Hello to all our treasured readers, and welcome to my inaugural blog at Beauty Features! My name is Laura and I will be delivering you a healthy monthly helping of tried and tested treatments and lifting the lid on whether some of these skin, hair and body care miracles out there actually work! I will do my very best to bring to cutting edge beauty news, tips and tricks to ensure that every reader out there is not only a well-informed consumer but a belle du jour to boot!

“Renewed Awakening”

This month, I have been up to my neck (literally!) in some of the most hyped and highly reputable night repair serums and balms on the market! Much has been made of late of these so-called miracle workers and many products out there often don’t cut the mustard and lets face it, just are not worth your hard earned. Quite honestly, there is nothing more disheartening than wasting money on a product which (1) doesn’t suit your skin or (2) is no Ronseal (ie. most certainly does NOT do what it says on the tin!)

So this is where I come in. I have dedicated a week to each of the following three products over the last month so that you can know exactly what you’ll be paying for and what to expect!

My first week was spent using Decleor’s Neroli Regenerating Night Balm (€51.12) which, like all of Decleors range, is made from 100% natural ingredients. This product directed me to warm a little of it in my hands before applying it in an upwards sweeping motion to the neck and face. I must say the strong Neroli aroma helped me sleep like a baby, and when I awoke the next morning my skin was peachy soft and even looked quite radiant! After a week in the hands of this Decleor product I noticed that my worrisome forehead lines had dramatically reduced and the overall texture of my skin had improved. This product is a true gem and I would highly recommend it, particularly if you struggle with nodding off!

The next week was spent with an iconic product, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum (€72). A cult buy that has been on the market since 1972, it has a acquired a celeb following as long as my arm, including Irish beauty Una Healy of girlband “The Saturdays”. She swears it keeps her looking as young as the rest of the group! The product formula is constantly evolving and improving and the product aims to repair skin cells through hydrating, fighting environmental damage and neutralising free radicals before they have a chance to wreak further damage! All in all, two drops of this product every night made my skin noticeably softer and brighter in appearance. However, for the high price point, other products may do the same job and return similar results.

My last trial week involved one last serum. The texture of Deep Repair Complex by Renu (€26.25) was refreshing and nourishing. Within days my forehead lines were considerably less obvious and the skin around my mouth and neck appeared so much firmer. I was blown away by the results of what a more affordable product gave me and it is certainly a product I would recommend if look to wake up with a renewed radiance when times are tight!

Don’t forget to look out for special offers and bargains here on www.beautyfeatures.ie over the next few weeks! I hope you enjoyed my first installment of the trials and tribulations of a self-confessed beauty junkie and I look forward to updating you all again next month! xxx

What's your favourite nightly ritual?