I trialled the new products from the Alex Steinherr Penneys range and I have some thoughts

As we're all locked down we might as well give our skin a little treat.

In keeping with every review I've ever done, I'm incredibly late to the game (hello Glossier) when it comes to the Alex Steinherr X Primark (Penneys) skincare range. Launched in late 2018, the collection sold out pretty much straight away with generally positive reviews. Many consumers celebrated the mixture of low-cost price points and high quality ingredients... a rare match in the world of skincare. The original collection includes twenty products and is divided into five collections; Maximum Moisture, Plump & Glow, Sleep Spa, Pollution Solution and Pore Balance. Recently, three new products have been added to the range so with a lockdown looming, I took the opportunity to trial the new offerings but also learn a bit about the range in general since the hype has died down. Getting the good stuff out of the way, the entire Alex Steinherr X Primark skincare collection is ethically sourced, vegan friendly and 100% cruelty free. The range is also certified, which means no products have ever been tested on an animal. There's a lot of buzzwords out there at the moment in the skincare world, so if products are 'certified' that basically means they've been through rigorous third-party testing procedures that guarantee they are in fact ethical and organic. So far so good! Taking a look at the three new offerings before I get into my wonder picks, first up we have the Maximum Moisture Milky Softening Lotion, this retails for €6 and feels like a mixture between a toner and a serum. The texture is certainly milky, it's very light and filled with lactic acid and peptides. You can use this product in the morning instead of a cleanser, and it certainly gives the skin a boost. The next new product is the Pore Balance Anti-Breakout Jelly Potion (€6) it's a great product for breakouts and with the entire nation donning our masks, there are definitely more breakouts happening in the chin area (maskne anyone?). This product contains salicylic acid so will help clear the debris on the skin but promises to soothe instead of destroy. As most people know, products that are specifically designed for breakouts can be incredibly aggressive and hard on the skin, this product is gentle and feels light and you can even wear it under makeup (not that any of us are wearing makeup these days). It’s a clarifying serum that also fights off blemishes and excess oil. In the Plump and Glow range the new product added is the Wake Wp Anti-Fatigue Eye Roller (€6) and this is my hero product. I've been using this every single morning, it has a cool roller and it genuinely helps to de-puff my eyes with lymphatic drainage. I've reserved my special mentions for the €7 Rose Quartz facial roller, simply because I think it's great craic and my hands-down favourite product has to be the Anti-blackhead Stick from the Pore Balanced range. This stuff is just a dream, if you love a gentle exfoliation like I do, look no further. This feels lights and almost creamy on the skin while gently exfoliating the day away. It's too soon to tell the long-term effects of these products on my skin but the general first impression is that the ingredients are on point and, of course, they're an absolute bargain! People are certainly wise to what works in the skincare world these days and, as consumers, we're tougher to swizz so although we love pretty packaging and appealing scents, it really is all about the ingredients... which this range has in spades.