…searching for the perfect moisturiser. Lads, you can go now; this is a girl thing.

So. The Disreputable Dad (who, being a perfumer and purveyor of all things smelly for donkey’s years, knows his onions about such things) and from whom I have inherited my interest in fragrances, cosmetics and generally buying stuff that I can’t afford, sent me a Clarins Moisture Quenching Hydra-Care Cream for my birthday. I love it. It smells gorgeous and leaves your skin really soft. Trouble is, I’ve had to downgrade it to a night cream as it’s somehow too rich for me and by lunchtime the sun reflecting off my shiny forehead is dazzling oncoming traffic.

Now although I’d got my old favourite, Estée Lauder’s DayWear Plus SPF15, which is the one that smells lovely and goes on looking grey, but turns into a surprisingly flattering tint on your face, I find that I can’t put that on my neck (never neglect your décolleté, girls - nobody likes a crinkly cleavage) when I’m wearing certain things because it makes my collars dirty. I’ve also got a Liz Earle moisturiser that I got with my Cleanse and Polish, but it smelly funny and I can’t be doing with smelling like an old lady. Back to the chemist then. Quickly discarding Olay’s Anti Wrinkle Firming Day Cream SPF15 (too greasy) and the Nivea Visage Oil Free Moisturising Fluid (not bad for a cheapo, but not moisturising enough for my two-children-induced lines), I moved onto their Sunkissed Skin moisturiser, but it has that awful reek of cheap fake tan and two days of Hubby sniffing the air and going ‘ew, what’s that smell’ every time he came near me were quite enough, thank you.

My new purchase, then (thanks to the exceptionally patient lady in the chemist) is ROC Hydra+ Matifying Re-Sourcing Care, which says it’s a gel, but looks like a cream to me. So far it’s looking good and seems reasonably matte on the skin without leaving me feeling like I can’t smile or my face will crack (I wonder if that’s what Botox feels like?) Still, if this one doesn’t work I’m going to have to start selling my body (or my children) as even the usually mind-mannered Hubby might start to take exception to my expenditure. And don’t even get me started on foundations. Ho hum. It’s tough being gorgeous.

No Comments »