Time to shed your winter skin

It's time to shed your winter skin like a snake; to slough off the scaly greyness and reveal the plumptious pinkness that lies beneath. Because, however cracked and crone-like you may feel, the pinkness is there. But please, see this process as delicate restoration work rather than wallpaper stripping.

I was once a fan of the granular scrub. I would merrily sand away at my face with any number of particle-infused exfoliants. I would use a scrub to counteract the clogging that comes with fake tan, to take off make-up, to wake myself up. I would use it before I went in the sun, and pat myself on the back for being so thorough. The rougher the texture of the product and the more brutal I was with my skin, the more virtuous I would feel. Clever me. Then I noticed the broken capillaries.

Experience has taught me that scrubs are savage and should be approached with caution. They feel satisfying but they can damage skin. And so, this spring, I discovered the joys of active resurfacing products that can take off the reptilian layer, refine pores, smooth skin and even hydrate with no busted veins.

Decléor's Resurfacing Gel-peeling (part of its new Expérience de L'Age range) stimulates cell renewal with iris essential oil while harnessing the acid effect of pineapple, grape and passion fruit to deal with texture. You slap it on with a cotton pad, read ES for five minutes and then rinse off with warm water, moisturise and go forth. I noticed the difference immediately. Serpent, begone. Siren, hello.
Decléor Expérience de L'Age Resurfacing Gel-peeling, £45 (020 7313 4774)