With the overabundance of skincare products on the market these days, how do you know which ones to choose? This discussion with makeup artist Ariane Poole should shed some light on the matter. Enjoy the show and scroll down for the product list!

Margaret Manning:

My guest today is celebrity makeup artist Ariane Poole. Ariane has been with Sixty and Me many times, sharing her makeup and skin care tips and tricks. I’m so happy to have her back here today for a very special fun edition that I think you will enjoy. So, welcome, Ariane.

Ariane Poole:

It is great to be here, and I’m looking forward to this new fun thing we’re doing today.

Margaret:

We’ve actually done this once before. Each of us has chosen five skin care products that we’ve discovered and fallen in love with in the past few months, and we want to share them with the Sixty and Me community.

I’m really excited because I always learn from you, Ariane, and I know you’ve got some great new products to share. So, go ahead and start with your five, and then I’ll do my five.

Ariane:

I’ll start off with eyes because I have just discovered this amazing eye cream. Now, I am really skeptical about eye creams because I don’t find that they do that much. This one is the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Supercharged Complex, and it’s called Synchronized Recovery.

It’s such a long name, and I thought, “Here we go again, another eye cream…” I was so wrong, and I have been telling women of all age groups about it, because it is the most fabulous formula.

It’s like a gel serum. It’s quite thick but when you put it on, it feels divine. It’s not shiny but has a slightly matte finish. Even if I put it over my makeup, though it’s not supposed to be used that way, the effect is visible right away.

Margaret:

What are the ingredients, Ariane?

Ariane:

I haven’t looked them up, so I don’t know. But I absolutely love it. When I tried it the first time, I was so impressed I even wrote to them and said this was one of the most divine eye products I had ever used. I don’t pay compliments often, especially with eye products, but this one is spectacular.

I also gave some to my daughter to use when I went to visit her. She’s 30 and very concerned about the aging effect underneath her eyes. She tried it and said, “Mum, this stuff is amazing!”

Margaret:

Estée Lauder do have some really wonderful products. I think their nighttime serum, which is in a similar packaging to that, has got all kinds of awards.

Ariane:

Actually, this cream is the eye match for the nighttime serum.

Margaret:

That’s good to know. Well, if you look at its reviews on Amazon and other places – and a lot of people actually do – you’ll see all the positive feedback. It’s like this is the only serum people use. Yours is a really good endorsement to add to that. What else have you got for us?

Ariane:

I’ve got a gadget that works product into your skin. It’s from L(A)B.

Margaret:

Lip and Eyes Focus Lab.

Ariane:

Yes. So, this is a little tool that starts buzzing when you press it against your skin and helps work the product better into your skin. With the Estée Lauder eye cream, this is a winner.

It’s also good for around the lips. If you’ve got fine lines around your lips and you want to see a little bit of an improvement, I would put the eye cream around the lips, and use this LAB tool.

Margaret:

It would presume it stimulates collagen production, too.

Ariane:

Yes. It doesn’t hurt and is really comfortable to use. It’s got a little buzzy noise, and it really does a great job. You can tell that I’m really excited by all the products I’m showing you today, and that’s because they’re fabulous.

Then I also look at my body skin thinking it needs firming up. I’ve tried so many firming body creams, and they’re either sticky, tacky, sparkly, or just don’t do anything. I was at LA Ex recently, hunting for a firming body cream.

I went into all the shops like Sephora and all those other places to see if I could find a body cream that I liked that would do that lifting for me – without spending a fortune. And when I was leaving LA, I discovered this cream at a kiosk at the airport.

It’s by Bliss, and I know Bliss because I use one of their oxygenated facial products. I tried this cream on my arm and bought it immediately. It’s got a lovely scent and it’s rich without being sticky. You can put it on and go out without feeling that you’re going to stick to everything that you’re moving around.

What I noticed on my arms, and particularly my legs, is that they look crinkly. It’s the only way I can explain it. And though no one’s going to be staring at my thighs, I will be, so that’s good enough.

Margaret:

Yes, I can sure relate.

Ariane:

I don’t want to have that kind of skin, and this cream really works nicely on the body. When I put it on the first time, I noticed it gave a nice sheen to the skin. It had a fresh fragrance that wasn’t overpowering and wouldn’t compete with a perfume that I wanted to wear.

Margaret:

That’s interesting.

Ariane:

It felt so lovely on the skin.

Margaret:

That’s the Bliss Fab Girl, and from what I saw online, it costs only $22. It’s not that expensive, and the tub is really large.

Ariane:

It is. This was an accidental find, but one I’m really happy with. Next is a product I use when I travel or when I have my central heating on and my skin becomes dehydrated. Of course, I try to drink water and do everything I’m supposed to, but life happens.

So, when I was in Sephora in LA, I discovered this product by Summer Fridays called Jetlag Mask. You don’t have to be jetlagged to use it. I used it last night and actually slept in it. I really liked it because it’s not too heavy on the face, and you don’t stick to your pillow which is very nice.

You can leave it on for the 10–15 minutes that they say, and then wash it off. I decided to leave it on overnight because when the central heating is on, it literally sucks the moisture out of my skin. So, even if you’re not traveling, and you’re not going to be jetlagged, this is a really great thing to use.

Margaret:

I love that idea. This product is a bit more expensive. The price I found at Amazon is $73.

Ariane:

I got it at Sephora for $48, and Sephora’s all over the world now. I really like it, and it lasts for quite a while, even with regular usage.

Finally, my last choice is another something I found by accident while browsing in Sephora. It’s by Fresh, and it’s called Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Glow Water.

I tried it while I was there and found it absolutely divine. I liked it so much that I bought the little size which I take when I travel, and the big 250 ml size, which stays in my bathroom.

Margaret:

How would you use it?

Ariane:

After I’ve cleansed, toned, and moisturized my face, I give it a little spritz. What I like best about it, though, is the effect it has after makeup application. When I’m doing someone’s makeup, I put it on after I finish. The mist is so light, it stays on your face and gives a great effect.

I did my daughter’s makeup for her 30th birthday party, and I spritzed some of this water on her face afterward. She was like, “Mom, this stuff is amazing.” Then some of her friends that came around were super intrigued because her skin looked amazing. So, this is not just for our age group.

I can tell you quickly what’s in because I checked. It has got vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B5, lemon and orange fruit extracts and minerals.

Margaret:

The C and B are the important ones. That’s really cool.

Ariane:

When I spritz it on, I sound like I’m being vain. I’m not normally a vain person, but my skin looks so good.

Margaret:

What’s the price for this one? I found it for $42 on Amazon.

Ariane:

The big one, the 250 ml, is $42, the little one is $24. This is good because it’s a hundred ml, and you can take it on the plane with you. If you’re out and about during the day and you have to go to a thing in the evening, this is a great way to refresh your makeup without having to completely redo it.

Margaret:

I’ve got a similar product which you’ll recognize because you were the one that recommended it to me. I think moisturizing is very important because age tends to make our skin drier than what we had when we were younger. We’ve talked about products that keeps moisture in your skin

I’m trying to focus on using products that are natural, cruelty-free, and done by ethical companies. I’ve certainly tried to do my research.

So, let me share my five products. Like you, I think that focusing on skincare makes for beautiful skin. And beautiful skin is, in many ways, better than makeup. They actually work together.

Ariane:

They do. And if your skin isn’t up to muster, you’re not doing yourself any favors with the makeup you’re putting on. So, you need to start from the ground up.

Margaret:

You’re right. So, I’m a fan of face serums and facial oils. I’ve been using those for a several years now, and I’ve got a couple of favorites. I’m always looking for new ones to try, and I found this one that comes in a tiny little bottle. It’s a Fig+Yarrow organic facial serum.

It’s on Amazon’s choice list, and it’s got such great reviews. It’s got rosehip, argan, evening primrose, plum, and rosemary oils, so it’s a botanical kind of oil. It’s really nice for me. I use it as a primer because it moisturizes beautifully and gives a bit of a slip to the makeup to have it stay in place.

You use so very little of it, but still, this small bottle costs a little over $20.

Ariane:

That will probably last quite a long time, though, if you’re using such a small amount. It’s money well-spent. I always think that if you use it all up, you’ve spent your money wisely.

Margaret:

I think so too. It’s got a tiny dropper, so even that prevents you from overusing it. So that’s Fig+Yarrow. It’s available in Target as well, and of course, online too. It’s really reasonably priced at $24.

Another practice I’ve started is putting vitamin C on my skin first thing in the morning. So, I found this one by a company called Timeless. I did some research, and I really love this product. Vitamin C is very good for your skin both as an antioxidant and for keeping moisture in.

Ariane:

I am a huge fan. I love learning about new products that have vitamin C.

Margaret:

This one also has vitamin E, which acts both as an antioxidant and collagen stimulator. The third ingredient here is Ferulic Acid. I had heard of it before through a really great blogger called Hot and Flashy. She is a real expert on skincare stuff and she does her research.

So, she mentioned ferulic acid, and I looked it up, and here’s what I found out. Vitamin C and E are volatile and lose their power really quickly. To preserve their properties, you have to keep them in the fridge.

Ariane:

Yes, you have to be really careful with Vitamin C because it goes off so quickly. I remember when it first came out, we had to mix it right there and then and use it immediately because it’s volatile. It would not last, and you really don’t want to put anything that’s gone off on your face.

Margaret:

Well, one way to keep it longer is to store it in the fridge. But also, the ferulic acid works as a preservative and helps to elongate the shelf life of Vitamin C and E. This one costs only $18.95, and it comes in a nice bottle.

Something else I’ve started doing is playing with retinol at nighttime. I found this one by LilyAna Naturals. It’s a Retinol Cream that comes in a cool packaging with a little pump. This is, actually, the number one skincare product on Amazon. I think a lot of people are trying it to see what it’s like.

It’s supposed to help with fine lines, but it’s not harsh on the skin as retinol can be. It’s very gentle, actually, and has green tea and shea butter in it.

Ariane:

The green tea can soothe really well if there’s any kind of redness flare-up.

Margaret:

This company, LilyAna Naturals is cruelty-free, and they’re almost like an artisan brand. I really like their cream.

My next product is another night cream that I put on top of that retinol one. I never wanted to try it before because it was a little bit expensive for me at $65. But I did go for it this time because it was cheaper than a flight to Iceland.

This is called Skyn. It’s a nighttime cream with pure botanicals. It’s got a component extracted from a plant that grows in the ice glaciers in Iceland. Other active ingredients are willow bark and gosulin agave. It’s got a nice texture to it too.

Ariane:

Is it a cream-gel combination?

Margaret:

It looks like a cream, but when you rub it in, it turns into a gel and it’s quite light. That’s my Skyn Oxygen Infused Night Cream.

My final one choice is a moisturizer that you recommended to me, New Skin. I have no idea what NAPCA curse stand for, but it’s a category of products designed to hold moisture in your face, body, or hair.

There are two reasons I love this. For one, you can freshen your makeup and set it with this spray. And two, it works great on frizzy hair. I use it all the time.

Ariane:

Oh, that’s a great idea. I’m going to try my stuff on my hair too.

Margaret:

Well, this one’s really cool, and the label says you can use it on your hair. It’s another Amazon choice product with great reviews. People do love it. So, if you have frizzy or static hair, this can be a great product for you.

So, those were my five choices. Thank you everybody for staying with us all this time. And, thank you, Ariane. We’ll have you back again in a few months’ time to discuss new topics people are interested about.

Ariane’s 5 Choices

Fresh Vitamin Nectar Glow Water

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream

Summer Friday’s Jet Lag Mask

Bliss FabGirl Firm Body Cream

LAB Life and Beauty Lip and Eye Focus

Margaret’s 5 Choices

Nu Skin NaPCA Moisture Mist

Lily Ann Naturals Retinol Cream

Skyn Iceland Oxygen Infusion Night Cream

Fig and Yarrow Facial Serum

Timeless 20% C+E+ Ferulic Acid Serum

What are your favorite products from the past few months? What do you like about them? We’d love to know more about your new finds, so please share them in the comments below!