As I write this I’m nursing the mother of all head colds, which is pretty much par for the course at this time of year I suppose, but very wearisome nonetheless.

A sore red nose, chapped lips and hangdog demeanour aside, this sorry state of affairs is not doing much for my skin. No amount of overdosing on Night Nurse is going to perk up my death-warmed-up pallor — even a wind-chill factor of minus ten isn’t putting any colour in my cheeks. And if I hadn’t noticed the first signs of sagging before, I sure can see it now.

Because the show must go on (and I find myself front of house again this year) something needs to be done — and quickly. So I’m reaching for New Visible Brilliance, which was launched by Elemis this autumn to help women (or men) combat our nasty modern lifestyles. According to Noella Gabriel, director of product and treatment development at Elemis, our skin reflects the signs of stress, pollution, medication and early menopause — it starts to look dull (check), lifeless (check) and imbalanced (check).

Two years in the making, New Visible Brilliance (£40/30ml) brings together the power of multi-minerals including copper, zinc and magnesium, combined with a host of vitamin-rich botanicals, to revitalise, re-energise and repair the skin — the result being instant radiance. The idea is that facial features appear rested and smooth, with the added bonus of a luminosity and lift that can actually be seen.

Well, that’s the theory. Am I demanding too much of this serum, that I look instantly glowing and refreshed? Probably. But I can certainly report that a small drop absorbs easily and smoothly into the skin, making it feel immediately softer and smoother. And there is also the promised iridescent gold and silver appearance, which imparts a sort of glow — even to my grey complexion. After a week of eking out the precious lotion, my tired features do feel as if they’re starting to breathe again.

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