In times of stress, small acts of self-care can make a big difference. Velvet spotlights six products to give skin and spirits a lift

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Too Faced Pillow Balm Nourishing Lip Treatment, £18, cultbeauty.co.uk

Promising to leave even the most dry and deflated lips pillowy soft and plumped, this balm is a beauty. Rich in nourishing fruit oils, hydrating hyaluronic acid and minerals said to be “sourced from real falling stars”, it also gives lips the prettiest sheen.

Alteya Organics Organic Bulgarian Centifolia Rose Water, from £7.95 for 120ml, lovelula.com

If your complexion is looking less than dewy, try a spritz of this Alteya rose water. A steam distillation of rose, loved for its ability to minimise pores and maximise moisture, it’s a real multitasker: use post-cleanser to tone, post-makeup to set, and at intervals throughout the day to refresh.

Evolve 360 Eye & Lip Contour, £26, johnlewis.com

Billed as “a good night’s sleep in a bottle”, this contour cream deploys a probiotic blend which, containing green tea, pomegranate and caffeine, is clinically proven to reduce eye bags and dark circles, along with peptides extracted from Peruvian superfoods to variously smooth, firm and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Kimberly Sayer Restore Anti-aging Cream, £32.30, lovelula.com

In the battle against environmental damage and loss of skin tone, Restore cream is an impressive weapon: key actives include borage oil to shore up cell growth and sea algae to boost moisture retention. Vegan and paraben and petrochemical-free, a luxe texture makes it lovely to apply. In a thin layer, it’s a great day cream; thicker, it also works for night.

Banobagi Milk Thistle Repair Mask, £3.20, glamtouch.co.uk

New from one of South Korea’s most respected skincare brands, this sheet mask is formulated with fighting wrinkles foremost in mind. Headline ingredient milk thistle, known to be rich in antioxidants, promises to protect from pollutants, while anti-inflammatory burdock root works to purify and sodium hyaluronate to hydrate. It’s both cooling and calming to use, too.

D’Alchemy Loss of Elasticity Skin Renewer, £45.45, lovelula.com

A milestone birthday and losing the better part of three stone were cause for celebration, but both took a toll on my neck, which has since started to look decidedly scraggy. This Renewer pledges to tackle just such problem areas with a plethora of natural ingredients, including extracts of rose, crocus, lavender and witch hazel, selected for their abilities to lift, firm and both stave off and fill out wrinkles - sounds good.