Many of the make-up and products we use are designed to camouflage, conceal or compensate for the fact that our skin is not where we would like it to be.
Even those who take tremendous joy in make-up and skincare, myself included, will usually say that they would wear less make-up in general if they were happier with their skin. I certainly have days where I feel the need for a touch more concealer or foundation than usual – this morning, for example, when I awoke with one of those entirely unsignalled but malevolent rashy patches on my cheek.
I could have forgone the concealer, but would have had to undergo the experience of everyone I met addressing their conversation to my rash instead of to me. Replace the rash with a large seething spot, or a patch of uneven texture, and the same goes. That is too much extra work for one day.
Regular exfoliation will help with all of the above (with the exception of a rash, which should of course never be exfoliated). The chemical route is better in every respect than gritty, physical exfoliants. SkinCeuticals Glycolic 10 Renew Overnight Nightly Treatment (€85, skinceuticals.co.uk) is a new offering from one of the most consistently excellent brands on the market. The quality of their ingredients and the rarity of new launches (only about two annually) makes the brand worth paying attention to. This glycolic night cream resurfaces and leaves skin palpably glowing, and can be used nightly. If you are unused to glycolic acid products, cycle in gently by using it every other night.
If you must use a physical exfoliant, there is no need to invest heavily. Try L'Oréal Paris Smooth Sugars Glow Scrub (€11.99, Boots) for a nice resurfacer, but massage it into the skin very gently, ideally before bed-time, and follow up with soothing products.
Vichy Slow Âge Nuit (€32, pharmacies and stockists nationwide) is a product I was sceptical of. A night-cream and mask in one, it has a strange gelatinous oil texture and an unexpected rusty colour. After several weeks of testing, I can chide myself for my uncertainty. This is transformative stuff – the sort of skincare that will have people commenting on how good your skin looks within days of using it. Men or women's skin is plumper, glowing and supremely comfortable. This is a mid-price product that does work far beyond its price point.
To keep that glow going, the new foundation offering from YSL, Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat All in One Glow Foundation (€44, from March 7th) is perfect. With medium coverage, this hydrating and very glowy foundation is not for anyone who prefers a matte finish. It is intensely dewy, and the finish is beautifully fresh and radiant.
For those skin enthusiasts who prefer even more light reflection, there is Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Face Mixology Custom Drops (€35, Brown Thomas), which you can mix into foundation or apply where you want an extra beam of light. These can also be added to moisturiser for a subtler, lit-from-within glow.
