Can you really get younger looking skin in two weeks?

I was having an ordinary day in work last Thursday but mid-afternoon I looked in the mirror and the state of my skin frightened me.

As the day went on, my makeup had settled into the lines around my mouth and my dehydrated skin had soaked up all my skincare and foundation. My skin looked, dry, flaky and - at the age of 31 - frighteningly old.

I decided I would take action immediately so I got my hands on Murad's Youth Renewal Retinol Serum.

The Murad serum advises applying a thin layer to clean dry skin at night and apply a moisturiser over it.

I chose the new Clarins Hydra Essential for normal to dry skin because my skin is very prone to dryness and I love Clarins moisturisers.

These pictures of my face show the true state of my skin at the start of these two weeks.

You can see the dryness and the lines forming at the side of my mouth. They are even more apparent in the picture on the right with makeup.

What is Retinol?

This serum by Murad uses retinol for anti-ageing effects on the skin.

Retinol is a form of vitamin A which is essential for new cell growth.

It encourages exfoliation in the skin which gets rid of the dead surface skin cells allowing new cells to grow. (This process is effective in treating acne as well as wrinkles.)

Retinol also encourages the production of collagen which is essential to the skin's elasticity.

As we get older, collagen production slows down but retinol helps new collagen to form which reduces new wrinkles forming.

Lastly, it is an antioxidant meaning it fights against the free radicals that attack our skin daily.

This should have a calming effect on the skin.

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum

Clarins Hydra Essentiel Silky Cream

I have high hopes for this youth regenerating serum.

It claims that in just two weeks it 'visibly minimises lines and deep wrinkles, firms, evens skin tone and boosts radiance for more vibrant, youthful-looking skin'.

Murad also claims that 93% of people that used it saw a reduction in lines and wrinkles.

Here's hoping I'll be joining those happy, less wrinkly people at the end of my two-week journey!

I will be back next week, mid skin therapy, to let you know how my skin is getting on with the treatment.

Have you ever tried retinol based products and did you have any bad side effects from them?