 - Image: istockphoto.com © Alina Solovyova-Vincent
Don’t you find that sometimes too many hours in front of the computer screen, not enough time to eat properly, interrupted sleep, maybe a bit more stress than usual, and life in general can play havoc with your skin? What with recession blues and tighter purse strings, trips to the spa have become considered purchases lately which means that I, for one, am in the market for some home treatments.
Recently, I have been looking for a home moisturising treatment that would deliver a boost to dry, tired skin so I was very pleased to be given a free sample of a new facial oil from the Trilogy range by my local pharmacy. It is the CoQ10 Booster Serum from the Age Proof range and it comes in a little bottle with a dropper which is great for delivering the oil in a hygenic way. The serum is rich in anti-oxidants and pleasant to use.
I’m not sure how Trilogy recommend applying the oil but I achieved good results by adapting a technique I learned from Decleor, I used the dropper to put three drops in the palm of my hand, then rubbed my hands together to warm and disperse the oil before applying it in light sweeping strokes to a cleansed face.
The list of ingredients in the Trilogy Age Proof serum is Macadamia Ternafolia (Macadamia Nut) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Nigella Sativa (Blackseed) Oil, Calophyllum Tacamahaca (Tamanu) Oil, Lecithin, Ubiquinone (Co-enzyme Q10), Retinyl Palmitate, Parfum, Citral, Geraniol, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Citronellol, and Linalool. It smells and feels wonderful on the skin and I noticed an improvement in the appearance after just one application.
Facial oils are a really useful addition to your moisturising routine and well worth experimenting with if perimenopause is affecting your skintone and condition.
The Trilogy range is stocked in my local pharmacy and is reasonably good value by comparison with similar products. If I was giving out stars, this one would get a five star rating from me.
Yesterday I finally got my hands on a copy of the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible by Sarah Stacey and Josephine Fairley (Kyle Cathie Limited, 2011). It was worth the wait. I spent a good two hours soaking up their words of wisdom which go beyond skincare and cosmetics tops to provide some practical and sensible advice on fitness, yoga, diet and supplements.
 Being a skincare and cosmetics junkie, I already have some established favourite products so there was nothing in the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible that was likely to persuade me to forsake my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish while on the moisturiser front, Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar and Decleor’s Hydrafloral remain my firm favourites. That said, I will be reviving my Liz Earle Skin Repair moisturiser – not for my face, but to try as a neck cream because – once again – it gets a great write-up category.
Anti-ageing miracle creams
But let’s forget moisturisers for a moment because the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible puts the spotlight on what they describe as anti-agening miracle creams. Interestingly, their top-scorer is L’Occitane’s Immortelle Divine Cream but the one that caught my eye was the Neal’s Yard Frankincense Nourishing Cream. Frankincense is such a wonderful scent that to use this as a night cream sounds like a blissful experience. That’s the first tick for my shopping basket and I’ll let you know how I get on with it.
Anti-ageing hair products
Other products that caught my eye include Head & Shoulders hydrating shampoo and conditioner. Colouring your hair tends to make it dry and I, for one, am definitely in the market for good hydrating shampoos. I’ve tried a number of different products, few of which have delivered the desired results (John Frieda’s Brilliant Brunette Conditioner is my current favourite). Head & Shoulders hasn’t been in my bathroom since my twenties but, if the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible is correct, then it’s time to take another look so this is another one for the shopping list.
Anti-ageing body treatments
On the body treatment side, dryness is a common complaint for women once they hit their forties and fifties. L’Occitane’s almond based range gets good reviews in the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible. I’ve tried the shower oil from this range (and loved it) so I’ll definitely consider adding the body products to my list.
Also favourably reviewed by the girls is Decleor’s Aroma Sculpt Divine – the thought of sculpting is enticing but price points mean this will have to go on the wish list. (Decleor’s Excellence de L’Age product is another one of the recommended anti-ageing miracle creams). Although Decleor is a bit on the pricey side if you’re just purchasing to try out the range, their gift sets around Christmas are very good value and watch out for their in-store promotions which sometimes offer really good value. If you’re in Dublin, you’ll find a Decleor counter in Clerys and in House of Fraser or you can purchase online from the QVC, the shopping channel.
Anti-ageing hand and foot care
Like the body, feet too seem to become drier with age. Thanks to a stroke of luck, I recently won Bliss’s Sage and Lemon body moisturiser so I’ve been using that extravagently for foot massage and moisturising. Bliss is well named! But, based on the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible, I’ll be saving up and adding Aveda’s foot relief to my shopping list.
For hands, Liz Earle’s Hand Repair is favourably mentioned as are a number of other naturally-based product. The one I’ve selected for my list is the Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream on the basis that it’s not expensive and I’ve seen some good results from Weleda products.
Eyes
I’ve blogged recently about the importance of the eyebrow and Shavata remains my favourite for shaping and grooming the brow, but based on the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible reviews, I’m now adding Soap & Glory’s Arch de Triumph Brow Shaper to my list of ‘must purchase’ items. And, if you’ll parden the pun, the other product that caught my eye is the Bourjois Effet Smoky Pencil. I want one of those!
Conclusion
Overall, the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible is an informative read that is as enjoyable as a good chat with your best friends. It’s a pity that it’s not yet available for the Kindle because I would love to have it with me whenever I am shopping for skincare and beauty products. I’ve only touched on some of the topics it covers – there’s lots more, from coping with sleeplessness to dealing with sunspots and rosacea, from getting over aches and pains to the facelift diet. Do get your hands on a copy if you get the chance. You’ll enjoy it!
Izzy’s Anti-Ageing Beauty Wish List
- Head & Shoulders Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner
- Marks & Spencer Advanced Formula Solutions Anti-Redness Serum
- Aveda Foot Relief
- Soap & Glory Arch de Triumph Brow Shaper
- L’Occitane Milk Concentrate Firming & Smoothing with Almond Milk
- Decleor Excellence de L’Age Sublime Regenerating Cream
- Decleor Aroma Sculpt Divine Rejuvenating Cream
- Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Sugar Body Polish
- Soap & Glory Make Yourself Youthful Rejuvenating Face Serum
- Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Hand Cream
- Liz Earle Hand Repair
- Neal’s Yard Remedies Frankincense Nourishing Cream
- Bourjois Effet Smoky Pencil
 I find myself taking issue with The Sunday Times Style Beauty Awards 2010 which are featured in today’s colour Style magazine. Why? Well, I was not among the almost 20,000 who logged on to vote in the Awards and I certainly would not have given my vote to some of the products on this list of winners. So, today, to release my pent-up frustration I have decided to select some of the categores and announce my own winners. These ‘Izzy says’ listings are products that I personally use regularly and have bought on more than one occasion. They are also products that I invariably empty the tub so although they may cost a bit more than the supermarket alternatives, at least I don’t end up throwing them in the bin. My choice is almost always in favour of products that use natural ingredients and not too many unnecessary chemicals. I have sensitive skin that tends to be dry and is also – sadly – becoming more mature. If you are on the right side of 30 my picks today may be rather different than they would have been twenty years ago so use your own judgement, dear readers and, if by chance, you have found the perfect naturally -based inexpensive anti-aging solution, please leave a comment and let us know what it is!
Best Blusher
- Style magazine says Clinique Blusing Blush Powerder Blush in Bashful Blush.
- Izzy says Bare Escentuals Clear Radiance
Best Foundaton
- Style magazine says Clinique Superbalanced Makeup
- Izzy says: Bare Escentuals
Best Facial Moisturiser
- Style magazine says: Clinque Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion
- Izzy says: Decleor Hydrafloral
Best Skincare Brand
- Style magazine says: Clinique
- Izzy says: Decleor
Best Makeup Remover
- Style magazine says: Simple Kind to Eyes Nourishing Eye Makeup Remover
- Izzy says: Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish
Best Body Moisturiser
- Style magazine says: Nivea Rich Care Body Moisturiser
- Izzy says: L’Occitane Shea Butter Body Lotion
Best Shampoo
- Style magazine says: Pantene Pro-V Smooth and Sleek Shampoo
- Izzy says: Revlon Equave Hydro Nutritive Shampoo
Best Conditioner
- Style magazine says: Tresemme Moisture Rich Conditioner
- Izzy says: John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Shine Release Daily Conditioner
Best Bargain Buy
- Style Magazine says: Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil
- Izzy says: (from Lidl) Cien Sensitive Body Lotion
If ever proof was needed that taking care of your skin pays off, it’s in the visible difference between my face and the rest of my body! At 50, I can say without hesitation, that my face is my youngest bit. Why? Probably because of the skincare routine (Liz Earle cleansing, decent moisturiser, and Bare Escentuals) all of which I have previously blogged about. So my halloween promise, after a home spa day today, is that I will TRY to be a bit more conscientious about the rest of the body.
What? You want to know what I did for the home spa day? Are you sure you can handle the details of this? The full, unexpurgated details? Well, okay then – you asked for it!
Starting Point: PRUNE (with flaky bits)
Step 1: The routine began with a hand scrub – dark brown sugar and olive oil. See? Not everything has to be a designer brand in my house!
Step 2 was into the shower with the Philosophy Buffing Shower Wash that is my current favour. Vigorous scrub paying particular attention to the legs and feet.
Step 3. Dry off and application of Liz Earle Deep Cleansing Mask.
Step 4: Treat boobs to massage with propolis gel mixed with arnica gel – antibiotic to ward off folliculitis and the arnica to help with menopausal boob pain.
Step 5. Lie down and listen to the radio for half an hour. Remember to breathe.
Step 6. Sponge off face mask.
Step 7: Toner. Yes, I know I said previously I don’t believe in it. The exception is after a mud mask – to be absolutely sure the skin is clean before applying moisturiser. Today, the chosen toner was Clarins which dictated the next step.
Step 8: Moisturise. I cheated a bit and used the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm here instead of regular moisturiser. Why? I try to avoid mixing too many brands all on the same day.
Step 9: Body moisturise using L’Occitaine Shea Butter Body Lotion
Step 10. Possibly controversial. Application of collagen gel to bum. Well, it’s been slipping a bit too you know.
Step 11. Foot moisturise with Philosophy Sole Owner. Simple and effective.
Step 12. Final spritz all round with Philosophy Inner Grace.
Total time: One hour.
End result: PEACH
Note to self. A change not just of plumpness, but of actual fruit. Confused readers should proceed with caution to horticultural bloggers for clarification.
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