Your October wellness edit: 5 need-to-knows

Welcome to the October edition of the Holland & Barrett Wellness Edit, your monthly dose of what’s new, what’s next and what’s next-level in the world of wellness. From the latest trends and best selling products to seasonal health hacks you won’t want to miss, here’s what you need to know to embrace October with an extra spring in your step.

Who amongst us hasn’t woken up with a puffy complexion? If you’re tapped into the online beauty discourse, you might have spotted that social media is currently buzzing about cortisol face, the latest mass ‘diagnosis’ to take TikTok by storm. According to wellness-obsessed users, unexplained facial swelling can be a symptom of high levels of the stress hormone cortisol and re-calibrating those off-kilter levels is the key to taking things down a notch. But is it actually a thing?

How to get in on the trend: Don’t bother. Dietician Ro Huntriss (@dieticianro) recently told us that unless you’ve got a very rare syndrome called Cushing's Disease, everyday stress like tight deadlines and train delays are unlikely to cause changes to your face shape. Checking your sleep, salt and alcohol intake is a smarter strategy for a snatched jawline, although FYI: managing stress is always a smart move for better health.

Honey has been trending for a while now, with DIY hair masks, frozen ice pops and whipped honey recipes respectively doing the rounds online. The next riff on the ingredient to get to know? Manuka honey. Dark and mono-floral (produced from just one flower type), it comes from bees that feed on the flowers of the New Zealand Manuka bush. Plus, Megan Markle is said to be a big fan.

How to get in on the trend: Spread Manuka Honey on wholegrain toast, whizz it into protein shakes or take a raw spoonful each morning. Plus look out for our newest range coming soon, Holland & Barrett’s Morning Manuka range (100+ on the MGO scale), which is fortified with extra goodies like vitamin C. Vitamin C supports the functioning of the nervous system and immune system.

Snacks are big business, with our passion for snacks making the industry as a whole worth a whopping £3 billion and counting. If you’re on the hunt for a snack that boasts deliciousness plus something special in the nutrition stakes, H&B have you covered with our range of healthier snacks. You’ll also find heaps of ideas across our Health Hub, including six easy ways to boost your protein intake and our favourite fuels for pre-workout. 

How to get in on the trend: Go wild at H&B with our high-fibre Berry Bites or our Tummy Love Trail Mix, which contains calcium. Calcium supports the normal function of digestive enzymes.

The weather’s shifting, the temperatures are dropping, and your skin is the first thing to take a beating in the seasonal shake-up. Like wearing SPF in the summer, experts say that winter proofing your skin with ‘skinsulation’ products is the best way to armour up and stay fresh against the elements. Come at us, gale-force winds.

How to get in on the trend: Reportedly loved by A-listers such as Hailey Bieber, Weleda’s cult Skin Food is a silky, ultra-nourishing moisturiser that helps to create a barrier between your skin and the icy weather. Slather it on chapped hands, apply generously to dehydrated areas or leave it on your skin to absorb overnight. For an extra Hollywood glow, keep it in your bathroom and make like Bieber, who recently revealed on a TikTok GRWM that she uses it as a brightening primer under her daily makeup. Genius.

Wellness innovations move so fast that it can be hard to keep pace with new product launches (which is why we’re here to help!). But remember, it’s not just about trending ingredients like mushrooms – even your humble H2O is getting a facelift. You may associate dehydration with hot weather, but actually as we move through autumn and crank up that central heating we can all start to feel a bit parched. To tackle this, expect to see a rise in clever water drinks with vitamins, electrolytes and collagen.

How to get in on the trend: Looking for a drink with added benefits? Fyx’s hydrating Marine Collagen drink is an easy way to sip 2500 mg of marine collagen peptides on the move. It contains vitamin C, which contributes to the normal function of skin.

Get a concentrated hit of wellness knowledge every month – direct to your inbox – by signing up with Holland & Barret. Just be sure to opt in to our marketing emails.