‘Super skincare’ – I tried the £500 Lyma cream that broke the internet

When news broke of beauty brand Lyma’s new wonder skincare, it was the price that caught everyone’s attention – nearly £500. Certainly it’s been a while since the likes of La Prairie’s Gold Radiance Cream, which costs upwards of £600, hit the headlines. Until now, that is. Promising to make skin younger and containing the latest patented skincare technology, Lyma claims to target eight skincare concerns, from redness and hydration, to lines and wrinkles. But what makes it so expensive? In short, because Lyma claims to visibly reverse signs of ageing. While the words “Botox in a bottle” are bandied around a lot, this cream might be the closest thing so far to turning back the clock on our skin age, without a needle in sight.

But while clinical trials show incredible results, at nearly £500 a pop, the eye-watering price puts it out of the price range of most people.

With over a decade working in the industry, I know beyond doubt that you simply don’t need to spend so much on a face cream. And other experts agree.

“There’s only so much a cream can do,” says Dr Paris Acharya, leading aesthetic doctor at Waterhouse Young Clinic.

“There are plenty of effective, results-driven products on the market at an affordable price.

“A simple but effective skincare routine of four to five products – gentle cleanser, nourishing serum, brightening eye cream and protective SPF – can create amazing results.”

In a cost-of-living crisis, the number of people able to splash out £500 on a single skincare product will be few.

But there are plenty of other effective options on the market.

Here we round up some of the best of the bunch, at a fraction of the cost.

INGREDIENTS TO LOOK FOR

When it comes to skincare, it can pay to spend a bit more if you want your cream to have active results. Ingredients to look for here could be retinol, which refines, vitamin C, which brightens, and exfoliants such as glycolic acid. If you’re simply looking for a cream that will hydrate, there are plenty of cheap options that do the job just fine. Look for hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramides. SPF is also an area you can save on, as there are brilliant budget products that provide full spectrum protection for less than a tenner.

SUPER SKINCARE

Under £100

Dr Jart+ Ceramidin Ectoin- Infused Cream, £50, uses five different ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier, boost hydration, soothe and calm. The result? Plump, even-toned, youthfullooking skin.

Under £30