The €45 tinted moisturising serum that seriously transformed my skin

A real, visible difference.

I don't know about you, but between masks and staying up late to binge-watch Selling Sunset and screen time and, I guess, general stress over this whole car crash that is 2020, my skin has not really been itself these past few months. My normally clean, pretty glowy skin has looked rather dull and dry, and I have even suffered the odd break-out on my skin and cheeks, something which never really happens normally. I had really been at a loss for what to try next when I got a sample of Trinny Woodall's new Trinny London BFF De-Stress, a sort of hybrid between makeup and skincare product, a tinted moisturiser serum that also was said to deliver both immediate and long-term result on your skin. I was intrigued.

According to the press release, the BFF De-Stress contains potent antioxidants alongside something called Neurophroline, which works by inhibiting cortisol production in the cells, claiming to lead to skin looking being less ravaged by the effects of stress. And let's face it, don't we all need that right about now...?

"For years I have been researching how to fight the signs of stress on my skin," Woodall explains about her latest launch.

"The effects make my face feel tired, lacking in energy and haggard. There was nothing out there really addressing the issue with the level of ingredients needed to target stress, so I set about developing a formula with enough punch to actually achieve proper results."

BFF De-Stress comes in an impresseive 12 ‘stretchable’ shades, which melt into your natural skin tone, and can be worn alone as a low-maintenance skin tint, or on top of your normal facial moisturiser. Trinny explains: "Our skin is more stressed than ever. As a response to tiredness, tension, HEV light (increased screen time), lack of sleep, poor diet and pollution, our skin is constantly producing stress-fighting hormones including cortisol." The screen time one hits home, no? I mean; I used to joke that Zoom skin was a thing – and it seems like it actually might just be! "When stress is constant, our cortisol production doesn’t switch off, and our skin ends up without enough recovery time at night, resulting in a slowing down of our skin’s regeneration processes," Woodall explains. "We wake up looking tired, dull, fatigued, and over time, we start to age faster." The hyaluronic acid in the serum instantly plumps and smoothes, and I have to admit, having used it now for a few days, I am seriously impressed! Not only does my skin look really fresh and clear, it also feels deeply moisturised, and less irritated. Where my skin previously felt so dry and sensitive after a shower or in the morning after waking, it now looks far more energised and well-rested – if that is even a thing for skin! If you are looking for a really natural-looking tinted moisturiser, but also wants to cut back on the number of products you use daily, this serum really is both skincare and make-up all wrapped up in one, and I reckon for €45, that's pretty good going!