If your budget doesn’t stretch to a stroll along Harley Street for one of the latest facial treatments, then your next best bet is the 111Skin Collection of wonder products. Developed by renowned Harley Street plastic surgeon, Dr. Yannis Alexandrides, 111SKIN combines industry expertise, innovative formulations, and a deep understanding of the skin and how it works. It’s the nearest you’ll get to a face lift in a bottle and you’ll also be joining a legion of beauty editors and celebrities in raving about the products.
The Rose Gold Radiance Booster, £85, may be at the top end of a usual skincare price point, but wow is it worth it. I’ve been using this for a while, as a last step after applying moisturiser and it adds an instant lift and illumination to the complexion. You can also use it as a glow-maker on bare skin for a subtle luminescence.
It packs a punch with Rosa Damascena extract and 24K Gold to enhance the natural radiance of skin for a dewy, lit-from-within glow. Dull skin is transformed into a ‘just got back from St Tropez’ sizzle, and while you can apply it all over the face, it also works as a strobing aid, if you simply apply it to your cheekbones and bridge of the nose for a healthy illumination. There really is nothing else like it.
The Y Theorem Repair Serum NAC Y2, £190, meanwhile, may have a confusing name, but the effects of using this little gem are simple. Based in the science of cell regeneration (it contains plant extracts such as calendula for its healing properties), it works to boost the production of collagen and improve the elasticity of the skin – in other words, this is youth in a bottle.
Apply it to clean skin, and it instantly hydrates and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Skin looks smooth and almost ‘airbrushed’ in quality. It also protects from pollution, radiation and other environmental extremes. The result is smoother, younger looking skin – without the need to go under the knife.
If that hasn’t convinced you to throw away all your other products and invest in these, then perhaps the brand’s impactful treatment masks might win you over.
The Celestial Black Diamond Lifting and Firming Mask, £20, targets signs of ageing and dullness, and is perfect to use before a night out or before a big event. This triple-formula hydrogel mask is split into two parts to deliver the specific ingredients to different parts of your face. One focuses on your face and the other the décolletage area. Taking sheet masking to a whole new level, it rejuvenates and illuminates dull and mature complexions. For your forehead, under-eyes and nose, the Upper Mask stars glycopeptides to lift and firm, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The Lower Mask features collagen-stimulating actives to boost plumpness around your jawline, cheeks and lips. Whip them off and it’s like Dr. Yannis Alexandrides has visited you at home.
Finally, comes the brand’s best-seller – the Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask, £20. A celebrity and supermodel favourite – it’s been spotted backstage at Victoria Secret show, on Hollywood actresses and beauty writers alike. The hydrogel mask is infused with Pure Gold and Rose Damask Extract to induce luminosity and is the perfect companion product to the Radiance Booster. It also contains a blend of Silk Amino Acids, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid & Centella Asiatica Extract – all working together to brighten, firm, and give a gorgeous glow. It’s a red carpet treatment in the comfort of your own home. How glam is that?
Available at all 111SKIN retailers and www.111skin.com
*This review is based on press samples
