INSTANT FACE SAVER
These are the products you want in your beauty toolkit when your skin needs a quick fix. Could be it is having a sensitivity reaction, for some reason. Or you’ve had a late night or been unwell and your skin’s looking dry/dull/dehydrated/puffy - in a word, tired. Whatever the cause, most of us know there are times when skin needs a pick-me-up that works fast and effectively to refresh, hydrate and brighten skin. Often nowadays, these products combine immediate visible results plus ongoing benefits when used daily for a period of time. We know these products, which range in type from cream to balm to toner to oil – and we’re delighted that Beauty Bible testers reported such great results.
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD and BEST NATURAL Balance Me Vitamin C Repair Serum
From this much loved British beauty brand, founded by sisters Rebecca and Clare Hopkins, comes this powerhouse serum. Use it for emergencies or use it all the time – the combination of stabilised vitamin C with Boerhavia Diffusa plus hyaluronic acid and olive squalane helps brighten and hydrate skin that’s got the blahs almost instantly, and then boost elasticity and tone with longer use. The combo also helps fade dark spots but that would take a bit longer too. Heavenly smelling too with aromatherapeutic oils. It’s vegan, cruelty free and 99.8% natural. For all skin types, any time.
£35 for 30ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. Oh wow. This is like applying liquid sunshine to my face on a grey winter's day. It smells delicious and sunny and happy. This serum boosts my mood every single morning that I use it. Even if it was rubbish I would be tempted to buy it for the happy, uplifting, sunny smell alone! It’s a citrusy, orangey, slightly floral smell that makes you think blossom groves in the Med. A small amount of this serum covers the face, nick and chest area really easily. It feels easy and smooth to apply. Right after using my skin feels soft and smooth, it looks brighter and a bit dewy in a non-shiny nice kind of dewy way. My face definitely looks more awake after applying this serum. My face looks brighter and glowier after using it. I think the benefits last through the day and with accumulative use have improved my skin tone’ • ‘People have been commenting that my skin looks glowy and healthy since I have started using this serum’ • ‘Absolutely amazing product, smells divine, works like a treat. Really brightens up my dull looking skin. Did not break my skin out. Sits really comfortably. I would give it a ten but the product doesn't seem to last very long. My husband has noticed how bright my complexion looks when wearing this product’ • ‘This has been one of my all time favourite trial products. It is a Vitamin C serum in an elegant simple glass bottle. I was using another Vitamin C serum, which I had been enjoying and was happy to continue with, but this has definitely replaced it in my affections. The serum covers the skin smoothly and quickly, leaving my face feeling awake, nourished and brighter. It hasn't irritated my skin at all and I have used it close to my under eye area. It didn't irritate there and made the area just look healthy, smooth and brighter. I have definitely noticed that my skin is much less dull with a glow to it on these dull winter days. I have also noticed that my brown pigmentation spots have faded over time with daily use’ • ‘It sunk in quite quickly and my skin felt perked up somehow. I looked a bit less wan and tired. My face looked brightened and pinker, but not in an "I am about to break out in hives get this off " way, thankfully. Just a bit more vibrant. I used it in the mornings when needed and as a pre party booster’ • ‘My dry mature skin immediately looked soft and dewy, really healthy and smooth, much bright and clearer. Make-up went on smoothly and looked so much better. People complimented me on the brightness of my skin’ • ‘skin is moisturised and vibrant, it is plump and pigmentation is lighter, skin tone more even, fantastic glow, a little goes a long way.it really is good and I will look at their other products. Excellent. Claims are met’ • ‘my face is instantly perkier and feels lifted without feeling sticky. I immediately look a bit brighter and I smell great! LOVED the fragrance, it is refreshing and instantly puts me in a great mood.’
£35 for 30ml - click to buy
GOLD (JOINT) AWARD Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream
This was actually submitted in the Moisturiser category but as testers pointed out, it’s actually not an everyday cream but brilliant as a rapid acting, deeply hydrating product when your skin has got major dryness/dehydration, is super touchy or otherwise having a tricky time. (Which is, incidentally, how beauty editors use it - and rave about it.) However, testers did trial it daily for four weeks and while some found it a godsend used in that way, others found it too heavy for daily use over 28 days but great for shorter and/or occasional use. It’s not just for faces but also for any areas with localised dryness – so good after hair removal – and ideal for the whole family, babies, children and adults. The super restoring and reparative formula from this respected French dermocosmetic brand, which specialises in dry and sensitive skin, comes from recent research into the skin microbiome (that’s the Cicalfate+ Restore) plus more traditional antibacterial ingredients such as zinc and copper. Like all the brand’s products, it’s rich in Avène’s thermal spring water, full of minerals to calm irritation and boost softness and suppleness.
£9.50 for 40ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. I have sensitive, quite dry skin and I would say this beautiful product has made me look and feel 20 years younger. Within 24 hours of first using my skin seem very youthful instantly as no dryness to it. It was smooth and plump and felt like I had my 18 year old skin back. After 28 days, my skin seem very youthful instantly as no dryness to it. It was smooth and plump and felt like I had my 18 year old skin back. My skin is bright and fresh and even toned, and aging spots have lightened so I have not been using as much foundation; in fact in the day I have been able to not wear makeup even at my age as my skin is now beautiful. A lot of people have said what a difference this product has made to my skin giving it a lovely natural glow.’ • ‘A go to product for sensitive skin - you can actually rub this onto your eyes with no stinging at all ’ • ‘Deeply moisturising product but too much so for daily use. Useful when skin barrier damaged and good for specialist use replenishing dry skin and soothing sensitivity’ • ‘Loved this cream. Immediate positive impact after my skin was dry and sore after pregnancy. Skin was greatly moisturised. Sorted out any dry and irritable patches. I couldn't use it in the day however and wouldn't put make-up over it’ • ‘It's a multi purpose tube of comfort and joy! I had been in hospital for two weeks prior to using this and my skin looked flat and dull and was also irritated and dry. This bought it back to life and felt like a comfort blanket for my skin. Noticed less redness and skin felt incredibly nourished and protected. It also calmed down irritation I was experiencing. It also decreased any areas of flakiness. Colleagues and family have commented that I look well and my skin has calmed down’ • ‘Adore this cream. My skin can be super sensitive and reactive as well as dry and as soon as I massage it into my skin it calms everything down and I can almost feel it breathing a sigh of relief. Although it's a thick textured cream, it doesn't drag across skin and absorbs quickly. I also love that you don't get that dry feeling a couple of hours after application and skin stays feeling nourished, calmed and protected’ • ‘Amazing for any skin that is irritated, broken, inflamed or sore. It really calms and soothes damaged skin quickly and does no further harm. I used it on wind chapped and central heating aggravated cheeks and it soothed them really quickly. My husband had some dry bits on his body and it helped them extremely quickly without irritating him and he has very sensitive skin. It really is a great product in its niche category but I do not recommend it for every day.’
£9.50 for 40ml - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Evolve C Booster + Vitamin C
This oil-based booster from a dedicated English natural/organic company is designed to improve the appearance of dull and tired skin and is definitely a product that both helps to give an instant glow and softness plus improving skin over time with daily use. Ingredients rich in skin loving vitamins A, C, E and F, bakuchiol and are blended into a base of rosehip oil, so the product can penetrate deeper than typical waterbased-products. (Many skincare products are based on water…) Add a drop or two from the pipette dispenser to your moisturiser in the morning, or apply it straight onto cleansed skin and massage in. NB unlike traditional retinols, which can leave skin photosensitive so are best used at night, bakuchiol is fine to use in the morning, as directed. Worth adding that testers with oily or combination skin were less keen than others.
£28 for 15ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. Immediately after first use my face was so soft, and definitely smoother and dewier. The fragrance is absolutely wonderful: I can’t describe how beautiful this smells when you first put it on in the morning. I used it as a pick-me-up when my face looked a bit dull. Over two weeks, it definitely made my face brighter and so moisturised; also helped with evening skin tone. The benefits are still there – it’s not just a quick fix. One day when I just used a couple of drops in my moisturiser my sister noticed my face looked more glowy’ • ‘I really liked this retinol booster. I wasn’t sure if my skin would react, as people say to be wary of retinols, but I had no issues and my skin loved it. Everything this booster claims to do is actually true; that’s why I gave it a 10. It definitely improves the look of dull and tired skin, and imparts radiance. There is nothing I don’t like about this oil’ • ‘It left my skin feeling hydrated and glowy, brighter and clearer - definitely instantly lifted and perked up, which lasted all day until I had a shower’ • ‘My skin was immediately more dewy and glowing, which perked it up! That lasted most of the day. I really liked this and it was fine under make-up, which went on as normal – I only used the small recommended amount, however’ • ‘It is good for sensitive skin - I can sometimes react on retinol but this one was good. It has an oily texture, which puts me off using it during daytime - so I used it overnight. In the morning skin looks nice - firm and plumped. I like the product but would use it as a before bed treatment.’
£28 for 15ml - click to buy
SILVER (JOINT) AWARD Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic
An old favourite here, which proved as popular with testers as ever, gaining several 10/10s (although a couple of testers were not impressed). It’s another double duty beauty product in the sense that, yes, this gentle revitalising toner will brighten and calm your complexion instantly – and also you can use it every day, and on all skin types. (One tester told us she’s been using it for ten years…) Although not totally natural, this contains mostly natural ingredients including antioxidant rich aloe vera, extract of marigold to soothe and nourish, calming cucumber and nourishing vitamin E. It’s designed to be used on a cotton pad, which is easy (please choose reusable pads) although some testers tried it as a splash on, which wasn't so easy. You could decant it into a spray for easy use on the go.
£18 for 200ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. Straight after application my dry, combination skin feels soft, moisturised, fresh and looks dewy and radiant – instantly better! 100% brighter and clearer. It’s an absolute must-have. A few people noticed my skin looking more radiant. The best on the market’ • ‘LOVE LOVE LOVE this product. It is so refreshing, calming and the perfect pick me for my normal, sometimes dry skin’ • ‘This is one product that absolutely matches the product description. Skin looks clean/fresh/glowing as soon as it’s applied. A multi-benefit product that can be used as a post make up toner or a refresh between make-up touch ups. It’s calming & cooling-gentle & really perks you up (and I mean your mood as well as your skin) as the fragrance is just so lovely & uplifting’ • ‘Gives my face a clean glow. I noticed my pores look cleaner. Skin feels comfortable and fresh, no dryness’ • ‘a lovely reviving skin tonic/toner that doesn't feel stripping on the skin. My skin feels clean and refreshed immediately. With prolonged use, it feels more refreshed and toned’ • ‘I love this product - in summer, using it in a spray as a refreshing spritz, and in winter as a quick boost of moisture if I've been sitting in dry heating all day! It’s a nice refresh and quick booster to the skin, and doesn't dry it as no alcohol in it to dry skin out. I think there was a previous change of formula, when Liz Earle sold the company, but its been put back to how it was originally; which I'm glad!’
£18 for 200ml - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD Zelens Power C
As you might just guess from the name, this high-potency concentrate contains 20% highly stable vitamin C ester, plus a proprietary complex of fermented botanicals rich in the same skin-brightening vitamin. From a brand founded by a leading Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Dr Marko Lens, this also promises to boost collagen production and leave skin firmer and more supple, reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles and evening skin tone. The majority of testers liked it a lot – albeit as much - or more - for longer-term results as instant perkiness. It says it’s suitable for all skin types and is dermatologist tested, however, one tester with sensitive skin reported she had a significant negative reaction to it, making her skin very uncomfortable and sore. Others had no tingling.
£105 for 30ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. My mature skin, which is prone to dryness and hormonal redness, loved this. It was instantly perked up and ‘lifted’, dewy soft, bright, plump. Som much so that I have used it daily since I got it and LOVE IT! This product spreads well, absorbs quickly, lending an instant dewyness and brightness. Make up applies easily on top with no pilling which I have found with other products. Not only does it feel nourishing but it feels moisturising. LOVE the consistency. I would tell friends to rush out and buy it’ • ‘Perfect for tired skin that needs a pick-me-up; great during winter for my dry sensitive aged skin. My complexion was much better. I felt the vitamin C brightened my skin, which was desperately needed’ • ‘I really liked this product – on first use my skin was a little more dewy, a liitle less tired. It improved with continued use. I felt it worked quietly away in the background, improving my skin and helping it look more radiant. I loved the pump and how there were no issues getting the product out, despite it being in a glass bottle. The glass was another plus - I much prefer glass over plastic. I also loved how there was no scent, and was completely comfortable on my skin. Often vitamin C serums can cause tingling or tautness but this did not. It also mixed well on my skin with other serums and moisturisers and SPF. Really nice serum - I would definitely buy this again. Very happy with this! ’ • ‘There was a short term boost in moisture for a day or so, and after regular daily use for a few weeks I noticed my skin looking generally brighter and pigmentation starting to fade. No instantly visible lift but my skin felt soft and hydrated, looked plumper and well moisturised’ • ‘The texture was light and milky, which made it feel very refreshing and meant it was also easy to spread around and very quick to absorb into my skin, leaving no greasy or tacky feeling. The serum was hydrating, so though I would always follow up with a moisturiser in my evening routine, I didn't feel I needed one in the mornings. I would use it alongside other serums, e.g. moisturising or a specific treatment’ • ‘I really liked the packaging! It looked good out, felt solid and 'premium', pump meant I didn't have to stick my fingers into the product and worry about germs, and also made it easy to dispense the right amount. I would have loved to keep using this if I could afford it.’
£105 for 30ml - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD Teoxane Deep Repair Balm
This Swiss dermocosmetic company, founded in 2003 by scientist and businesswoman Valérie Taupin, specialises in manufacturing hyaluronic acid dermal fillers to which it’s more recently added antiageing skincare. This rich formulation is targeted at soothing and restoring dry, irritated or sensitised skin either due to external factors such as wind, cold or sun exposure, or post an aesthetic procedure. Key ingredients start, of course, with Resilient Hyaluronic Acid ®, plus soothing lipopeptide, nourishing avocado oil plus arnica and helichrysum to soothe the skin. Research shows that skin feels soothed and immediately comfortable from the first application, with significant results after 14 days.
£34 for 30ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. I adore this balm. It feels like absolute luxury on my mature combination skin, it absorbs very, very well and leaves the skin looking refreshed, soft, supple and dewy, as soon as it's applied. Absolutely brightens the complexion and gives it a glow. The results, even from one use, lasted around three days for me. An amazing restorative product and I intend to continue using this once a week as a treat going forward’ • ‘Love the fragrance, very subtle undertone of floral scent, to me it has a slight scent of rose’ • ‘My normal blemish-prone skin was immediately very smooth and soft and felt refreshed. Skin felt tighter and perked up. It looked very radiant overall and provided a very nice base for make-up. The benefits lasted all day. I was told my skin looked very healthy and youthful’ • ‘Comforting on “dry” days for my dry mature skin, which has redness and pigmentation. Skin felt softer and smoother, more hydrated. It looks a little brighter but more it's plumper and fresher. The fragrance is lovely, light and fresh’ • ‘This was a lovely product, which I used only when I needed a bit of a lift. I have a little bit of redness around my nose and a little on my cheeks and this appeared to reduce the redness and leave my skin looking a little more even. It felt soft after, and looked a little more awake, and brighter. It felt a little bit like a primer and made my make-up look fresh as well. I did get a few comments saying that I looked refreshed and my skin looked good. A very useful cream to give your skin a boost’ • ‘My normal skin felt immediately hydrated and looked very dewy. I have been complimented on my complexion. However, my skin didn’t like make-up on top of this.’
£34 for 30ml - click to buy
BRONZE (JOINT) AWARD Skin Academy Zero Ageless Glow Booster Daily Serum
Well, as one tester (who absolutely loved it) said, this product is a bit different from the iconic flash balms that we think of as instant face savers. However, like the other Award winners in this category, this does have an instant effect as well as demonstrating cumulative benefits over the 28-day trial. The key to glowy, healthy looking skin, according to the brand, is keeping hydrated. So the 100% natural formulation, developed by in-house product development expert Holly Wagman, targets dullness, dehydration and uneven skin tone with its signature ingredient Red Maple Complex, skin soothing, antioxidant rich green tea and sugarbeet (betaine) to help hydration. They recommend using two to three drops am/pm, either pressing into skin or mixing a few drops into your moisturiser for ‘that extra glow!’ The Zero in the name of this British brand refers to the umpteen ingredients that are not in the products, including synthetic or artificial ingredients, sulphates and animal derivatives. (And they won’t directly sell in any country that requires animal testing to sell there.) Some testers rated it very highly indeed as you can read below, but a couple of others saw few/no benefits.
£16.99 for 30ml - click to buy
OUR TESTERS’ COMMENTS:
‘10/10. I have skin gone crazy! It's generally really oily but I started using tret [tretinoin] again about six weeks ago and I'm getting some dry, flaky bits here and there. My skin is quite scarred from acne and I have large pores. I also have a lot of pigmentation issues from too many years in the sun without sunscreen. So this serum had its work cut out… And it’s a hero (unsung). Immediately on first use my skin felt very very soft and smooth. It sunk in almost immediately leaving a velvety finish. My skin was so well prepped that all I needed on top was my SPF and then make-up. After 28 days my skin has really softened and some of the small holes in my face [pock marks] from acne and pigmentation are looking softer overall and the edges are less pronounced. My skin feels firmer, looks more even and the pigmentation is melting. I would buy 100 times over! In fact I have bought another bottle. Overall my skin is looking in really good shape and this serum will now be a staple in my routine. Further proof that good skin doesn't always have to cost an absolute fortune’ • ‘My dry sensitive skin was immediately smoother and plumper, instantly lifted, brighter and clearer as well as feeling deeply moisturised. My partner and one colleague noticed! It’s perfect for dry and sensitive skin. Of all the products I tried this is the one I would buy without a doubt’ • ‘I used this serum first and my mature combination skin was so soft, smoother and plumped, which lasted all day. Then I tried adding a drop to my moisturiser and my skin felt moisturised and looked better all day. I would definitely buy this and will look at more products from their range’ • ‘The serum is really easy to apply and absorbs into your skin really well, instantly showing results and making your skin softer, brighter and more radiant. It smells lovely and works really well with liquid foundation, which is rare to find in a serum – they often make it look cakey.’
£16.99 for 30ml - click to buy