Excited about Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex

At 30*mumble* I have a kind of reverse Dorian Gray thing going on with my skin. It looks pretty good for my age, but we have pictures around the house from our wedding a decade ago and when Miss London was tiny that are constant reminders that my skin is not quite what it used to be. I am a religious user of serums to hold back the tide as much as I possibly can.

Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair (ANR) is the grande dame of night repair serums. Launched in 1982, it was one of the first specifically targeted night-time repair serums to repair and prevent UV induced damage while you sleep. It's consistently been a top seller for the company since then, and they're now making it even better with an advanced formulation that is patented until 2017.

It helps to support the skin in three ways:

1. Using Chronolux technology to help keep each skin cell's 'clock' ticking at the appropriate speed. As we get older, the skin's natural rejuvenating mechanisms slow down (and don't I know it - my skin used to look like Miss London's once upon a time.) This technology is meant to keep your skin cells working at the biological equivalent of GMT, instead of losing an hour every two days.

2. Providing a top up of the enzyme (AGT) that the skin uses to mop up damaging chemicals before they cause trouble, thus supporting the skin's ability to deal with damaging toxins, and repair existing damage.

3. Hydrates and protects the skin, with hyaluronic acid (a natural skin plumper) and anti-oxidants.

I have a sample that I've been using for a week, and my skin is looking in very good condition especially considering that I've had a lot of late nights, wine and early starts this week (well, I do like to test things out thoroughly.) There's no added fragrance, so it smells lightly of the active ingredients, slightly like ATP mixed with iron tablets for those who remember Biology A-Level. The texture is a light gel and sinks in well without a silicone-y texture. I have not needed to apply moisturiser over it in the hot and humid weather we've been having here recently, although you can if your skin is drier. A product like this is always going to be about long term results rather than instant gratification, but my skin looks clear, fresh and well-rested.

It's priced surprisingly well at £36 for 30ml or £49 for 50ml. Reading about the technology before looking at the price, I expected this to be at the £75+ price point. Estee Lauder is generally very good about giving out samples if you're interested in taking it for a run before putting down the cash. ANR SRC launches in the UK in September.