Latest news with #ModernChemistry
Telegraph
02-07-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
The new Boots skincare range starts at £4.50. But is it any good?
There was a time when pricier skincare may have meant better skincare, and more potent ingredients. If you wanted clever science and a cream that delivered results besides basic hydration, for example, you'd be hard pressed to find anything good on the high street. That has changed in the past decade: there are excellent brands from The Ordinary to Byoma that keep their pricing affordable and formulas science-driven. It was only a matter of time before Boots created a range more focused on results than its cheap and cheerful existing own-brand offering. It's called Modern Chemistry, a nod to the fact that Boots has a long history as a chemist, and has just launched (following a range of supplements under the same umbrella, brought out in May). The line-up is almost entirely based on insights from Boots' 17 million Advantage Card users, too (more than 10 million of those customers have shopped skincare at Boots over the past 12 months). The range includes everything from cleanser to moisturiser, with all of it priced between £4.50 and £15. I've been the first journalist to trial the products over the past month, and I'm impressed by the quality of the formulas, the luxury feel of the textures and the smart (if a little boring) packaging. It gives good bang for your buck. Sea Buckthorn Oil / Vitamin E Cleansing Balm, £15, Boots While cleansers are often seen as a basic addition in a skincare range, I think the Modern Chemistry version is one of the stars. In its research, Boots found that eight of its 10 top-selling skincare items in-store and online are cleansers. Granted, three of those eight products are the store's own-brand wipes, but sales of cleansing balms are on the up, too. I've been able to try a lot of luxury cleansing balms over recent years, and Boots' £15 option rivals the ones that cost two or three (or, in some cases, four!) times more. Formulated using the antioxidant- and omega-fatty-acid-rich sea buckthorn oil and moisturising vitamin E, it's excellent for skin that is prone to feeling dry or flaky. The data also showed that the bestselling moisturisers at Boots all focused on repairing the skin barrier (these include my own favourite, Cicaplast Baume B5+ by La Roche-Posay and the brilliant Moisturising Lotion by CeraVe). So they made their own: the new Modern Chemistry Restore Moisturiser, with Korean-skincare-inspired rice extract, feels lightweight yet nourishing. It's a purse-friendly £13 a pot. The Glow Eye Cream, also £13, is a good option for mid-life skin. It contains caffeine to counteract puffiness and light-reflecting particles to disguise the look of dark circles (although, if you are concerned about dark circles, this won't do the heavy lifting that a concealer would do in terms of coverage). Glow Eye Cream, £13, Boots Now, let's look at the mask. Sheet masks now far outsell the cream and mud versions of years gone by (that will be the influence of skincare trends from Japan and South Korea again), and have seen a nine-per-cent spike in interest from Boots customers in the past year. While I must admit I'm too lazy to apply a sheet mask regularly, the Modern Chemistry £4.50 Restore Hydrogel Mask – created in collaboration with Korean chemists – is a good choice if you're looking for a speedy skin pick-me-up. The advice is to leave it on for a minimum of 30 minutes, which I tried, and my skin did indeed feel very moisturised and soft when I removed it. Restore Hydrogel Mask, £4.50, Boots I wouldn't ever say that you need to use everything from one brand – it's much better to cherry-pick the products that work for you from a selection of ranges – but if you are in the market for one or two new products at an affordable price, do check out Modern Chemistry. I for one will be stocking up on the balm cleanser and eye cream. Three more favourites
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Boots targets Gen Z with TikTok-inspired supplements range featuring 'trending' ingredients including lion's mane, ashwagandha and sea moss
Boots has launched a new TikTok-inspired wellness range, featuring 'trending ingredients' like lion's mane, ashwagandha, and sea moss. The range, called HABI, features a mix of ingredients that promise to boost energy, provide calm or help people 'get in the zone and going with the flow'. One is lion's mane – a large, white, shaggy medicinal mushroom. It contains bioactive substances that are thought to have beneficial effects on the body – especially the brain, heart and gut. The mushroom is regularly used both for cooking and medicine in Asian countries such as China, India, Japan and Korea. However it has recently become popular in supplement form, with some TikTok users claiming it has 'freed' them from chronic anxiety, boosted their memory and improved their focus and sleep. Ashwagandha, meanwhile, is an evergreen shrub that grows in Asia and Africa. The roots and leaves of the plant have been turned into powders or extracts and used in traditional medicine for centuries and it is commonly promoted for stress and anxiety reduction. The Boots ashwagandha supplement, called 'Zen', promises to 'find your calm and sense of tranquillity'. Sea moss has also been hailed online as a supplement that supports digestion and can even help clear skin. The company's sea moss supplement states: 'Enjoy the benefits of this nutrient packed gift from the ocean in a tasty gummy. 'Sea moss is naturally loaded with nutrients including riboflavin, calcium, magnesium, iodine, potassium and zinc, all known ingredients and loved by many.' Joe Thorley-Mitchell, Director of Boots Brand, said: 'I'm excited to finally be able to reveal HABI, which puts good habits over hype. 'We wanted to create a wellness range that's as playful as it is effective, balancing quality formulations with bold unmissable packaging and playful, sensorial formats.' Other supplements in the range include the popular ingredients apple cider vinegar and griffonia seeds. They all feature fruity flavours and come in brightly-coloured packaging. The company has also launched another range under the name 'Modern Chemistry' which are some of 'the most science-backed products' to date. They include another selection of supplements – also boasting ashwagandha and lion's mane – as well as skincare products to follow in the summer While the supplements are now available online, a range of HABI skincare products will also launch in July. These include 'zit zapper' spot stickers in bright colours – another trend that has taken off on TikTok. The company has also launched another range – under the name 'Modern Chemistry' – which are some of 'the most science-backed products' to date. They include another selection of supplements – also boasting ashwagandha and lion's mane – as well as skincare products to follow in the summer. The launch will likely be welcomed by TikTokers - many of who already use these 'trending' ingredients. Harry Thorn, a British online health coach, said in a TikTok video: 'I've been taking ashwagandha now for just over two months and here are my honest thoughts. 'The biggest effect I've personally seen has definitely been in regard to stress. 'Now, I'm just so relaxed, it's ridiculous.' SHOULD YOU DRINK BEETROOT JUICE BEFORE EXERCISE? Drinking beetroot juice before exercise could take years off your brain, research suggested in April 2017. Combining the drink with exercise strengthens certain regions of the brain, making it appear more youthful and potentially preventing the organ's decline, a study found. This finding could help people who are at risk of brain deterioration to remain functionally independent, such as those with a family history of dementia, according to the researchers. Beetroot juice's power likely lies in its nitric-oxide content, with past research suggesting this both increases blood flow to the brain and improves exercise performance. Study author Professor Jack Rejeski, from Wake Forest University, North Carolina said: 'Nitric oxide is a really powerful molecule. It goes to the areas of the body which are hypoxic, or needing oxygen, and the brain is a heavy feeder of oxygen in your body. 'Compared to exercise alone, adding a beetroot juice supplement to exercise resulted in brain connectivity that closely resembles what you see in younger adults.' The researchers analysed 26 men and women aged 55 and over who did not exercise and had high blood pressure. Some participants were given beetroot juice one hour before walking for 50 minutes on a treadmill, while others did the same exercise but without the drink. This was repeated three times a week for six weeks.
