Bubble (No) Bath Time

Even though I am a water-baby through and through, I really don’t like taking baths (I recall taking one on my birthday, March 2011…could that be it?  Crikes).  The only bonus I can think of is that you can have a glass of wine amongst the bubbles.  However, I’ve tried to do what so many girls love to do, lay back and chill-out with a Merlot surrounded by candles but I can’t damn well relax at all and totally defeating the object; I always have a shower afterwards so I can get rid of the bubbles, dirt and sweat that I’ve wallowed in for an hour so I’ve said ‘cheerio’ to the bath – it's just not me.  I can’t bear the water going cold either so I am shower-gal all the way. What would be cool is to have a little tiled seat in the shower so I wouldn’t have to stand up all the time – now that would be relaxing.  I remember many times as a kid, Dad banging on the ceiling (the bathroom being above) with a golf club - an indication of me to get out of the shower before I used up all the hot water.  My husband and I did a Kirsty Allsop once and ripped out one bathroom in a property we had in Nottingham and replaced it with a shower, loo and sink.  Actually mum and Dad moved house last year and ripped out their bath and they have a lovely great big shower now – must be something in the water.  My sister, however, remains a bathing beauty so no fear of her ever doing an Allsop there. 

When it comes to my body, I can be a bit picky as I’ve found that many make my skin itch and so I tend to look out for products that contain natural ingredients.  I have found two brands that work for me and I’ve been using them for years; Faith in Nature (www.faithinnature.co.uk) and L’Occitane. 

Faith in Nature do an extensive range of Shower Gel and Bath Foam (yes, one product for the shower and the bath) and I buy mine from Nourish (on Wicklow Street: €8.50 for 400ml).  The Company is 40 years old, manufactured in the UK and is vegan, organic, and cruelty-free.  The product range is extensive; hair, body, skin, baby, home and pet care.  My gel faves are the Citrus & Seaweed, Lemon & Tea Tree, Aloe Vera & Ylang Ylang and surprisingly for me (as I hate the smell of it), their Chocolate Shower Gel and Bath Foam (the smell is very, very subtle and is not a sickly chocolate smell if you know what I mean.  If it was, I wouldn’t have bought it).  They also do these same fragrances in their hand washes, shampoo/conditioners and body lotions too.  What I love about Faith is that the shower gels are hydrating (my skin scratch-free) and smell natural (ie, subtle fragrances, no synthetics) and they foam up really well.

Seeing as I like to alternate between my favourites, if I’m not in Nourish, then you’ll find me literally next door in L’Occitane (Wicklow Street) where I’ll be stocking up on my Ambre & Santal Shower Gel (€14 for 200ml).  I just can’t get enough of this fragrance; it’s woody and oriental and I can layer it with the body lotion and the perfume in the same aroma.  I also love their Almond range and have bought many a bottle of the Almond Shower Oil (€21 for 250ml) although I do tend to get through this quite quickly – I forget that a little goes a long way.  You can also get it in an Eco Refill (€31 for 500ml).

So there you have it, happy squeaky clean Sally.  As I’ve said before, the only downside to showering is that one can’t have a glass of wine.  Oh, hang on, where’s my gym water bottle….?

Product of the Week - Collection's Eyes Uncovered Nude Grey Palette

Eyes Uncovered Nude Grey Palette by Collection (at Boots €3.99)

Initially, I spotted an assortment of eyeshadows from Collection (formerly Collection 2000) in a magazine that had been designed by the girl-band Little Mix and I thought that between the packaging, the colours and the price, this looked rather a good buy. Despite liking this little mix of shades (called All About the Eyes), I thought that they were a little too orange/gold for my colouring so I was delighted to see that Collection had three other palettes to chose from called Eyes Uncovered.

Now, I’m not normally one to wear the same cosmetic product every day but I’ve been wearing these fab eyeshadows since I bought them last week.  There are three palettes to choose from: Nude, Nude Grey and Nude Bronze.  

Most of my eye make-up consists of grey, black, mink and taupe so I was instantly drawn to 'Nude Grey'.  The palette is made up of six shadows; two matte and the rest have a slight shimmer and they apply really well (not chalky and don't 'crumb').

It’s a great set to take away on a little break as you can use the colours day and night and the shades are so versatile, you will end up using all of them too.  The packaging is very light-weight and even though very low in price, doesn’t look poor quality (as in cheap and nasty).  Admittedly, I got rid of the applicator but, like everyone else I'm sure, I tend to use my own brushes anyway.  

All the palettes and their shades are perfect for the work-place - good neutrals with a hint of shimmer to enhance those peepers and you can easily glam them up if you find that you're going out straight from the office - the shades definitely accommodate going from office to a soiree.  The eyeshadows are also great for a summer holiday too, especially the Nude Bronze, which will complement tanned skin.

My eyelids are so oily that I have to wear an eye primer to keep my shadows on so it’s hard for me to tell you if these eyeshadows last all day but I love the texture and the colours (yes, even the brown shade).  A great little bargain and the palette is definitely being packed into my overnight bag for my next break away.

Haircut 100

Between the years of 1982 to 1985, a boy at school used to call me ‘Haircut 100’.  He said I came to school with a different hairstyle every day (nice of him to notice, eh?).  I didn't mean to style it different on a daily basis, I just think that sometimes it went well and sometimes it didn't but it was short and one can do so much with short hair (unlike long hair – all you can do is put it up or have it down.  It frustrates me so when people grow their hair and always wear it up – what’s the point?  So you suggest getting it cut short and their answer is ‘but it’s taken me so long to grow it’ and they still wear it up - gahhhhh).  I love Maria Tomei’s hair in her movie Only You – how many hairstyles can that gal have?  Loads, cos she got short hair.

I’ve always kept it short due to it being so fine and it looks thicker. Also, when I was a kid, I used to swim competitively in a club so short hair was practical when I was training 3-4 (or even 5) times a week.  The longest it has ever been is about three inches above my shoulders at the age of 16, chuckle. 

I dabbled with colour as soon as I was allowed.  Dad was really strict about me dying my hair for some reason – not so much with my sister (who is 5 years younger) but never mind and my first colour was single-use pouches of coppers and reds sold in pharmacies.  Eventually, I was allowed to have highlights (yay) and Mum bought me a Boots hair streaking kit that contained a swimming-like cap with holes and you pulled the hair through with what looked like a white giant needle.  Not surprisingly, it hurt, as I recall.

During the decade I’ve lived in Ireland, I did have a little dalliance with all-over blonde for a bob I had in 2007 but it totally dried my hair out and I looked like I didn’t have any (hilariously, this is the hair that is immortalised on my passport photo - I have two more years to go) so I resorted to my favourite colour, black.

Back to 2015, it’s still black and I’ve recently had it cut.  I had an ear-length bob up until five weeks ago but I asked my fab hairdresser, Joe (Toni & Guy Dublin) that I wanted a more edgy ‘do’.  He sniggered when I showed him the photo of Kimberly Wyatt from the Pussycat Dolls – I know it was an old photo of her but I asked him if he would cut a modern version.  He did and I love.  It’s asymmetrical so if you want Sally with attitude, sit on my right, godamnit!  If you want to see my softer side, please feel free to sit on my left. 

Let’s talk about products then.  As we all know, Irish weather is always going to be a factor so my sister got me onto a product called Uniq One.  It’s a treatment that claims to do the work of 10 products.  I particularly adore it for its heat and colour protection, UVA and UVB filters, it detangles (I am Edward Scissorhands on waking, sometimes Harry Styles on a good day), adds body to my limp locks and helps with the frizz.  You can use it on wet or dry hair.  I spray it onto my hands and then run it through towel-dried hair.  I have to do this before I brush my hair with the Tangle Teezer, else I just can’t get a brush through it.  I think it’s the most wonderful product ever and I am even going to be so bold and recommend it to everyone who has a head of hair.  Uniq One also comes in a coconut fragrance too which is fabulous (www.millies.ie €13.99).

Over the last few years, I have had a problem with the condition of my hair.  Back in 2012, I had an accident and ended up in A&E having had my scalp glued together with glue (I fainted and plopped off Platform 6 at Connolly Station during rush-hour).  Anyway, it was around that time that my hair was becoming dry, brittle and any colour that I was having done just wouldn’t ‘take’.  I had some blood tests and it appeared that I was deficient in Vitamin D and Folic Acid so I started taking the supplements (not sure if this was totally the reason that I was having problems).  However, despite the supplements, it still wasn't in great shape and the products weren't helping so it was still mission impossible.

Since my ‘blondes have more fun’ days (or rather I wasn’t as it looked like I’d been pulled through a hedge backwards), I’d always used a salon brand.  What I was using up until last year was Redken but I still felt that my barnet wasn’t quite right and the condition awful.  After lengthy discussions with the awesome Maria at T&G, we came to the conclusion that even though my health was better and I was using premium haircare, my hair was still brittle and not taking colour: could it quite simply be the hard water in our apartment causing my hair so much grief?  So I rushed out to buy bottles of still mineral water and started rinsing my hair after a shower with those (I’m not a diva, honest).  What a palaver.   And even Uniq One wasn’t working its magic either so you can imagine, I was really upset over my hair.

I don’t know if any of you create Look Books?  I cut pictures out of magazines that I like and glue them into my ‘fashion’, ‘beauty’, ‘lifestyle’ and ‘home’ books, much to the amusement of my husband.  One day I was flicking through my beauty book and noticed that I’d stuck in an article on Mane ‘n Tail.  Ah, light bulb moment….I’ll buy some of that – if it’s good enough for horses...  Tell you what, I’ve never looked back.  I can’t win the Grand National but now my hair is shiny, smooth, not so fly-away, not so brittle but strong.  I buy their Colour Protect but their ‘Original’ one is as good. I still love Redken products but for now, I’ll stick with Mane ‘n Tail.

Last year, I did have an obsession with trying to find shampoos that don’t contain SLS (sodium lauryl sulphate – this gives the product the bubbles) as I hear that they can be extremely ageing to hair but the ones I tried weren’t great and I do love me bubbles.  Mane ‘n Tail does contain SLS’s but I like the condition of my hair.

My next favourite is L’Occitane’s Radiance and Color Care (€20 each for 300ml) and they don’t contain any sulphates but do bubble-up (see?  Proof that you can get a great product without any nasties in it).  I have some travel sizes (€7.50 for 75ml) which I took on a trip to Manchester this year.  I thought it was the Mancunian water as my hair was very shiny and in good nick during the whole trip but I used them both when I came back home to Howth (where we are plagued with limescale) and I still had a great head of hair.

Before I dry my hair, I would normally dollop Schwarzkopf’s Got2B Rise ‘n’ Shine Whipped Mousse (Boots, €5.99) in but seeing as I no longer have a bob, I’ve stopped using it.  I love using a mousse though – reminds me of the 80’s but without the crunch - and I particularly like this one.  The whipped consistency is lovely and it just gives me the right amount of thickness to my hair (not to mention shine).  Once styled then I would squirt a bit of hairspray.  I wish hairsprays were fragrance-free but I get on well with TRESemmé (Boots, €6.99).

Another product I’ve been using recently since I’ve cut my hair short-short is Batiste Dry Shampoo (in Blush).  I dabbled with dry shampoo once before but I couldn’t get on with it but I think it was because of the style I had at the time?  Seeing as I have to wash my hair every day, I thought Batiste might help with giving me some body on the days I don’t want to wash my hair and it seems to work so I think I’ll stick with this as well.

Here’s to Happy Hair, everyone

Once Bitten...Product of the Week

You know when you excitedly spend money on a big online make-up haul (Makeup Revolution and KIKO are my faves) and you try the products and then you think, ‘nah, don’t like it’?  Well, I am now eating my words.  I have recently been bitten by ‘The Viper – Mascara with Bite’ (£3, Makeup Revolution) again.

Anyone who knows me is aware of my penchant for all things animal and reptile print – faux of course (my very first animal print purchase was at the age of 15, a pair of zebra ballet flats bought from H&M Geneva in 1986 – I must check this with my Mum but I am sure I am correct) - so it won’t be a surprise that I would buy a product simply because it has snakeskin packaging.   The only thing, and its very trivial, is that I am not keen on the the colour of the tube.  It's brown.  I like my black mascaras in black packaging.  If it’s a green mascara, then green packaging and so on – it’s a little quirk of mine.

However, I would normally discard a mascara due to mascara-goop (as Chandler Bing called it) but over the last few years, I’ve had no goop from any mascara.  My throwing it in my bottom drawer was in fact due to the size and shape of the brush that I couldn’t get to grips with.  It’s viper-head-shaped (ah, hence the name), spoon-like and curvy.  I have quite short lashes so I’m not keen on fat brushes as I can’t seem to get the brush down to the roots that easily (without making a mess) and this is quite a large brush, for me.  So I discarded it – not in my kit but in a bottom draw as I thought I wouldn’t be able to use it on anyone else.

Weeks later, I was messing about with my kit and my own make-up when I thought, I’ll try the Viper again.  What do you know, I’ve been wearing it all week and I really like it.  I have to be careful when I’m putting it on else I prod myself in the eye or I get it on my skin above my lashes (sigh) but on application, it’s a strong black, I get definition and it doesn’t smudge.  In the evenings, while I am watching TV, I find myself stroking my lashes as they are surprisingly soooooo soft.  Makeup Revolution website tells you to use the “Snake’s back for volume and lift and the side and the tip for precise lash catching.” What a nice snake.

For those who aren’t aware, Makeup Revolution (www.makeuprevolutionstore.com), hails from London and was launched in 2014.  The pricing starts at £1 which initially gives off alarm bells and you think that the products aren’t going to be good but if you’re a make-up floozy like me then it is very hard to resist.   I have, in fact, bought quite a few bits from them but I think I might leave it there - more to discuss another time.  They deliver to Ireland which I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing - snigger.  In the words of Big Brother - you decide.

I'm Nearly Done!

Step 1              M&S Pure Facial Wash                                 ...check!                  

Step 2              L’Occitane Divine Lotion                             ...check!

Step 3              Clarins Eye Cream                                       ...check!

Step 4              Ultimune                                                    ...check!

Step 5              REN Beauty Shot/Soap & Glory Super Youth Serum ...check!      

Step 6              ?

Now all that is left to do is moisturise and the skincare routine will be complete.  I apologise for the preachy-preachy tone going on over the next few paragraphs but some people (I won’t name names) don’t moisturise and it upsets me so!

Cleansing and moisturising are the two most important steps of the routine so if you’re not doing the bits in between (fair enough), then please do cleanse and moisturise – they go hand-in-hand.  Once you’ve washed away the dirt, sebum, pollution, grease, make-up (list is endless), cleansing also gets rid of our natural protective barrier, the acid mantle, so it is imperative to ‘give back’ and hydrate and protect by popping on a moisturiser. 

This top layer of the skin (the epidermis) needs hydration to keep it soft and supple and provide comfort and protection.  Using lotions and potions after you’ve cleansed will help to provide moisture (via humectants) and seal it in (via emollients) and the best bit, to prevent us from looking old before our time.

If we didn’t moisturise, all skin types would suffer.  Applied twice daily, moisturisers increase water content and regulate cell turnover so we can prevent against itchy, tight, red, flaky, sensitivity and dehydration.

Dry skins lack oil (sebum), and a cream with glycerin (natural humectant), collagen, shea butter and hyaluronic acid will be your best friend. 

It’s a myth that oily skins don’t need a moisturiser.  Oily skins over-produce sebum and this excess oil can lead to acne, blackheads and a greasy appearance.  You need to find a gentle but effective cleanser (not one that is so stripping that it makes the skin panic into producing even more oil) and a moisturiser that is light in texture such as gels, serums and oil-free lotions that hydrate and decrease oil production.  These are not as heavy as creams and won’t overload the skin.  Look out for ‘water-based, oil-free and non-comedogenic’ on labels. 

For skin concerns such as sensitivity or dehydration (as you can be oily-sensitive or oily-dehydrated for example) – then avoid products with fragrance, artificial colours and preservatives, silicones and mineral oils.  For dehydrated skins, look out for hyalurons.

So yes, back to me, you’ll probably not be surprised to hear that I use a separate day and night cream - there’s no need to wear an SPF at night and night products tend to be full of ingredients that can be effective while the body is at rest without any environmental interference. 

I always wear an SPF during the day as I’m freckly and burn after ten minutes without any protection so I am currently using Shiseido’s (surprise, surprise) White Lucency Protective Day Emulsion SPF15.

The White Lucent range is designed for any age-group who is conscious of pigmentation such as sun spots and/or freckles and it targets irregularities in melanin production (which is triggered by the sun).  These products have a brightening effect on pigmentation and evens out skin tone, skin texture and gives radiance to the skin, thanks to a generous dose of Vitamin C.  Even though I love my freckles, I want this product to keep everything balanced and strengthen my skin against the sun.  I also like that it gives luminosity on application and I look a bit healthier.  It also comes in a cream for those with drier skins.  

Other creams I love are L’Occitane Divine Cream and M&S Super Grape Day Cream – sadly both of these don’t contain SPF so make sure your foundation or BB/CC/DD – yawn - XX/YY/ZZ cream has some sun protection in it instead. 

At night, I use Shiseido’s Bio-Performance Super Revitilising Cream.  It contains no SPF but it can be worn in the day as well so I use it when I’m having a lazy day inside my apartment.  The Bio-Performance range has been designed for women who want immediate and efficient results – results that you would get from cosmetic procedures (so I’m told) - so no need to go under the knife, grab a pot of this fab smelling moisturiser instead.  If you have a drier skin then go for the Bio-Performance Super Restoring Cream.

I absolutely LOVE this product.  I was hesitant at first as I’m not a fan of heavy creams (I have a combination skin) and I used to think it was ‘heavy’ when demonstrating it on my customers’ hands at the counter.  But I fall into its age-range (30-50) so I thought I would give it a whirl.  I am so glad I did.  It’s not heavy at all but is a thick pink gel which goes on very smoothly.  Without going into the technology behind it, Bio-P contains generous dollops of hyaluronic acid amongst other things and fights against sagging, loss of firmness and wrinkles.  I love the effect it has had on my skin and here’s hoping that when I hit 60, I’ll look the same as I do now.

Obviously there are tons of moisturisers on the market not only hydrating the skin but dealing with every concern so I am sure that whatever that is, there is something out there for you. 

To save or splurge?  I’m all for buying a cheap moisturiser (I hear Superdrug has got some great products out at the moment - I can’t wait to nip back to the UK at the end of the month to stock up) – and the most important thing is to hydrate and protect so I am happy to use a serum that deals with a concern and then top it off with a cheaper moisturiser.

Happy moisturising!  The routine is complete. 

www.youlittlebeauties.com

Next week, hair care…

Eye Eye (or Nay Nay)?

To be honest, I’ve been struggling this week with this blog about eye creams – is there a big need for them or is it really a beauty con?  I’ve been trained to use one; during my beauty therapy training/studies and my beauty counter days, period.  And I’ve never NOT used one.  But the longer I think about it, do we really need to fork out for such a product as facial moisturisers do the same thing; firm, hydrate and promote healthy cell activity.  Is it such a bad thing that we apply it up to our eyes?  Usually sensible sleeps, good diet, exercise and massage will help keep the dark circles away and if you lay off the red wine then no puffiness.  Even if you suffer from pigmentation, you can get that help from your face cream.  It’s really your health and lifestyle that can make a difference rather than a specific product for this specific area or is it?

However, it’s been instilled in me, during my years of training and working with products that we should be using something that has been specifically formulated for the eye area.  One customer question that always got a mention while working on the beauty counters was, “Do I really need an eye cream?  Can’t I just use my normal moisturiser?  Better than nothing, right?”  Well yes but you can go one better if you want to target a concern by using something formulated for that area.

As I’ve mentioned above, we all know the skin beneath the eyes is thinner compared to the rest of the face and it’s the first area that will show how the body is reacting to lack of sleep, stress, tiredness, toxins, the sun, poor diet, weak capillaries and other external aggressors.  Not to mention some of the problems being hereditary too.  If you find that your normal face moisturiser/serum/concealer is doing a great job, isn’t weighing down the skin, is hydrating enough then you’re good to go. However, if you want something extra to help with the dark circles, fine lines, wrinkles or you are fighting a war with gravity then there is something out there for you.

So what am I using at the moment?  I am in my 40’s so I want something that is going to firm up and de-puff.  Clarins Extra-Firming Eye Lift Perfecting Serum (€48 from Boots) is lovely and does just that.  This serum contains its own patented complex that lifts and extract of albizia (inhibits glycation - which is the deterioration of collagen fibres - protects walls of blood vessels) helps to combat circles and puffiness.  I press one pump (a grain of rice-size) onto my three middle fingers and press all around the orbital bone, paying attention to the area just above my crease – I am hoping by doing this then it will firm up and support my drooping eyelids…  I have enjoyed using this product, it’s very lightweight and is a serum (so it is quick to penetrate into the skin) and I have seen much improvement.

Once I have finished Clarins, then I have a pot of Shiseido’s Benefiance WrinkleResist 24 Eye Contour Cream, which I can’t wait to try.  It claims to protect the skin against future wrinkles, improves appearance of those that are existing, cell activity is enhanced (de-puff) which in turn leads to firmness and resilience.  This comes in a pot so will have to use a spatula (not a fan of pots but never mind).

Another eye cream that I loved but used to buy years ago was Dior’s Capture XP Eye Cream. Well, I think that’s what it was called – it was a pink gel anyway.  I would buy this when I was in possession of a gift card, as it was expensive but I really saw (and felt due to a tightening effect) a difference while using this. Seeing as I am talking years ago, I see now that their skincare has changed slightly so their alternative is undoubtedly even better (and more expensive) but boy, was it good back then.

You’ll have probably noticed that I’ve been having a right old discussion with myself while writing this and I have been conflicting in parts.  I’ve been trained to use an eye product but at the same time, the ingredients really are no different to my face products and at the minute, one has to save some dosh along the way.  However, if I see an improvement with a product then I will buy whether I’m being conned or not (blush).

So to save or to splurge or not buy at all (and instead eat and exercise properly)? Hmm, this is a toughie because I am not sure I can give them up!  Ok, I could do an experiment; after I’ve finished my pot of Benefiance, I won’t buy another eye cream and let’s see how I get on with just my serum and moisturiser.  One of my favourite ingredients is Vitamin C which is known for brightening and giving radiance to the skin and my moisturisers contain that.  Also my moisturisers are firming so hopefully, they will do the job if used sparingly around the eye area?   As for cheaper eye creams, I’ve not found one yet that does the job – if anyone can recommend a reasonably-priced eye cream that firms and allows me to drink red wine without any puffiness then do let me know…although didn’t I just say I wasn’t going to buy another one?  Sigh.

Magic Goo

Raindrops on cherry blossom and whiskers on bunnies

Sludgy mink eyeshadows and my Swarovski sunnies              

Loving the band Sixx:AM and hearing them sing 

These are a few of my favourite things….

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a word that rhymed with ‘serum’ to include in my ditty and a serum is definitely one of my favourite things and I wouldn't want to be without one.

Anyway, enough of my silliness, let’s get straight down to business.  If you think that using a serum is even more expense to add to your ever-expanding skincare routine then I would recommend buying an inexpensive cleanser and moisturiser as a serum will target your skincare concerns tout de suite.  Concentrated formulas that penetrate deep and quicker into the skin than a moisturiser, choosing a serum for your specific skincare needs will form an essential part of your regime and it won’t be too long before you see and feel the benefits. 

There are so many serums on the market for every skincare challenge; prevent dehydration, that exfoliate, that improve the appearance of facial contours, tone, texture, pigmentation, oiliness, ingredients that get the nutrients flowing to give a more radiant complexion… to name but a few.  Some are expensive but there are some decent cheaper versions out there too (Superdrug-own brand and M&S is always a good place to start – Pure Super Grape Serum, anyone?).

Back in the 1990’s, my first serum was Clarins' Skin Firming Concentrate, a clear product that was applied (after toning) on to the face and neck in upward strokes and you could even use it around your eye area.  The concentrate sunk in very quickly and literally ‘lifted’ your facial contours immediately.  It was great.  I see now that Clarins do a (staggering) total of eleven serums and I am guessing that their Extra-Firming Tightening Lift Botanical Serum is the 2015 version of what I used to love.

Seeing as my weekly Blog is about what I am currently using on myself, I have had a few on the go (Shiseido, Nip+Fab, Vichy, REN and Soap & Glory) but it appears that I have found two favourites out of the above that I will be repurchasing once I have used them up).  Recently, I finished Shiseido’s time-fighting Bio-Performance Super Corrective Serum (€98 for 30ml).  The product is quite thick in consistency and I used two pumps and applied it after my Softener, avoiding the eye area.  Seeing as I am currently whittling about the lines down the side of my cheeks to my mouth and the laughter lines that fan out towards my hairline – I noticed that they are not as pronounced as they once were since using it.  Even though the results were great, I found the texture a bit thick for me (and un-serum-like) and there is no way to scrape out the container for the last remaining bits (the bottle just doesn't come apart), if there are any of course.

So now, in the mornings, I am using REN’s Instant Beauty Shot (€48 for 30ml) – a clear gel that sinks into the skin so fast that you wonder 'how parched is my skin?'  It reminds me of the old Clarins’ Skin Firming Concentrate and their Beauty Flash Balm all rolled into one.  Beauty Shot is a clear gel and it instantly firms, lifts and plumps to give a smooth complexion and I saw a difference straight away.  It’s extremely hydrating due to having a double dose of hyaluronans (hyaluronic acid* complex) oh and it smells of roses.  Gorgeous.  It comes in a glass bottle with a pipette and the label says to use two to three drops but I always find that one big drop will do and I apply it in upward strokes to my face and neck (and - naughty me - I sparingly use this around my eye area too).  Normally, I like to wait up to ten minutes before applying my day-time moisturiser (I apply my body products while I'm waiting) but with Beauty Shot, you don’t have to as it’s like me with a bottle of wine – it’s gone before I know it.  After a few days of using it, I found that while cleansing, my skin was very soft and smooth.  REN also say you can use this product during the day, over make-up as well if you felt that your skin needed a boost so if this is you, don't forget to keep the bottle or a decanted pot in your bag or on your desk.

*Hyaluronic acid is found naturally in the skin but as we age, it diminishes so it’s the magic ingredient in beauty products that provide the moisture to our skin; it clings to water and holds it in.  So anyone who is oily or combination (me) but finds themselves dehydrated, this is a God-send – a healthy, bouncy look to the skin equals a youthful look.  Remember there's a difference in dehydrated and dry skin.  Dehydrated skins lack moisture and dry skins lack oil.

So my other favourite, Soap & Glory’s Make Yourself Youthful Super Serum, I use at night underneath my moisturiser.  I just love this and it smells great too.  The product comes in a silver tube but is pump-dispensed.  The serum is white and I use one pump all over the face before eye cream and moisturiser (I’ve noticed that skincare companies tell you to use far too much product on their labels, it would seem.  Less is more I think).  Youth Serum is anti-ageing (targeting existing lines and wrinkles and future proofing against the next generation of them), boosts collagen production and aids healthy cell activity.  I adore how my skin feels and looks after using this product.  It contains my favourite ingredient, vitamin C (for radiance) as well as coconut oil and hyaluronic acid.  I will definitely be Making Myself Youthful with this Super Serum again when I run out of this tube.

Serums aren’t just for people who already have lines and wrinkles, companies now are producing serums for the 20’s age-group – for those who want to have healthy skin that sees them into the next decade without any problems. 

Before I leave you, I have to mention a pre-serum that I have been using since December and I will be raiding my piggy-bank to re-purchase it as it has been so good.  I have to confess, when I was first introduced to it, I thought 'not another product to add to the routine - who is going to use a cleanser, softener, eye cream, concentrate, serum, moisturiser?  I'll have to get out of bed even earlier, sob....'  Anyhoo, I’ve noticed that my skin is smoother, more radiant than normal and I can’t wait to see how my skin reacts to the sun this summer as well (the sun brings out my freckles – which sadly are fading as I’m ageing.  It's funny as I used to hate my freckles as a kid, as they would merge into one big brown blob but now I think I would miss them if they were totally gone), to see if its become more resilient to the environment.  Apologies if it sounds like I’m back on the beauty counter but I have to tell you about it if you don’t already know; Shiseido have produced an award-winning concentrate that builds up the immunity in the skin called Ultimune.  Like when we have a probiotic for our tummy, Ultimune helps to build up the immunity in the skin by looking after some specific cells in the epidermis that get attacked by free radicals, pollution and the sun, which in turn leads to the ageing process.  Any age-group, any gender and any skin type can use Ultimune.  It comes in three sizes and prices start at €85 for 30ml and again, the box says use two pumps but I find one pump is enough for my face and neck (avoiding the eye area).  It is the first product of its kind and the chap that invented the technology behind it won a Nobel prize so proof that he’s on to something with regards to slowing down the ageing process a bit (because we all know it can’t be stopped) and looking after skin cells.

Since I’ve been using serums (and a pre-serum), I have noticed that I don’t have to use as much moisturiser or foundation as I once did as the skin has totally been resurfaced and smoothed out.  My skin is more hydrated (thank goodness, as I do love my red wine) and much more comfortable.  Therefore, I would totally recommend a (pre)serum at any age and there are so many to choose from, addressing different skin types, concerns and wallets.  Enjoy finding your favourite….