Recently, I had a slightly alarming chat with someone contemplating pre-emptive cosmetic intervention around her eyes. Dissatisfaction with dark circles, lines, fatigue – particularly as we age – is a malady I hear constantly. My advice? Get a great eye cream. Also try Medik8 Crystal Retinal Ceramide Eye, a good concealer – Refy’s is light, brightening and crease-proof – and a decent colour corrector. These should make a difference. Extreme measures needn’t be your first port of call.

1. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Vanish £27, charlottetilbury.com
2. Revision Skincare’s NEW C+ Brightening Eye Complex £125 revisionskincare.co.uk 3. MAC Studio Fix Conceal and Correct Palette £32, mac cosmetics.co.uk
4. Refy Concealer £22, refy beauty.com
5. Givenchy Prism Libre Skin Caring Corrector £37, givenchybeauty.com

I can’t do without… an amazing multitasker that smoothes and evens skin

Is it a plane? Is it a…? This is the thing with NIOD. The scientifically driven names are a head scratcher. But don’t let that put you off. I’ll explain. NIOD is part of Deciem, the company that owns The Ordinary, the beauty brand that made high-science ingredient-driven products accessible: when it launched in 2016, barely anything was over £10. It changed the beauty landscape.

NIOD is, I’d say, The Ordinary’s bigger, more elevated sister. And CAIL – the acronym this product goes by, is excellent. Essentially its formulation uses complex copper peptides to get your skin more elastic, radiant, resilient and healthy.

You apply the light blue gel-like formula at night. It is oily but not ridiculously sticky and over time it gives the skin more volume (we lose collagen – the thing that makes skin plump – the older we get and CAIL encourages collagen production). It also gives you a smoother texture, a more even tone and increased resilience.

The first time I was introduced to NIOD was via Tarryn Warren, one of the best (and nicest) facialists in the country. This was a few years back. I didn’t keep up the good work, sadly, but in more recent months I have gotten back on the wagon. Like retinol, it is an amazing multitasker – but without any potential irritation – that all skins could benefit from. Your skin will lap it up. NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Lipid 1%, £75, niod.com

On my radar… Great AHA cleansers that gently decongest

Acid test A lactic acid-infused cleanser created with renowned aesthetician Melanie Grant that exfoliates, refines and brightens the skin. Victoria Beckham Beauty Daily Lactic Acid Gel Cleanser, £60, victoriabeckham beauty.com

Clean sweep This superfood-meets-science cleansers is chock full of antioxidants and AHAs to decongest pores, combat breakouts and smooth skin texture. Byroe New York Kiwi Detox Gel Cleanser, £30, byroe.com

Primed for success Non-irritating and decongesting, this gel cleanser combines ceramides, acids and antioxidants to cleanse and prep oily skin for makeup. Tatcha The Matcha Cleanse, £42, spacenk.com

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