I thought I’d do a little serum round up
today and while some of these are no stranger to the blog, after revisiting
recently, I thought they were worth another mention!
This is definitely one of, if not the best
Vitamin C serum I have used! It is a powerhouse antioxidant serum that also
contains glycolic acid to exfoliate, meaning the L-ascorbic acid can penetrate
more effectively. This makes my skin feel so smooth and helps it look clearer
and more brighter and even! L-ascorbic acid is known for being the most effective
form of Vitamin C and the serum itself has a light citrus scent, absorbs
quickly and stubborn pigmentation fades impressively with consistent use! The serum
comes with a dual chamber delivery system giving extra defence to oxidation of
the Vitamin C and I haven’t experienced any irritation with the inclusion of the
glycolic acid either. This is 100% worth the money and definitely worth a try
if you struggle with Vitamin C formulas that feel oily or pill as this does neither!
Read my full review here!
Such a cult anti-aging serum and I can
see why! This recently got reformulated as well so I won’t delve too much into
the ingredients etc but this was a beautiful hydrating serum that I tended to
use overnight on non-retinol nights. It felt so repairing and firming and it smells
incredible too! I’m not exactly sure what the changes are to the formulation
but I’m sure it's just as incredible and the new packaging looks so luxe!
A beautiful, calming formula for sensitive
skin, I reached for this all through winter and am sure I will through summer
too! It contains hyaluronic acid, botanical extracts such as cucumber, olive
and thyme and mulberry to soothe the skin. It feels super hydrating and really
helps reduce redness in the skin!
This is probably one of the skincare
products I have had In my routine the longest (since 2016) and I always go back
to! CAIS3 is a copper peptide, pro-collagen, pro-repair, watery, blue liquid
with a slight scent of vinegar that dissipates very quickly! It sinks in
quickly and can be used in the morning and evening, but it is recommended to
not use with acids, Vitamin C, EUK, or strong antioxidants. Its purpose is to
maintain healthy looking skin by targeting signs of skin ageing including
textural damage, uneven skin tone, enlarged pores and a lack of radiance. My
skin looks and feels much healthier when I use this consistently. It’s more
even, clear and firm, and this is a must have in my routine! Read my full review here!
Finally, a gem from The Ordinary! This
makes my skin feel much smoother and also doubles up as a body serum for me as
it’s so effective on KP on the backs of my arms! It comes in a 5% formulation too but I prefer the 10% and I don’t
experience any sensitivity personally (it contains Tasmanian Pepperberry
extract to help reduce irritation and sensitivity associated with acids). The Ordinary
say this is perfect for dry skin and can be used every day! It’s also the most affordable
of the offerings I have today and one of my favourite exfoliating serums!
That’s it for my round up of serums for
any skin concern – did you see any of your favourites or any you would like to
try?
I did a similar post to this about three
serums I was loving back in 2022 so I thought since all of these are now
finished or almost finished, it was time for another! Keep reading if you want
to know my top picks for bright, clear and smooth skin!
Starting with a nice all-rounder and the Biotherm Life Plankton Elixir RRP $109 CAD* is a beautiful hydrating and soothing
serum that contains glycerin, life plankton and Vitamin C. It is scented (which
is something I don’t mind in skincare), and I am obsessed with the smell – it’s
so fresh and “blue” and it really adds to the experience for me. This makes my
skin feel hydrated and supported and it looks brighter and feels smoother! I
notice my fine lines less and I love the packaging too, the dropper has a
chrome look, it just feels so luxe! I think this has recently had a slight
update to the formula but I’m sure it’s just as good!
Sticking with Biotherm and the Blue
Retinol Night Serum RRP $103 CAD* contains 0.25% retinol as well as life
plankton, glycerin, HA and niacinamide. This worked well to smooth and even my
skin tone while targeting fine lines and I used it 2-3 times a week. The
formula is creamy and didn’t cause any sensitivity or peeling for me! Both of
these were also included in my Best Beauty Discoveries of 2023 post!Read more about Biotherm here!
The Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair RRP $115 CAD | £65 is a serum that’s easy to see why it gets cult status
now I’ve gone through a full bottle! It’s a restorative serum containing
peptides and hyaluronic and antioxidants and helps protect against UV damage
and repair skin. It’s called night repair but can be used AM or PM though I
tend to use it in the evening and I wake up with hydrated, plump and firm skin.
Read more here! Already repurchased!
My Vitamin C pick is the priciest product
here but one that has worked so well for me I had to include it! The Skinceuticals C E Ferulic RRP $208 CAD | £165 GBP* contains 15% pure Vitamin C (L-ascorbic
acid), 1% Vitamin E, and 0.5% Ferulic Acid. It claims to improve signs of aging
and photodamage, the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles, and the loss of
firmness, while brightening skin’s complexion. This worked really well to
target my fine lines and leftover marks from spots faded much quicker. It is a
beautiful formula that absorbed quickly, helped brighten my skin and kept it
looking more even. Marks from any spots that popped up while I was using this
faded much quicker and I didn’t notice my nasolabial folds forming a fine line
at all which is the first thing I normally do notice when it comes to signs of
aging! The bottle lasted me just over three months with daily use which I
thought was good but this is definitely pricey! Read more about Skinceuticals Vitamin C range here!
While they are best known for their
Vitamin C line, Skinceuticals also have a vast range of hyaluronic acid based
serums. The Skinceuticals Retexturising Activator RRP $112 CAD* contains
25% Hydroxyethyl Urea, Kombucha as well as glycerin and hyaluronic acid and was
gentle to use despite having the resurfacing power of a daily 20% glycolic acid
treatment. As well as being hydrating it made my skin feel and look so smooth.
I used this daily and my skin looked brighter and my skin barrier felt strong.
Lastly, the Pixi Clarity Concentrate RRP $34 CAD | £26* which has been my go-to when I have been experiencing
breakouts and it’s been working a treat! It contains glycolic, salicylic and
lactic acid as well as probiotics and aloe and really helps to gently exfoliate
my skin while still keeping it hydrated and my breakouts have been healing much
faster with use! I don’t think this would work miracles if you are experiencing
severe acne but for the usual time of the month breakouts, it’s great!
We are focusing on the Skinceuticals
Vitamin C range today! I have three of their powerhouse serums that are all
empty now as I have been using them over the last year so let’s dive in! Skinceuticals
is a US based, award winning, medical grade skincare brand founded in 1997 by
Dr. Sheldon Pinnell. Their mission is to improve skin health and they do this
by providing advanced skincare backed by science. Formulas are high potency and
proven to penetrate optimally into skin to correct signs of aging, protect
healthy skin, and prevent future damage.
This brand is super hyped in the skincare
world and CE Ferulic in particular is seen to be the gold standard in Vitamin C
products. Vitamin C of course being an antioxidant known for brightening skin,
improving the look of fine lines and wrinkles and discolouration. I received
these in PR almost a year ago at the end of April 2023 and I have been using
them back-to-back as part of my morning skincare routine before moisturiser and
SPF ever since, finishing the last bottle at the end of March. I started out with
the Serum 10 AOX+ as this is the least potent then moved onto the Phloretin CF
and finally the CE Ferulic.
This is regarded as an introductory
Vitamin C serum for sensitive or normal skin types and contains 10% pure Vitamin
C (L-ascorbic acid) and 0.2% Ferulic Acid (another antioxidant enhancing the
benefits of Vitamin C). My skin looked even, brighter and fine lines were less
noticeable with use.
This one contains 10% pure Vitamin C (L-ascorbic
acid), 2% Phloretin (an antioxidant that helps improve cell turnover and the
appearance of discolouration) and 0.5% Ferulic Acid and is ideal for normal and
oily/combo skin. This kept my skin looking bright and I didn’t notice my fine
lines while using it! This also helped with oil control especially around my
nose.
Lastly, this one contains 15% pure Vitamin
C (L-ascorbic acid), 1% Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol to replenish skin lipids),
and 0.5% Ferulic Acid to enhance protection against environmental damage caused
by free radicals that can contribute to visible signs of atmospheric aging and
is ideal for dry, normal and sensitive skin. It improves signs of aging and
photodamage, the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles, and the loss of
firmness, while brightening skin’s complexion. This worked really well to
target my fine lines and leftover marks from spots faded much quicker.
Overall, I am gutted to be finished these!
They are out of my price range right now so will not be a repurchase
unfortunately for me as I really do think they have benefited my skin! I find Vitamin
C serums tricky and all three of these were beautiful formulations! They
absorbed quickly, helped brighten my skin and kept it looking more even and
marks from any spots that popped up while I was using them faded much quicker!
I didn’t notice my nasolabial folds forming a fine line at all which is the
first thing I normally do notice when it comes to signs of aging! I can definitely see
the hype with these and if you are in a position to afford them I cannot
recommend enough!
All three serums lasted me 11 months
altogether with everyday use so just over three months each. Oxidation was
minimal and I kept whatever bottle I wasn’t using sealed in a drawer until I was ready
to open it. CE Ferulic definitely stands out most to me as it’s the most
potent but the Serum 10 AOX+ is a great (slightly more affordable) option that
worked really well too! I have a few serums from the hyaluronic acid range as
well as a couple of moisturisers I am excited to try next from Skinceuticals!
What’s your favourite Vitamin C or Skinceuticals product?
I know I never shut up about these three
serums, but they have really stood out so much to me I thought they deserved a
dedicated blogpost singing their praises!
First up, my OG old favourite, the one
and only NIOD Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 (CAIS3) RRP £65*. This is
a long-term love and I have consistently had a bottle of this in my stash since
2016 (had to check the archives for that!). Now in its third generation, it
comes “pre-assembled” where once you had to play scientist and premix the serum
using the two bottles it came with! It hasn’t affected the efficacy of the
serum, a watery, blue liquid with a slight scent of vinegar (that dissipates
quickly) which is pro-repair and pro-collagen and works to maintain healthy
looking skin by targeting signs of ageing including textural damage, uneven
skin tone, enlarged pores and lack of radiance. My skin looks and feel much
healthier when I use this consistently. It’s more even, clear and firm - it is
an absolute wonder product for me! If you’ve been on the fence about trying it
now is the time – there is 23% off DECIEM products until the 23rd
June! See my full review of CAIS3 and some other NIOD products here!
Next up is a recent sad empty for me, the
Dermalogica Smart Response Serum RRP £129*. When I read the press release,
I was a little suspicious, how can a serum be “smart” and offer a personalised
response to your skins needs? Somehow, this does everything it claims to.
Whether my skin needs hydration, brightening, soothing, firming or help with
fine lines this responds and works! The heavyweight bottle is so luxe and the
serum itself is so rich (but not greasy) I sometimes didn’t feel the need to
follow with moisturiser. With consistent use twice a day my skin felt hydrated,
calm, brighter, soft and plump and my fine lines looked less noticeable. It is
definitely the priciest product in my routine and that’s the only negative I
would say! Look Fantastic has many 20% off codes that work on it and I think if
you are streamlining your routine or want to cut out a few steps with multiple
serums this is a one stop shop and well worth it! This also made it into my Best Beauty Discoveries of 2021!
Last but not least, and most recent to my
stash at the end of last year, the Murad Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum RRP £74* and this has quickly become my favourite Vitamin C serum. I was
worried at first that the addition of glycolic acid along with the Vitamin C
would cause irritation but I’m happy to say it hasn’t. This is a powerhouse
antioxidant serum and after struggling with Vitamin C formulas that help
brighten but don’t do much for specific areas of pigmentation this has worked
better than I thought possible. The inclusion of glycolic acid gently
exfoliates, making my skin smoother and helping ensure effective Vitamin C
delivery. The Vitamin C in question is L-ascorbic acid, known for being the
most effective as well! The serum itself has a light citrus scent and absorbs
quickly and like I said, some stubborn pigmentation has really lifted with
consistent use! My skin is also much brighter and more even. The serum also
comes with a dual chamber delivery system giving extra defence to oxidation. I’m
so impressed and you can read more about Murad here!
So, those are three serums that have
really made a difference to my skin! I promise I’ll stop harping on about them now,
but I really can’t recommend them enough if you are in the market for a new
serum! They are all pricey but 100% worth the money and I have already or will purchase these with my own money in the future! Have you noticed a massive difference in your skin since using a
particular serum? Let me know which one!
I’m back today with a little roundup of Murad, a
brand I was introduced to just before Christmas as part of their influencer
ambassador programme – the Skin Wellness Squad! Founded in 1989 by Dr Howard
Murad, Murad believe skincare is healthcare and selfcare and their products are
science backed high-performance technologies and formulas. I have quite a few
products here from different ranges so let’s get into it!
The Environmental Shield is part of their
brightening range and targets dark spots and uneven tones. This, along with
fine lines and aging is currently my biggest skincare concern. Since finishing
up my third course of Roaccutane a year ago, my skin has thankfully *touch
wood* stayed clear this time! I have noticed a huge difference in stubborn
spots of pigmentation since introducing the Vita-C Glycolic Brightening
Serum RRP £74* into my routine. It really is a powerhouse antioxidant serum
and after struggling with Vitamin C formulas that help brighten but don’t do
much for specific areas of pigmentation this has been a welcome addition! The
inclusion of glycolic acid gently exfoliates and helps ensure effective Vitamin
C (in the form of L-ascorbic acid) delivery and the serum itself absorbs
quickly, makes my skin look brighter and more even and over time I have noticed
my attention being drawn less and less to the stubborn pigmentation I thought
was never going to shift! I LOVE this serum!
Next up, the Vita-C Triple Exfoliating Facial RRP £67*and I know physical exfoliants can sometimes be a source of
contention in the skincare world but personally, I am a big fan! As well as
being a physical exfoliant, this also combines chemical (glycolic, lactic and
salicylic acids) and enzymatic exfoliants to slough off dead skin cells and
smooth skin. It contains Vitamin C too and on rubbing into the skin it changes
colour from orange to while to let you know you can stop scrubbing! This isn’t
as gentle as some scrubs I’ve tried but it’s in no way harsh either! I usually
leave on my skin for 10 minutes after scrubbing before washing off and I am
left with smooth, brighter skin that is primed for the rest of my routine!
Lastly, from this range at least, is the City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 RRP £60*. This is a mineral
sunscreen that shields against digital blue light damage, UVA, UVB &
pollution. The formula is lightweight and has a peachy tint that is easily
worked into the skin leaving no white cast (I have pale skin for reference). It
sits well over the rest of my skincare as well as under makeup and I love that
its SPF 50, my skin feels protected and the formula is beautiful, no difficulty
rubbing in or pilling either!
The purple products are from the Hydration
range and perfect for sensitive skin. The standout for me from this line is the
Intense Recovery Cream RRP £69* and I already featured it a few months
ago in this post! This is the ultimate comfort blanket for stressed out,
dehydrated, sensitive skin and I am obsessed! It contains shea better,
macadamia oil and microalgae extract to provide deep moisturisation and smooth
the look of stress lines as well as reducing redness and irritation. My skin was
really playing up at the start of the year, I think from a mixture of retinol
products, the weather and working from home all day in central heating. It was
red, inflamed, itchy and flaky and this came to the rescue thankfully! It feels
instantly soothing on stressed skin and is so comforting! It reduced my redness
as well as hydrating my skin and getting it back to normal and as you can see,
I have been making my way through it quickly! It feels like more of a balm than
a cream and it melts into skin keeping it hydrated and protected overnight. I
also used this in the day under makeup and was pleasantly surprised how well it
sat under makeup given it is so balmy, a must have for sensitive skin!
Sticking with moisturisers and the Nutrient-Charged Water Gel RRP £55* is another favourite. It’s oil-free, lightweight and instantly
hydrates, plumps and locks in moisture.
It’s made up of five vitamins (B and E),
five minerals (silicon, iron, zinc, copper and magnesium) and five peptides to
smooth skin, reduce the appearance of fine lines, improve tone and texture and
restore the skins barrier. A little goes a long way with this one and like it
promises, my skin feels and looks plump, smooth and hydrated, fine lines are
less visible and it provides a lovely base for makeup, working well with the
City Skin SPF!
The Revitalixir Recovery Serum RRP
£75* contains these spheres which hopefully you can see in the photos and
works for the eyes as well as the face! It’s a blend of niacinamide, caffeine, neuropeptide,
paracress and cannabis sativa seed oil which helps smooth skin, calming and
depuffing it and the illuminating pearls help hydrate! The scent of this is so
familiar and nostalgic to me but I have no idea why as I had never tried it before,
but it is very comforting! This is a nice serum but I am not blown away by it!
The Resurgence line is for anti-aging and
targeting line and wrinkles as well as lifting and firming. Starting with the Retinol
Youth Renewal Night Cream RRP £73*, this is actually one of the products I
have been reacting to as mentioned above - along with the Medik8 Crystal
Retinal 6. I used both of those products with no issues a handful of times
before Christmas but they both separately caused reactions around January/Feburary,
and it took me a while to realise what was causing the reaction as I hadn’t had
issues before! I have started reintroducing the Murad back into my routine over
the last four weeks and have been sandwiching with the Revitalixir serum and a
little intense recovery cream on top and no reactions so far so I do think it
was down to my skin being extra sensitive in winter rather than the product
itself!
I love the packaging of this with the
pump ensuring you get the correct amount of product each time. The formula contains
a fast-acting retinoid, a time-released retinol and a retinol booster as well
as niacinamide to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and
strengthen the skins barrier. I’ll update this more as I use it for longer but since
my sensitive skin issues have subsided this has left me with plump skin in the
morning! My mum also has this and really enjoys it for her more mature skin
also finding it plumping and targeting her fine lines and wrinkles.
Lastly, the Targeted Wrinkle Corrector RRP £70* and this is a nifty little treatment to diminish the look of
wrinkles by working like a filler flooding lines with hyaluronic acid to plump
and smooth. At 31, I am more concerned with fine lines than deep set wrinkles,
so the effects are not so drastic for me! This is a nice little extra though if
you are concerned with deeper set lines and a nice alternative to filler. Like
I said, it contains hyaluronic acid, squalane to prevent moisture loss and hexapeptide
to boost elasticity. Application is pretty important too – I used this without
reading the directions and put it on right before applying my makeup which
resulted in my foundation sticking to the places, I had applied it very
obviously lol. The best way is to apply after cleansing and toning but before
serum, moisturiser and SPF. It has a lovely cooling applicator but I find the
best way to apply is with my finger by tapping into the areas I am using it on
such as my elevens, forehead and smile lines. Used in this way it doesn’t
affect my makeup and makes my skin look smoother. While working instantly it
also it a preventative product too!
While the products are pricey, for me the
stand outs are worth it (Vita-C Glycolic Brightening Serum, City Skin Age
Defence Broad Spectrum SPF 50, Intense Recovery Cream and Nutrient Charged
Water Gel) and if you shop around you can usually find a 20% off offer or pick
up a set of minis to try! As well as their own website, they are also available
from Space NK, Look Fantastic and Cult Beauty among others!
Have you tried anything from Murad
before? What’s your favourite product?
