In recent months I’ve tried several skin treatments which, for me fall outside of a normal skincare routine, but have had a marked effect on the condition of my skin. If yours is in need of a boost or pepping up a little, read on for details of three really impressive products that don’t cost the earth!
Sophyto Marine Peptide Brightening Treatment
When it comes to beauty products, my two loves are those that fall into the luxurious and natural, organic categories. Sophyto is one of the few brands I’ve come across that combines the two seamlessly. All of its products are made with high level active ingredients, yet are free from artificial fragrance, colours, fillers and parabens.
The Marine Peptide Brightening Treatment contains organic desert lily aloe and micro-algae to help brighten dull, damaged complexions. As well as boosting the skin’s radiance, it helps reduce pore size and improves elasticity and suppleness.
In terms of usage and results, it reminds me of a more natural version of one of my favourites, Alpha-H Liquid Gold. On application, it didn’t excite me a whole lot. It’s a clear, silky liquid that you massage into the skin, leave for 5 minutes, then rinse off. I didn’t feel like a whole lot had happened, except that my skin looked a little flushed afterwards.
Far be it from a cynical beauty blogger to expect instant results, but I can never help hoping for them! As it turns out, the results of using this product were cumulative. Over a period of weeks, my skintone most definitely became brighter, make-up applied more smoothly and people commented that I was looking well - always the ultimate result! This is recommended as a 12 week treatment, which I think you could easily get from one bottle.
£19.50 HERE
Etat Pur Hyaluronic Acid & Resveratrol
I’ve tried a few products by Etat Pur and honestly been wowed by them. A serious amount of scientific research has gone into the range, yet prices remain low because they are only sold online. I’ve written about the Micellar Water before {here} and will mention others in the range again, but these two excite me the most, particularly the Hyaluronic Acid. I was sent these at a time when my skin felt particularly dehydrated and advised to apply 4 drops before my moisturiser.
They both come in dinky little vials of liquid, dispensed in a built-in-pipette style mechanism, activated by pressing on the base of the bottle. Genius! LW Hyaluronic Acid pure Active is recommended to treat a number of skin conditions from deep wrinkles and loss of firmness to post acne treatments or intense sun exposure.
Hyaluronic Acid isn’t as scary as it sounds. It’s naturally present in the skin, but diminishes with ageing, resulting in wrinkles and saggy skin. Products like this one allow us to put some of that youthful, restorative goodness back in. Hand on heart, this is one of the best skincare products I have ever tried. On application, it feels like giving my face a much needed drink of water (can almost hear it sign with relief!) - it has made my skin feel much more hydrated and put some of the bounce back! It has been added to my (very short) holy grail list and I do not intend to be without it anytime soon! The best bit? It’s not expensive!!! Seriously, if you gave me this and told me it was £50+ I’d totally believe you.
£14.20 HERE (whoop!)
Resveratrol pure Active is designed to treat deep wrinkles (so most of you can just click onto one of my pretty make-up posts at this point!) ;) Derived from vine shoots, Resveratrol is a powerful anti-ageing molecule, which increases the lifespan of cells in the skin and ultimately reduces the number and appearance of wrinkles.
It’s the bronzey coloured liquid above, stored in a dark bottle to conserve its active ingredients. I’ve just been using this on deeper lines, such as frown lines and my décolleté (sun damaged from my youth, weep!). To be frank, I’d quite like to just slap it on all over or bathe in the stuff. Has it made a difference? I wasn’t totally sure at the time, but have noticed a difference since I stopped using this - in that I’m much more aware of (& unhappy about) my frown lines, which are the main ones that bother me.
This is the frustrating thing about being a beauty blogger: finding a product you love and then just as you get hooked, you need to move on to test something else for review. Saying that, both of these products are designed to be used as active treatments every for a month or two several times a year, so maybe it’s no bad thing. Fear not Resveratrol, I’ll be back!
£12.80 HERE
