In London and across much of Europe, we’ve been swept into a heatwave this last week, and if you’re living in a city, the heat can feel pretty oppressive. The lack of a breeze, the noise, the pollution, the constant pulse of it all — amplified.
I’ve been lucky enough to be by the coast this past week with a sea breeze in the air. It’s helped — immeasurably. But even there, I felt the tug of heat stress. The depletion. That strange sense of being just beneath yourself, no matter how much you rest.
It’s a reminder that hydration isn’t just about quenching thirst. It’s not a glass of water and done. True hydration is about cellular energy. It’s about our brain being able to fire clearly, our muscles moving without cramp, our skin staying supple and luminous. It’s about our nervous system being supported enough to soften out of fight-or-flight, even when the sun is relentless.
When we’re under heat stress, we don’t just lose water — we lose minerals, salts, electrolytes, skin barrier integrity. And it all impacts how we feel in our body. That tiredness that doesn’t quite lift? The mental fog? A sudden dullness in the skin, or breakouts that don’t usually show up? It’s all connected.
This week, I invite you to reframe hydration; not as a quick fix, but as a daily act of self-attunement.
Olivia x
BTS
This week I received the first prototypes of a glass object I've designed under CURIO for the relaunch of our Nourishing Face Serum. I had one made a few months ago and have used it religiously alongside my serum, so I'm excited to get these in production and launch them soon. Something to elevate the sink-side.
Roots
While in Cornwall this week, my daughter looked up at a stone wall and asked me how the daisies managed to grow out of it. I realised I’d never really questioned it; how, in the small fishing village we return to each year, almost every wall is softened by wild valerian, foxgloves, or daisy heads blossoming through the cracks. It struck me that, much like us, these wildflowers don’t just survive in harsh conditions — they thrive. And they do so because of unseen support: the stones around them trap moisture, minerals and fragments of organic life, creating a micro-environment that nourishes and sustains them. In the same way, even when life feels dry or demanding, our body can find resilience if we give it the right kind of support.
Body
When we talk about hydrated skin, we often think about what we put in, but true hydration is also about what we help the body release. This past week by the sea, I’ve been leaning into lymphatic support: daily brushing and massaging (mainly my legs) to help boost that invisible flow. I’d start by brushing in slow upward strokes from my ankles to my hips and follow by gently massaging in our omega-rich and anti-inflammatory Enhancing Body Serum. This way my skin can release what it no longer needs, so that it can more efficiently hold on to what it does.The difference in appearance of my skin was noticeable after just a few days, so I will definitely be strict with myself and stick to this routine going forward.
Long Haul
Heat, for me, is still one of the hardest things to navigate. It intensifies the symptoms of POTS — sudden dizziness, fatigue, that strange, disorienting feeling that comes when your body just can’t regulate as it should. It’s not about drinking more water; it’s about helping the body hold onto that hydration — and that’s where electrolytes have helped me recently. I take them daily now: a sachet in water in the morning and again in the afternoon, or sometimes gummies if I’m out. My go-tos are Humantra’s lychee flavour sachets and Fraction One’s Electrolyte Gummies — all clean, well-formulated, and easy to carry — or Clean Slate electrolytes, for a citric acid–free option. Since incorporating them into my day consistently, I’ve noticed a real shift: steadier energy, fewer dizzy spells, less of that heavy-limbed crash that used to come without warning in and after the heat. It’s subtle, but powerful. Not a fix, but a steadying. And for anyone navigating fatigue, burnout, or the lingering layers of Long Covid — it’s a support system worth exploring.
Mind
After surviving a life-altering brain haemorrhage, Clemency Burton-Hill's story — and this book — feels like a deep reminder of what internal support really means: rhythm, flow, nourishment we can return to, even when everything else feels unsteady. Year of Wonder offers a piece of music for each day of the year, with a short reflection to accompany it. Clemency, a classical violinist, broadcaster and writer, wrote it to help people reconnect with music as a daily source of comfort. It’s the kind of read you can dip into for just a minute a day and feel more anchored.
