Anti-ageing skincare is big business, and as such there's a lot of nonsense spoken and written about the attributes of certain 'miracle-working' ingredients in order to promote sales of mediocre products to a public that is often blinded by the urge to radically improve skin appearance and condition.

N.V. Perricone is a brand, developed by dermatologist Dr. Nicholas Perricone, that aims to cut through some of this hot air and bluster and offer consumers straightforward, no-nonsense but very well-researched formulations, even if they are at a slightly higher price than many popular brands' offerings. The Neuropeptide range is based unsuprisingly on neuropeptides (tiny strings of amino acids that provide a link between the brain and the action of nerves in the skin). You may be thinking that this is all very scientific and difficult to grasp already, so to make the theory easy to understand for those of us not so up-to-date on our neuro-biology, Dr. Perricone calls it the 'Brain-Beauty Connection'. Put plainly, the neuropeptides that occur naturally within us all, have a huge effect on the body's (including the skin's) repair system and they tend to deteriorate over the years. So by reintroducing them to our bodies we are stimulating and using the body's own repair system to retain youthful skin and halt premature ageing - simple right? So it's a long term solution, not a temporary quick fix like many anti-ageing lines favour.

The programme consists of five products -  Neuropeptide Facial Conformer (£445) is the central product. It decreases the appearances of wrinkles while increasing radiance and elasticity. And It can also reduce puffiness, dark under-eye circles and the appearance of tiny veins. The range is completed by Neuropeptide Facial Serum Prep (£140), Neuropeptide Facial Contour (£190), Neuropeptide Eye Area Contour (above right £150) and Neuropeptide Firming Body Mist (£120) that all take a role in the significant restoration of youth to the complexion.

N.V. Perricone is available at Harvey Nichols stores in London, Dublin, Birmingham and Leeds.