Fashion month is well and truly underway. From MUAs and hairstylists to session manicurists, prep is complete for one of the most anticipated months in the social calendar.
Considering the nature of my job, I have always been intrigued by the subsequent runway looks, yes, but also the contents of their kits. These industry stalwarts are often working on shows back-to-back and rushing across the city, which means they can only carry around the most hardworking products, which have proved their salt time and time again. To satisfy my curiosity, I consulted Sam McKnight, Fara Homidi, Nick Irwin and other backstage pros for details on the essentials they can't work without...
Fara Homidi, Editorial MUA and Founder
Fara Homidi Essential Face Compact:"I use the Essential Face Compact to perfect the complexion only where needed while preserving the skin’s natural dimension. It can be applied precisely or diffused more broadly, without ever looking like too much."
Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water: "This is something I always reach for when I’m prepping skin and touching up. It’s gentle, consistent and great for all skin types. It’s also in my French pharmacy haul anytime I’m in Paris."
Fara Homidi Pool Slick Lash Lacquer: "Lashes can completely shift the attitude of a look. My Pool Slick Lash Lacquer can customise them from softly separated and defined to dark, bold and glossy. The curved wand also makes it easy to lift and reach every lash when working quickly backstage."
FARA HOMIDI
Pool Slick Lash Lacquer Mascara - Absolu
Bioderma Sensibio
H2o Micellar Water for Sensitive Skin Prone to Rosacea
FARA HOMIDI
Essential Face Compact
Sam McKnight, Celebrity Session Hairstylist and Founder
Hair by Sam McKnight Modern Hairspray Multi-Task Styling Mist: "There's no fashion week without it. Backstage there’s always one in my pocket. Whether I'm styling and need the heat protection, creating volume, sleek styles, or need more shine through the hair, it's my go-to. I can do pretty much anything with it."
YS Park 40G4 Curl Shine Styler Brush 35mm“The right brushes are the key to good hair. It’s important to invest in ones that don’t snag or pull. Some of my favourites are YS Park, Mason & Pearson and Denman. It doesn’t always need to be fancy or expensive. I love my brush that looks like a toothbrush from YS Park. It’s made from wood and has natural bristles – it’s amazing for smoothing fly-aways."
Airtex Net: "Another kit essential is an Airtex Net. I use these to protect the hair when styling, but also to flatten and smooth it when time is short.”
Hair by Sam McKnight Cool Girl Body Volumising & Plumping Cream: "Hair health backstage is always on my mind. I need a product that delivers multiple benefits in one go, so a hybrid is the key to better hair, and one that does what you want it to. My new Cool Girl Body is the product I turn to when I have a model in my chair whose hair needs plumping, thickening and strengthening with heat, humidity and frizz protection. It does a lot!"
Hair by Sam Mcknight
Modern Hairspray Multi-Task Styling Mist
YS Park
Ys Park 40g4 Curl Shine Styler Brush 35mm
Hair by Sam Mcknight
Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist
Carly Utting, Editorial MUA and MAC Senior Artist
MAC Studio Radiance Face and Body Foundation: "I’m still yet to find a backstage base that beats Face and Body. It makes skin look so believably perfect, with the most incredible balmy finish. Although the new Studio Radiance Skin Tint Stick is definitely giving it a run for its money."
Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base+: "I love the Bobbi Brown Face Base for skin prep, it grips onto the skin beautifully so any base applied on top sits perfectly."
Relavel Extra Large Makeup Case: "I love my Relavel makeup case too, it’s my pop up and go kit with a little of everything in it. It’s a super handy organised makeup case with so many different segments making it easy to grab products quickly."
MAC Groundwork Paint Pot: "Groundwork Paint Pot is a non negotiable in my kit. For me, it’s one of the most perfect brown shades ever made, it has just the right amount of depth and gives the lid this beautifully soft, diffused finish that always looks effortless."
MAC
Studio Radiance Face and Body Radiant Sheer Foundation
Bobbi Brown
Vitamin Enriched Face Base+
Mac Pro Longwear Paint Pot
Eye Shadow - Groundwork
Larry King, Celebrity Session Hairstylist and Founder
Dyson Supersonic™ Origin hair dryer: "It's my go-to for controlled heat and creating a beautiful, polished base. It's particularly important for prepping the hair before styling and achieving a really controlled blow dry."
Larry King Haircare Flyaway With Me Kit: "This is ideal for finishing sleeker looks while keeping them soft. It tames flyaways without creating a wet or overly slick finish, making it perfect for those final touch-ups before models hit the runway."
Dyson Vented Barrel brush – 35mm barrel: "The perfect brush for creating that big, bouncy ’90s blow-dry, loads of volume, movement and a smooth finish without looking too ‘done’."
Sectioning Clips: "One extra non-product thing I’d add is sectioning or styling clips. They’re not glamorous, but for Fashion Week they’re genuinely useful for controlling sections during prep, setting shape while the hair cools, and keeping the styling process clean and efficient."
Dyson
Vented Barrel brush – 35mm barrel
Dyson
Supersonic™ Origin Hair Dryer
Larry King Haircare
Flyaway With Me Kit
Nick Irwin, Session Hairstylist and Schwarzkopf Global Ambassador
Schwarzkopf Session label Volumizing Mousse: "This is a super versatile product used across all hair types. Whether it's a wet look, effortless lived-in texture or big, high glam blowouts... This product does it all."
Session Kit, Setting Net: "A setting net is one of those simple kit essentials—it keeps the shape controlled while the hair sets, without disturbing the work underneath.”
Schwarzkopf Session Label The Strong: "This is my go-to strong hairspray. It will lock down everything from sleek pony tails to gravity defining textures that need hold on the runway."
YS Park Pin Tail Comb 12:"A proper session essential—precise, lightweight and reliable. The pin tail gives you total control for clean sectioning and detailed work."
Schwarzkopf Professional
Session Label Volumizing Mousse
Session Kit
Setting Net
Schwarzkopf
Session Label the Strong Firm Hold Hairspray
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If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this article, it’s that a healthy skin barrier is the number one thing that will improve your skin. Without it, it doesn’t matter how many expensive treatments or buzzy ingredients you throw at it.
And one of the most important ingredients for maintaining a healthy skin barrier? Ceramides. These naturally occurring lipids act like mortar, holding the outermost layer of your skin together and helping prevent moisture loss and protect against external aggressors. Using ceramide-rich skincare, alongside making sure you're not overdoing it with active ingredients, is one of the simplest ways to keep your skin barrier in good condition.
But what if, rather than simply replacing the ceramides our skin loses, we could encourage it to produce more of its own?
That's the thinking behind the latest generation of ceramide skincare, and it represents an interesting development in the skin longevity movement. Rather than focusing exclusively on tackling signs of ageing once they appear, longevity skincare is concerned with maintaining the biological processes that keep our skin functioning at its best for as long as possible.
And Elizabeth Arden, a brand that has been pioneering ceramide skincare for more than 35 years, is getting in on the action. Its iconic Ceramide Capsules have undergone a complete reformulation, introducing new technology designed not only to replenish lost ceramides but also to support the skin's natural production. The idea is to strengthen the skin barrier now while helping to protect it against future damage.
Having used the previous formulation every autumn and winter for years, I was particularly interested to try the new Elizabeth Arden Advanced Gold Ceramide Capsules. Here's everything you need to know about the science behind them, and what happened when I put them to the test.
Elizabeth Arden has been developing ceramide skincare for more than three decades, but its latest reformulation introduces something new. The fourth generation of its iconic capsules now contains an exclusive, patent-pending P-PAR Longevity Catalyst, developed with input from scientist Dr Fatemah Mohammadi, who holds more than 50 patents in the beauty and pharmaceutical industries.
P-PARs, or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, are receptors involved in regulating several important biological processes, including lipid metabolism. In the skin, they play a role in the production of the lipids that help maintain a healthy barrier.
Elizabeth Arden's new P-PAR Longevity Catalyst is designed to activate these receptors, supporting the skin's natural production of essential barrier lipids, including ceramides. In other words, rather than simply applying ceramides to replace those we've lost, the idea is to encourage our skin to produce more of its own.
However, it's worth distinguishing between the proposed science and the clinical results. While the new catalyst is designed to support natural ceramide production, the brand's published clinical findings primarily measure improvements in the visible appearance of skin.
And those claims are fairly bold. According to Elizabeth Arden, skin appeared firmer, smoother and more radiant after seven days. In a consumer study involving 55 participants, 100% agreed that their skin felt dramatically younger after four weeks.
Meanwhile, a separate clinical study involving 37 participants found a 28% reduction in forehead lines and a 22% reduction in nasolabial folds after eight weeks. The brand also claims the formula can take five years off the visible appearance of skin. But how well does it actually work?
How We Test
I've been using the new capsules daily for approximately a month, which has given me time to assess how they've affected the appearance and condition of my skin. I've also been using the previous formulation every autumn and winter for years, so I'm already very familiar with the benefits of ceramide skincare.
In the interests of full disclosure, there's one important factor to consider when looking at my before-and-after photographs. During the testing period, the results of an aesthetic treatment I'd previously undergone began to kick in. The treatment involved two injectables that don't add volume or freeze facial movement but instead boost the skin's hydration from within and stimulate its natural collagen production.
I'll be writing about that treatment in more detail later this month. However, throughout this review, I'll distinguish between the results I can reasonably attribute to the capsules and those that are likely to have come from the aesthetic treatment.
After approximately a month of using the new capsules, my skin looks noticeably healthier and more youthful. It's more radiant, firmer, bouncier and smoother, with fewer visible fine lines. In general, it just looks happier.
The difference between my before-and-after photographs is stark. However, as I've already mentioned, the results of my aesthetic treatment will also have started to kick in during this period.
And it's important to be realistic about which improvements can be attributed to which treatment.
The injectable treatment I underwent was designed to improve hydration from within and stimulate natural collagen production. Consequently, some of the visible firming and plumping of my skin will undoubtedly be down to that treatment.
However, having used Elizabeth Arden's previous Ceramide Capsules year after year, I know the difference that consistently optimising my skin barrier with ceramide skincare can make to its appearance.
That glass-skin radiance is something I've experienced with the previous formulation, too, and it's a result I associate with consistent ceramide barrier care. As for the firming and smoothing, it's only fair to attribute those improvements to a combination of the aesthetic treatment and my topical skincare.
However, I can confidently say that these capsules continue to deliver the benefits that have made them a permanent fixture in my autumn and winter skincare routine.
And while the longevity movement might be introducing increasingly sophisticated technologies, the fundamental principle remains the same: maintaining a healthy skin barrier is one of the most important things you can do for your skin.
The difference is that we're now exploring ways to help our skin maintain that barrier for itself, rather than relying exclusively on replacing what it loses.
If you have dull-looking skin or a lot of hyperpigmentation, you’d benefit from the pink capsules in their ceramide line. Because of the capsule delivery method, they are 178 times more potent than traditional Vitamin C.
Elizabeth Arden
Advanced Ceramide Lift and Firm Night Cream
If you want to double down on your ceramides and boost the results of the gold capsules, this night cream is a good one to go for. It’s also packed with firming peptides and Edelweiss extract.
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If I had a pound for every time that word appeared in my WhatsApp messages, I’d be a rich woman. Between our busy jobs, packed social calendars, complicated family dynamics, constant scrolling and endless notifications, my friends and I regularly convene over our shared sense of freneticism. A lot of the time, we seem to almost audibly buzz with the kind of static charge that might zap us if we got too close.
I’m sure you can relate, on some level. This feeling of being stuck in a state of chronic high alert is so widespread that it’s given rise to a whole new vocabulary. Where two years ago you probably hadn’t discussed your nervous system since GCSE biology, we now encounter it almost daily on our social media feeds, where #nervoussystemregulation has been used over 1.3 million times.
Alongside this growing interest, an entirely new industry has emerged: neurowellness, which the Global Wellness Summit identified as one of the fastest-growing trends for 2026. At one end, it’s a hotbed of technology, with vagus nerve stimulation devices and EEG-guided sleep tools. At the other, it’s sparked a revival of ancient practices that have been part of Eastern cultures for centuries.
Here in the West, we’ve grouped these diverse energetic practices - from acupuncture and ear seeding to reiki, qigong and somatic bodywork - under the rather clunky umbrella of ‘energy healing’. You may have noticed them popping up in wellness studios, spas and hotels, or in adverts for week-long energy healing retreats promising to reunite mind, body and spirit. According to Grand View Research, this formerly niche sector of body, mind and energy healing is worth $156.1 billion, with the market projected to grow to $795.7 billion by 2033.
For many of us, we’re still learning this new energetic vocabulary, which gives the world of energy healing an air of mystery and magic. That’s why I decided to delve into it myself, trying five trending practices to uncover what energy really is, how it gets ‘stuck ’, and whether it’s something we really need to heal.
I Tried Five Popular Energy Healing Practices—and the Emotional Shifts Surprised Me
What is energy?
In her book, Unlock Your Power, tapping expert Poppy Delbridge explains that energy is about far more than how tired or alert we feel. “From a psychological perspective, energy is a communication system,” she writes. “It is a felt-sense of how you are in your body.”
That might sound tricky to get your head around, but as bodywork and integrative practitioner Amanda Tizard puts it, it really means that we are energy. “Just like objects and anything you see in nature, we’re completely made up of energy,” she says. “It’s why you can walk into a room or be around a group of people and feel that energy change.”
It’s a concept we rarely tap into in Western culture, but one that’s deeply rooted in Chinese medicine. “The character æ°£ (qi) is often translated as energy, but it’s actually a much bigger concept,” says Ada Ooi, TCM practitioner and founder of 001 London. “Qi describes movement, process and transformation, and it doesn’t just affect emotion and spirit. It impacts the functioning of the whole body.”
Is energy something we can heal?
If we follow TCM beliefs, the connection between qi and the functioning of the whole body - from circulation, digestion, immunity, mood, sleep, and the coordination between our organs - makes keeping our energy ‘healthy’ quite important.
Interestingly, though, none of the three practitioners is keen on the phrase ‘energy healing’. “A lot of clients resonate with it, but I tend to avoid using it in private practice,” says Tizard. “What we’re really talking about with this work is moving emotion and changing how we feel.”
Moving energy is something Ooi also talks about. “Practices like Qigong move qi through the meridian networks of your body,” she says, explaining that these meridians are maps of how energy and blood move through our bodies. “Each has a direction and territory,” she tells me. “When we work with them, we’re prompting the body to regulate itself. In Western terms, this is described through the nervous system; shifting someone out of a chronic stress state so the body can do the repair work it already knows how to do.”
What are the benefits of working with energy?
‘Energy healing’ practices, for want of a better phrase, are varied and far-reaching, so choosing the right one for you will depend on what you’re struggling with. Broadly speaking, though, many are intended to promote relaxation and shift you from a state of fight-or-flight towards rest-and-digest. With that can come improvements in sleep quality and reductions in tension, fatigue, stress and anxiety, with some practices also being used to manage physical pain.
Acupuncture is one example: research has shown it to reduce symptoms of anxiety and provide relief from chronic stress. There’s also evidence for emotional freedom techniques (EFT), which Delbridge uses in her own method of Rapid Tapping. Studies have found that a single hour of clinical EFT can reduce cortisol levels by up to 24%.
“The act of tapping sends a calming signal to the amygdala - the part of your brain that governs your stress response,” Delbridge explains. “Doing so gives the body the message that ‘this is safe’ whilst we ask your mind to look at the difficult thing.”
I Spent a Month Experimenting With Energy Healing - Five Practices I Tried
Now, to my whistle-stop tour of energy healing. Before we go any further, though, a disclaimer: bouncing between five different practices over the course of a month is unlikely to be the optimal approach, nor is ‘healing your energy’ something you can achieve in a single session.
That said, even in this short space of time, I learned some surprising things. Most notably, I came away feeling more connected to the relationship between my mind and body.
1. Acupuncture
I’ll start with my favourite, because I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. When I rang the doorbell to Ada Ooi’s Marylebone clinic, I had no idea what to expect. I knew I was there for an Integrav Wellness consultation rooted in Chinese medicine, and that Ooi specialises in acupuncture and ear seeding, having previously used her ear seeds at home (more on those later).
What I wasn’t prepared for was how much it would feel like a traditional doctor’s appointment – only better. Unlike many of the wellness practices I’d tried, much of our consultation was spent talking. Ooi was kind but direct, a combination I immediately warmed to. She asked about my diet, exercise routine, bowel habits, emotional state, stress levels and work schedule before asking me to open my mouth so she could look at my tongue. Yes, you read that right.
From the colour and texture of my tongue, along with the teeth indentations at the sides, Ooi explained that she was seeing signs of energy deficiency. My pulse, when she checked it, backed this up.
Having concluded that my overall energy reserves were low - something I knew in my gut but had been ignoring for some time - it was time for the hands-on work. Most of the session centred on acupuncture, with Ooi placing needles around my feet and lower legs, abdomen, scalp and temples. Some definitely prompted more sensation than others, but none were painful, and the whole process was generally relaxing.
What surprised me was how different I felt when I left. My legs felt lighter, the tightness in my chest had eased slightly and, stick with me here, my forehead felt more…spacious?
More than anything, though, I felt like Ooi had really seen me. She’d picked up on things I’d been struggling with without me having to spell them out, then offered kind but firm advice that really resonated. My body felt tangibly better for the experience, and I’m already itching to book another session.
Ada Ooi learned chinese medicine from her pharmacist grandfather, whose book is displayed in this photo at her clinic(Image credit: Ashleigh Spiliopoulou)
2. EFT Tapping
My tapping appointment with Poppy Delbridge came just 24 hours after seeing Ooi, so it’s worth bearing in mind that I was experiencing the cumulative effects of both sessions.
We met over WhatsApp video, and I was nervous. As someone who’s naturally shy, the idea of tapping on my face while reciting affirmations with someone watching from the other side of a screen sounded, frankly, awful. But having previously tried Poppy’s tapping sessions independently after hearing her on Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast, I had some sense of how powerful the practice could be.
So, with a deep breath, we got into it - following Poppy’s own Rapid Tapping method - which combines elements of EFT with manifestation. She couldn’t have been lovelier, and I was grateful that she did the whole thing with me, which made me feel a little less like a deer in the headlights.
What I like about tapping is the way it can help you bypass negative self-talk. I typically struggle with affirmations, but focusing on the physical act of tapping made it easier to repeat the words without getting caught up in whether I believed them.
I’m not going to tell you I felt magically at ease. I was still self-conscious at times and struggled to be fully present. But what I love is how easily I can keep practising it. Because whilst an initial session with a practitioner is helpful, once you get the hang of it, you can do it independently at home. Delbridge’s recommendation? Ten minutes in the morning before you start your day.
Even after one session, I noticed an emotional shift. I’m not a crier, but the next morning, sitting outside with my coffee, I suddenly had my Cameron Diaz moment (if you haven’t seen The Holiday, never mind). It wasn’t a big sob, but I did feel better afterwards, and I’ve since made tapping part of my morning routine.
3. Emotional somatic release
If you’ve seen the women breaking down into cathartic-looking sobs on your TikTok feed, you’ll have some idea of what emotional somatic release can look like.
For me, it didn’t quite go that way. I didn’t really expect it to. I struggle to let go and express outward emotion at the best of times, so while I secretly hoped for one huge release, I wasn’t convinced it was going to happen.
Instead, I found the whole thing intriguing, if a little confusing. I met my practitioner, Amanda Tizard, at HOME - one of my favourite wellness studios in London. As the name suggests, it feels safe and cosy as soon as you walk in; all wooden floorboards and incense aromas.
Once in the treatment room, Tizard asked me about my history and why I was there. Then we got started. The practice involved entering a deeply relaxed, hypnotic state where I could allow my mind to move towards a particular memory or sensation. Tizard explained that a lot of the time these memories are preverbal, meaning they won’t be photographic, but can show up more as colours and shapes. This was certainly true for me and, as someone who has never done hypnotherapy before, it was an entirely new experience.
At times, I did question whether I was speaking from my younger self or whether my adult brain was simply making the answers up. But each time I shared my doubts, Tizard was gentle and reassuring, encouraging me to trust myself and adjusting to my pace.
At the end, I did get a release of sorts: the giggles. Just like crying, Tizard says laughter can release energy, and going by the way I felt later that evening, I’d say that was the case for me. I noticed my stomach doing somersaults and experienced a butterfly-like sensation, despite having nothing obvious to be nervous about.
The best part? The next morning, at my regular talk therapy session, I felt much more able to speak freely. I usually struggle to articulate my feelings and rarely feel safe enough to share openly, but that day I felt lighter and more in tune with what was going on in my body.
4. Reiki
My one-hour Reiki session at Neal’s Yard Remedies in Covent Garden was hands down one of the most relaxing hours of my life. Reiki, a Japanese practice centred on the concept of universal life force energy, is intended to promote relaxation and wellbeing.
It certainly did the former for me, although I didn’t experience any dramatic energy shifts during the hour. As Ooi pointed out when I told her this, these practices aren’t quick fixes - the key is consistency and commitment.
Personally, I can see the appeal of Reiki for everyday stress and tension, but perhaps not for any deeply embedded worries. During my appointment, my therapist combined it with sound healing, massage and breathwork, leaving me in a somewhat dizzy state of drowsiness. At times, I even felt as though my body was being pulled gently in one direction and wondered whether I was visibly moving.
Of all the practices I tried, it was probably the one I’d be least likely to return to. But I know people who absolutely love it, which perhaps says as much about the individual nature of these practices as it does about Reiki itself.
Ash visited Neal's Yard Remedies in Covent Garden for her Reiki treatment(Image credit: Ashleigh Spiliopoulou)
5. Ear seeding
Lastly, ear seeding. Similar to acupuncture, these tiny studs, which look a little like gemstones, are placed on specific points of the ear. In traditional Chinese medicine, the ear is considered a microsystem representing different parts of the body, with different points corresponding to different functions.
I used 001 Acu-Studs, which come with a guide to the different points on the ear. I chose points associated with anxiety, digestion and hormone balance. The idea is to leave the seeds in place for a few days, pressing them periodically for additional stimulation.
It’s impossible to know from my experience alone how much of the effect was placebo, but I did feel noticeably calmer on the days I wore them. I’d often press them when I was feeling overwhelmed by work, and even that became a soothing little ritual.
There’s no doubt I felt a stronger effect from my acupuncture session with Ooi, but for something simple I could incorporate into everyday life, the ear seeds get a tick from me.
The verdict: can energy healing cure an overstimulated nervous system?
It’s been a whirlwind of a month, and at times I’ve felt a little like I’ve been tossed around in a washing machine. But now that I’m finally hanging out to dry, I’ve noticed a significant shift in how my body feels.
As the experts pointed out to me, I think the phrase ‘energy healing’ is ultimately a little reductive, missing much of the nuance between practices that can be vastly different from one another. It also implies a kind of magical fix - and none of these is that.
Instead, they’re an alternative way of unlocking emotions you may have buried deep in your mind and body, and for me, they provided a route into feelings and sensations that I struggle to articulate through talk alone. If you’re someone who finds it difficult to open up in therapy, notices stress manifesting physically, or can’t quite pinpoint what’s bothering you, I think these practices offer another way in.
In short, after a month of experimenting, I’m convinced there’s value in paying closer attention to the energetic frequency we’re operating on - and, for me, tapping into that had a surprisingly significant effect.
Shop MC-UK approved energy healing products now:
Unlock Your Power: Success Is Within Reach
If you’re keen to understand more about energy, your nervous system and your subconscious mind, Delbridge’s book dives into all three. I’m currently midway through and, let’s just say, I’m hooked. With theory alongside practical tools, it’s a great entry point into the world of energetic healing.
001 London Acu-Studs®
If ear seeding is something you’re keen to try, I’d recommend the acu-studs from 001 London. Created by Chinese medicine practitioner Ada Ooi, they’re rooted in Chinese medicine and therapeutic massage. Each pack comes with a map of your ear’s acupressure points and a pair of tweezers to apply them.
Pro 11 Wellbeing Acupressure Mat
I adore my acupressure mat, particularly during periods of high stress. From easing tension to improving sleep, 20 minutes of lying on one of these mats before bed does wonders for your nervous system.
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With rain and grey skies comes a new season, Autumn/Winter 2026, which ironically means there is plenty to feel sunny about. From souped-up tailoring to daytime sequins you can pair with a trench coat, these seven looks encapsulate the season ahead.
Chanel's extreme waistline—not just dropped by a few inches but almost a foot—is the most recognisable silhouette of Autumn/Winter. Accentuated with a belt, and comprised of separates rather than a sheath dress, this is the contemporary take on the flapper. In contrast, meanwhile, Max Mara's most famous item of clothing might be its classic camel coat, but a rival emerges this Autumn in the form of a funnel-necked and delightfully brick red coat. This is statement outerwear at its finest.
A material can be armour as well as something more seductive—at least according to Maria Grazia Chiuri. For her debut at Fendi, the designer presented black lace dresses with smart white collars, a contrast between soft and starched that you can conjure in your own wardrobe this Autumn.
A trouser suit—tweaked with new-season details—sums up the back-to-business mood of September. Louis Vuitton's has giant buttons and curved lapels for a more statement, less square approach to tailoring. Dior's lighter-than-air gowns recast the princess dress, especially with the addition of an exquisite train. There's a rule for those lucky enough to own such a garment—don't save it for best.
Oversized wool blazer, wool pants, beanie, earrings, Louis Vuitton; ruffled cotton lace top and train skirt, Christian Dior
Mermaid-esque sequins—big enough to fill the palm of one's hand—underneath a single-breasted trench coat perfectly summarises the new Celine, which contains multitudes and loves to layer the unexpected.
Tulle top and skirt embroidered with metallic sequins, wool mac coat, thigh-high boots, Celine
I've been writing about health and fitness for almost a decade, so you could say I'm familiar with every wellness trick in the book. I'm a big believer in following wellness that works, but the second said trending hacks start to involve colour-coded planners, five-step morning routines or a suspicious amount of admin, I lose interest. I want to sleep better, feel calmer and generally function like a more well-rested human being, but I don't want improving my wellbeing to become another full-time job.
Which is why micro habits have been sounding increasingly appealing. They're deliberately small behaviours designed to fit into your existing life rather than requiring you to overhaul it. The MC team has already investigated everything from neuroscientist-approved productivity tips and journalling to whether sleepmaxxing is actually worth the hype, but I was interested in something much simpler: could giving my day a little more structure have a knock-on effect on how well I slept?
I was intrigued to find out after a new 2026 study found that older adults with more regular daily routines reported less physical pain and fewer depressive symptoms, including those experiencing insomnia. It's a small study of 67 people and can't prove that routine itself caused those improvements, but the findings raise an interesting question about how the rhythm of our days might influence our wellbeing, rather than looking solely at what happens after our heads hit the pillow.
There is evidence for regularity elsewhere, too. A 2025 study found that greater sleep regularity was associated with a lower subsequent risk of depression and anxiety. Again, that's an association rather than proof of cause and effect, but it was enough to pique my interest. So, rather than reinventing my entire night-time routine, I tried spending ten minutes each morning loosely mapping out my day. The results? Keep reading to find out.
Can Keeping A Daily Schedule Improve Sleep? What The Experts Think
What is a micro habit?
A micro habit is essentially a behaviour small enough to feel genuinely achievable. The idea isn't to wake up one Monday morning as a completely new person; it's to make one change simple enough that you're more likely to repeat it.
Not convinced? Take a look at this UCL research, which found that the more consistently people repeated a new behaviour, the more likely it was to become a habit. Put simply, repetition matters.
Psychotherapist and author Eloise Skinner tells me structure can also help us feel "more organised, ordered and supported", particularly if we're prone to anxiety, overwhelm or struggling with routine. "With a daily schedule, we also reduce the number of choices we need to make each day, which can reduce 'decision fatigue'," she explains.
Dr Nadia Ahmad agrees that keeping things manageable is important. "The key with micro habits is that they should feel achievable," she says. "It could be as simple as writing tomorrow's three priorities, spending five minutes preparing for the next day, or keeping a consistent morning wake time."
Can keeping a daily schedule really improve your sleep?
Possibly - but not because owning a beautifully organised diary magically makes you sleepier.
Ahmad explains that regularity helps support our circadian rhythm, the body's internal sleep-wake cycle. "Our circadian rhythm responds well to consistency, so getting up, eating, exercising and going to bed at broadly similar times can support the body's natural sleep pattern."
There's a psychological element, too. Skinner says our brains are often reassured by "a sense of structure and familiarity" because it removes some of the uncertainty and decision-making from our day. If sleep is important to us, she adds, keeping track of our time can help us actually reserve space for winding down rather than discovering, once again, that it's somehow 11.47pm and we're still doing life admin. *Guilty*
What does the science say on the method?
New research into daily routines has looked at what's known as behavioural-social rhythms - essentially, the patterns we create around when we wake, eat, socialise and sleep. Researchers found that people with more regular routines reported fewer depressive symptoms and less pain, even when sleep quality was taken into account.
And while nobody needs to start scheduling lunch to the minute, there could be something useful in giving the day a little shape. Skinner points out that "setting our schedule in advance can also help us establish our values and priorities, aligning our actions with things we feel to be meaningful for us." If getting enough sleep is one of those priorities, putting a rough framework around your day may simply make it easier to protect the time for it.
Are there any downsides to keeping a daily schedule?
As the saying goes, moderation is key. Skinner explains: "As with any wellbeing practice, performing it to an extent that feels restrictive or controlling could actually have a negative impact on our wellbeing or mental health." Instead, she advises experimenting with small changes, noticing what feels supportive and adapting anything that begins creating more pressure than it removes.
Ahmad also stresses that routines aren't treatment. "For people living with insomnia, persistent pain or low mood, routines can be supportive, but they are not a replacement for appropriate medical assessment and treatment." If sleep problems are persistent or affecting day-to-day life, the NHS also advises speaking to a GP.
I Kept a Daily Schedule for a Week to Improve My Sleep—My Honest Thoughts
Georgia found she always had time for a mindful breakfast when she scheduled it into her working day(Image credit: Georgia Brown)
Days one to three
I started exactly as you'd expect someone starting a new wellness experiment to start: extremely keen and absolutely convinced I was going to nail it. Knowing myself, however, I set a ten-minute timer to be safe. This was supposed to be messy, useful and beneficial - not another route into maximising my productivity and optimising every waking moment.
I've tried productivity journals that break the day down hour by hour before, and I find them oddly stressful. If a meeting moves, lunch runs late or, frankly, life happens, suddenly it looks as though you're behind on your own existence. So I deliberately kept mine vague: work, lunch, exercise, dinner, switch-off time and bed.
I struggled not to overcomplicate it at first, but by day three I'd got the hang of stopping when my timer went off. Sleep-wise? Nothing dramatic happened. I mostly felt a bit smug about keeping up my new habit, although I did notice that having the bones of my day on paper made everything feel slightly less chaotic.
By day four, Georgia had clocked her first nine-hour sleep as part of the trial.(Image credit: Georgia Brown)
Days four to seven
By the latter half of the week, I'd started looking forward to my ten-minute planning sessions. I still left enough space for plans to change, but one part of my schedule became unusually non-negotiable: a sharp 10 pm bedtime.
And this, I think, was where the experiment became useful. Skinner had told me that scheduling could help us "find a routine that feels sustainable and repeatable, rather than always getting to bed late, or not feeling as if we have enough time to wind down". Seeing bedtime written down meant I stopped treating sleep as whatever happened once I'd finished everything else.
By the end of the week, I was clocking close to nine hours on several nights. Obviously, one woman, one notebook and seven days do not constitute a scientific trial, and I can't say my schedule caused me to sleep longer. But it did reveal something about my habits: perhaps my problem wasn't always that I couldn't sleep. Sometimes, I simply wasn't protecting enough time to do it.
Georgia alternated between using a messy notebook and this Desk Planner from The Productivity Method (Image credit: Georgia Brown)
I’m a recent convert to a proper blackout sleep mask, and this one is exceptionally good at shutting out light. The wide, padded design wraps around the face and feels softly cocooning around tired eyes, which I find especially useful when I’m trying to switch off quickly.
Lumie Bodyclock Spark 100
If dark mornings make waking up feel brutal, I’m a big fan of a sunrise alarm. The Lumie Bodyclock Spark 100 gradually brightens over 30 minutes, while its sunset setting does the reverse at night, helping create clearer cues for waking and winding down.
Wellness Journal
For anyone who likes the idea of keeping a daily schedule but hates a rigid planner, this is a lovely middle ground. It has space to track intentions, habits, sleep and energy across 12 weeks, which makes it particularly relevant to the micro-habit approach I explored in this piece. I like that it feels structured enough to be useful without turning every hour of your day into a task.
Does going to bed at the same time every night help you sleep better?
Broadly speaking, having a fairly consistent sleep routine can help your body recognise when it’s time to wind down and when it’s time to wake up. NHS sleep guidance recommends going to bed and getting up at roughly the same time each day, while Ahmad explains that this regularity can support our circadian rhythm - the internal body clock that helps regulate our sleep-wake cycle.
That doesn’t mean your bedtime has to be identical every night. A late dinner or weekend lie-in isn’t going to undo your routine. As Skinner explains, the aim is to find structure that feels supportive rather than restrictive. For me, that was the biggest takeaway: my ten-minute schedule didn’t make me a perfect sleeper, but it did stop bedtime becoming an afterthought - which may be reason enough to keep it up.
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As Marie Claire's Fashion Director, it's my job to stay on top of the latest Autumn/Winter 2026 trends, but more importantly, to keep you in the know about which designers to have on your radar, which pieces are dropping when and, most crucially, which are worth the investment.
Knowing which pieces to buy can feel overwhelming, which is why I've done the scrolling, so you don't have to. A great coat is a priority on my autumn/winter shopping list, and Mytheresa always has The Frankie Shop's latest colourways and styles. When it comes to timeless tailoring to take me from desk to dinner, Magda Butrym and Stella McCartney are my first ports of call. And then, of course, as anyone who knows me well knows, colour and print are the cornerstones of my wardrobe — something Mytheresa does very well, buying into designers such as Dries Van Noten, Dôen and La DoubleJ. Intrigued? Below, I've selected 13 of Mytheresa's latest arrivals that will bring new-season energy to your everyday wardrobe, whilst also proving to be pieces you will love and wear for seasons to come.
Shop My Edit of 13 New-In Autumn Buys from Mytheresa
Covering up in winter need not be boring. Enter La Double J’s feather-trim knit.
Doen
Adelana floral silk satin midi dress
If a Doen cotton dress was your summer uniform, try this silk slip under a chunky cardigan and or tailored blazer.
Gucci
Jackie 1961 Medium canvas shoulder bag
Gucci designer Demna Gvasalia has brought his signature cool to the house of Gucci, but what I'm loving most are the accessories. The Jackie in monogram canvas is a future heirloom.
Savette
Symmetry Mini leather crossbody bag
I have never regretted investing in a great cross-body bag. Contemporary label Savette might have designed my favourite yet.
Dries Van Noten
Paisley jacquard midi skirt
Statement pieces can be timeless, especially a brocade skirt. Style with a white skirt in autumn, and layer on your favourite knit, when winter comes.
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