My friend calls.  ”My skin’s looking dull, what shall I put on it?”  My dreaded kind of question as obviously her skin will be different to mine, plus to be honest,  it’s more the mechanics and the personalities of it all that intrigues me.  I’m in the middle of researching a feature about two facialists so I’m using their products exclusively, but generally my own skincare routine is schizophrenic, changing according to whatever arrived in the post today.   But she’s a very good friend, the best friend, and besides, she’s just spent £120 on a pot of cream that  brought her out in welts the first times she used it.  Can’t have her making mistakes like that in these times of financial constraint. 

First up I tell her to call the store where she bought the cream from.  ”Will I get my money back?” she asks.  ”Hmm.. Possibly not,” I say.  ”You could break out with any cream, natural or chemical, and they can’t be accountable for how each person’s skin behaves.  But you can speak to the person who sold you the cream, ask if it’s normal for your skin to do this, if you should persevere with using it or give up.”   The money-back question is complicated.  If I were a store and I thought this was going to be a repeat customer, and not a time-waster, I probably would give some samples of things to try first, or offer a credit note.  Because if one of the samples I gave then went on to suit that customer, she’d be back time after time for more.  But then I’m not in retail.  I’ll find out though, it’s an interesting question. 

“What do you use?” she asked.  ”Oh, I don’t know, this and that.”  Which wasn’t very helpful, so I went to consult the font of all wisdom, the bathroom cupboard.   And there, tucked away between the freebies I’ve used once and never again, were the real favourites, the things I return to when all else fails, when I want a RESULT, the things I use right down to the last drop in the bottle. 

In no particular order:

1) MD SKINCARE Daily Face Peel:  this is fantastic, if I use it within a couple of days somebody will tell me my skin is looking great.  For dull skin there is nothing better.  Two pots, each with white impregnated cotton pads you smooth on to your face every day.  They work as a gentle exfoliant.  Absolutely brilliant.  

2) Soap and Glory Dr Spot.  Simple, effective,  the salicylic acid in this gets straight to the point, great for those humdingers that pop up on the chin from time to time. 

3) Natura Bisse Diamond Creme.  Skin feels taut and moisturised.  A divine, intense cream for winter skin. 

4) Sheerin O’kho First Class Flight.  Because when you fly in Economy this gives your skin an upgrade.  It’s great for when the heating is first turned on and starts to dry out your skin.  It’s also essentially a natural-ingredient moisturiser so fantastic for anyone who doesn’t like anything too chemical.  And for a feel-good factor it’s second to none - the texture is light and airy, the scent is a subtle rose. 

5) Soap and Glory Glow Job, Daily Radiance Moisture Lotion.  This has to be the best value tinted moisturiser out there, and gives skin a healthy brightness as the days get darker.  (not so bright you’re a beacon in the dark like a Ready-Brek child, but bright enough that you don’t look like a corpse).  Besides which… the name!  Glow Job!  does that not bring a smile to your face? 

6) Aromatherapy Associates Enrich Body Serum.  If you look closely at the picture you’ll see the cap is broken, that’s because I’ve used this so much.  It is the best thing for dry shins, the perfect combination between a cream and an oil, it sinks straight in to your skin, and smells beautiful.

Some of these products are cheaper than others, but they’re all what I’d call staples.  And if I was going to add a few more:  Eve Lom’s Cleanser and Eve Lom’s Rescue Mask. 

And now I’m going to find out about the Returns-policy… 

See? I’m not such a bad friend. 

x