Great skincare has never been more important to me than it is now. Over the years I’ve upped my game and taken the time to understand the benefit a targeted regime can bring – both in the immediacy and long-term. As I hit my mid-thirties I’m starting to see those fine lines appear around the eyes, the gentle sagging of my jawline and the change in texture of my overall face; a bad night’s sleep can be seen instantly under my eyes, while a week or two of over-indulgence takes double that amount to recover from. However, it isn’t all doom and gloom; I’m fully embracing the changes that are appearing as a sign of experience and having lived my life, even if I want to give them a helping hand and minimise them wherever possible. One of the big things I’ve learned over the years is that skincare products really are #BetterTogether; that is, using a serum alongside an eye cream, moisturiser and overnight treatment will provide far better results than relying on a standalone product. Each provides the skin with targeted care and ingredients that have been included for specific benefit, but together just four steps can help totally change the look and feel of your skin.

SERUM: Often formulated with concentrated and hard working ingredients, this lightweight and easily absorbed product will help target issues (i.e. fine lines) and rectify them over time. As we start to age this becomes even more important and an essential part of any regime.

EYE CREAM: The skin around our eyes is incredibly thin, so usual moisturisers and products are too heavy, clogging the area and causing puffiness. An eye cream will help reduce the appearance of dark circles and fine lines, without overloading the delicate skin.

DAY CREAM: Providing a moisture hit that’s essential for maintaining radiance, a great day cream will lubricate the skin and help to plump the skin so your complexion looks refreshed. Most also contain SPF, which helps protect the skin from the sun’s damaging rays.

NIGHT TREATMENT: A rich and nourishing treatment that gets to work as you sleep is your secret weapon. Our bodies are far better at ‘repairing’ while we slumber as they’re less focused on keeping our bodies moving, meaning it’s the perfect time to lather on a hardworking cream and awake feeling refreshed.

Although I rarely use a singular brand for the entire offering (preferring to dabble in lots of different treats and bring you an edit of my faves,) one that I would always recommend is No7. Their ‘Protect & Perfect’ range is iconic in more ways than one; a decade ago it was the first skincare innovation that was independently proven without doubt to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles over time. The press went mad; women went even madder. Boots sold a years worth of stock in two weeks, waiting lists filled up and bottles were being sold online for three times their value. It became a multi-award winning cult classic that’s adorned the bathrooms of millions of women across the globe – because, put simply, it works. They’ve expanded the range to include more targeted and even more effective products over the years, and it’s one of the affordable ranges I will always recommend to those wishing to invest in an effective skincare regime.

This January No7 has gone one step further and revolutionised its entire Lift & Luminate range (targeted at 40+ skin and including Day, Night and Eye Cream) to help women’s skin look at its absolute best; hot on the heels of the No7’s Lift & Luminate Triple Action Serum (the UK’s No1 serum brand*,) they’ve added the same powerful technology to the skincare range as is in the serum. This new and improved blend of ingredients helps women achieve even better anti-ageing results that really deliver, especially when using all four of the products together. The unique ‘triple action’ technology makes Lift & Luminate No7’s most hardworking skincare regime yet; having been proven to help tackle the most common signs of ageing to deliver maximum results – wrinkles are visibly reduced, skin appears lifted and is noticeably firmer, while skin tone is more even.

Rather interestingly, when clinically tested 88% of women saw even better results when they used the new day cream with the Lift & Luminate serum – proving without a doubt that doubling up will give you even better results in as little as two weeks. So what are these magic ingredients that help skin look and feel so much better, I hear you ask? Well all of the products are enriched with Matrixyl 3000, No7’s most effective anti-wrinkle technology that’s a powerful peptide blend which helps restore more youthful looking skin; additionally Hyaluronic Acid helps provide additional skin-firming benefits through its powerful water retaining abilities, hibiscus extract helps support collagen production, making skin look and feel smoother and firmer, while a ‘Lightening Complex’ (containing Indian gooseberry and Vitamin C) works to help rebalance melanin content in the skin, providing a more even skin tone and a fading of visible pigmentation.

As Lift & Luminate isn’t quite suitable for my skin type just yet, I’m giving a stash to some of my loved ones so they can put it to the test on my behalf in the next few weeks and report back – because we’re all #BetterTogether right? What’s even better is that nine other bloggers from my Thirty Plus collective are also putting the product to the test, so you can pop on over to their sites to see how they’re getting on too. (Links are below!) Even better than that? I want FIVE of you guys to get involved too, putting the entire regime through its paces in the coming weeks so I can share your stories and thoughts here on London Beauty Queen; I’ve got FIVE full sets of all four products up for grabs (worth £93.90) so if you want to be a part of the experience, just enter via the widget below. No7 believe that not only skincare is #BetterTogether, but we are too – so it’s great to see an opportunity for so many women to come together and take the first step on a joruney together. I can’t wait to see the results.

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