I am a skin care whore. There, I have said it. I have been searching for a product or a brand that will hydrate and moisturise and not cost the earth, a product that will do what it says on the tin!
I had stayed with the same brand l’Oreal for years, but in the last eighteen months, my skin has changed dramatically and the products were no longer working.
I know. What can I expect? I have just turned 60 and wrinkles and sagging are a natural part of ageing, with the loss of collagen and elastin that comes with growing older. And if I am not prepared to go down the botox and fillers route, I need to accept my face as it is. (It is probably too late for that route anyway). I have to accept that I will never have baby skin again! Hiding your wrinkles and sagging jaw line with your hair is always an option. See below!
And I do. What I can not accept is the dryness and with that comes furrows and frown lines, cracks and crevices. I kid you not. I have moved from one oil or cream to the next. Some I have given up on half-way through the jar, because of the negative effect it has had on my skin. Some have been good enough, but maybe a little pricey. I love Charlotte Tilbury make-up but I was disappointed with her expensive day cream which I bought once only!
No 7 products do nothing for me; in fact I found that the ‘Lift and Luminate’ did neither and added zero hydration to my skin. I did use L’Oreal for a few years and had been happy enough with it for a while, but maybe if you use a product for too long it stops working!
Of course, I realise that none of us has the same skin, even if we are the same age! We all react differently to creams and what suits me might not suit you.
But I am so excited to share my latest discovery with you. On my 60th birthday, the stylist daughter had booked a make-up session for me in The Make Up Bar Dublin. By the way, I was delighted with the end result. I even had false eyelashes applied which I loved.
I had been moaning about the fact that my skin had changed hugely in the previous year and Keira, the lovely make-up artist, told me about this product Tears of Collagen which they sold there. I had to have it. She said it was getting rave reviews from those who had used it.
Tears of Collagen
The idea is that this skin tonic or toner can be spritzed on the skin prior to the use of skin cream for an added nutrition boost or even used as a skin drink throughout the day for instant hydration.
It contains high amounts of collagen, elastin extracts which are blended with sea minerals and bio plasma (a plant extract active ingredient) …… which makes Tears of Collagen (€39 99 the perfect skin tonic/toner.
It is like a drink to ultimately hydrate and nourish the skin with every application.
To say I love it is an understatement. And it also contains an SPF 30, an added bonus. I always use a skin spritzer such as La Roche Posay or Eau Thermale Avene, but this is on a completely different level.
Skin Milk
When I was there, I also got Face Skin Milk (€49 99) a light, fast-absorbing milk that hydrates and moisturises. This is recommended for use under your make-up.
This particular product is ideal for under make up as it is a light-weight, fast-absorbing milk that hydrates, and gives the skin an all over healthy glow without causing any oily barriers for make up.
It contains active ingredients of Hylauronic Acid, Collagen and Elastin which are incorporated with Glycol (beet extract moisturiser), glycerin, jojoba, sea minerals and bio plasma which, according to the manufacturers, make it a powerful anti-ageing and active product. You might be blinded by the science behind it, but I have to say that I am hugely impressed with it and I found it far more effective than more expensive creams. It also has SPF30.
I had to learn more about these products so contacted The Make Up Bar. And I got some of the facts behind the company.
Well, here is the low-down:
1 Xtreme Anti-Wrinkle is an Irish Company.
2 The cosmetologist behind the brand is passionate about his products and has been working on them for years.
3 All products are hand-made in Ireland.
4 What is interesting is that the skincare is solely driven towards repairing the skin, always finishing with a high SPF (which I love) and they are suitable for all skin types, even sensitive skins.
5 The range is formulated with extreme anti-wrinkle results as the objective and carefully formulated recipes with potent active ingredients are used that give results from the base layer of the skin to the surface.
6 The range has not been launched officially yet, but those people who have stumbled upon it like me have been purchasing more and more of the products.
I have now been gifted some of their products to try (because I went back hyperventilating about the Tears of Collagen, in particular) and I am hugely excited by what is in front of me. Seriously, watch this space as I road test what could be what I and YOU have been looking for!!
You want to know where you can get your dirty little hands on them???
Oh! ok, I will share.
Love me a great skincare product, how exciting that you have found products that you are so happy with. There is no doubt our needs change as we age and it can be difficult to find the right thing. Made in Ireland too – bonus!
Thanks Jan. Those I have been given are even more exciting. And they are affordable. Have a look at their website.
This sounds very good —- I too am a skincare whore, and I’m so glad to find someone else who doesn’t rate the Boots No 7 range. Their products made my skin worse.
Gail I do not normally rave about a product or products..you have to be so careful. We all need different products for our skin types. Thanks for commenting.
I saved this from in the week to come back to read and comment, Hilda. I’m a skin care whore, too, Anything that describes itself as a drink for your skin makes my ears prick up! I’d just like to say as well that you look fabulous for 60 — fabulous. Sharon xoxo
Sharon you sweetie…I have more of their products to try..and so far love them. The collagen tears is gorgeous unlike anything else I have tried. And my skin needed it as it has got very tired recently. My acupuncturist has been ill for 3 months…Ineed her.. Did you have a lokk at their website?? They have given me all of them to try. All because I kept leaving messages about the collagen tears..