Getting old is expensive. Well, it is if you want to buy anti-ageing creams and gadgets designed to keep you looking youthful. That’s why we’re buzzing about a new range on sale at Poundland.
No, that’s not a typo. Poundland – the cheap, yet iconic – UK high-street store has launched new anti-ageing retinol and hyaluronic acid skincare lines as part of its #6 range.
As you can read in our What is retinol? guide, retinol is an ingredient in the wider retinoids family that helps boost collagen production to plump out fine lines and prevent wrinkles. In particular, it helps accelerate skin renewal and consistent exposure to retinol increases the levels of retinoid receptors in our system.
These are proteins that carry and deposit Vitamin A into skin cells to stimulate collagen. The more collagen, and elastin you have in your skin, the more hydrated and tighter it is.
Hyaluronic acid does a similar job but in a different way. It’s a form of sugar produced in our skin cells that holds water. It’s what helps keep our skin hydrated and plump. As we age, just like with collagen, hyaluronic acid levels in our skin drop. This causes our skin to become drier, which makes fine lines more apparent.
It’s also not helped by our environment and this can often lead to uneven skin tone. You can read more about the impact of ageing, and the loss of collagen and hyaluronic acid, in our How your skin changes in each decade of your life – and what to do about it.
FURTHER READING: What is retinol and what does retinol do for your skin? | Retinol for beginners
Poundland Due to the fact both ingredients have been clinically shown, time and again, how good they are at slowing the ageing process, they’re in high demand. And this pushes the prices up. Retinol creams can cost in excess of £50 for a small pot.
By comparison, Poundland’s anti-ageing skincare’s #6 Retinol range starts at just £3. This includes a Day Cream, Night Cream and Facial Serum, which contains a blend of retinyl palmitate, hyaluronic acid, green tea extract and Vitamin A.
When combined, these ingredients boost the power of retinol on its own, help improve skin elasticity and help reduce the damage caused by pollution and other environmental factors. What’s even more impressive is that the retinol products contain SPF 25.
FURTHER READING: What is SPF and why is it so important?
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The serum looks like it could be a cheap alternative for Boots’ £34 Advanced Retinol 1.5% Complex, while the day, and night cream look like L’Oréal Paris’s Revitalift retinol range, which costs £12.99.
Poundland is also launching three anti-ageing, hyaluronic acid skincare products. These take the total number of products in the #6 range to 19 and all are available in stores now.
Its current Anti-Ageing Day Cream costs £1. As does its Anti-Ageing face mask. Sadly you can’t buy these items online, and smaller stores may not stock them, but next time you’re in town it could be worth a cheeky trip.
“Everyone wants to have wrinkle-free skin and we are delighted to be able to bring such premium skincare concepts to savvy, beauty bargain hunters everywhere – and at prices they can afford,” Shauna Falconer, Poundland’s beauty buyer, explained. “Why should you have to pay more for great-looking skin?”
We’re going to putting these products to the test to see how effective they are and we’ll publish our smart mirror results soon.
FURTHER READING: How we test skincare to see if it lives up to its claims
Victoria is founder and editor-in-chief of mamabella, freelance journalist and Mum. She has a passion for empowering people to feel beautiful whatever their age, size, skin type and budget
