Beauty, Health & Wellbeing

Geroscience and the answers to ageing

When it comes to staying alive, humankind has made impressive progress since the turn of the last century. We are undoubtedly living longer – on average twice as long, in fact – and many scientists now believe our natural lifespan could be 125 years or more. But along with an increase in life expectancy we’ve experienced an equally sharp rise in disease, and the focus now is on healthy longevity: healthspan as well as lifespan. To this end, the world’s richest are pumping billions into ‘geroscience’; a relatively new scientific field of research that looks at the hallmarks of biological aging and the connections between getting older and succumbing to disease. In just a couple of decades there have been some tantalising breakthroughs, and scientists have already succeeded in extending the lives of mice. As interest grows and the best scientific minds are lured away from academia and into tech-billionaire funded start-ups, translating that success across to humans seems not just possible, but likely.

New Year, New Me, New Skin: The Revive Room

There’s a chill in the air that I happily escape as I step inside Nelsons Homeopathic Pharmacy by Grosvenor Square (which also houses Nazmeen Khaliq’s Revive Room). The nature of the location is a reflection of Khaliq’s ethos of delivering a more natural, holistic approach to beauty and skincare. She first embarked on her beauty journey at the age of 16, working the cosmetic counters at Clarins and Estee Lauder whilst training for her beauty therapist qualifications. Though her first role saw her gaining experience with popular mainstream treatments at a beauty salon, after a few years and an IBS flare-up to boot, she shifted gears and joined a natural pharmacy where she absorbed everything she could from the homeopaths, nutritionists, and herbalists who worked there. She has now branched out and has grown a roster of high profile clients and a loyal following who turn to her for bespoke treatments and programmes fashioned in her own unique style.

Transform the Skin You are In: The Body Lab in Kensington

Running 15 minutes late, I had already envisioned what The Body Lab would look like - even though I had already seen glimpses of it on my social media! As I breezed down Kensington High Street, I was on the lookout for a small clinic perched amongst the big-branded stores until google maps pinged to alert me that I had arrived at my destination. I peered up to see The Body Lab standing before me, but it wouldn’t be until after I stepped foot inside that all my expectations would be far exceeded. The Body Lab is a unique, ‘new health’ concept, combining science and wellness to elevate their members' health, fitness and lifestyle. Based on three pillars: Fitness, Recovery and Nutrition, inside the lab you will find a luxury, private gym, alongside the expertise of industry professionals, cutting-edge technology and regenerative therapies.

La Dolce Vita in Sicilia: The 5-star ADLER Spa Resort

On a Saturday evening in serene Sicily, my pulse is racing at a rate of knots as sweat trickles down my face and the temperature continues to rise. I feel like I'm sweltering away in a furnace; an exuberant man wafts a towel in front of me as chill-out tunes play in the background. Taking deep breaths as the towel is swung around frenetically to whip my heart rate even higher in searing heat, I know that I am indeed fast approaching boiling point.But just like that, I suddenly feel reinvigorated as I'm presented with a handful of ice cubes that I press against my neck to cool off. I'd been experiencing 'Aufguss', a multi-sensory wellness ritual in which an ‘Aufgussmeister’ douses infused water onto hot stones, circulating fragrant air in a panoramic sauna at the idyllic new Adler Spa Resort Sicilia.

Poppy Delbridge on How to Manifest Your Dream Life

Wherever you are and whatever the state of your inner world, there is power in acknowledging the feelings attached but knowing it’s possible, should you wish, to transform them into something else entirely and have only the best and most rewarding aspects reflect tangibly in your lived experience. That’s where “conscious manifestation” comes in and where motivational speaker, energy psychologist, and tapping specialist, Poppy Delbridge, excels. For the uninitiated, “tapping” is a science-backed “emotional freedom technique.” This results-driven method involves using the fingertips on meridian points, such as on the face and body, to dissipate and remove emotional tension. The practice - with Harvard research to back up the benefits - has also been known to eliminate physical pain, change poor habits, and even cure phobias.

Last Minute Christmas Gifts: Beauty & Wellness Edition

There’s nothing worse than suddenly realising that you've forgotten to buy a Christmas gift for someone on your list - it's happened to even the most organised of us! Christmas can be very hectic; between all the shopping, wrapping, cooking, baking, and prepping for the big day - so something is always bound to go wrong! The good news is that you’ve realised before it’s too late, and there is still plenty of time to muster up a meaningful gift for your loved one.

Amly - Botanical Elixirs to Feed Your Skin

The additional benefit is how it envelopes the senses every time you scoop out or apply a droplet onto your face. The restorative ingredients and the therapeutic scent that it comes with makes one feel and know that they’re giving their skin the best type of treatment and vitamins for well nourished skin. 

Women Who Launch: Gillian Woods of Jane Darcy

Jane Darcy is Woods’ luxury lifestyle brand which sell home fragrances, candles, diffusers, 100% silk accessories and a bath and body line. I was able to test out a few of their products such as the Luxury Silk Sleep Set in a gorgeous champagne colour, which included the softest 22 momme 100% mulberry silk eye mask (I now use it every night!), pillow case, and hair scrunchies, making for the perfect gift for someone who deserves a relaxing night in. I also tried some items from their bath and body collection, formulated with natural organic olive extract, giving them a relaxing aroma and a rich velvety feel that soaks into the skin and moisturises without feeling tacky. When I asked Woods about how she decides on which products to create, she turns to the same two people who inspired her brand’s name, her daughters (whose middle names are Jane and Darcy). “I created the silk scrunchies and pillowcases for their skin and hair and eye masks because my daughters don’t sleep unless it’s pitch dark,” she shares. Whilst her collection is perfect for anyone who, like her daughters, suffer from sensitive skin, Woods is passionate about how using her products makes her customers feel. “I wanted to encourage not just myself but the people around me to treasure the simple moments in life, the moments that matter the most,” she explains. “I wanted to create products that would encourage people to take time for themselves. We are all so busy these days so it’s more important than ever to take stock of the little moments. I want to change peoples’ lives for the better, one product at a time. Sounds cliché but it’s true.” On this edition of Women Who Launch, I speak with Woods about her go-to wellness ritual and why she’s never afraid to ask for help.

Featuring Your Guide to Luxury Christmas Hampers

Diptyque - The Perfect Treat Yourself Gift

The act of purchasing a luxury candle for yourself, unboxing it, lighting it for the first time and taking in the captivating scent whether you’re on the couch reading a good book, or trying to navigate your evenings after school pick-up's with the children running about whilst you’re preparing dinner (like me) make it a little bit more calmer (and elegant) when you’ve got your Diptyque candle lit.

Treat Yourself to a Luxury ESPA Spa Day

Michael Isted on Supercharging Superfoods, Sustainably

Michael Isted, co-founder of Phyto Nectars - a new breed of superfood drinks made from functional blends of plant and mushroom powders - speaks to The Sybarite about what practises the business has embraced to ensure that consumers, the community, and our environment all come out on top. The drinks company has invested in small, community-based cooperatives and farmers, where it sources the plants and mushrooms used in its blends. These cooperatives support the farmers and the wellbeing of their families by providing them with food, clothes, medicine, and transport. They also support the biodiversity and regeneration of the land by encouraging and working with the farmers to ensure that different plant species are planted. Additionally, all of the Phyto Necars packaging is entirely recyclable and the business has every intention of upgrading and evolving into more sustainable solutions alongside technological advancements in this area.