Product watch: Facial cleansers

1. Thou Shalt Trust in Cleansing Oil

If oil is not your instinctive choice for cleansing then Origin Clean Energy, €24, will make it so. This one-step cleanser and make-up remover cleans thoroughly without depleting the skin’s natural lipid barrier. It takes the day off but also boosts circulation in the morning, as it requires massage application. The rinse-off formula means there’s no greasy residue. I especially like the scent: a blend of sunflower and organic olive oils slough off debris while macadamia nut and grapeseed oils help to retain moisture.

2. Thou Shalt Buff

Commit to an exfoliation routine, it’s just as important as regular cleansing but only needs doing 2-3 times weekly. A good scrub brightens the skin, shrinks pores and improves the efficacy of the products you use straight afterwards. Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains, €36, are ground from Japanese adzuki beans, remove dry patches and increases cell turnover. These may be customised with your favourite cleanser or used alone with water.

3. Thou Shalt Muck it Up

The best masks are effectively insta-facials, providing both instant and cumulative results. Glamglow Youthmud, €57, is a 10-minute pack containing volcanic minerals, green tea leaf, pumice and sea clay. It is not attractive to wear but has a reassuring tingling sensation that lets you know it is working. The short-term results are significant, making your skin look as bright and smooth as a great night’s sleep and ivy extract prolongs these results for at least three days. Regular use promotes collagen synthesis and protects against free radical damage. This is my favourite mask, and judging by the number of pots I’ve ‘lost’, I’m not alone.

4. Thou Shalt Get Thine Vitamin C

Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line-reducing Concentrate, €55, means business. This warming serum fights wrinkles and improves overall skin texture and radiance, thanks to a hefty dose of Vitamin C. Vitamin C cuts a dash among anti-ageing ingredients.

It is a powerful antioxidant, essential for collagen production and protects against free radicals but is also notoriously unstable to work with in large quantities, as it is water soluble and less effective over time. The Kiehl’s formula is over 10% Vitamin C powder, thanks to an oil emulsion that leaves skin super-soft and protects its power down to the last drop.

5. Thou Shalt Try Japan’s Favourite Jelly

Fujifilm owns a skincare brand, presumably with a shrewd interest in keeping us photogenic for life. Astalift Jelly Aquarysta, €84 for 40g, is Japan’s best-selling premium moisturiser. Beloved of supermodel Erin O’Connor, this cream targets lines, pigmentation and dullness with Astaxanthin, a marine algae-based ingredient that turns the jelly red. This is combined with different collagens in what the brand calls “the smallest particles ever used in skincare”, making the formula super-penetrative. Skin is noticeably plumper and more luminous within a month and only a little is needed per application, so you’ll keep your first jar a lot longer.

6. Thou Shalt Stamp Out Spots Preemptively

Prevention is better than cure. If you sense a spot is on the rise, nix it with Darphin Aromatic Purifying Balm, €54. A dab of this heavenly-scented ointment draws out impurities and reduces imperfections with 12 essential oils drawn from medicinal plants, spices and flowers. If you’re prone to break-outs, warm a smear between your hands and layer it over the face for a rebalancing overnight treatment.

7. Thou Shalt Heal the Damage

Developed by Harley Street surgeons, Healgel Face, €43.70, targets scars, fine lines and poor skintone. Arnica and madecassoside (a wound-healing plant extract) join forces with powerful peptides to sooth inflamed skin and boost collagen production. The additional blend of omega oils rehydrates the skin and restores elasticity, while a hyaluronic acid complex plumps and revitalises. John Cleese, of all people, recently appeared for free in a short film endorsing this product and Gwyneth Paltrow has also blogged about it.

8. Thou Shalt Tan Protect and Restore

SPF is non-negotiable for those who wish to hold back the years. Creme de la Mer’s new Soleil de la Mer Collection includes The Reparative Face Sun Lotion, €100, which protects the skin from environmental aggressors while working to restore its youthful appearance using golden algae, marine peptides and a sea-botanical blend. The lotion also contains the brand’s signature ‘Miracle Broth’, so it feels super-luxurious but lightweight.