The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
John Lewis reveals its bestselling products since the travel green list was announced
From bright pink lipsticks to luggage, we’ve had a nosy at what eager holiday goers are buying right now
Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for insider tips and product reviews from our shopping experts
Sign up for our free IndyBest email
Travel is finally becoming something we can look forward to again. As part of the government’s pathway out of lockdown, it has introduced a traffic light system for entering and leaving the country.
The green list – entailing the countries that you don’t need to quarantine when returning from – was updated recently, and now features holiday hotspots such as Ibiza, Malta and Antigua.
Since the announcement, customers at John Lewis have been busy filling their baskets to get ready for a long-awaited getaway. The retailer has seen sales of pool inflatables increase by 43 per cent, firepits rise by 43 per cent, beachwear increase by 75 per cent and suitcases increase by 53 per cent, compared this time last year.
But it’s beauty that has taken the top spot as the most popular category for shoppers, with face self-tan sales up 94 per cent, body self-tan up 13 per cent, sun cream increasing by a huge 151 per cent and aftersun sales rising by 110 per cent. Not only that, there’s been a huge 293 per cent increase in sales of nail files and 47 per cent across nail polishes.
We’ve got all lowdown on John Lewis’s bestsellers since the travel news was revealed, as well as recommendations from our tried and tested reviews. Thank us later.
Read more:
You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Beauty
After being deprived of warmer climes for what feels like forever, it’s no wonder that self-tan has become a recent bestseller for John Lewis.
The most popular among customers is the Clarins radiance-plus golden glow booster for face (£22, Johnlewis.com) which is designed to be added into your night cream so you can wake up with a faux sunkissed glow.
Simply mix two to three drops into your favourite moisturiser and make sure it’s applied evenly before washing your hands to avoid any patchiness.
Looking for other recommendations? In our guide to the best face tanners for an effortless summer glow, we loved the Dior bronze self tanning jelly gradual glow (£29, Johnlewis.com) that has none of the traditional biscuity tanning scent.
Our reviewer said: “Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned self-tanner, you’ll love how the gel-like texture makes applying evenly completely fool-proof. This is another gradual tanner, so you have to build up the colour for your desired effect, but we loved the convincing sun-kissed look after three days of use that fades naturally if you don’t top up.”
Aside from faking it until you make it, if you’re planning to catch some real rays, you need sun protection (FYI, you should wear it all year round, too). When it comes to facial SPF, taking the number one spot for John Lewis shoppers is the Clinique super city block SPF40 (£20, Johnlewis.com). Creamy and lightweight, it offers a fuss-free way to slot sun protection into your skin routine.
Suitable for all skin types, even sensitive, it offers broad-spectrum protection from UVA and UVB rays and is rich in antioxidants to protect skin from environmental stress too.
For keeping your body protected, the Ultrasun family SPF30 (£46, Johnlewis.com) has been a bestselling success and we can attest it’s well worth adding to your basket as it also appeared in our guide to the best body sunscreens. Our reviewer loved it for the gel texture that was neither too sloppy nor too thick.
“Ultrasun offers full solar spectrum protection from UVA, UVB, blue light and infrared rays. It also protects against heat rash and prickly heat. We liked the environmentally-friendly way the instructions are printed on the inside of the box and loved the diagram showing how many fingers of sunscreen for each body part – so simple and easy to remember,” they said.
Just in case you overdo it sunbathing, make sure you’re stocked up on aftersun to soothe inflamed skin. According to John Lewis, the Ultrasun cooling & moisturising after sun gel (£15.99, Johnlewis.com) has been a huge hit with shoppers.
It claims to offer a refreshing, non-sticky finish that will absorb quickly and soothe skin thanks to its immediate cooling effect. Rich in glycerin, it’ll keep skin hydrated too.
Looking for a cream formula instead of a gel? We also love the Nuxe Sun refreshing after sun lotion (£19, Johnlewis.com) that earned a spot in our guide to the best aftersun lotions, creams and balms.
According to our reviewer, this non-comedogenic lotion is usefully suitable for both face and body, and has carob seed extract to help prolong your tan. “We loved the way the satiny lotion glides onto the skin, leaving it hydrated and refreshed,” they said.
Bright lipstick is a holiday essential and will always complement a tan and add a final touch for any evening outfits. The Charlotte Tilbury matte revolution lipstick in “lost cherry” (£25, Johnlewis.com), has been one of John Lewis’s bestsellers since the green list was announced.
It’s a vibrant fuchsia pink that’ll add a pop of colour to any outfit, and the hydrating, richly pigmented shade will last all day with minimal touch-ups too.
If you’d prefer a more muted shade, John Lewis has revealed that its customers have also been loving the Chanel rouge coco ultra-hydrating lip colour in shade “434 Mademoiselle” (£31, Johnlewis.com).
Due to popular demand, this shade is currently sold out, but if you're still looking for a Chanel lippy to wear this summer, here at IndyBest we love the Chanel rouge allure ink in “true red” (£33, Johnlewis.com). So much so that it landed best buy status in our review of the best long-lasting lipsticks that won't dry out your lips.
“It doesn’t settle into creases or bleed, even without lip liner. We found it lasted beautifully through two meals, though you might want to touch it up a little in the centre of your lips,” our reviewer said.
A big part of holiday prep for many is ensuring your nails are perfectly manicured and painted with a fun, summery shade, so it’s unsurprising that the Nails Inc’s “relationship status: proud collection” (£22, Johnlewis.com) has flown off shelves at John Lewis.
Featuring four different nail polishes, they’re a rainbow mix of pastel blue, purple and mint green with a classic bright red too that are perfect for your hands and feet.
If you want to perfectly prime your nails and keep them in tip-top condition, a nail file is essential, and sales are up a massive 293 per cent at John Lewis.
In our guide to the best nail files for manicures at home, our favourite was the Tweezerman neon filemates set (£6, Johnlewis.com) which come in a handy three-piece set.
“These are traditional dual-sided emery boards but in two-tone neon, which makes the whole experience more fun. They’re a little thick and cushioned, and have a different grit texture on each side: 100 and 180. Use the finer grit on natural nails and the heavier on acrylics; we’ve also used it to buff the shine off gels before removal,” said our reviewer.
Homeware
At John Lewis, sales of fire pits have increased by 43 per cent recently, as us Brits are enjoying spending time in our gardens, without being left chilly when the sun goes down and the nights get colder.
The La Hacienda harleston firepit with cooking grill (£169, Johnlewis.com) has been a bestseller. Boasting a modern square design with a bronze finish, it’s functional without being an eyesore.
Made to be used with lump wood charcoal for outdoor warmth, it also has a large chrome cooking grill to allow you to cook up a feast for the whole family and enjoy warmer evenings.
In our guide to the best fire pits for evenings spent in the garden, we also loved the Weber fireplace (£184,99, Hillmount.co.uk) that was rated for being the best at heat output.
“Made from porcelain-enamelled steel, it has a minimalist, contemporary aesthetic and is made to last, looking as good as new several years later. We also like the clever lid that can be turned into a bracket to act as a holder, windbreak and heat reflector – and, when it’s time for bed or there are children nearby, you can use it to instantly extinguish the fire,” said our tester.
Travel
No holiday is complete without a suitcase, filled to the brim with summery dresses, swimwear and SPF, and according to John Lewis, the American Tourister summer splash 4-wheel 55cm cabin case (£60, Johnlewis.com) has proven popular among shoppers.
The hardshell outer will keep your valuable safe from damage and the double wheels will ensure smooth rolling over the airport and hotel floors. It’ll be a breeze keeping your belongings organised and secure throughout the airport, in taxis or on trains.
Voucher codes
For the latest discounts on skincare and other beauty buys, try the links below:
Keep your pout protected for the sun with our best SPF lip balms that are hydrating and non-sticky
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.