My skin has been through its fair share of ups and downs. Through adolescence and pregnancies, it has never been good to me, despite my best efforts. With age comes wisdom, and a little bit of spare cash so, with both in hand, I decided to invest in my skin (and my sanity) by splashing out on a few investment products for skin.
I had read numerous reviews of the Clarisonic, the vast majority singing its praises. After some deliberation, I threw caution to the wind and €119 into the hands of the sales lady in Debenhams and walked out with the most basic brush. Almost a year on, I've been using it every second day in the shower and my skin has never been better. Little else changed in my skincare routine, so I attribute the improvement largely to the Clarisonic.
My basic skincare routine isn't what you would call extravagant, but up front it can appear like a fair amount of money. I've used the Clinique anti-blemish range for years, and while reports suggest it doesn't suit the more sensitive skin types, it works wonder for me. The Cleansing Bar, the Clarifying Lotion and the Clearing Solution costs €72, but lasts easily six months, so it ends up costing about 20 cent per go (I'm an engineer so I like to see the numbers stack up).
Sometimes I like to alternate between moisturisers, especially if my skin feels tired and dry. I bought La Roche-Posay Lipikar Baume AP+ for my daughter initially. She has sensitive skin, and using wipes on her face made her skin dry and sore. This moisturiser is fantastic on the faces of girls big and small. I bought the 400ml bottle with the pump, which comes in handy when you're wrestling with a child. The 400ml bottle, at €19, is better value than the 200ml bottle at €13.50.
When it comes to quality skincare aids, I feel compelled to sing the praises of Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream (from €33). I'm a woman who likes a multi-tasking product and, like the Lipikar Baume, this is a great one for the whole family. I use it on my lips most nights as daily abuse with various lip glosses and lipsticks leaves them quite dry, especially during the summer months. It is also fantastic for burns and patches of eczema on children.
- Eimear Hutchinson blogs at thetwodarlings.com
- Aisling McDermott is on leave
