Earlier this month, we asked you to pick a team: hibernating on the sofa, or getting off it and getting fit. Well, the votes are now in – and the sofa was the clear winner.
We don’t blame you – January’s Arctic blasts and grey skies haven’t exactly been tempting us back outdoors. So it makes perfect sense that you’ve been looking for duvets, slippers and pyjamas to up the cosiness factor. Even when you’ve had to travel, you’ve wanted to snuggle down for a nap in a scarf-like neck pillow. Here are the things you loved the most this month.
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The concealer to tackle January’s dark circles
Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Radiant concealer
£22.40 at John Lewis £28 at Charlotte TilburyIn her roundup of the best concealers, beauty writer Sarah Matthews chose this Charlotte Tilbury option as her top pick for tackling dark circles. So no surprise it was your top choice too in a month where we’re forced to get up in the dead of night. Rather than just covering dark circles, this concealer contains hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and vitamin C to hydrate, plump and brighten the skin. “If you’re wearing makeup anyway,” wrote Sarah, “why not invest in a multitasker?” It’s pricey per millilitre, though.
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The luxury duvet
Woolroom Deluxe wool all seasons double duvet
Double, £258 at Heal’sBedding seems like a wise investment in winter, when you’re so loth to leave your bed. But your favourite was a surprise: not for you Panda’s the Cloud duvet, winner of the test, which Jane loved so much she bought it. No, for you, only luxury would do: Woolroom’s Deluxe three-in-one multi-season duvet. “Its percale cotton cover has a deliciously premium feel,” wrote Jane in her test of the best duvets. “Its traceable British wool filling is naturally hypoallergenic, temperature-regulating and sustainable.”
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The slippers you can wear with socks
Regatta solace slippers
£12 at Regatta £12 at Debenhams“I’m a big fan of a mule slipper you can wear at the same time as your chunkiest sock, especially in the depths of winter,” wrote Ellie Violet Bramley in our guide to the best slippers. And it seems you are too, with this pair among your favourites this month.
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The lace bodysuit
Mila body
£46 at John Lewis“Lace works best when it feels like a secret, so resist the urge to overshare,” wrote Jess Cartner-Morley in a recent column. A long-sleeved black lace bodysuit has “turned out to be one of the most useful pieces in my evening wear wardrobe,” she adds. “I wear it under sleeveless dresses to make them work in winter – I hate being cold, but this is also handy if you don’t love your arms.”
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The steamer to freshen your clothing (and bed)
Philips 3000 Series clothes steamer
£29.99 at John Lewis £38 at ArgosIn the second instalment of our new How I Shop column, Jo Malone picked a clothes steamer as her most-used gadget. “Not only do I steam my clothes,” she told us, “but I like my bed steamed every day so the sheets are fresh and clean.” An appealing prospect in a month where we’ve all been bed-obsessed.
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The budget hand cream
E45 Repairing hand cream
£5.99 at Boots £5.99 at AmazonOur hands often bear the brunt of winter weather, with cold winds and central heating making them dry and even painful. E45’s simple fragrance-free formula “was immediately cooling and hydrating, like a refreshing drink of water for the hands,” wrote Sarah Matthews in her recent test of the best hand creams. It was also less than £10, and your favourite from the piece.
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The cosy pyjamas for men …
Flannel pyjama set
£27.95 at Seasalt CornwallA matching pair of pyjamas brings an air of respectability to an all-day lounging session. “This pair comes in flannel, so it’s a real winter warmer,” wrote stylist and menswear expert Peter Bevan in his guide to the best men’s pyjamas. There are four colourways available, although stock is running a little low.
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… and for women
Double-gauze pyjamas
£39.95 at Muji“If I could only wear one pair of pyjamas for the rest of my life, it would be these,” wrote Kate McCusker in her guide to the best women’s pyjamas. “Putting on the soft, textured cotton is like cocooning yourself in a cloud.” Perfect if you’re spending the whole day in bed.
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The comfy travel pillow
Trtl travel pillow
£49.99 at TrtlFilter reviewer Pete Wise can never be accused of sleeping on the job while testing products for us, whether he’s throwing suitcases off ladders, jumping on trampolines with reusable coffee cups or playing arcade games to test travel pillows. But “it felt weirdly comfortable to wear this travel pillow while playing After Burner Climax at the arcade,” he wrote. “Laying my head to one side while shooting down CGI aircraft was a genuinely dreamy experience.” He also said the “exceptionally soft” fleece was “the most comfortable material I encountered during testing”.
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The bargain walking boots
Regatta Holcombe III
£40 at Debenhams From £40 at DecathlonOK, so it looks like some of you are leaving the house. Or planning to, anyway. This pair was chosen by outdoors expert Sian Lewis as her top budget pick in her recent test of the best women’s walking boots. While they’re not designed for technical or rocky ground, “they come into their own on casual country walks and spring and summer treks,” wrote Sian, and are a great choice for your first pair of walking boots.
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The corduroy jeans
Barrel-leg jeans
£63 at Nobody’s ChildLooking stylish during cold weather is no mean feat, but the Filter’s fashion writer Charlotte Gornall always pulls it off. She shared her tips on how to dress while keeping warm – and you loved her suggestion to swap denim for corduroy. “Corduroy jeans are great winter warmers, as the ribbed texture naturally traps heat,” she wrote.
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Our favourite beard trimmer
Philips Beardtrimmer 9000 Prestige
£89.99 at John Lewis £89.99 at AmazonAs we shed our pyjamas and head back into the real world, a trimmer “can make the difference between looking like Worzel Gummidge and maintaining a well-kept look”, wrote our reviewer Edward Munn in his test of the best beard trimmers. This Philips model was by far his favourite. “It delights in its simplicity and offers everything you need from a beard trimmer,” he wrote. A recent price drop (from £114.14 at the time of testing) saw it make the favourites list.
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