Sisley oh Sisley, each time I try to break away fom your hold on me (and my wallet), you keep finding new ways to reel me in! A Model Recommends’ Ruth once described the brand as ” If you have some cash floating about and you’re looking for great skincare, then make friends with Sisley”. That just about sums it up. Great skincare, not so great prices…. The Sisley Youth Protector Face SPF50 still is one of the best face SPF’s I’ve ever tried, and even at €95 a bottle, I’d still consider a rebuy of the Sisley Phyto Teint Expert All-Day Long Skincare Foundation, it’s just that good! Why oh why does the good stuff always have to be that expensive?

I tried to hold off on trying the Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask for quite a while (two years to be exact…), but I finally caved after numerous raving reviews from friends and acquaintances, and boy, a part of me wishes I didn’t… Brightening, hydrating, plumping, soothing, overall boosting, collagen stimulation… this little tube of pink creaminess straight from the gods does it all. A powerful cocktail of active ingredients, vitamins and plant extracts works together on a multitude of fronts. Amongst others, essentiel oils of black rose and magnolia smooth and fight off those pesky anti-free radicals, great mullen protects, red vine boosts radiance, chlorella and essential oil of geranium stimulate and revitalize skin cells, provitamin B5, vegetable glycerin and phytosqualane hydrate. And that’s just half of the ingredient list…

If you’re rushed and in need of an instant boost, apply a thin layer to clean skin, and tissue off the excess after ten minutes or so. However, this mask is just too bleedin’ good to let anything go to waste or tissue off, so if you have a bit of spare time, apply it about half an hour before doing your make up, let it sink in, and then realize you’ll want to forego your base completely, because your skin doesn’t need covering up at all. Or be a lazy bum like myself, and apply a slightly thicker layer at night, about an hour before going to bed, and just enjoy that heavenly luxurious and divine textue and scent. The next morning, despite two kids waking me up after way too little sleep, amazingly refreshed and glowy-looking skin stares back at me when I look in the mirror.

Once in a blue moon, you find this product that works for all skintypes, from the greasiest puddle to the driest piece of sanding paper (looking lovingly at you there, Filorga Meso Mask!), and when you find that, you have to hang on to them for dear life! Shortly put, it is one of the biggest blessings out there for dry, dull, somewhat irritated complexions, it’s nothing short of incredible. So why all the heartache? The €104 / £95,50 / $162 price tag *insert sharp intake of breath*. Which brings me to my dilemma. Do I keep it just for special occasions seen the assault on my budget each new tube would bring? Or do I slather it on for the out-of-this-world results it brings to my skin? ‘Cause this is a surefire re-buy….  Sisley, Sisley, Sisley, I just can’t seem to escape you….