As a rule, I always buy affordable moisturisers, but I can't deny the transformative effects of this £206 cream

When the temperatures plummet, my skin takes a beating. The icy cold winds of January tend to leave me looking more prune-like than plump and dewy — especially right now, during the cold snap we’re experiencing in the UK. And so, it was time to pull out the big guns, namely the most expensive moisturiser I’ve ever used as a beauty editor: Tata Harper’s Crème Riche.

As someone who baulks at spending more than £30 on any product, pricey items really need to go above and beyond to justify their cost. If they’re only providing marginal gains over my affordable skincare choices, like Cerave or Cetaphil, then I won’t reach for it again. But, unfortunately for my bank balance, this little pot of gold that's priced at a whopping £206, managed to transform my parched winter face overnight. In fact, my skin is so noticeably plump and supple on the mornings after I use this product, that I’m hooked for the rest of the season.

For context, I naturally have dry, dehydrated skin, and so slather myself in rich, nourishing products — if you catch me at home, especially before bed, chances are that I’m channelling oil slick. But this winter, I found that layering products for hydration wasn’t cutting it, so I allowed myself to use my precious Crème Riche every day to see if being luxurious and consistent would make a difference. Spoiler alert: it did. Read on to see why I love it so much...

A beauty editor’s honest review

This “youth preserving”, velveteen crème is specifically marketed towards dry skin types. Like all Tata Harper products, it boasts all-natural, ethically sourced ingredients — no less than 43 to be precise. Key components are maple bark, avocado peptides, candle tree leaf extracts, essential fatty acids and vitamin F. In total, the Tata Harper website states that there are 16 sources of plumping hydration, 12 to lessen the look of visible wrinkles and a further 15 dedicated to smoothing and softening skin texture.

It’s true. If you want to see if a product really works, you can’t use it sparingly or on special occasions — the key, is consistency. Since early December, when I started using Tata Harper’s Créme Riche daily, I’ve noticed a palpable difference in how my skin reacts to the wintry conditions. The stubborn dry patches on the tops of my cheeks are gone, and so has the redness associated with wind chill and the office’s punishing central heating. Each morning, I have been waking up with skin that looks radiant and hydrated, seemingly from the inside out, which of course, means that my make-up goes on a treat.

If you’re put off by strong scents, however, this may not be for you. Once you unscrew the lid, you’re hit with a super sweet, vanilla-y smell. While this is usually a no-no, I was relieved to find that the scent is a result of natural ingredients and not added synthetics. It’s also worth noting that you won’t be applying a yellow-hued product, you first need to rub the moisturiser between your hands to activate the ingredients, which will prompt it to turn white and apply translucently.

You’ll understand instantly why Crème Riche is marketed as a “velvet” moisturiser. Its texture is very unique: at once silky smooth and thick, but light on the skin; I was most impressed by the fact that while it sinks in quickly, it leaves behind a protective, dewy sheen that conceals minor imperfections. In fact, on busy days, I’m happy to leave the house just wearing this moisturiser and some SPF. And because it’s so lightweight, it should work well for combination to oily skin types, especially during the colder months, just use it sparingly.

While I’m frustrated to say it, the difference I notice when using Tata Harper’s Crème Riche rather than my £15 moisturiser is vast. While I won’t be using it year-round to spare my wallet, I will most definitely pick it up when the weather is unseasonably cold, and my skin needs some real TLC. Sometimes it’s worth paying for a non-injectable shortcut to truly plump, glowing and healthy-looking skin — and Crème Riche is just that in a jar.

How to save your skin from the winter chill, according to Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme

As we still have a way to go until spring, I enlisted the help of medical consultant and skincare guru, Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme, on how we can keep our skin in tip-top shape during the colder months...

• Having dry skin can exaggerate the appearance of fine lines, but remember, this isn’t real — it just appears this way when your skin is very dry, likely because of the cold. This can be improved through the use of a more intensive and dedicated moisturiser.
• When the weather is cold, there are three main things we need to do. Firstly, look at what you’re cleansing with. If you’ve been using a very strong stripping, foaming or exfoliating cleanser, switch it out for a gentle cleanser.
• Look at your moisturiser. In the summer, we tend to use lightweight creams, so now, if your skin is feeling very dry or parched, you want to move to ingredients which do two things. One, pull moisture to the skin — these are called humectants, so look out for ingredients like glycerine and hyaluronic acid. Second, lock in that moisture, so use an emollient. Look for ingredients like ceramides and squalene.
• Even when we don’t have that much sunlight, the UV index can still be very high, so it remains important to wear your suncream.
• It's important to physically protect your skin and hair during cold weather using a scarf and hat. Bring the hat down to cover your forehead and bring your scarf up towards your nose to protect the lower half of the face. You should also wear gloves to prevent dehydration in the hands.
• Lastly, take a moment to generally look at your skin and see how it is feeling. If you’ve been using high-dose retinoids and exfoliants, you may want to pull back on that. For example, if you’ve been using them every day, pull back to two times a week. You can always reintroduce when your skin feels ready.