If only beauty editors told the truth

I recently purchased the new "wonder product" from Dior, a snip at £95, Capture Totale Radiance Enhancer.

Based on the magazine ads featuring Sharon Stone, I was expecting "instant luminosity" with a potion applied under or over foundation.

Instead, the confusing leaflet doesn't really say what this product actually is, but advises you to use it over your Capture Totale cream (of course) and then follow with Capture Totale powder (of course).

The enhancer is a similar colour and texture to foundation which somewhat threw me. I first tried it over my face cream, with nothing else. There was no noticeable difference.

I've since tried it over my face cream and under my foundation. It isn't good for this: I find that my Smashbox Photo Finish foundation primer is far superior, giving a more radiant flawless finish.

It's very disappointing given that this product is expensive and has extravagant claims. "Its secret: the patented Alpha-Longoza Complex, based on a rare revitalizing plant grown only in Madagascar" is supposed to "corrects all signs of visible aging: wrinkles, lack of firmness, dark spots".

If only beauty editors told the truth. Instead they quote verbatim from press releases for fear of biting the hand that feeds them - the multinational cosmetic companies. And the adverts themselves make ridiculous claims based on tiny samples of women. One of the big companies was recently fined by the ASA for testing on its own staff, who were bound to give the product glowing testimonials.

In the latest Dior ad, the small print says the product was tested on 60 women for between one and two months. Hardly scientific, is it?

In future I will only try new and expensive products when I've read reviews by real people online. Hopefully these will start to proliferate and send a powerful message to the likes of Dior, Estee Lauder and so on. I never choose a holiday now without checking out Expedia. Power to the people!

How are you ageing today?

Check out this quiz at Parade.com if you want to find out how well you are ageing.

I scored 75 which is interpreted as: You are aging like a Giant Tortoise. Your immune system is your friend and has little interest in attacking you--at the moment. It’s possible to improve upon your success and make your immune system work even better. There are several steps you can take to slow down the aging process and live a longer, healthier life. Learn on!

One thing I did learn from the quiz is that it's better to take your multivitamin before your main meal of the day - and an hour before, rather than at breakfast time.