Beauty Review - SkinCeuticals Serum 10

In 2008 and quite suddenly I started suffering from late-onset acne (adult acne that manifests itself in the thirties). It was localised on the lower-face region and became quite unsightly. It was characterised by a combination of acne spots, skin blotchiness and flakiness. I had read about the condition previously and when personally confronted to it, I put it down to a combination of stress, fatigue and poor diet (contributing factors, although the real reasons are likely to be more complex and hormonal).

From having suffered a mild yet stubborn bout of acne in my late teenage years, I knew that lotions and potions alone would not be sufficient to treat the condition, while on the other hand I was reluctant to undergo another round of Roaccutane, as the harsh side-effects had put me off.

When out and about in Manchester city centre, I had spotted (pardon the pun) a newly-opened skin treatment clinic, in Kendals (House of Fraser): White Light Skin Clinic - rebranded shortly after as DestinationSkin. I went in and enquired about their IPL treatments (Intense Pulsed Light), and whether these would make a noticeable difference to my skin. I was told that they would and I signed on for two courses of IPL treatment, and never looked back! Despite some doubts after my initial buzz, the results were truly amazing. The spottiness, blotchiness and flakiness all cleared.

As soon as I started the course, I was advised (but not forced) to switch my skincare routine to SkinCeuticals products, in order to maximise the benefits from the IPL - especially the broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection, to wear day in day out, even on cloudy and rainy days (when we may wrongly assume that skin is safe from the damaging sun effects!). By the way, I was told by DestinationSkin that they are not commissioned on any of the brands that they recommend/ sell to their clients.

I was also encouraged to start using a serum - which I had never done but read that once in your thirties you should consider using one - and to kick off the process with SkinCeuticals Serum 10 (10% pure vitamin C), SkinCeuticals' mildest dual formulation of ferulic acid and L-ascorbic acid. It is an antioxidant serum that offers added protection against UV skin damage and free radicals, and claims to reduce the visible signs of premature ageing like wrinkles, lines and brown spots.

SkinCeuticals is an American cosmeceutical brand. Its proposition is at the intersection between pharmaceutical and cosmetic care, on a mission to deliver pharmaceutical advancements in skincare. The brand is part of the top-end niche skincare market, and is building on further market penetration.

My skin therapist warned me that SkinCeuticals products didn't particularly 'smell nice' (apart from the subtly-scented Emollience moisturiser). So no pampering flowery smell nor - for that matter - luxe designer-style, sexy perfume-like packaging to demonstrate the premium nature of the brand. SkinCeuticals would rather keep sobriety in packaging and shy away from glossy advertising campaigns to concentrate their research budget and expertise on those formulations of active ingredients that will help deliver benefits to the skin. If the proverbial proof of the pudding is in the eating, the proof of the product is definitely in the application...

The Serum is so concentrated in active ingredients that you should use no more than 4-5 drops for the whole face, neck and chest, daily. So this is really a case of a little going a long way, and a bottle of Serum will last you months! Therefore keep this in mind when faced with the initial price outlay. For best results, you are advised to use the serum regularly, without interruption, although SkinCeuticals serums are effective for a minimum of 72 hours after application. Apply in the morning on cleansed skin, before moisturiser and UV protection sunscreen, in a thin-to-thick formulation order.

SkinCeuticals encourages its customers to increase the level of concentration, in line with skin tolerance, i.e. move from Serum 10 to Serum 15, when you feel your skin ready for it. You may experience some stinginess and/ or irritation at first, therefore space applications out until skin gets used to the treatment. The serum will oxidise naturally with time, i.e. turn darker in appearance, which won't affect its effectiveness.

It would be naive to expect miracles out of a bottle of serum alone. My skin tone has greatly improved, primarily thanks to the IPL, but I doubt the serum alone would have achieved such dramatic results all by itself. However as part of a maintenance programme, it is a great way to help your skin stay in tip-top condition. My skin looks and feels more supple. The serum facilitates skin cell renewal, and as a result my complexion is less dull than it would without. Now I have a confession. I haven't been as religious with the Serum as I should have. Also I should have moved to a higher serum level, instead of lingering in the comfort zone. So I'll make sure my next SkinCeuticals serum purchase reflects that intention.

Also to those of you who might be tempted to believe that a serum will magically erase sun spots or age spots on the face, it won't. It will fade them, like IPL does, but they will tend to return, especially if - like me - you (now) live on the Mediterranean shores, even if you do avoid the sun... That's the price to pay for that life-in-the-sun lifestyle, I'm afraid!

SkinCeuticals Serum 10 is available as a 30ml (1 fl.oz) bottle, RRP: $84.00, £54.00.

Pluses:

• Proven added protection level to UV factor sunscreen used daily
• Lightweight, easy to apply
• A little goes a long way
• Skin feels plumper, suppler, healthier
• Cosmeceuticals brand, integrity

Minuses:

• Metallic smell, may be perceptible
• When the serum starts to naturally oxidise, its colouring might tint an area of the skin slightly if not applied light-handedly
• Price (serums are not cheap).

Pluses & Minuses (Part 3)

Material Girl: Habits die hard and I would be in denial if I claimed I do not miss certain aspects of my life in Britain, including people and places. When you are confined to an island, reclused to a fairly remote village an hour's drive from the nearest town, shopping takes a totally different dimension.



My Summer favourites: Toni Pons sandals (Padua model)

When in Manchester, it was easy for me to take Selfridges, Kendals or John Lewis for granted when they were virtually on my doorstep and I was a frequent visitor. Now there are days when I'd happily part with my dearest belongings, just for an hour of full-on city life! And the little add-ons too, like a decent cappuccino, a top-notch beauty treatment, an interesting TV documentary or a good old night out, where you can wear your hair down and are spoilt for choice in terms of venues...

Also once upon a time going for a drive opened a window of opportunities, whereas where I live now, whether heading north or south there is only the one road. Talk about that claustrophobic feeling...

Family Guys: Bring two generations with strong personalities and diverging views together under one roof, with limited space and (what seems like) unlimited time, add a lovely albeit sometimes lively Jack Russell Terrier (Tickle!), spice the scene up with frequent changes of plans and unsettled financial situation for the new arrivals, and you get a picture of disjointed family harmony. Family support has become a double-edged sword and you believe that their interference impacts on your progress. Mind you, at least, in their own peculiar way, they are showing us some interest...

  
Prospects: We came here for a chance to change our lives for the better. I was keen to move away from office-based jobs and a stalled career, and start afresh as an entrepreneur. In the meantime we were keen to find jobs, any jobs really, to sort ourselves out. Maybe we were naive to believe this would be easy.

One of the specificities of the local job market is that it is geared towards seasonality to respond to the peaks and troughs of the tourist industry, making it versatile in a hire-and-fire sort of way, with wage expectations right down to the bare legalities of the job market (i.e. the minimum wage) and 4 months of working day in day out, without a single day off. France might be reputed for its labour ethics, the reality is it's the jungle out there!

Moreover the current economic climate is not favourable to would-be entrepreneurs in need of a cash injection, and business plans must come up with a well thought-out USP to buck the recessionary trend, beat competition, convince the grey suits at the Chamber of Commerce and attract lenders. On a par with Britain, the latter have become more reticent and cover themselves with more guarantees.

Business loans are not what they used to be in terms of attractivity, and they come with a string of conditions attached. For instance in France, if you wish to run your own agricultural concern, you need to attend agricultural college first in order to benefit from preferential loan rates. The process of setting up your own business also implies an off-putting amount of red tape, although a streamline version of self-employment was pioneered in France in recent years, with mitigated success: auto-entrepreneur.

Techno-Flops: Last but not least, another flipside to that Cut Off from the World feeling that badly affects communication in this part of the island is the inadequation between the supply and demand in terms of electricity and telecoms. This invariably translates into power cuts, down telephone lines and a chaotic/ inconsistent broadband internet service, all colluding against consumer expectations in terms of the bare foundations of a modern lifestyle. The violent winds that sweep the northern Cape also cause power cuts. To these inconveniences, add a non-existent or bare-minimum public transport service between the most remote villages, and the feeling of isolation quickly becomes exacerbated beyond reason.

The Low-down: Logic tells us to add up all the pluses together (4) and then all the minuses (8), and to deduct whether this relocation experience was at all worthwhile... Although the answer seems quite obvious at first glance, it is not that clear-cut at the same time because it involves a number of parametres like family ties and the fact we have already invested a fair amount of time, effort and cash in this adventure.

Although giving up now may appear like the obvious option we feel we have to give it another shot, maybe review some assumptions in the process, and read the small print on family relationships!