Josephine Fairley explores the best ways to beat the clock …
The world of age-defiance is one of the most lucrative, for the beauty industry. Add on the words 'anti-wrinke' to anything, and women seem to go mad for the products it's emblazoned on. But do they work…? Well, having spent two years working with Sarah Stacey on The Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible, which has just been published by Kyle Cathie, I can put my hand on my heart and say: yes, they do.
How wan I be sure? Because Sarah and I (and a team of beauty 'elves') enlisted the help of over 2,500 women for our research, who trialled products over a period of months and reported back. (There's no such thing as a 'free anti-ageing cream', meanwhile; testers have to fill in detailed forms and, for instance, compare one side of their face to the other. Quite often, meanwhile, results are so impressive that we get countless e-mails from women asking, 'Can I start using the product on the other side of my face, because the difference is starting to become obvious…?' At that point, BTW, the answer is 'yes'.)
But before I give you a run-down of some of the products our diligent testters loved, here's my own personal anti-ageing regime. (And if you'll indulge me a small plug here, there's more, much more, of course, in the book …)
• Take up yoga
• Sleep more
• Discover facial massage
• Be more active. (Your skin will thank you.)
And now - the bit you've been waiting for - a taster of the products which wowed our Beauty Bible testers, with their comments
An amazing facial oil: Nude Replenishing Night Oil
(scored an average of 9.65/10)
We have waited fourteen years for a product to notch up a mark this staggeringly high - averaged across ten testers (mostly they gave it a ten). With its blend of active oils (including macadamia, raspberry and cranberry seeds, apricot kernel and kukui), this is super-rich in omegas 3, 6, 7 and 9.
Comments: 'Absolutely enhanced radiance, I felt and looked ten years younger - smoother, less lined, brighter, this is serious skincare' ∙ 'makes my dry crepe skin and flaky patches softer and more dewy, and didn't aggravate at all, which is a miracle in itself' ∙ 'a real anti-age product. a must-have for mature skin.'