FINE lines and skin the texture of crepe paper? You’ve not aged overnight, it’s dehydration.
Smooth things out with a plumping serum after you cleanse. This week, I put three to the test . . .
Budget
e.l.f. Holy Hydration Thirst Burst Drops, £12 for 30ml, boots.com: E.l.f cosmetics has come a long way since it launched in the UK with a 130-strong product line all priced at £1.50 each.
This serum feels far more expensive than the price point, with luxe glass packaging and a super-lightweight formula that leaves a glowy finish and sits really well under make-up.
As well as hydrating glycerin and brightening vitamin E, there’s hero ingredient niacinamide, which is great for everything from hydrating, reducing redness and spots, minimising fine lines and balancing oil production.
Mid-range
Summer Fridays jet lag deep hydration serum, £44, cultbeauty.co.uk: Just like the e.l.f. serum, this contains niacinamide alongside a much more sophisticated list of ingredients – ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, squalane, aloe, panthenol and oat.
It’s super-soothing and hydrating, and thicker than your average serum.
It is non-comedogenic so it doesn’t break out my incredibly spot-prone skin.
I noticed a difference immediately in both the look and feel of my skin and it feels comfortable all day, so I don’t even have to reapply before bed.
It’s my new favourite.
Luxury
Elemis Pro-Collagen Future Restore Serum, £115 for 30ml, spacenk.com/uk: For mature and dry skin, it really doesn’t get much better than Elemis.
The brand claims this bottle is specifically designed to ensure you can get every last drop out, which is just as well given the price.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Skin doctor reveals the anti ageing tip that really ‘turns back time’ and the Boots buy that’s ‘Botox in a bottle’” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6364695017112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]I’ve not used it enough to verify whether it’s true, but they would be in hot water for lying.
It absorbs very quickly thanks to the milky texture, which is the lightest of the three, and my skin looked more plump from first use, but it’s heavily fragranced.
Pick of the week
IF you’re looking for a new perfume, try Cult Beauty The Spritz and Go Kit, £25 (but worth a huge £85).
It features ten miniature scents from niche brands that are hard to find in store. They include Escentric Molecules, Fresh, Kayali, Replica, Next, Ouai, Charlotte Tilbury and Fugazzi.
So you can try them out for a bargain price before committing to the full-size bottle – and they make great on-the-go perfumes too. See cultbeauty.co.uk.