The new skin superheroes!
Lettuce. Grapes. Olives. No, we’re not talking about the latest miracle diet, but the new wonder ingredients your face will fall in love with
The anti-ageing cleanser
We know berries and fruits are good
for our health, but now they're being hailed as revolutionary for our skin,
too. Scientists have discovered that the potent oils of acai, goji, bilberry
and blueberry - which are all full of antioxidants - can help repair the
skin, making it look healthier. And Neal's Yard's new Power Berry Facial
Wash, £12.60, (below right) is full of 'em, packing an anti-ageing punch
that will leave your skin looking younger, tighter and brighter. Use morning
and night before any other products.
Also try: Skin Wisdom
Protect & Prevent Radiance Cleansing Milk, £3.99, contains anti-ageing
pomegranate, which is full of antioxidants. For sensitive skin, try
Darphin's new Cleansing Milky Emulsion, £24.47 - it's great for calming
redness, thanks to its soothing liquorice extracts.
The amazing glow-giver
The new generation of toners and facial
sprays give more than just a blast of freshness. Take Aveda's Enbrightenment
range - the new Brightening Treatment Toner, £29.36, (below left) transforms
a dull-looking complexion into gorgeous glowiness. It contains mulberry root
and grape extracts, which diminish dark spots and even out discolouration.
Use morning and night after cleansing.
Also try: Primavera's
Organic Rosewater Hydrosol, £9.75, is a delicious-smelling spray that's
infused with organic Turkish damask-rose blossoms, proven to help restore
moisture and soften fine lines.
The hydrating miracle mask
Slathering your face with part of
your five a day instead of eating it might seem strange, but the new
Vegetable(s) range of products packs all the goodness of your favourite
fruit and veg into skincare form. Our hero product is the Mash Melon
Purifying Mask, £39, (above center) which contains detoxifying melon extract
and rehyrdating lettuce extract. Use once a week after cleansing, leave on
for 5-10 minutes and then rinse off.
Also try: Decléor's
newly reformulated Hydra Floral Anti-Pollution Moisturising Mask, £23.50, is
perfect for drier skins. It's light and creamy, and contains orange water to
nourish skin. Use once or twice a week on clean skin.
The face-plumping moisturiser
Eve Lom, top facialist to stars
such as Kate Hudson and Eva Mendes, hasn't launched a new product in five
years, but we knew her TLC Radiance Cream, £40, (below left) would be worth
waiting for. It's also setting a new trend for moisturisers to be packed
full of vitamins, providing skin with hydration and nourishment. The cream
contains antioxidising vitamins E and C, and vitamin A (from rosehip-seed
oil and Arctic raspberry-seed oil), which boosts collagen, leaving you with
plumper skin. It also helps to reverse environmental damage. Use on your
face and neck after cleansing in the morning.
Also try:
Herbfarmacy Replenish Face Cream, £16.50. It's fantastic for both normal and
dry skin, and is packed with wrinkle-busting calendula, marshmallow and
vitamin E. For normal to oily skin, vitamin E-packed Purity Organic Skincare
Facial Moisturiser, £5.99, is a fab-priced find.
The turn-back-time serum
For years researchers have been
analysing the skin's own 'repair molecule', Activin. And, at last,
scientists at Avon have discovered the chemicals needed to increase its
production. Anew Reversalist Renewal Serum, £26, (below center) helps to
boost the skin's ability to repair itself, creating fresh new skin and
reversing wrinkles. Don't believe us? After using for one week, 73 per cent
of testers agreed that their skin "felt like new", and after two weeks their
wrinkles were dramatically reduced. Apply daily after cleansing.
Also
try: Marks & Spencer Formula Instant Fix Moisture Boost Serum,
£9.50, also gets testers' top marks. After two weeks, 75 per cent of women
reported improved skin.
The blackhead-busting uber-scrub
The must-have ingredients for
an exfoliator used to be naturally abrasive apricot kernels or porridge oats
(yawn). Not any more. They're being cast aside for the latest super-scrubber
- ground olive stones. Research has found the stones provide just the right
level of exfoliation, without being too harsh on skin, as well as reducing
the size of pores and blackheads. Our favourite product is Korres
Pomegranate Cleansing Scrub, £14, (above left) which as well as using
pomegranate to rejuvenate, also contains exfoliating grains made from Greek
ground olive stones. Apply to wet skin, massage and rinse off. Use every
five days.
Also try: St Ives Elements Olive Scrub, £4.99.
It's perfect for all skin types, and contains olive oil to nourish and
natural jojoba beads to exfoliate without scratching.
This article has 2 comments
Where can we buy the Neal's Yard's power berry facial wash? i have been checking the website and can't find it? Please help?? Thanks
Tracey
By tracey. Posted August 16 2009 at 9:12 PM.
Please could you let me know where I can buy the Vegetable(s) range.
By Natasha Cesvette. Posted August 16 2009 at 12:58 PM.