I used to lie awake until 2 am. Then a friend gave me a pair of sleep headphones with a 30-minute wind-down programme. The first night I was asleep before it ended.

They're soft enough to sleep on your side, and the battery lasts a full week.

After ten years of hiding my skin under make-up, one appointment changed how I look at skincare. Here is what she told me.

For years I hid my face under make-up. Dark spots on my cheeks, my forehead, even my hands. I spent hundreds of euros on creams that promised everything and did nothing.

Last spring I finally booked an appointment with a dermatologist. What she told me changed the way I look at skincare completely.

According to her, the problem isn't that you use too little product. It's that most vitamin C breaks down before it does anything. Stable vitamin C is rare, and it's the only kind that works.

She recommended a serum made in the Netherlands, with 15% stabilised vitamin C and niacinamide.

I used it every morning for four weeks. After two weeks my colleagues asked if I had been on holiday. After four weeks I stopped wearing foundation.

The brand is currently offering a discount for new customers, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. I don't know how long it lasts, so if you're curious, don't wait too long.

It started on social media. Now a small Dutch brand can hardly keep up with orders. We looked into whether it's worth the hype.

In the past six months more than 12,000 people bought the serum, and the reviews are remarkably consistent. Most mention the same thing: a brighter tone within two weeks.

We spoke to a dermatologist, compared it with luxury brands and read hundreds of reviews.

Three things stand out: a high dose of stabilised vitamin C, a short ingredient list without perfume, and a price far below comparable brands.

The founders skipped retail entirely and sell direct, which keeps the price down.

“After two weeks my colleagues asked what I had done.” — Lotte, 42

“The only serum that doesn't irritate my skin.” — Mirjam, 35

“Ordered a second bottle for my sister.” — Anouk, 29

For the price, we think so. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee, so the risk is small.

Note: stock sold out twice this year, and the current discount is for new customers only.