Product Watch: Skincare products to buy
Gentle cleansing is the best start to a skincare regime. For normal or sensitive skin The Body Shop Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser and Aloe Gentle Facial Wash, €10.95 each, are great detergent and fragrance-free choices. La Roche-Posay Tolerance Dermo-Cleanser, €13.75, removes makeup from dry or rosacea-prone skin without irritation.
It is important to avoid scrubs with overly harsh ingredients that can damage the skin’s natural moisture barrier. Nivea Daily Essentials Gentle Exfoliating Scrub, €5.99, uses gently-abrasive polyethylene beads. This isn’t the best choice for acne-prone skin, as it doesn’t contain salicylic or glycolic acid. Prevent breakouts with Clean&Clear Advantage Clear and Soothe, €6.49 (the only anti-acne scrub by this brand that doesn’t contain irritating menthol or citrus derivatives), available at selected Tesco stores.
Weleda Almond Facial Oil, €17.95, is a replenishing blend of sweet almond and plum oils. It’s a luxurious, fragrance-free winter moisturiser for normal-to-dry skin and doubles as eye makeup remover in a pinch. La Roche-Posay Toleriane Fluide, €17.50, is a soothing, non-greasy choice for dry skin.
Lip balm is usually cheap, so you can afford to be picky. Go for the colour and fragrance-free. The delicate skin on your lips doesn’t need irritation, not least because it can increase collagen breakdown. Two lovely options are La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Levres,€6.50, and The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Lipcare Stick, €6.95.
Fragrance belongs in pretty atomisers, not skincare. Shower products with minimal or no fragrance, like Aveeno Daily Moisture Body Wash, €7.39, help keep skin healthy. Eucerin Calming Dry Skin Omega Bath and Shower Therapy, €8.55, is great for atopic/very dry skin. Afterwards, slather on Burt’s Bees Fragrance-Free Body Lotion with Shea Butter and Vitamin E, €11.95, which suits all skin types. I also like Boots Ingredients Coconut Oil, €3.49, for natural, non-irritating nourishment. If skin is extremely dry or keratosis-prone, try a urea-rich lotion like Eucerin Dry Skin Intensive 10% Treat-ment Lotion, €11.99. Tip: To remedy coarse heels, apply this cream liberally to feet and wrap them in cling film before bed!
Keep Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Fast Absorbing Hand Cream, €7.09, by the sink. The silicone content helps seal in moisture and the formula offers an excellent mix of emollients and antioxidants for this price.
Olay famously sells 10 bottles of Beauty Fluid a second but the brand offers far better creams. For anti-aging, the Total Effects range has an excellent option in 7-in-1 Day Moisturiser SPF15, €19.25. It’s silky, fragrance-free and contains a good quantity of niacinamide. Used with sun protection, niacinamide can greatly improve skin’s elasticity, tone, natural moisture barrier and texture.
Serum is important for maintaining youthful skin. It should provide antioxidants proven to benefit skin, as well as effective amounts of ingredients that promote collagen production and fight/heal environmental damage. Serum can be expensive because it’s non-aqueous (water is a pervasive, super-cheap ingredient) and the ingredients cost more than those used in cleansers and creams. At €28.19, Olay Regeneriste Daily Regenerating Serum is pricey, but it is also the best super-market serum by a country mile, so I made an exception.
The weather is awful but skin needs broad-spectrum UV protection, even on grey days. This is a vital step in your regime, without which moisturiser and serum become redundant. I like Mary Kay Sun Care Sunscreen SPF30, €14.50, which doesn’t have the whitish shade some sun creams cast (search marykay.co.uk for your nearest brand consultant or buy on-line). Those with oily skin will appreciate La Roche-Posay Anthelios AC SPF30 Extreme Matte Fluide, €19.50. Don’t forget your neck and décolleté.
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