Lidl Cien Anti-Ageing Skincare Review

And my face didn't fall off...
At least that would be the title of this blog post if I was being dramatic and really wanted to catch your attention. Jokes aside, I am a somewhat skincare snob - unless it is a cleanser - and typically believe you get what you pay for; that being said I also run curious so every now and then I am tempted to try something outwith my comfort zone.

Lidl Cien Anti-Ageing Skincare Review

While on my now infamous cookie run (I run from my house to Lidl and back just for cookies - cardio and carbs as I like to call it), I found myself within the cosmetic aisle and decided to throw caution to the wind and purchase a few items. Truthfully Lidl isn't exactly on par with your typical beauty hall and as such there isn't a great deal of items to choose from: wipes, foaming cleansers and moisturisers - the bare basics if you will. As far as I could see - and at just under 5ft, that is not all that far - Lidl have two options: anti-ageing and hydrating; in my mind the anti-ageing seemed like the best choice as it should (and I do say should) have a slightly better calibre of ingredients, however at just £2.99 a pot, I didn't have the highest of hopes.

Lidl Cien Anti-Ageing Skincare Review

Let's begin with the packaging shall we? Two opaque white glass pots with screw on lids and rather impressively a foil seal - I've experienced pricier skincare items without such hygienic step. There's really not much else to say, well perhaps other than both the Cien Anti-Ageing creams look and feel much more expensive than they actually are, but still pretty basic none the less.

Much like most skincare regimes the Cien Anti-Ageing range features both a day and night cream, what is surprising is that the day cream does not incorporate any form of SPF protection which is now typically deemed the norm. My guess is that they have skipped this crucial ingredient to cut costs. There is some mention of UV protection but truthfully I don't know just how reliable that is - on the plus side there is no mineral oils within either moisturiser.

Lidl Cien Anti-Ageing Skincare Review
Lidl Cien Anti-Ageing Skincare Review

As you can hopefully determine from my photos, Cien Anti-Ageing Day Cream is a slightly thicker, and dare I say heavy and rich moisturising option. For this reason alone, I do think it is better suited to both dry and more mature complexions as I found that my 20-something skin could not absorb the product and as such was left, looking and feeling greasy. The core ingredients are Q10 (coenzyme Q10 - an anti-oxidant to repair skin and cell damage), Hyaluronic Acid (for moisturisation) and Vitamin E (another anti-oxidant that may also help with collagen production) - all of which are fairly simple and common skincare ingredients. As a moisturiser - and when applied to the right complexion - this will do just that, hydrate the skin but I can't imagine it will do all that much in terms of anti-ageing benefits, nor will it really aide existing lines and wrinkles.

Lidl Cien Anti-Ageing Skincare Review
Lidl Cien Anti-Ageing Skincare Review

Rather bizarrely, Cien Anti- Ageing Night Cream features a lighter, almost gel like texture which I do think will be better suited to all skin types and ages, than the aforementioned day cream. Yes it is fairly moisturising but also cooling too, making it ideal for the current balmy weather. If I was going to utilize the Cien skincare regime daily I would skip the Day Cream and use the Cien Night Cream as my go-to moisturiser - it is by far the more superior of the two. That being said, yes the texture is far more agreeable but the core ingredients are exactly the same as the day cream variety: Q10, Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin E. Again, yes this will moisturise your complexion but it is not the best budget anti-ageing solution on the market - sorry.

Until Lidl can make skincare on par with their cookies, I am afraid I will remain a snob. Sorry.

I have however found some great budget moisturiser with SPF here, and an amazing K-Beauty Hyaluronic Acid cream find here.