We've handpicked the five beauty products that you must try in your fight against ageing
As part of this year's Marie Claire Prix D'Excellence Beauty Awards, our panel of experts, including Marie Claire's Beauty and Style director Lisa Oxenham, picked the finest beauty products in the world. As part of our ongoing mission to stop wrinkles and fine lines in their tracks, we've picked out the top five creams and lotions to help you on your way to younger looking skin.
1) YSL Forever Young Range from £35
YSL scored a hat trick of exceptional products that our judges deemed worthy of special acknowledgement. After all, a trio of remarkable launches is impressive enough, but the fact that they span such different arenas is a prizeworthy feat by anyone's reckoning. Not only were we wowed by the mind-boggling science behind the Forever Youth Liberator range, which delves into the world of glycobiology in order to explore the role of glycans in the ageing process, the Rouge Pur Couture and Teint Touche Eclat collections turned the make-up world on its head with unique formulas and clever touches that haven't been replicated anywhere else in the market. Use all three together and you'll be seriously hot to trot.
2) L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Laser Renew Range from £19.99
Needle-phobes rejoice. Or, make that anyone seeking a youth injection without the injection part, as this is the range that earned its beauty stripes as the first mass-market brand to be tested in the same study as a laser treatment. Containing a triple whammy of anti-ageing ingredients, including star molecule Pro-Xylane, it's designed to hit ageing where it hurts - namely wrinkles, sagging and uneven texture. 'With the three products designed to be used in conjunction with each other, I had my anti-ageing regime well and truly covered,' says Lisa. 'Give yourself a mini-facial by applying the serum to a clean face before massaging in the moisturiser and eye cream.'
3) Creme De La Mer The Moisurizing Soft Creme, £190 for 60ml
There are moisturisers and then there's the Crème of moisturisers. With a new luxuriously light texture, this decadent extension of the Crème de la Mer line is guaranteed to quench even the thirstiest of complexions, thanks to advanced absorption technology that boosts moisture levels by an Evian-quaffing 70 per cent. 'This is my latest travel companion as it's ideal for bolstering my skin on those dreaded long-haul flights,' says Lisa. 'It's like wrapping my face in swathes of silk.'
4) Lancome Genifique Yeux Light-pearl, £44
A chip off the Génifique block, this new addition to the line is every bit as potent and certainly put a twinkle in the eyes of our judges. 'It has revolutionised my eye-care regime,' says Lisa. 'The pièce de résistance has to be the fabulously ergonomic stainless steel applicator, which is perfect for tackling early morning puffiness. I keep it on my desk and use it throughout the day to massage the sockets of my eyes when they feel strained.' Containing an active ingredient designed to re-ignite youth proteins on the skin's surface, as well as a cocktail of dark-circle-busting ingredients, it tackles all your eye woes in one swipe.
5) Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Global Anti-Aging Creme, £56
This is the product the beauty editors voted for with their faces. When it comes to tackling complexion woes, our multi-action skincare superhero has it all, thanks to revolutionary technology specifically designed to target and activate the skin's longevity gene. 'I loved that this luxurious cream tackled all my ageing concerns - dehydration, dullness and crêpey fine lines,' says Lisa. 'For the best results I applied it morning and night and massaged into the skin for a good 60 seconds to get my circulation going.' If only we could employ the revolutionary 'youth switch' activator to other parts of our lives!