Moisturiser
Every now and then a cream hailed as the ‘holy grail’ of anti-ageing appears for sale and thousands of women queue to buy it. Remember the Boots Protect & Perfect Intense Beauty Serum backed by scientific research that was launched three years ago? It went on to sell millions and is still doing well.
What’s interesting is that many more manufacturers are now producing anti-ageing creams which they claim are backed by sound scientific evidence that they really do work. The latest candidate is Forever Youth Liberator Cream SPF15 from Yves Saint Laurent, which has received more than 5,000 pre-orders in the UK to date. While the name may well be something of an exaggeration – can any cream really make you look young for ever? – it’s worth looking at the ingredients behind the hype. The cream is said to artificially boost levels of glycans, complex sugar molecules that play many important roles in the body. Among other things, they are generated by skin cells to keep it moist and soft-looking, but unfortunately we generate fewer of them as we get older.
YSL have done tests of the cream on 50 women: apparently 88% said their skin looked more luminous and 72% that fine lines looked less visible after using it. The theory is that the cream stimulates the production of glycans by skin cells to make the skin look younger and healthier.
Yves Saint Laurent Forever Youth Liberator Cream SPF15, 50ml, £60 selfridges.com
Other contenders
Nip+Fab Frown Fix Instant Line Filler, 4ml, £10.25 boots.com
THE HYPE: When this first launched in 2011 it sold out within 24 hours and was said to have a waiting list of 8,000 women awaiting new batches…
WHAT IT DOES: plumps and smoothes appearance of lines and moisturises.
HOW TO USE IT: Click the pen between 10-20 times for product to pump through and then click three times and brush the filler directly on to areas where you want lines to be plumped like around eyes, forehead and mouth.
Nanoblur Optical Skin Cream £19.99 indeedlabs.com
THE HYPE: ‘Look up to 10 years younger in 40 seconds’
WHAT IT DOES: contains particles (based on optics technology) that diffuse light so it dulls the look of wrinkles and immediately reduces the look of pores and fine lines.
HOW TO USE IT: This is not make-up but is a superficial covering for imperfections. It can be used on its own, under foundation or powder and mixed with moisturiser.
Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch, £24 clarins.co.uk
THE HYPE: An award-winning product that mixes make-up with skincare and 95% of users tested noticed smoother skin.
WHAT IT DOES: it’s a make-up base and primer that leaves a smooth veil on the surface of skin and temporarily smoothes away lines and open pores.
HOW TO USE IT: Can be worn alone or mixed-in with foundation.
LOréal Paris Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer, £14.29 boots.com
THE HYPE: This product is inspired by professional make-up artists to make skin soft and smooth.
WHAT IT DOES: it is really a Polyfilla for wrinkles and it covers the skin lightly to make it feel like velvet.
HOW TO USE IT: Use as a base on its own or use foundation on top. Apply in little dabs from the inside to the outside of the face.
Benefit Dr Feelgood, £21.50 boots.com
THE HYPE: This is a favourite of celebrity make-up artists who use it to make stars look as if they have silky skin.
WHAT IT DOES: a complexion balm that makes skin look matte, so reducing the look of wrinkles. Good for oily skin or if open pores are an issue.
HOW TO USE IT: Pat and smooth over make-up with a sponge that comes with the product or simply wear alone.
Omorovicza Instant Plumping Cream, £96 omorovicza.com
THE HYPE: Contains oligopeptides to boost the production of collagen and elastin and a patented mineral delivery system for younger looking skin.
WHAT IT DOES: an anti-wrinkle cream that claims to resurface skin leaving it looking filled in and plumped.
HOW TO USE IT: Apply evenly over face after cleansing.