First off, I would like to say that I’m not obsessed with looking younger. I love being the age I am – 56. I see ageing as a blessing, the lines tell a story, especially those crinkles round eyes from smiling. The words “wrinkle” and “sagging” on beauty products for my age bracket I have a hard time digesting, I am not trying to look 20 years old, but I do want my skin to feel refreshed.
What I need is moisture. I’ve always had dry skin, and since the menopause it has been doubly hard to feed my thinner, sensitive skin so that it feels comfortably moisturised all day, with no need to reapply. These days my skin is so dry through more mature skin that I often feel the need to use a rose facial oil to supplement the lower quality face creams.
I love lotions and potions and have been obsessed with skincare since my 20’s. These days I seek out more affordable options so that I don’t to keep falling for a Space NK price tag. I have succumbed to some eye watering price tags due to marketing hype in my time and its incredibly difficult to tell what is going to work for you from a sample.
I once had a perfect skin formula going: expensive serum, Lancôme
Génifique with a value (Aldi or Lidl) face cream. It served me well, but I have been feeling in need of an upgrade so decided to try out some face creams to see which would nourish my dry skin and keep me feeling refreshed all day.
The products
Spa Ceylon’s Bakuchiol Skin Wellness range has a Retinol Alternative Age Refining Day and Night Facial Serum and Nourishing Facial Cream. Bakuchiol is an Ayurveda Wonderherb, a flower reported to stimulate collagen, reduce fine lines, improve elasticity and even out skin tone. The serum is a superstar product and feels nourishing on the face, and dare I say it – gives a radiance boost. Certainly a contender for my upgraded skin care routine.
Next up was the Ella & Jo Plump and Protect Hydrating Day Cream with SPF 30. They say it provides complete hydrating, plumping protection for a youthful and radiant complexion. For mature skin though, this isn’t the one. A gorgeous middle weight cream to use (and who doesn’t love a built-in SPF) sadly, I needed to apply again by midday and it never quite quenched my thirsty skin. Perhaps this is a product best suited for summer months or more oily skins.
Last we had Novage+ By Oriflame Sweden with their Intense Skin Recharge Overnight Mask that delivers intense nourishment and next-level hydration to recharge skin. They say it’s like eight hours beauty sleep, which I can get on board with. It’s for use over your usual night cream. I found it worked a treat used alone, and after actually following the directions, it worked really well.
The standout brand for reducing the feeling of dry uncomfortable skin was Novage+. As we change seasons and into the colder months, this mask will be a luxurious comfort and will be certainly making it into my new skin care routine.
Review and images by Sarah Jones
