DEEP-DOWN SKIN REGENERATION

THE DETAILS: An ‘oil serum’ that feels lighter than a traditional oil yet more replenishing than a normal serum. Its key ingredients, along with cholesterol, are retinyl palmitate (a gentler form of retinol but one that has proven skin regeneration abilities with continued use) and frankincense, which has been prized for centuries.

‘Cholesterol has a bad reputation but is an amazing biological substance and is present in every cell of the human body,’ says Emma Hart, founder of new skincare brand Vis Viva.

‘It is a building block of steroid hormone production and the material that our skin uses to create vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.’ THE VERDICT: A delicate pink serum, it feels silky, rather than oily, and not at all greasy. I only needed four drops to cover my face and neck as it spreads well and sinks in almost immediately. Lovely, and I know that the retinyl palmitate will bring long-term benefits over time.