Mirror mirror on the wall, Ireland’s skincare and cosmetics are the fairest of them all. Right now there are loads to choose from, all gorgeous in their own way.
The best brand to come from these shores for years is Aimee Connolly’s Sculpted by Aimee, featuring everywhere from Dunnes Stores to Brown Thomas. It’s no wonder they’re popular, given that the products, like their maker, are super hardworking. The range’s Bare Basics palette, €39, is quite possibly the only make-up you need, and it makes a great gift. For someone who already has their perfect palette, the new Cream Cushion foundation, €32, delivers great coverage with a dose of skincare too.
Equally hardworking is Mayo’s Lorraine Corcoran who has poured all her science nous into engineering her skincare range, Nyrah. Formulated with ingredients designed to soothe sensitive, hormonal and reactive skin, whether you’re battling dryness, rosacea, acne or pigmentation, she has a skincare product here to suit. The trial-size pack is the perfect gift to get someone started, currently at €24.95, down from its regular price of €44.95.
If you’ve flown business class with Aer Lingus recently you’ll already be familiar with Jo Browne’s eco-friendly skincare products, including lip balms and moisturisers. But her skincare solutions go way beyond creams and potions, and now include her Gift of Sleep, €55, a silky sleep mask and set of pillowcases made of organic bamboo and designed to provide a cooling effect for the perfect beauty sleep.
READ MORE
Or check out Inish Living, brainchild of Kenmare physiotherapist Christina Foley, whose super-soft bed linen, made of Lyocell, another bio-based fabric, offers a beautifully cool, silky feel and absorbs moisture more efficiently than cotton. It’s another wonderfully skin-kind option, with king-size bed sets for €320.
Holos Skincare has taken the Irish market by storm and is growing a loyal customer base in the United States too. The luxury skincare brand was founded in 2013 by Niamh Hogan and today has an extensive range of natural facial and body products. These include plant-based active ingredients. Its ABC Active Bundle is on offer at €119, down from its usual price of €149.
Also making transatlantic waves is Wasi, Bantry woman Claire O’Sullivan’s seaweed-based skincare range, whose basic ingredient she hand-harvests herself. Her bestselling Handmade Seaweed Soap contains cedarwood and lemon grass too while her Therapeutic Spa Bath (€25) is enough to restore even a body that’s been up before dawn to collect seaweed.
Green Angel is both the mammy and daddy of Irish skincare brands, having been founded by Chris and Mary Mitchell in 2006. This year saw it launch Loana, €65, a fragrance named for their daughter, with rich oriental and woody base notes and top notes of florals and fresh vanilla.
The Moher Soap Company is another lovely option, with a range of handmade soaps and bath salts. It has a lovely mini soap gift set, €19.95, featuring four half bars of the company’s best-loved soaps.
Some of the best skincare remedies are passed down through generations and so it is with Josie’s Botanicals, an award-winning Irish skincare brand that has just launched curated Christmas Gift Boxes, including moisturiser, hand cream, body wash and body lotions, ranging in price from €30 to €60, with wonderfully effective products for both men and women.
