There was a time when pricier skincare may have meant better skincare, and more potent ingredients. If you wanted clever science and a cream that delivered results besides basic hydration, for example, you’d be hard pressed to find anything good on the high street. That has changed in the past decade: there are excellent brands from The Ordinary to Byoma that keep their pricing affordable and formulas science-driven.

It was only a matter of time before Boots created a range more focused on results than its cheap and cheerful existing own-brand offering. It’s called Modern Chemistry, a nod to the fact that Boots has a long history as a chemist, and has just launched (following a range of supplements under the same umbrella, brought out in May). The line-up is almost entirely based on insights from Boots’ 17 million Advantage Card users, too (more than 10 million of those customers have shopped skincare at Boots over the past 12 months).

The range includes everything from cleanser to moisturiser, with all of it priced between £4.50 and £15. I’ve been the first journalist to trial the products over the past month, and I’m impressed by the quality of the formulas, the luxury feel of the textures and the smart (if a little boring) packaging. It gives good bang for your buck.

Sea Buckthorn Oil / Vitamin E Cleansing Balm, £15, Boots

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While cleansers are often seen as a basic addition in a skincare range, I think the Modern Chemistry version is one of the stars. In its research, Boots found that eight of its 10 top-selling skincare items in-store and online are cleansers. Granted, three of those eight products are the store’s own-brand wipes, but sales of cleansing balms are on the up, too. I’ve been able to try a lot of luxury cleansing balms over recent years, and Boots’ £15 option rivals the ones that cost two or three (or, in some cases, four!) times more. Formulated using the antioxidant- and omega-fatty-acid-rich sea buckthorn oil and moisturising vitamin E, it’s excellent for skin that is prone to feeling dry or flaky.

The data also showed that the bestselling moisturisers at Boots all focused on repairing the skin barrier (these include my own favourite, Cicaplast Baume B5+ by La Roche-Posay and the brilliant Moisturising Lotion by CeraVe). So they made their own: the new Modern Chemistry Restore Moisturiser, with Korean-skincare-inspired rice extract, feels lightweight yet nourishing. It’s a purse-friendly £13 a pot.

The Glow Eye Cream, also £13, is a good option for mid-life skin. It contains caffeine to counteract puffiness and light-reflecting particles to disguise the look of dark circles (although, if you are concerned about dark circles, this won’t do the heavy lifting that a concealer would do in terms of coverage).

Glow Eye Cream, £13, Boots

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Now, let’s look at the mask. Sheet masks now far outsell the cream and mud versions of years gone by (that will be the influence of skincare trends from Japan and South Korea again), and have seen a nine-per-cent spike in interest from Boots customers in the past year.

While I must admit I’m too lazy to apply a sheet mask regularly, the Modern Chemistry £4.50 Restore Hydrogel Mask – created in collaboration with Korean chemists – is a good choice if you’re looking for a speedy skin pick-me-up. The advice is to leave it on for a minimum of 30 minutes, which I tried, and my skin did indeed feel very moisturised and soft when I removed it.

Restore Hydrogel Mask, £4.50, Boots

I wouldn’t ever say that you need to use everything from one brand – it’s much better to cherry-pick the products that work for you from a selection of ranges – but if you are in the market for one or two new products at an affordable price, do check out Modern Chemistry. I for one will be stocking up on the balm cleanser and eye cream.

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