Get serious about serums

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

IT’S LOVELY to move to a richer moisturiser at this time of year, but if you want more than moisture, you’ll want to bring in the big guns. Serums are the latest skincare product creating a buzz among consumers who are flocking to reap the benefits of years of research.

Here’s the skinny: think of serums as an intensive skin treatment, bringing a cocktail of nutrients suspended in a formula so fine it penetrates deep into the layers of the skin, with some even claiming to go as far as the layer before injectables.

Before you get carried away, you still need a moisturiser, which delivers hydration and nourishment to the skin’s top layers. A serum is applied after toning (if you use a toner, I don’t) and before your moisturiser. Whatever skincare range you favour, there’s likely to be a complimentary serum and here’s one instance where I believe it’s important to use a serum and moisturiser from the same range, as the ingredients will work together for optimum results.

FLOWER POWER

Chanel Sublimage Concentrate, €350

For those who can afford it, this latest addition to Chanel’s skincare line promises to deliver an immediate detoxifying and revitalizing boost, while promoting cell reconstruction in the longer term. The active ingredient is golden champa PFA, derived from the Himalayan golden flower which has been used for centuries in Tibetan Amchi medicine. The texture is superb, silky fresh and quickly absorbed with a lingering feminine scent.

WRINKLE BUSTER

RoC Retin-Ox Wrinkle Correction Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Serum €35.95 Containing pure retinol, which has long been acknowledged to reduce wrinkles, this serum also contains squalin, a lipid that penetrates the skin’s barrier to improve texture. Can be used as a four-week booster treatment under the companion moisturiser.

HIGH STREET HIT

Marks Spencer Age Repair Collagen Serum €13

Just to prove my point that there is a serum for all pockets, check out this little beauty. Independent testers felt their skin looked younger after using it for 10 days. As the name suggests, the ceramide formula targets lipid repair for a reduction in lines and wrinkles. WIPE THE SLATE

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus €48 One of the most hotly-anticipated launches of the year, this mix of enzymes, peptides and antioxidants repairs existing damage from sun, stress and environment and protects against future damage. It’s a tall order but tests show it provided 63 per cent of the wrinkle-reducing power of a surgical laser.

GET THE LIFT

Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lift Age Correcting Serum €230 The science bit is the “DNA energy-controlling epigenetic”, but most women are more interested in the magic words “ultimate lift” and, in this product, you can expect it to work on three levels, the makers say. A surface lift is the initial result, with South Sea pearls also giving a lustrous finish to skin. Meanwhile the cellular lift works below the surface to support collagen, giving a toned and firmed look. Lastly, the manual lift is a massage technique developed to enhance the benefits of the ingredients.

ROUTE 66

Avon Anew Platinum €36

Designed for mature skins, this serum expands the youthful shape of skin cells for a better facial contour with paxillin, a protein which declines as we age. Jacqueline Bisset is the 66-year-old face of the line, and a very lovely face it is, too.

THE NATURAL

Trilogy Age Proof CoQ10 Booster Serum €28.95

A good option if you like your skincare derived from natural active ingredients, and the price point means it won’t be too painful to invest in the complimentary moisturiser. This serum is not only a boon for dull skin, but also deeply moisturising due to the addition of tamanu oil. Available from Arnotts, Dublin and selected pharmacies.

BOTOX IN A BOTTLE

Caci AminoLift Peptide Complex €57 Better known for their facial toning system, this is the first product the company has developed for home use. It has five anti-ageing ingredients, including DMAE, which has an instant firming effect. Tel: 01-2166693 for stockists