: Exfoliating Acids Explained
What AHAs and BHA do, how glycolic, lactic, mandelic and salicylic acid differ, and how to begin: slowly, in the evening, with SPF every morning.
The Houses
All
Citizen: Light-Powered Watches and How to Choose One
The Citizen approach to watchmaking, what Eco-Drive means for you, the difference between dress, everyday and diver's watches, and how to choose and care for a women's Citizen.
Jean Paul Gaultier Perfume: Choosing Scandal, Classique or Divine
How to choose Jean Paul Gaultier perfume for women: the character of Scandal, Classique and Divine, eau de parfum or eau de toilette, layering and gifting.
Chanel Perfume: Choosing Your First Fragrance or a Gift
How to choose a Chanel perfume: the fragrance lines and their characters, parfum, eau de parfum and eau de toilette in plain words, and simple choices for a gift.
Dior Perfume: The House's Fragrance Lines and How to Choose
Dior's fragrance lines explained, from the warm Poison family to fresh floral classics, with eau de parfum and eau de toilette in plain words, gift advice and layering.
Kérastase: Choosing Shampoo, Hair Masks and Serums for Your Hair
How to choose Kérastase shampoo, conditioner, hair mask and serum by hair need, build a three-step routine, and put together a gift from one range.
Guess: How to Wear the House's Jewellery and Eyewear
The Guess look in jewellery and eyewear: building an everyday set in one tone, choosing glasses and sunglasses, and wearing the pieces together.
Gift Guide
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How to Choose a Fragrance or Beauty Gift for Someone Else
Choosing scent for someone else is a question about them. How to read the taste you already know, what to do when you know nothing, and where the line falls between a safe gift and a personal one.
Gifting by Occasion: Milestones, Thank Yous and First Gifts
A milestone, a thank you and a first gift are three different briefs. What each one should say, and how to choose a scent that says it.