Here’s my Mum with another review – this time it’s Darphin’s Predermine Serum. I love the fact that my Mum thinks that this is “quite” expensive. It’s £113 for a tiny bottle. Now, Dear Readers, you can see where I get my spending habits from…

“I really like this ‘Firming Wrinkle Repair Serum’. Not sure that this is actually an accurate translation from the french: ‘Serum fermete reparateur de rides’ (sorry I am not able to do grave and acute accents on my computer ) and I think it sounds so much more exotic in french, par example, ‘rides’ sound quite lovely in comparison to WRINKLES!

Anyway this serum is by Darphin. It smells so lovely which I was really pleased about as I have a little story which involves Ruth: I was on an  Easter holiday in a rented cottage in Devon with Ruth. Washed my face and applied some moisturiser serum which was from a really natural expensive brand.  I got it cheap from a discount store but had been using it for a few months and really rated it! I noticed Ruth crinkling her nose at breakfast and looking quite pensive. (Perhaps toast not done to Madam’s liking?) As I leant over to get the salt, she let out a wail and said ,” Mum, I don’t know whether to say this , but have you got something on your face that smells of urine because I have been so upset to say anything in case you’ve got old and incontinent, I have been so upset!” (wail wail) I actually almost choked with laughter, couldn’t stop, a tears down the cheeks job! Ruth made me throw it out when she smelt the bottle!! I used to use rabbit size to stretch my canvases for painting and I had been convinced that this was what they put into ‘serums’, as that would give skin the effective ‘tightened’ look. Either that or egg whites?

This also takes me back to the Darphin serum and why I needed to get the magnifying glass out to see the small print! (Tell me, wouldn’t you think intelligent people would work out that most people buying wrinkle creams are mature, older ladies, whose eyesight may not be quite perfect? Why then do they make the writing on their boxes and leaflets soooooooooo small?)

You are meant to wear this serum under your moisturiser. I tried it and it was OK but I preferred it as a sort of skin tonic. I use it when giving my skin a rest at night, and I don’t use it during the day. My biggest reason for this is that my husband caught me on my way to work with both the serum and then the moisturiser on top and begged me to just look in the mirror! When I did, I saw that I was glistening as if iced! My poor colleagues, they are so sweet, they never really remark, smelling of urine AND luminously glowing, all before 8:30!

The other Darphin product is ‘Densifying Anti-Wrinkle Fluid’. This is the nearest I have ever come to pink lotion Oil of Ulay;  style, colour, consistency and smell. AND both come in the tiniest GLASS bottles which perch very prettily on your bedside table. They are lovely but quite expensive for such small amounts, hence why I use them as a nutritious treat now and again. I must remember to ask my husband before sleep if my face and throat are wrinkle free? I’ll leave a Post-it as I am usually fast asleep by the time he gets to bed.

By the way, c’est bon, no rabbit size or egg whites in either of the products!

Best wishes to you all (by the way, I was quite overwhelmed by all your replies and touched that you took the time to comment. I have no idea how to answer but Ruth said when she comes up to stay she will ‘instruct’ me.)

With love from Ruth’s Mum”

The ‘quite expensive’ Predermine Serum and Crème are £113 and £76 available with free worldwide delivery from LookFantastic here: http://tinyurl.com/3s7xrt8