It was around the age of 32 that my skin first started showing the tell-tale signs of aging.

I’m talking about puffy, dark circles under my orbs, deeper marionette lines and the start of crow’s feet.

Even after a full night’s sleep, I’ve had people tell me I look sickly and tired. I usually play along, not wanting to embarrass them by telling speak the cold hard truth — that I look haggard simply because I skipped the under eye concealer and mascara that morning. And let’s be honest, I probably indulged in one-too- many glasses of chardonnay and salt & vinegar chips the night before.

I’m pretty religious about my skincare regime these days and have taken to experimenting with a slew of skincare lines, ranging from mid-range to pricey. Of course, the latter only happens when I stumble across a steal of a deal that I can’t resist.

Like many women my age, my skin tends to be on the drier side, but is also prone to monthly hormonal breakouts. This has made it tough to find a product that combines the benefits of anti-aging, with pesky pimple prevention. I guess you can now call me a beauty product junkie – our bathroom cupboard is filled with half-empty jars of ‘miracle’ creams and elixirs.

Alas, I recently discovered the new AVEENO Absolutely Ageless Collection.

Okay, full disclosure: A lovely PR firm sent me a bag filled to the brim with goodies from this collection, but my mandate is to only promote products that I actually really like, otherwise I’d just keep the product and not write a post.

This line combines blackberry leaf extract and dill to help improve the appearance of lines, wrinkles and other signs of aging.These breakthrough ingredients are said to help nourish skin with nutrients to keep it looking and feeling healthy, while improving elasticity.

Here’s the scoop on the 5 products I have been using for the past 10 days:

1-AVEENO ABSOLUTELY AGELESS Daily Moisturizer SPF 30

What I really love about this product (and I have been using it a lot lately with all this glorious sunshine)  is that it is hypoallergenic and isn’t heavy, nor does it leave an oily finish like so many other moisturizers containing SPF currently collecting dust in my medicine cabinet. It absorbs fairly quickly and doesn’t clog pores.

I usually just spray my girls’ sunscreen on my face, which isn’t exactly healthy. This has been a much better option and has saved my Irish complexion from turning 50 Shades of lobster at the playground.

 

2-AVEENO ABSOLUTELY AGELESS Restorative Night Cream

The Night Cream deeply nourishes and hydrates dry skin throughout the night to help you awaken to softer, smoother, younger-looking skin in just one week. I have been applying liberally, nightly, and noticed a more hydrated complexion after just one use. Like the daily moisturizer, it absorbs quickly, so you won’t destroy your pillowcase with gunky cream or clog your precious pores.

 

3-AVEENO ABSOLUTELY AGELESS Eye Cream

I wish I started using eye cream in my early 20s for preventive reasons, but I was far too busy shooting back tequila and staying up until 2 a.m. It’s never too late to adopt a healthy habit, even when it comes to skincare.

AVEENO ABSOLUTELY AGELESS improves visible signs of aging around the eyes by reducing the appearance of stubborn crow’s feet and under eye puffiness. I have yet to see my crows feet disappear, but I’ve definitely noticed a big reduction in puffiness. A lot of eye creams also cause my eyes to water, but I’ve had no issues with this product.

 

4-AVEENO ABSOLUTELY AGELESS Nourishing Cleanser

Remember Noxzema and Clearasil? Those were the two brands I used as a wee Valley teen, but upgraded over the years to more mature varieties.  The AVEENO ABSOLUTELY AGELESS Nourishing Cleanser removes 99% of skin-aging impurities, without stripping the moisture away. I’m really enjoying this cleanser – the only downside is that I have to use eye-makeup remover afterwards to remove my mascara as it doesn’t quite get it all. However, this formula is super gentle, so I haven’t had any redness or irritation.

 

5-AVEENO ABSOLUTELY AGELEESS Intensive Renewal Serum

This is my favourite product in the collection – I have been using it both morning and night under the daily moisturizer and night cream.  This miracle serum strengthen’s skin’s natural moisture barrier to maintain healthier-looking skin over time, while providing nourishment to complement healthy skin renewal.

It absorbs fast so my moisturizer,  concealer and foundation can go on with ease.

 

The AVEENO ABSOLUTELY AGELESS Collection just hit the stores this past March and is now available nationwide at most food, drug and mass merchandisers. If you’re in the market for an effective, gentle anti-aging product that won’t drain your bank account, I recommend adding this line into your daily beauty routine.

Just make sure to bring in this $3 off coupon when you make your purchase!