skin rescue

It's been quiet on the Dolly Mixture front of late, namely because I've been busy with the day job, and secondly I've been away. In the sun. Lucky me! This blog post addresses post holiday skin. A healthy dose of rays leaves your complexion looking sunkissed, but it can also leave it looking and feeling dry especially if a long haul flight is in the mix.

These two tubes over just a week have undoubtedly rebooted my skin after a 2 week road trip in Southern California - beautiful, but sizzling, constant air con and an 11 hour flight. Yes, my skin demands a staycation, but my mind and body demand something else! My skin was a little blemished touching down from my trip, so I looked to the deep cleansing qualities of Emma Hardie's new Amazing Face Instant Radiance Mask. It's a mask that doubles up as a great prep before going out, or a night treatment if you're staying in. Once removed skin looks tighter in pore size and hydrated and blemishes seem to clear up quickly. I've used it three times this week, as it's so rich and indulgent and feels like pay-back for neglecting my skin. Darphin's Vitalskin  Replumping Energic Emulsion is the perfect everyday moisturiser. Its light application belies its hydrating benefits. My skin's barrier looks strengthened and plumpness has been restored. Together they've rebooted my skin, and I need to thank them for that.

Emma Hardie Instant Radiance Mask, £36 www.emmahardie.com
Darphin Replumping Energic Emulsion, £39 www.darphin.co.uk

A pot of dreams

A cream that you apply at night and wake up looking younger maybe wishful thinking, but formulations are becoming ever smarter. Take Darphin’s Ideal Resource Overnight Cream. It’s said to give a re-birth to skin during the twilight hours. Formulated with 80% natural ingredients, it gets to work by enhancing the skin’s own night time mechanisms to revive lost radiance and perfect skin texture.

As you prepare for bed mentally, so does your skin.  Darphin recognizes that day time skin works hard to protect itself from the daily attacks, but once the clock strikes mid-night – or thereabouts! It switches into recovery mode. In fact, night time skin’s regeneration process is three times faster than during the day. It’s more porous and therefore more receptive to the benefits of essentials oils and other powerful ingredients. So to skip a night cream would be foolhardy.

I’ve worn night creams in the past that have kept me awake. I kid you not. One was so strong in fragrance it kept me tossing and turning all night and my husband deemed it a passion killer it stunk that much! I can happily report this one has no such effect. It’s lightly scented with neroli essential oil, one of the creams key ingredients which is known for its calming benefits. For its radiance boosting appeal, salicylic acid and acetyglucosamine are used to help improve cell renewal by sloughing away dead cells. I’m not saying you way up looking 10 years younger – that would be a dream too far, but skin certainly looks fresher and ready to face the day.

Darphin Ideal Resource Overnight Cream is suitable for all skin and costs £52.

Available from November

Darphin adds to its skin arsenal

FLOWERS FROM THE LAUNCH TO ILLUSTRATE THE BLOOM OF YOUTH!

Magazines may tell us 30 is the new 20, but we just wish our brain receptors would tell our skin! Yep, 30 and beyond are great ages, more experience, more wisdom, more settled... but it’s also a time when there’s more changes to the skin.

The French brand, Darphin who have clocked up more than 50 yeas in anti-ageing expertise reveal that once we hit the big 3-0, skin flips from youthful to needy. Lines start appearing around the eyeline, forehead and mouth. That pink cheeked perkiness loses its radiance and skin’s bank of youthful resources is gradually depleted. Although emergency measures aren’t needed, help certainly is, which is why this month they’re introducing two skincare innovations in their Ideal Resource skincare line. Cleverly called the Wrinkle Minimizer Perfecting Serum and the Micro-refining Smoothing Fluid – who wouldn’t want a bit of this skin treatment jargon? They both profess to give a triple action of targeting radiance, lines and texture.

THE PERFECT SKIN COUPLE

Kapow! At the heart of both products is their hard working botanical trio called The Line Polish Complex. Knotweed, White Hibiscus and Centella Asiatica all dance together and support the natural cell renewal of the skin, smooth the appearance of winkles and help to minimise imperfections. In tests, 35% saw an instant result in radiance, and after four weeks, 29% of women said skin texture had improved in terms of softness and less visible pores.

The Wrinkle Miminizer Perfecting Serum, £59 works specifically on lines. Rich in Tannin Tree Extract, it helps support the skin’s natural collagen fibres.

The Micro-refining Smoothing Fluid, £50 feels like velvet and helps the sloughing of dull skin, much like an exfoliator. It’s ideal for the 40% of women over the age of 25 who have combination or oily skin as it boasts shine control powers.

The Ideal Resource Line is available from selection Darphin salons and online from 6^th February.

www.darphin.co.uk