Last week saw the launch of Elemis Freshskin, a range of skincare products aimed at the 16-24 age group. This just adds to my long list of ‘Reasons Why I Want To Be In The 16-24 Age Bracket’, which includes “my knees wouldn’t creak like door hinges when I climbed up the stairs” and “I would be able to write a sentence without having to resort to bitter cynicism and serious self-deprecation”. Other reasons are powerful one-worders such as ‘mortgage’ and ‘bills’.

Let’s get back to Elemis Freshskin, shall we? What a cute little range of products – nice and simple and easy to understand. Two cleansers, two moisturisers (one day, one night), an eye cream, a lip cream, a spot cream and a set of masks that will deep-clean or moisturise, depending on which sachet you select. There are a few things that I really love about this range, and I’m going to take you through them:

1) there’s no alcohol in any of the formulas. Important, I think, for young skin. No harsh stripping away of precious oils – just ingredients to placate and balance the skin. I honestly think that some of the ‘teenage’ skin brands (you know the ones I’m talking about – the paint-stripper ones) should be sued for crimes against the skin. There is no way that stripping away all oil from the skin with a chemical-soaked pad can be good, long-term or short-term.

2) it’s easy to understand (you cleanse, and then you moisturise) without adding in any unnecessary complications. There are no gimmicky pore-strips or peel-offs, there’s no ‘range for dry skin’ ‘range for oily skin’ ‘range for combination skin’ business going on, it’s just a simple regime of keeping the skin clean and regulating oil production.

3) it’s a ‘Touch of Luxury’ for a teen to be able to use Elemis – important, I think, to have a good attitude towards skincare from a young age. Especially when many of the products traditionally marketed at teens just send temperamental skin even more haywire! The ingredients in the Freshskin range have been selected to not only cleanse and moisturise but to prevent future damage and premature ageing, and the products have been specifically formulated for young skin – the products aren’t just cheaper reproductions of Elemis’ ‘grown-up’ products!

The prices of the Freshskin products are perhaps just slightly on the steep side, in my opinion, for a teen to buy for themselves on a regular basis, but I can already see that there will be a good number of mums buying this range for their daughters, and I have a sneaking suspicion that’s the idea! After all, the range will only be available through Time to Spa, and I can’t imagine that many teens stop by that website on a regular basis!

This morning I am wearing “Tired Eyes” Soothing Eye Rescue, £15, “Softly Softly” Daily Moisturiser, £20, and “Loving Lips” Quenching Lip Balm, £8. Last night I cleansed with ‘Skin Glow’ Exfoliating Face Wash (£12) and I moisturised with “Dreamy Sleep” Night-Time Moisturiser (£22). I have loved everything so far – all very light and refreshing, yet my skin doesn’t feel as though it needs any extra moisturiser at all! If you’re expecting the classic Elemis scents with these products then don’t – the fragrances err on the side of ‘essential oils’ rather than ‘luxury purchase’ – especially the night cream. I’m tempted to swap to this very simple range for a while – it feels very natural and pure and perfect for the beauty beginner. I wish that this had been around when I was in my late teens – I used to spend all my meagre wages on DIOR cleansers, for crying out loud!

The Freshskin range is available exclusively at Time to Spa HERE!

I have an exclusive offer voucher code for anyone spending over £25 on the freshskin range – quote FRESHSKIN when you click HERE and you’ll receive the cleansing wipes for free! (Offer ends 14/04/2011)