Why pay £300 for caviar face cream you can get for £7?
BEFORE you shell out for that expensive face cream, take a closer look at what’s in it.
Many ingredients aren’t unique to one brand and some are developed by laboratories that sell them at a high price to start with, before letting them filter down into cheaper High Street creams, as CLAIRE
COLEMAN reveals... WANT: La Prairie Skin Caviar Luxe Cream Sheer (£298, selfridges.com)
TRY: Lacura Caviar Illumination Day Cream (£6.99, Aldi) WHY would you want caviar in your face cream? Well, it’s a good source of omega fatty acids, which can help improve the top layer of skin so less water evaporates, leaving it looking plumper. They may also boost collagen production.
WANT: SK-II Signs Uplifter (£145, harrods.com)
TRY: Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum Fragrance Free (£15.95, clearchemist.co.uk) OLAY is owned by global giant Procter & Gamble, which may be why its serum is incredibly similar to the SK-II version, also owned by P&G. Both contain high levels of Matrixyl, which has been shown to boost collagen production, and anti-ageing niacinamide. WANT: Guerlain Orchidee Imperiale The Cream (£295, houseoffraser.co.uk)
TRY: Innisfree Orchid Intense Cream (£22.50, innisfreeworld.com) GUERLAIN’S orchid-based cream has become something of a cult.
Devotees claim it can reduce fine lines and wrinkles, though Paula Begoun of evidence-based skincare website Beautypedia. com claims orchid extract ‘can
be a skin irritant’. The version by Korean brand Innisfree is far cheaper, though. WANT: Rodial Bee Venom Super Serum (£160, rodial.com)
TRY: Manuka Doctor ApiRefine Radiance Serum (£17.99, manukadoctor.co.uk)
AFTER the Duchess of Cambridge was revealed to have bee venom facials, beauty brands jumped on the bandwagon. Although there’s no solid evidence that it does anything, if you must have it, buy the cheaper Manuka Doctor version.
WANT: Dr Brandt Time Arrest Creme De Luxe, (£168, spacenk.com)
TRY: Superdrug Optimum Super Antioxidant Grape Serum (£6.48, superdrug.com) BOTH these products contain a grape extract that has been shown to be an effective antioxidant that protects the skin against UV damage.