If you take an interest in looking after your skin, you'll know that these days the whole business is a lot more complicated than a quick going over with a cleanser and a smear of moisturiser. You'll know about scrubs, masks and ant-ageing creams and you'll have a pretty thorough routine going on.

But if you're really really interested, you'll also be familiar with the jargon — the buzz words associated with sophistocated skincare that are becoming increasingly commonplace. Stuff like peptides, antioxidants, serums and retinol are in your everyday vocab. so what about "natureceuticals" — do you know about them?

You may have heard of cosmeceuticals — the marriage of cosmetics and science — well natureceuticals is (fairly obviously) nature meeting that twosome and it's how Prior describes its line of 'bio-engineered' skincare. We're talking about the feelgood factor of botanic ingredients with the benefit of scientific development. a convenient marketing tag perhaps, but an aptly descriptive one nonetheless.

Priori, an American line of professional skincare , uses almost entirely natural ingredients (about two percent of a product is the preservative). And the key ingredient is coffee berry extract, a recent discovery and said to be a powerful botanical anti-oxidant — so it has anti-ageing benefits. I have been using prior CoffeeBerry Nauteceuticals Day Complex (£54.85) - in other words the moisturiser. It's not cheap... so is it worth it?

It goes on very easily, feeling light, but at the same time sufficiently hydrating, even for my very dry skin — and a little goes a long way. The smell is lovely - the secent is actually vanilla fruit extract, but I can definitely detect a hint of coffee, before the fruity fragrance kicks in. Maybe it's psychological...

I would normally use a heavier night cream, but this moisturiser is fine for both day and evening. with its natural waxes and oils: sunflower seed, avocada and argon oils; beeswax and shea butter. The mopping up of harmful free radicals is done by the botanical extracts pomegranate and grape seed (along with the coffee berry), so that's your anti-oxidant protection. as my regaular moisturiser contains an SPF15 (25 in summer), I am taking the extra precaution of using a foundation with a sunscreen on top (Prior would probably say this isn't necessary).

Just to make sure all bases are covered, Prior have added aloe vera to help calm the skin and a light-diffusing ingredient to soften the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Maybe it's the latter that's been doing all the hard work, but I'm really happy with this cream. My skin feels great and even my mother (not generally noted for her compliments) has said that my complexion looks clear and bright. Awake even.

Available from www.cosmestore.co.uk