Because I'm a die-hard Drugstore Beauty Queen, I very rarely, if ever, use high-end or salon-only skincare products. About the only thing I might splurge on for my face is...nothing! An $8 econo-size bottle of Cetaphil is about a big a splurge as I'll do. However, that doesn't mean I don't dream about a life in which I go see my personal facialist, or better yet, that my personal facialist comes to my mansion -- a facialist like Nerida Joy.

Beverly Hills-based Nerida Joy has been named as one of the "Top 15" facialists in the country by both Self and Elle magazines, and with over 29 years of experience, she is the only facialist to be listed as a skin expert, a title reserved only for dermatologists.

That means she knows skin.

I know I won't ever get to that bourgie point in my life where I have my own facialist, and let's face it, I doubt I would have the energy to actually go see someone like Nerida Joy in her Beverly Hills salon even if it were only every so often (if you live in LA, then you know how traffic sometimes automatically turns you into a hermit). However, just like any professional in the beauty industry who actually wants to make money, Nerida has a line of skincare products. Hey, that wasn't meant to be snide; it's just a statement of fact. Here's another one: celebrities like Claudia Schiffer and Tyra Banks love Nerida's skincare products.

I got to try a few of the products in Nerida Joy's skincare line. Obviously, I had to use it every day for at least a few weeks in order to see if there would really be a difference in my mostly dry and flaky, in some places very dry, blotchy, and blemish-prone skin.

Cleansing Gel - Supposedly, a gel cleanser is better for dry skin, though this cleanser is the only one that Nerida Joy offers. I was disappointed that the green, goopy gel is non-foaming, since I have this weird mental block about non-foaming cleansers -- without a big, bubbly lather, I don't feel like I am "cleaning" anything. Nonetheless, I used it as directed, once in the morning, twice at night (first time to remove a layer of makeup, second time to do the real cleaning), and just as a precaution, I always used my Clarisonic brush.

I can't honestly say that the cleanser did anything miraculous for my skin, though that was never the claim to begin with. It was refreshing when I used it, no doubt, and I like the fact that the primary ingredient is aloe gel. I think more than anything, having the big green bottle there on my countertop just made me use it, and that alone is a good reason to have it. Claudia Schiffer loves the Cleansing Gel, but that's not a good reason to use it.

Morning Vital Eye Gel - As you can tell, most of Nerida Joy's products are gel-based. The Eye Gel is infused with collagen, elastin and proteins to firm the eye area and concentrated herbal extracts aid in dramatically reducing puffiness and dark circles. I like the idea that the eye stuff is a gel because it doesn't leave the eye area too greasy in the morning right before putting on makeup. I don't have dark circles, so I can't really give an opinion on whether it worked for that, but it certainly seemed to make my eyes less puffy. That's quite an accomplishment, since I stare at a laptop screen for almost 20 hours a day.

Cell Fortifier Cream - This is the one product that wasn't a gel, and yet, though it's called a "cream," never felt heavy or greasy. The cream is supposed to promote healthy cell metabolism, refine pores, and tighten areas of the face and neck. Hey. let's face it. I have no way of knowing if the stuff promoted my cells' metabolism, but it certainly felt good going on.

The stuff isn't a must-have, especially since the stuff isn't cheap, but if you have the bankroll, Nerida Joy is a nice-to-have.