Patchology’s new Good Day range brings a splash of sunshine to skincare

Sunshine in a bottle sounds like the sort of promise the beauty industry would make. But Good Day by Patchology isn't simply talking about giving your skin a sunny glow. Its new six-product skincare collection is built around something the brand calls molecular sunshine and the idea that skincare could potentially make us feel good as well as look good.

At the heart of every product is a mix of French indigo extract, ectoin and glycerin+, which Patchology says has been designed to replicate one of sunshine's most vital benefits: its ability to positively influence how we feel. The idea is to tap into the skin-brain connection while simultaneously supporting the skin barrier, improving hydration and promoting healthier-looking, more radiant skin.

It's certainly an intriguing proposition. Can a cleanser, serum or moisturiser really bottle some of that feel-good factor we associate with feeling the sun on our face?

I tried the entire Good Day collection, which has launched exclusively at Space NK, from the £22 Juice Cleanse through to the £32 Five-to-Nine overnight balm. And while I'm not about to suggest a pot of moisturiser can replace a week in the Med, there's something rather clever about a skincare routine designed to make the process of looking after your skin feel good too.

Juice Cleanse, £22, 100ml

Juice Cleanse is where the Good Day routine begins, and it's designed to replace two cleansing steps with one. The jelly cleanser removes makeup, SPF and everyday grime without stripping the skin.

The formula contains Japanese kelp and spirulina extract plus camellia oil, and it's the texture that makes the first impression. It has enough slip to massage comfortably across the face and feels much more luxurious than a conventional foaming face wash.

More importantly, my skin feels properly clean afterwards without that horrible dry, tight sensation. I like the simplicity too. If I'm wearing makeup and SPF, the prospect of getting everything off in one straightforward step is more appealing than starting a lengthy evening routine with two separate cleansers.

Crystal Clear, £30, 80ml; £20, 30ml

Crystal Clear is the product I initially wondered whether I'd really need, but it's also one of the easiest to love. It's a bi-phase micro-mist, which is a fancy way of saying you give it a shake before spritzing it over your face whenever your skin needs a refresh.

Ocean minerals, Klamath algae and hyaluronic acid provide the skincare credentials.

I've particularly enjoyed using it during the afternoon when my skin is beginning to look a little tired. It gives an immediate hit of freshness and leaves my complexion looking dewier without feeling wet or sticky. Crucially, I've also been able to mist it over makeup without undoing all my work underneath.

Glow Potion, £30, 28ml; £20, 15ml

Glow Potion is perhaps the product that most obviously fits with the whole sunshine theme. This silky antioxidant serum is designed to brighten and even the complexion while giving tired-looking skin a more radiant appearance.

The formula combines guava extract with peptides and a triple vitamin C complex. Patchology says 97% of testers agreed their skin looked nourished and healthy after using it.

It's also a lovely serum to use. It sinks in easily, layers well with the rest of the range and doesn't leave behind the tackiness you sometimes find with vitamin C products. The finish is luminous rather than shiny, which is an important distinction. My skin looks fresh and healthy after using it so this Glow Potion is a great new find.

Eye Pillow, £30, 15ml

Eye Pillow wins the prize for my favourite product name, but there's plenty going on inside the pot too. The whipped gel eye cream contains caffeine, peptides and ginseng and is designed to tackle hydration, puffiness, dark circles and tired-looking skin around the eyes.

Patchology also makes the interesting claim that it supports blue-light protection and improves skin barrier function within seven days.

The texture works particularly well around the eyes because it's cooling and lightweight rather than rich and greasy. It absorbs quickly and sits happily underneath concealer, while leaving the skin around my eyes feeling smoother and well hydrated.

Nine-to-Five, £32, 50ml

The daytime moisturiser is Nine-to-Five, an air-whipped gel cream containing evening primrose, alpine rose stem cells and Neptune kelp extract. Patchology says it can increase skin hydration within 15 minutes as well as helping protect against blue light.

Again, texture is one of its biggest strengths. It manages to feel nourishing without being heavy and sinks into my skin quickly enough that I don't have to wait around before moving on to SPF and makeup.

My skin feels soft and comfortably moisturised rather than coated, and there's a fresh finish that works particularly well in the morning. It's a good example of what this range does well: the skincare itself feels effective, but using it is pleasurable too.

Five-to-Nine, £32, 50ml

If Nine-to-Five is about waking skin up, Five-to-Nine is its much more comforting evening counterpart. The velvety overnight recovery balm combines squalane, Kakadu plum and peptides and is designed to replenish the skin barrier while you sleep.

Patchology says it can begin helping to restore the skin barrier within 15 minutes and support overnight renewal, although the result I care about most is what my skin feels like when I wake up.

This is richer than the daytime cream, as you'd expect, but doesn't cross over into feeling greasy. It's a lovely final step at night and my skin feels soft, smooth and well moisturised the following morning.

What I love about Good Day by Patchology

What impresses me most is that Good Day isn't relying entirely on its molecular sunshine claim. The concept may be what grabs your attention, but the textures and formulas are what make you want to continue using the products.

There's also a nice rhythm to the collection. Juice Cleanse starts the routine without leaving skin stripped, Glow Potion adds radiance, Eye Pillow targets tired eyes and Nine-to-Five and Five-to-Nine make an obvious day-and-night pairing. Crystal Clear is the wildcard that you can pull out whenever your skin needs an extra boost - and is probably my favourite.

I'm not convinced any skincare product can genuinely reproduce the feeling of sunshine on your face, but there's something to be said for making an everyday routine more enjoyable. These are products I actually look forward to using, which perhaps gets closer to the Good Day philosophy than any scientific-sounding claim could. Also, the vibrant packing adds a pop of colour to your dressing table which is never a bad thing.

What I don't like about Good Day by Patchology

The obvious downside is the cost. Buy every full-size product and you're looking at £176, a considerable amount of cash to find for a new skincare routine.

There are also several claims that are difficult to judge from simply looking in the mirror. Blue-light protection, the skin-brain connection and the idea of molecular sunshine are certainly interesting, but they're not benefits I'm able to quantify in the same way as whether my skin feels hydrated or looks brighter.

So I'd buy Good Day primarily for what I can actually see and feel the products doing rather than because I expect my moisturiser to recreate the psychological benefits of a sunny afternoon.

Verdict

So, has Patchology actually managed to bottle sunshine? Perhaps not in the literal sense, but Good Day gets surprisingly close to delivering on the idea behind it.

The combination of sensorial textures, enjoyable formulas, the zingy packaging and the way my skin looks and feels after using them makes this a routine I look forward to. My skin feels hydrated and comfortable, and there's a healthy-looking freshness to it that fits rather nicely with the Good Day name.

Molecular sunshine might be the phrase that gets Good Day noticed, but it's the products themselves that would bring me back. And if skincare can't actually give you sunshine in a bottle, enjoying what you put on your face every morning and evening isn't a bad alternative. The only other side effect? You may find yourself humming The Beatles’ Good Day Sunshine every time you open the bathroom cabinet.