Is it ever worth spending £100 on a pot of moisturiser, even if it is claimed to be used by supermodel Naomi Campbell, all over her body and not just her face? She does look fabulous and has the most amazing skin so why not, right? Or so I thought.
Earlier this year I decided I wanted to ‘invest’ in an expensive moisturiser, just because I had a significant birthday coming up and thought I needed to spend more to see more results, and now that my skin was older only the really expensive stuff would work. I was just kidding myself. Yes, investing in skincare is wise but it doesn’t mean you need an uber expensive moisturiser. My experience has renewed my belief that investing in a decent serum which targets your particular skin’s problem / issue is the best approach. And then regular and consistent use of said serum will be what makes the real difference. Serums boost the work of your daily moisturiser allowing it to do its primary job of creating a barrier and trapping in all the goodness.
I digress.
So earlier this year I ventured out to one of my favourite beauty halls (Selfridges, a.k.a. the mothership) and went straight to the Crème de la Mer counter. The consultants there were very attentive and left me free to try a wee dollop of the stuff. These tiny little pots of pure white gloss, clean lines and simple branding sure look and feel expensive. Their contents feel pretty expensive too, gliding on to the skin, quickly absorbing to leave a smooth finish. Great, I’ll have one of them please! The consultants generously wrapped the pot in some tissue and popped it into a Crème de la Mer branded bag (not a Selfridges one), and included with it a couple of samples of the SPF version of the same moisturiser, both contained within their own pouches. How decadent. And ever so slightly unnecessary. But it made me feel important and pampered. I still remember the feeling, excited about trying it out as soon as I got home.
What a disappointment it turned out to be after all that pomp and ceremony. It certainly felt luxurious on my skin but left it thirsting for more. And I tried all the old tricks – applying to damp just toned skin or popping some serum under it, I even applied a second layer once the first felt like it had been absorbed. Sadly it didn’t do the trick. My skin felt dry and tight. And even after 6 months of use I honestly could not say that my skin looked any better than it did when using my normal moisturiser (which has been Decléor Hydra Floral Multi-Protection Light Cream for more years than I can remember). I had such high hopes. I had read so much about the magic little pot and about all the goodness contained within (sea kelp), but alas just not for me. Money does not guarantee effectiveness for every skin type. I’ll stick with my old favourite for now. Can you forgive me Decléor?
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