I’m fine with spending quite a bit on skincare. I can afford it now (up to a point, there are of course brands that still give me pause – I am looking at you, Sisley! And SK-II!) and I enjoy it. It is something I’ve chosen to spend my money on, along with books, clothes and 18 different varieties of vanilla beans.

But it’s one thing to buy ridiculously expensive creams myself, something quite different to recommend them to others. Could I really, in good conscience, say that a small bottle of chemicals is worth 100 euros? Or even worse, a small bottle of oil and plants? Even if these are some really nice plants, in some very nice oil, in a very nice bottle? It is, of course, always relative. It depends on your income, your expectations, the level of interest you have in your appearance, your age, your skin, and so on. But if you ARE willing to spend and can spare a sum about the size mentioned above, Sunday Riley Good Genes would be my first recommendation.

I have worn and tested pretty serious skincare for years now, and I think all-in-all, this is my favourite active product (as opposed to lovely cleansers and sprays and stuff). It is a serum that helps with dullness, appearance of pores, pigmentation, fine lines and the general un-awesomeness of the skin. It’s based on lactic acid, which is in essence a resurfacing ingredient. It also means that if your skin is sensitive, this might be a bit strong for you, so proceed with caution. My face loves acids: I can smother myself with the stuff and I’ll be perfectly fine. The alternative is to use it as a mask and wash it off after 10 minutes or mix it with you cleanser to give it more oomph – it does work and your skin will look instantly better, but to me it seems like a waste of good product.

I use Good Genes mostly at night, as it is quite powerful and I’m not always as careful with my sunscreen as people dabbling in acids and retinol should be. It’s nice to use something very moisturizing and soothing on top, my favourite combination is Good Genes with Sarah Chapman Skinesis Overnight Facial, another great product.

I’m always very sceptical when brands/reviewers promise miraculous results: if you have a good daily skin care routine already, which I do, it’s rare to see a dramatic improvement (and if you don’t, any old thing will give you a result). And I’m not going to betray my principles, it is NOT a miracle product. But I also know that if I wake up after weeks of insufficient sleep and still look human, it’s not only thanks to my good genes (hah! what a subtle pun!). When I haven’t used Good Genes for a while, I feel like my skin is simply not at its best and I always go back – even if it is an expensive addiction to maintain.