At the age of 51 I can definitely say that I know myself and the things that bring me happiness very well. It’s something that often takes time and maturity, and more than a few years of bumpy roads and false starts, but as it says on the Lancôme website – “Happiness is the most attractive form of Beauty”, and so learning to nurture the multifaceted needs of our personalities and prioritise our own happiness is something that we all ought to take time to invest in.
Personally, I am an eternal optimist who is as happy to brave the elements on a cold and blustery country walk, as I am to retreat into the warmth of indoors for the rather more glamorous occasions where I am able to indulge the side of me that loves to dress up and sparkle.
From one day to the next, you will never know whether you’ll find me knee deep in gardening compost and wellington boots or fully glammed up in high heels and pearls. What is never missing however, come rain or shine and whether the day calls for function or fashion -is my slick of red lipstick, and my carefully primed skin.
The truth is that despite my spontaneous and happy go lucky attitude when it comes to my life around Hill House, the one thing that I take extremely seriously and never leave to chance is my skincare, and as an avid gardener my skin is often left windswept and tired and in need of care and attention. Growing older is a delightful privilege and one that I respectfully accept and take in my stride, but growing older whilst maintaining good skin takes a little time and consideration, and should never be left to chance!
Like many among us, I have known and used the Lancôme brand for many years. Similar to the other heritage brands that I have loved since my youth, Lancôme is one of the tried and trusted names in the beauty industry that I have confidently remained loyal to. Experimenting is of course fun, but there is great value in knowing that whilst other fleeting flirtations may come and go, there are certain products that you will be returning to again and again over the years.
When it comes to my skin in particular, I love and relish the act of a regular routine. I like to know that a particular formula has been made to target my age group and help combat the particular traits and issues that can crop up in ones fifties and beyond. Good skin is rarely simply by chance and my current daily routine focuses around Lancôme’s Advanced Génifique Serum and the Absolue skincare range – all of which have been developed using pioneering science and innovative ingredients.
Here I will explain my routine for you product by product including the science behind each cream and serum, plus why it suits me, so that you too can realise the benefits of the range.
My Complete routine
STEP 1: The Absolue Cleansing Oil in Gel:
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| Absolue Cleansing Oil in A Gel |
I came to the benefits of using oils on my skin rather late in life, but now there’s no turning back! This cleansing oil actually starts out in gel form and quickly transforms into a luxurious feeling oil, which not only feels nourishing despite being at the start of my routine, but also leaves my skin feeling totally clean without leaving it feeling dry or tight. Anyone who knows me, knows that I love my mascara and my cat eye eyeliner, so it’s incredibly important that I have a cleanser that can easily remove both at the end of the day without the need to rub the area around my eyes too vigorously. The Absolue Cleansing Gel achieves this smoothly and effortlessly. Made with a precious blend of cleansing oils and Grand Rose Extracts; The Lancome Rose™, Centifolia Rose and Rose Damascena – it also smells heavenly!
STEP 2: The Absolue Precious Cells Revitalising Rose Lotion:
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| Absolue Precious Cells Revitalising Rose Lotion |
For anyone who is more used to a two step routine, the benefits of adding a few extra luxurious steps and using the cell Revitalising Rose lotion will feel immediate. It did to me. It feels like a light fluid when it is first applied, but gets absorbed into my freshly cleansed skin quickly and easily, leaving my skin feeling soothed and instantly ‘brighter’ – as if it has suddenly woken up! The gel is infused with a blend of three rose extracts, rose water and real rose petal extracts, and was created to “deliver moisture and refreshing radiance”. It’s job is to ensure that the skin feels plumper and revitalised, ready for the serum and moisturisers, and I can honestly say that it delivers!
STEP 3: The Advanced Genifique Serum:
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| Advanced Genifique Serum |
This product is one of the key reasons why my skin manages to maintain it’s youthful glow. I have been using Advance Génifique Serum as part of my routine for a while now, but even after a few weeks of daily use right from the beginning, my skin looked visibly more radiant, felt firmer and was definitely smoother. It aims to visibly improve fine lines, uneven skin tone and uneven skin texture, which are all issues that we can often go hand in hand with ageing unless we target these issues directly.
I wanted to find a product that would help to eliminate the dullness that I worried my skin was developing, as well as tighten the texture up a little. I wanted something that had been proven to help other women and was encouraged to find out that The Advanced Génifique Serum had already received so many accolades since its introduction into the world of skincare. Having first been launched in 2009, The Advanced Génifique Serum has a unique efficacy for targeting signs of ageing and as a result has earned an iconic and trusted status from users all over the world, with over 11,000 5 star reviews on Lancome.co.uk**
Considering it’s already auspicious start, in 2019 the serum was enhanced for even better performance, and is now enriched with seven pre- and probiotic derived extracts and hyaluronic acid. Which means that it helps strengthen the skins barrier and leaves skin looking younger, so once I have applied the serum, I am ready for ;
STEP 4: The Absolue Soft Cream
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| Absolue Soft Cream |
This is the part of the routine that I really take my time with. An incredibly luxurious feeling moisturising soft cream, I apply it by taking the opportunity to simultaneously massage my cheeks, chin and forehead with a light and soothing pressure. My skin is always left feeling nourished, radiant and revitalised, and increasingly more soft and supple as the routine progresses. It leaves the skin with a gorgeous velvety soft glow, reminding me of how my skin felt in my youth – which is exactly the result that we’re after!
As with all of the products mentioned, the Grand Rose Extracts sits at the heart of the Absolue Range (enriched with Lancome Rose, Rose Damascena and Centifolia Rose), and as an added environmentally friendly bonus – the Absolue soft cream is refillable.
STEP 5: The Absolue Yeux Eye Cream
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| Absolue Yeux |
I apply this every evening and morning after my Absolue Soft Cream.
The eyes may be the window to the soul but that doesn’t mean that those ‘windows’ can’t be kept in tip top condition! My face is naturally very expressive – I’m a joy seeker and I laugh a lot and I’m always outside enjoying the garden and sunshine. As a result, my laughter lines need particular attention, and this is extremely effective in targeting the more visible signs of ageing around the delicate areas around my eyes.
STEP 6: The Absolue Lip Balm
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| Absolue Lip Balm |
My signature look involves a daily application of red lipstick, which means that my mouth is one of the most vibrant and immediately noticeable things about me. I need my lips to feel supple and smooth enough for my lipstick to last throughout the day and to continue look good without drying or flaking.
This nourishing lip balm has been developed to soothe and revitalise dry, chapped lips, so that they are left feeling perfectly primed for my lipstick every morning. The rich melting texture is enriched with a fusion of acacia honey and rosehip seed oil to deeply hydrate the lips and maintain their natural moisture barrier, leaving them looking perfectly plump and kissable until nightfall – or so my husband tells me!
So there you have my routine from start to finish. Happiness can definitely go a long way in improving how we look and feel about ourselves, but at times we could all do with a little helping hand to help improve things along the way. I’m happy to supplement my inner glow with a routine that improves my outer glow as well by using The Advanced Génifique Serum and Absolue skincare range. With a dedicated routine, Ageing and beauty can go hand in hand, there’s no doubt about it.
If you’d like to try out the items in my Lancôme skincare edit, remember that you can currently take advantage of the Black Friday offer:
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20% off or 25% off when you spend £100+ or 30% off when you spend £150+, only on full-priced products, exclusively on Lancome.co.uk*
*valid until 01/12/2020 at 23:59. Use code BLACKFRIDAY2020 at checkout to redeem the associated offer, discount applied dependent on spend. This promotion is not available in conjunction with any other offers. Subject to availability, whilst stocks last
**As at 14th September 2020
