I have not done a skincare post for a while, as I’ve been faithful to my routine pretty much as described the last time: I vary my cleansers and acids, then do Dr Dennis Gross serum and eye cream in the evening, followed by Sunday Riley Tidal and use SK-II essence, Oskia Brightlight and SK-II or Kate Somerville moisturiser in the morning. I have to say my skin is in a good condition – as remarked by a facialist AND a make-up artist recently -, although it’s of course relative: I’m 36 and never had particularly amazing skin. What seems like nice skin to me may be horrible by someone else’s standards.

I realise that many things I use are hard to get for most people and not everyone is willing to spend all that time researching and ordering stuff. So I thought that I’d tell you what I find exciting at the moment when it comes to the mainstream (luxury) brands that you find in most department stores. It’s interesting to see the niche trends reflected in the mainstream: lots of focus on cleansing and (sheet) masks, SPF, hyaluronic acid and, to some extent, exfoliating acids. This is NOT a comprehensive overview or best-of post and I have not tested most of the things thoroughly, so please keep that in mind.

1. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Balm. There aren’t too many cleansing balms by the big brands, with the obvious exception of Clinique’s Take the Day Off. This spanking new offering from Estee Lauder is, incidentally, an upgraded version of TTDO. It’s very smooth and slippery and turns oil-like on your skin. It does the job well and both the look and feel are more luxurious than offered by Clinique. If you like the idea of a balm and are willing to spend, I believe this will not disappoint.

2. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery PowerFoil Mask. Another extension of the iconic Advanced Night range, this mask is hideously expensive and I don’t say that lightly. It will also make you look like the Terminator. It is nice, however – my skin definitely looked lovely in the morning: hydrated, more even-toned and the fine lines on my forehead almost gone. Is it worth the price?* It depends. If you need to look super good for one important event, I would rather go for a good facial, as the price is the same. If you can afford to use this once a week or once a month (there are four sheets in the pack) without really noticing the expense – why not?

3. Clinique Clarifying Lotion Twice a Day Exfoliator 1.0. If you’ve been here before, you know my face likes AHA/BHA acids and I use an acid toner/pad every day. The mainstream brands are generally completely useless when it comes to this category, one of the very few exceptions being Clinique’s Mild Clarifying Toner. It has now been discontinued and replaced by this baby. After a few tries, I say there’s no reason to panic. It’s somewhat different, but possibly better than the original. It’s a great starter acid and good for the break-out-prone, as it contains salicylic acid. Btw, Elizabeth Arden has also launched Skin Illuminating Retexturising Pads, so hopefully acid products will soon be ubiquitous. These are unfortunately not available in Tallinn yet, so I have not tried them, but Caroline Hirons is happy.

4. Guerlain My Super Tips Midnight Secret. I’ve never been a huge fan of Guerlain skincare – it mostly seemed heavy and very expensive. But my curiosity was piqued by this new collection: as my routine is pretty set for the moment, I can only add excitement with extras and this is where Super Tips is at. Turns out the one I picked is actually a re-packaged oldie, but as I never tried the original Midnight Secret serum, I cannot compare. If my math is up to scratch, it is actually CHEAPER than the old version, practically an unheard of development on the contemporary skincare market. I’ve used it once and liked it, although I don’t think it’s revolutionary. I really do like the concept, though – the small packages are exactly my thing and make the products more accessible. The Super Aqua range seems to be lovely as well, based on my experience with the serum sample.

5. Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Serum. This is the only product on the list I bought a while ago already, but it fits the theme, so I’m including it here. The revamped Hydra Beauty serum is still relatively new, but I have used it since it launched and have to admit it’s a lovely product. If your main concern is dehydration and, again, you can spare the cash, this will help. Super light, absorbs quickly, rehydrates immediately. On Martinique, I often used this alone under my sunscreen. I also like the Hydra Beaty eye cream – very refreshing. If you need more action, Le Lift is very nice.

6. Dior Bronze Beautifying Protective Creme Sublime Glow 50 SPF. Although the lady at the counter kept telling me this is an SPF and self-tan in one, it’s in fact not the case. But it does improve the look of the skin and give you quite a bit of glow (if you’re oily, you may not be interested). For an SPF 50, it feels very nice and smells beautiful. I do recommend testing first, though, as I have experienced pilling and I hate that. It could be caused by something I’ve used underneath, so your mileage might vary, but I advise caution. The new Chanel SPF could be an alternative, but its price point is scary.

7. REN Rosa Centifolia Hot Cloth Cleanser. REN does maybe not quite fit with the brands above and it’s not new, but as I got these things together in one haul, I’m going to give it a brief mention. This is a decent cream cleanser to be used with a hot cloth and this can only be applauded. As is often the case with cream formulas, I wasn’t wowed. But if you like cream cleansers/have dry skin, this might be for you. What I need to say, though, is that the flannel that is included is THE ONLY CLOTH EVER I’ve received with a cleanser and loved. I hate those useless muslin thingies. This one is a bit too small, but otherwise great and saved me a lot of trouble.

Anything by mainstream brands you’ve been impressed lately? Anything you’d want my opinion on? The one thing – in addition to the Arden pads – I want to try are the Clarins boosters.

*What I can say with authority, however, is that combining this mask with digging a hole in your cheek in pursuit of tiny, almost non-existent spots will not improve the result. I recommend not doing it.