I'm not prone to grabbing new things on an impulse, but one day I was having a dawdle around Tesco and found their My Skin range directly in my eyeline. The bottle was cute, it was oil- and paraben-free, and meant to help mattify oily skin. It was also reduced from £3.50 to £2 - can't hurt to try it, I thought. The My Skin range is exclusive to Tesco: a collection of gentle, healthy skincare products specially developed for teenagers. I didn't notice the latter fact at first, and am really a few years older than the target demographic - but whatever, Tesco, I won't do what you tell me!

PACKAGING: The product comes in a standard squeezy tube with a flip cap, simple but attractively decorated with flowers. At 75ml it seems a bit on the small side, considering the full price, for a range that's meant to be for teens on a budget. Though shown as pink in most catalogue images, my tube is actually white. The back of the tube describes the ingredients: kiwi extract for moisture, raspberry to condition the skin, and cimicifuga (I don't know either - a kind of plant) to control oil and shine.

APPLICATION: The tube recommends light application using the fingers, in the morning and at night, preferably in conjunction with other My Skin products. I used it alone, though, since I prefer to see how products cope on their own. The lotion is white and easy to apply, creamy without being too thick, though I found it left a sticky residue and wasn't fully absorbed even a couple of hours later. All the extracts give it a fruity perfume that's enjoyable during application, though it tends to linger.

QUALITY: Having used this for a while now, I find it just doesn't do as it promises. It's a nice moisturising lotion with attractively healthy ingredients and a commendable lack of parabens and oil, but it doesn't deliver in the mattifying department, which is what I really hoped it would do. As advised, I tried using it morning and night, mostly on problem areas like the t-zone, but the results were negligible. It gives a "dewy" finish, I suppose, but doesn't do much to reduce or regulate annoying shine. My skin does feel more moisturised and pliable, but no less prone to shine. The lotion's slight tackiness does make a useful base for powder, if you're so inclined, but I think the formula is too gentle to really control oil and clear pores like it says.

This is a pleasant lotion with great ingredients and a nice smell - a good choice if you want an oil-free, paraben-free moisturiser. I do really enjoy using it! However, if you want it mainly for its mattifying properties, I'd suggest looking elsewhere. It's a nice little something to pick up if it's on offer, but don't bother if it's at full price.