Having just racked up another thirty-something birthday I've all but forgotten my former vows of never using anti-ageing creams, so when another one landed on my desk for testing I was eager to get started. This one, Planet Skincare's Instant Firming Serum promised instantly visible firming effects, smoother texture with reduced fine lines and wrinkles and tighter skin.
A closer look at the label revealed all the things I like to see in a skincare product: it was allergy tested (though not on animals), free from chemically dubious parabens and like Elemis' celebrated creams, its active ingredient is made from an algae.
Read on for my verdict
The first thing that really made me sit up and take notice of this product was its colour: a bright blue gel-like substance, it looks nothing like any facial cream I've used before. Putting this hue down to the marine plant ingredients I applied it to my face and waited for the years to drop off.
The effect was certainly immediate, and dramatic! The 'firming' sensation can be felt right away; a tingly feeling that was quite unlike anything I'd felt before. I've not had botox, but I'm imagining it must produce a sensation akin to this one.
Being blessed with younger-than-my-years skin, it was hard to give this product a really fair trial because my wrinkles are still pretty minimal. I do, however, have a few 'problem areas' around my mouth, and it was these I chose to keep a close eye on. The skin around them seemed to plump slightly, which seemed to reduce the appearance of the lines for at least an hour or so after application.
Visibly, the firming effect I was feeling seemed to be most apparent around my eyes and forehead - which is a common area of concern for many people. It did appear to 'freeze' these areas slightly, which gave a smoother appearance when I caught myself in a mirror.
Overall, for those looking for instant results and a quick fix solution to wrinkled skin, this product is well worth a try. It definitely does what it claims to do, and if you're looking for a non-invasive alternative to botox, then this gel could soon become your new best friend.
I personally found the results a little too dramatic for my liking and will be sticking with my moisturisers for now, as I prefer a gentler effect and don't like the feeling of tight skin that it produces. But while I say this now, I can well believe I'll see things quite differently in 5 or 10 years time when the ageing process has hit me a little harder!
Want to give it a try? Planet Skincare Instant Firming Serum is available online at £75
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