We tested Marks & Spencer’s new budget skin range – what works best for spots & can it really give you a glow?
FINDING an effective skincare routine that’s affordable AND delivers real results can be tricky.
But High Street stalwart Marks & Spencer claims its new own-brand Fresh Elements range ticks both boxes.
With all products under £15, the firm’s latest beauty offering is the first to be released by the company in seven years.
The range is split into three categories: Clarify is aimed at those with blemish-prone skin, Glow contains vitamin C for brightening and evening skin tones, while Hydrate, with its hyaluronic acid, is aimed at replenishing dry and dehydrated complexions.
So is it what women have been waiting for?
We put the three ranges to work over a week.
Our testers mark them out of five and reveal whether they will be rushing to M&S to fill their baskets.
INBAAL TRIED ‘HYDRATE’
INBAAL Honigman, a 49-year-old psychic from Kirklees, West Yorks, suffers with dryness and fine lines and tried the Hydrate range, which includes hyaluronic acid.
She says: “I have great skin for my age but I’ve started to notice more lines around my eyes and my under-eye area is dark and starting to get crepey.
“I still get hormonal skin breakouts so I don’t like using anything too heavy that might make things worse.
“My usual skincare consists of eye cream and moisturiser in the morning, and in the evening I cleanse, tone and moisturise.
“I also do a face mask once a week.
“Initially, I was underwhelmed by the plain M&S packaging but the products inside really delivered.
“They felt expensive thanks to the thick formulas.
“First I cleansed my face with the Feeling Pristine soothing micellar water, before smoothing on a double-pump of High Life hydrating daily serum.
“After letting it sink into my skin for a few minutes, I then applied a generous splash of Refresher daily moisture cream SPF30.
“From the first day, my skin looked more hydrated and taut, especially my forehead.
“Each evening, I swapped my usual wash-off cleanser for the micellar water again.
“Next, I layered on Soak Star Overnight moisture cream, which made my skin look plump and fresh come morning.
“Every two to three nights I added in Yes You Dew! refreshing overnight mask as well as the moisturiser.
“I usually apply face masks during the day, so it was nice that I could apply this and forget about it while I slept.
“On day five, when my period arrived, I had been expecting a breakout of spots but they never appeared.
“I usually buy my skincare from high street brands like Nivea, L’Oreal and Sanctuary, and they last ages, so I probably only spent £15 a month or less.
“The M&S products are slightly more expensive, but well worth it!”
Routine
AM: Feeling Pristine soothing micellar water, £8; High Life hydrating daily serum, £15; Refresher daily moisture cream SPF30, £12.50.
PM: Soak Star overnight moisture cream, £12.50; Yes You Dew! refreshing overnight mask, £9.50.
Verdict
IT’S taken me decades to find a skincare routine I trust and, to my astonishment, the Fresh Elements products were able to outdo my usual ones.
I will be sticking with the M&S range – they delivered a lot more than they promised, and felt high-end.
The stand-out product was the day moisturiser. It comes in a bottle with a pipette, but is non-oily and goes a long way.
I was really impressed that my forehead looked and felt smoother and tighter by day three, so I’m excited to see if the improvements continue.
Rating: 5/5
ANTOINETTE TRIED ‘GLOW’
FABULOUS Deputy Picture Editor Antoinette Cumberbatch, 42, suffers from dullness and pigmentation, as well as uneven texture.
Her usual routine consists of budget cleansers and high-end moisturisers.
She says: “I’ve noticed a huge difference in my skin recently, and not for the better.
“It’s significantly duller and dehydrated, and I’ve got quite a few dark patches of pigmentation, too.
“It was much lower maintenance in my 30s, so I’ve spent a lot of time (and money) over the past few years trying to create a routine that gives me the glowy skin I want without too much faff.
“When I first got this range, I was confused.
“The way the products are numbered – with different products for AM and PM – took some decoding, and I wasn’t entirely confident I was doing it right.
“After washing my face in the morning, I used Light It Up protecting day cream SPF25, which has a really lightweight, dreamy texture, but still feels hydrating – and you don’t need a lot.
“This was followed by Twinkle All Day brightening eye gel.
“I don’t normally use a separate eye product, but this convinced me I need to, because it seemed to brighten the area, even in a short space of time.
“In the evenings, I removed my make-up with Dream Gleam illuminating cleanser and then used Ex-Glowliate purifying exfoliating treatment, which is by far my favourite product from the range.
“It’s gentle enough to use every day and is one of the best scrubs I’ve tried.
“It’s creamy and light and the exfoliant isn’t too scratchy.
“My skin didn’t feel dry after towelling, either.
“I used the Sunshine Tonic glycolic toner after cleansing, which was gentle on my skin with no stinging sensation.
“I followed up with Dream On radiant overnight serum, and one pump was enough to cover my whole face.
“It felt sticky though, which took some getting used to.
“Lastly, I applied Night Night brightening night cream, which I also loved. It glides on like silk and is really hydrating.”
Routine
AM: Light It Up protecting day cream SPF25, £12.50; Twinkle All Day brightening eye gel, £12.50.
PM: Dream Gleam cleanser, £12.50; Ex-Glowliate purifying exfoliating treatment, £9.50; Sunshine Tonic glycolic toner, £8.50; Dream On radiant overnight serum, £15; Night Night brightening night cream, £12.50.
Verdict
AFTER two days, my skin was feeling smoother when I applied my make-up, and just four days in I noticed I looked more radiant.
After a week, my skin was notably brighter and some of the dark patches were less prominent. It is also softer and smoother.
I really like how hydrating the range is.
My skin seemed to really take well to the glycolic acid, so I’ll be adding that to my routine.
I’ll be repurchasing the brightening night cream and the exfoliating treatment, too.
Rating: 4/5
TARA TRIED ‘CLARIFY’
FABULOUS Beauty Editor Tara Ledden, 27, suffers with breakouts and sensitivity.
She uses a light cleanser in the mornings followed by a niacinamide serum and SPF.
In the evening, she uses a cleansing balm to remove make-up, followed by a hydrating serum.
She says: “I have polycystic ovaries syndrome, which means I’m prone to acne – so despite taking medication I still get the odd spot on my cheeks, chin and forehead.
“My skincare routine is geared towards treating and preventing them. Plus, I have a lot of redness in my face.
“The Clarify products use mandelic acid rather than salicylic, which is surprising as salicylic is usually hailed as the best spot-fighting ingredient.
“After some quick research, I discovered that mandelic is better for inflammatory breakouts and under-the-skin spots and it’s supposedly less drying than salicylic, so I was excited to give it a go.
“In the mornings I used the Jelly Fresh skin-perfecting cleanser followed by Need A Refresh? oil-free moisturiser SPF30.
“The cleanser is a milky-oil consistency, which I liked, and it left my skin feeling clean but not dry.
“The moisturiser is pretty bog-standard.
“It wasn’t as lightweight as I’d like and I could feel it sitting on my skin, although it didn’t pill under make-up during the day, which is always a relief.
“After using micellar water at night to remove any remnants of mascara – despite the cleanser claiming it takes off eye make-up – I wasn’t convinced.
“I then applied No Pore Problems AHA toner. I loved this one.
“The push-down dispenser makes it really quick and easy to soak a cotton wool pad, so you use less product.
“My skin felt instantly glowy without a greasy residue.
“Before bed, I finished off with the Clear Out refining overnight serum, which contains mandelic acid and willow to gently exfoliate.
“However, while it has a very light texture, it still felt sticky when I woke in the morning.”
Routine
AM: Jelly Fresh skin-perfecting cleanser, £9.50; Need A Refresh? oil-free moisturiser SPF30, £12.50.
PM: Micellar water, Jelly Fresh cleanser, as above; No Pore Problems AHA toner, £9.50; Clear Out refining serum, £15; What Blemish? gel, £9.50; No Biggie cleansing mask, £9.50.
Verdict
I’VE definitely noticed an improvement in redness but I think I need to use all the products for longer to see a real difference.
While the individual products feel great, I’m not convinced they’re strong enough for hormonal acne.
They definitely helped to clear the breakouts I already had, but they haven’t prevented any new ones surfacing.
Given the reasonable price of this range, though, it’s a really great offering and gentle enough for use on spot-prone teenage skin.
Rating: 3/5