Skin deep

Kylie Minogue is breaking hearts again, but this time, it's not males around the world who are devastated.

It's all the fancy dancy moisturiser companies whose pricey products purport to fix our every flaw.

Yes, Kylie has just announced that she doesn't use any of that stuff, and "prefers to rely on cheap moisturiser to keep wrinkles at bay" (SMH, May 24, 2010). And while she does admit to dabbling with Botox in the past, "she has given up the age-busting injections and would never undergo cosmetic surgery".

I've always admired Kylie - who, at the start of her current career, was affectionately called "the singing budgie" by the Australian media. She knows what she wants and stays true to her course. And now, I feel a certain kinship, given her recently revealed beauty secret.

As someone who has also relied on an inexpensive moisturiser their entire life, I concur with Kylie's assessment that it's all you need for a "near flawless complexion" and a "youthful appearance". Along with a healthy diet and moderate exercise, but then, you already knew that, right?

Clearly, us Aussie girls know what's best for our skin - and it's not spending wads of cash on expensive magic elixirs. Pond's Cold Cream for 41-year-old Kylie and Soul Pattinson's Sorbolene for 52-year-old me. Both reliable, cheap and proven - if we do say so ourselves.

So, next time you stock up, don't bypass the cheap just because it is. It might prove to be the best friend your skin ever had.