Aisling’s Picks: Skincare to cope with the elements

Here’s how to transform your skincare into “face wellies” in the battle against the elements. Plus: a BB cream to catch any light that might appear and a manly anti-ageing fluid to stop him from nicking yours.

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Nude Collection €6.99

I love the Kate Moss lip collections because they offer such a great range of shades. Now with new nude tones, these lip colours provide the perfect accompaniment to smoky eyes or a “no make-up” look. Go one further and wear the Kate lip balm underneath for maximum moisturisation.

Murad Advanced Blemish and Wrinkle reducer €72

It’s not just teenagers who suffer from spots and acne. When breakouts are combined with lines and wrinkles, it can make you feel a bit miserable. This light fluid contains many anti-ageing ingredients, including retinol, together with the pore unblocker salicylic acid. A good bet for dehydrated, blemished skin.

Nuxe Men Nuxellence Youth and Energy Revealing Anti-Ageing Fluid €38

It’s unusual for a men’s skincare product to have the phrase “anti-ageing” on its packaging, and I was interested in what made this one different.

A quick read of the ingredients showed that there’s no magical “men’s skin” ingredients; there is, however, plenty of seed oils and moisture attractors in this light fluid, which makes it a good buy.

The main difference to the stuff a woman might use is that it smells like aftershave.

Aussie Winter Miracle From €6.49

Aussie is one of Ireland’s favourite haircare brands and its Miracle shampoos and conditioners are already established winners. Apart from the addition of pearl and ginseng to the formula and a new label, I didn’t notice any discernible difference from the originals. They’re still good products, though, just with a different marketing spin.

Decléor Hydra Floral 24hr Hydrating Rich Cream €49

If you have very dry skin and you like your moisturisers to be so thick that they’re almost solid in the jar, this is for you. Not only does it leave skin feeling soft and comfortable, it is enriched with lots of moisturising and skin-friendly oils: neroli, rosehip and avocado. I’m a fan of really rich moisturisers and I love this one for winter.

Nivea Daily Essentials Caring Micellar Water €2.74

And on the fourth day the cosmetics industry said: let there be fancy water to remove make-up. So oil and water begot a child and it was good.

There are dozens of micellar waters on the market and, unsurprisingly, they all produce exactly the same results. So don’t spend much money on them; these offerings from Nivea are great.

Aldi Lé Mara Hyaluronic Gel Serum €4.99

Aldi skincare continually surprises me. This serum has a gel consistency, so it is easy to apply and feels cool and refreshing. Vitamin B5 is included along with glycerine, another much-overlooked humectant. In short: buy this, it will hydrate straight away.

Pat some moisturiser on top to keep your face protected from the desperate weather we’ve been having. Think of a serum and moisturiser layer as wellies for your face.

Clarins BB Skin Detox Fluid €34.50

Clarins already has a BB cream – so what’s different about this one? Well, it works to combat dullness as it contains lots of plant-based ingredients to moisturise skin and uses light-reflecting particles.

The coverage is light, easy to apply and won’t clog up your skin. If you want fuller coverage, mix it with your foundation.