Danielle's Beauty Blog

Well, it’s that time of year again! Although it seems to have launched a bit more quietly than previous years, the DECIEM “Slowvember” Sale is back for the month of November and actually running until December 6th - and I’ll assume they will include their yearly “blackout” where they shut down their website on Black Friday! Today I thought I would share what products I currently have in my skincare collection and talk through my recommendations! I have a number of DECIEM skincare posts on my blog as they are one of my favourite brands and I love NIOD in particular. It’s a little pricier than The Ordinary but worth it in my opinion and if you have been eyeing anything up now, this month is the time to get it with the 23% discount! They also have 50% off a couple of NIOD products – my favourite hyaluronic acid MMHC, and the Hydration Vaccine. 

Starting with a couple of The Ordinary picks and you really can’t go wrong with this brand, it’s so affordable yet still gets results! I have been through quite a few of the Squalane Cleanser RRP $26.20 CAD | £14.90 and it’s such a good all-rounder! This is such an effective makeup remover and cleanser, emulsifying from a creamy balm to an oil and removing makeup easily as well as feeling hydrating and never leaving my skin feeling tight! It works just as well as a second or morning cleanser as it’s so lightweight.

The Lactic Acid 10% + HA RRP $12.20 CAD | £8.80 is another gem from The Ordinary! This makes my skin feel much smoother and doubles up as a body serum for me too as it’s so effective on KP on the backs of my arms! It’s also available in a 5% formulation but I prefer the stronger one and don’t experience any sensitivity personally (it contains Tasmanian Pepperberry extract to help reduce irritation and sensitivity associated with acids). 

Moving onto some NIOD favourites and before I get into the serums, the Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist (SDSM2) RRP $61 CAD | £40 is one of my favourite mists. It acts against oxidative stress, water loss and inflammation of the skin. I love the fact it’s antioxidant and my skin feels so calm and hydrated with every use! It’s in a huge 240ml bottle too so I don’t feel guilty using this all over my chest as well as face!

Launching into the rest of the serums now and I’ll start with my absolute favourite – the Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 (CAIS3) RRP $108 CAD | £70. I have been using this on and off since around 2016 and always go back to it. It’s a copper peptide, pro-collagen, pro-repair serum that is watery in texture and blue in colour with a slight scent of vinegar that dissipates very quickly. This 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. I keep my routine simple when using this serum as it works so well by itself! It maintains healthy looking skin by targeting signs of skin ageing including textural damage, uneven skin tone, enlarged pores and a lack of radiance and my skin looks and feels much healthier when I use this consistently leaving it more even, clear and firm.

Similarly, the Copper Amino Isolate Lipid (CAIL) 1% RRP $108 CAD | £75 is a copper peptide formula but this one is suspended in squalane so melts into skin and takes on more of a balmy, oil-like feel and it’s designed for evening use. Again, its pro-collagen, pro-lipid and pro-fat and aims for healthy looking skin. It also has the added benefits of building and enhancing skin elasticity. I tend to keep my routine simple with this one as well and use this after cleansing and toning my skin. My skin feels well supported and hydrated overnight and like with CAIS, overall, it looks better and healthier with consistent use. It reduces the look of wrinkles and leaves my skin supple and plump. My personal favourite is still the serum as it fits better into my routine as I can use it both AM and PM. See my full review of CAIS3 and CAIL here!

Modulating Glucosides (MG) RRP $34 CAD | £27 is an emulsion that targets sensitive, irritated skin and encourages a calmer complexion. It supports the skin barrier, encourages hydration and repair and contains oat synthetic analogues, ceramides and purified ginger root to help reduce redness, itching and burning. Despite its viscous appearance, it feels lightweight and sinks in easily - I find the scent a bit like paint though it doesn’t linger. I replied on this a lot while I was on Roaccutane as it was so calming and it is such a comforting, soothing serum. Definitely a great one to have in your stash!

Lastly, Survival 0 (S0) RRP $30 CAD | £22 is an antioxidant, reparative serum targeting damage caused by environmental stressors like pollution, smog and blue light. It also comes in 10, 20 and 30 versions which offer some SPF protection as well but I use this at night and let it work its magic. It’s a lightweight, orange-y serum that absorbs easily and has a faint herbal scent. Over time, this reduces photo damage and I have noticed my skin tone is healthier overall. It also feels hydrating (it includes glycerin and squalane) and layers well with other skincare! MG and S0 have their own dedicated blog post here!

I honestly can’t recommend DECIEM skincare enough, both NIOD and The Ordinary have so many amazing products and if you have been eyeing anything up, now is the best time to get it with the 23% off! As DECIEM say though, don’t rush and only buy what you need! Honourable mentions to some of my other favourite NIOD products that I don’t have in my stash at the minute include the Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (MMHC2), Sanskrit Saponins, Flavanone Mud and the Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum.

On my list to buy this year are the newer Ordinary Cleansers, bodycare and the lip balm! Will you be buying anything? 

Don’t forget to check out my older DECIEM posts below!

DECIEM | NIOD Review and Slowvember Sale Picks

Skincare Review | DECIEM NIOD CAIS VS CAIL

Skincare | NIOD Modulating Glucosides andSurvival 0 Review

Deciem | Black November Sale Picks

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

Keep up to date with my posts at the links below

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I’m sure you all know by now what a huge DECIEM fan I am with particular emphasis on NIOD and The Ordinary! This year it’s Slowvember and you are encouraged to shop slowly, only buying what you need while taking advantage of a 23% saving through the entire month. Furthermore, on November 26, they will 'Take Back Black Friday', the DECIEM website will be on pause and products will not be available to purchase at any of their stores. So, to coincide with their annual sale, here is a review of some recent additions to my routine and some old favourites! An absolute dream PR parcel for me! You can also read my 2019 post here!

Starting with Sanskrit Saponins (SS) RRP £34*, this is a cleanser but not a makeup remover, and it’s perfect as a second or morning cleanse and one I’ve been through multiple tubes of over the years! Don’t be put off by the scent – it’s made with ayurvedic plant saponins and day old coffee beans is the best way I can describe it! It’s a thick paste and works to clean oil and dirt from my face making pores look minimised – despite it removing oil, my skin never feels stripped! This has worked particularly well for me in the past when my skin was more on the oily/blemished side of things as it really removed build-up and helped clarify my skin and even now with my skin type being more normal I am still enjoying it! Talked about it more in this post here too!

Next up, the Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist (SSDM2) RRP £34*, and this one is a bit of a cult favourite and I can now see why! Fun fact, I did have this for a while back in 2017 before I did my visa in Canada but as you can see from the packaging, it is rather on the bulky side so I left it behind and now I know what I have been missing out on! This is a protective mist, acting against oxidative stress, water loss and inflammation of the skin. I love the fact it’s antioxidant and my skin feels so calm and hydrated with every use! I already mentioned the bulky packaging but that means I don’t feel so guilty for wasting this and I have been spraying over my chest area too as I am starting to target early signs of aging there too. 

Moving onto serums now and starting with a couple of my most repurchased skincare items! The Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (MMHC2) RRP £38 is my one true Hyaluronic Acid love – this to me is the gold standard and one I can see and feel immediate results with. It contains 15 forms of hyaluronic compounds designed to plump and hydrate the different layers of the skin and has a watery consistency - a little goes a long way and it spreads easily over my face. My skin drinks this up and nothing works as quickly or as long as this on my smile lines – usually throughout the day I can see the fine lines setting in as my face dries out but not with this, not even sitting in central heating working from home all day with makeup on, it is magical! It also works to encourage production of collagen and my skin just looks and feels so plump and well supported with this! 

If talking to someone new to NIOD, I always recommend MMHC2 and the Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 (CAIS3) RRP £60* as starting points. These are two serums I have been using for years now (since around 2016 – see this best beauty discoveries post!) and always go back to. CAIS is now in its third generation now and working just as well as ever for me. It is no longer required to premix the serum yourself - good that there is less packaging but I had gotten kind of use to playing scientist ;)! CAIS3 is a watery, blue liquid with a slight scent of vinegar (don’t worry it dissipates very quickly!) that maintains healthy looking skin by targeting signs of skin ageing including textural damage, uneven skin tone, enlarged pores and a lack of radiance. This has been a constant repurchase for me over the last few years and will continue to be – it is easily my favourite serum! My skin really does look and feel much healthier when I use this consistently. It’s more even, clear and firm, it really does what it says on the tin! A must have!   

RE: Pigment (RP) RRP £50* is a newer NIOD product to me. It’s a multi-pathway brightening serum and feels very lightweight and doesn’t pill or interfere with my other serums. It is formulated to target uneven skin tone and treat pigmentation and contains gallic acid and white shiitake ferment to aid this. I haven’t seen any major improvement in some targeted pigmentation I have from old acne but overall my skin is looking bright and even so I will update once I have used the whole bottle – it’s been about five weeks so far! I should also mention this targeted pigmentation is only immediately noticeable to me as I am my own biggest critic and I tend to be harsh on products designed for treating pigmentation as it’s one of my biggest skin concerns! 

Moving on to another couple of tried and tested serums, Modulating Glucosides (MG) RRP £21* targets sensitive, irritated skin encouraging a calmer complexion. It supports the skin barrier, encourages hydration and repair and contains oat synthetic analogues, ceramides and purified ginger root to help reduce redness, itching and burning. Despite its viscous appearance, it feels lightweight and sinks in easily - I find the scent a bit like paint though it doesn’t linger. I used this a lot while I was on Roaccutane earlier this year and it only occurred to me after I finished my first bottle that it was one of the reasons my skin had been so calm while on the drug. Such a comforting, soothing serum, can’t recommended it enough if you struggle with sensitivity! 

I used Survival 0 (S0) RRP £20* alongside MG at night and it’s another one that impressed me so much! It’s an antioxidant, reparative serum targeting damage caused by environmental stressors like pollution, smog and blue light. It also comes in 10, 20 and 30 which offer some SPF protection. It’s a lightweight, orange serum that absorbs easily and has a faint herbal scent. Overtime, this reduces photo damage and I have noticed my skin tone is healthier overall. It also feels hydrating (includes glycerin and squalane) and layers well with other skincare! Like I mentioned earlier when talking about SDSM2, antioxidants are something I am loving incorporating into my routine and this one is special *heart eyes emoji*. MG and S0 have their own dedicated blog post here and also feature in this how I repair my skin barrier post!

Another couple of newer products to finish up this review! The Fractionated Eye-Contour Concentrate (FECC) RRP £43* is a step up for me in terms of eye creams/serums as this one targets visible aging whereas previously I was mostly targeting dark circles/puffiness. FECC does that too using 28 technologies to target concerns. Despite being a serum this is hydrating enough for me during the day and overnight. It plays well with the rest of my skincare as well as my makeup and the biggest difference I have noticed with aside from reduced puffiness and less visible fine lines is the difference on my upper lids! I have hooded lids so it is a bit of a revelation to feel like I can actually see a (small) bit of lid space and have them look firmer! Looking forward to seeing continued results with this one! 

Finally, Flavanone Mud (FM) RRP £38*, a burnt orange, decongesting three phase “system”, this is billed as much more than a mask. It purifies the skin, offers a barrier against external pollution and it responds and works to improve the skins defence mechanisms. It’s advised to only use once a week for ten minutes and this tingles while it’s on and for a while after its washed off (though my skin doesn’t go red)! I have really been enjoying the decongesting properties of this especially along my jaw line and my skin always feels soft after use while looking brighter too!

Congratulations if you made it to the end of this bumper post! DECIEM are known for their scientific explanations and I am the first to admit a lot of the terminology goes over my head but there is more information available on their website as well as information on what order to use the serums in and regimen builders if you are just starting out with a skincare routine! I honestly can’t recommend NIOD enough, I am a huge fan of The Ordinary too but NIOD is probably my favourite skincare brand ever – it’s well worth the money and especially now with 23% off but as DECIEM say, don’t rush and only buy what you need!

Find more recommendations here in my Sale Picks post from 2019! You can also see some more The Ordinary picks here and here! Let me know if you picked up anything from the sale!

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

If you want to keep up to date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me on

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It’s DECIEM sale time again so since I have already reviewed most of the NIOD line, I thought I would concentrate on the copper amino isolate products today! If you are a long-time reader of my blog you will know that the Copper Amino Isolate Serum is my absolute all-time favourite skincare product and I’ve now had a chance to use up the Copper Amino Isolate Lipid so here are my thoughts! 

Copper Amino Isolate Serum 3 1:1 (CAIS3) RRP £65* is now in its third generation and it’s been a staple in my skincare rotation in previous forms since circa 2016. A copper peptide serum, unlike its previous incarnations, you don’t have to play scientist with this one as it comes premixed and it’s a blue watery liquid with a slight vinegar scent (don’t worry it dissipates very quickly!). It’s a pro-repair and pro-collagen serum that maintains healthy looking skin by targeting signs of skin ageing including textural damage, uneven skin tone, enlarged pores and a lack of radiance. 

This is easily my favourite serum in my stash and while this one was received in PR, I have bought countles bottles of this myself and will continue to do so! My skin really does look and feel much healthier when I use this consistently. It’s more even, clear and firm and it really does what it says on the tin – it’s a must have! This 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. I tend to keep my routine simple when using this serum as it does all the heavy lifting for me! After the first few bottles of this I went through, I noticed its effects more when I stopped using it and I always have it in my stash now! 

Moving on to the Copper Amino Isolate Lipid (CAIL) 1% RRP £72 and this one took me a while to get my hands on as it was out of stock for so long! Nevertheless, I’m glad I finally got the chance to try it! Like CAIS, it’s a copper peptide formula but this one is suspended in squalane so melts into skin and takes on more of a balmy, gel, oil-like feel and it’s designed for evening use. Again, its pro-collagen, pro-lipid and pro-fat and aims for healthy looking skin. It also has the added benefits of building and enhancing skin elasticity. The same products as mentioned above should be avoided alongside this as well as resveratrol and ferulic acid and I tend to use this as my last step in a simple evening routine. My skin feels well supported and hydrated overnight and like with CAIS, overall, it looks better and healthier with consistent use. 

If you’ve been on the fence about trying either of these due to their price, now is the time while NIOD have their yearly 23% off sale! My personal favourite is the serum, it fits better into my routine as I can use it both AM and PM and it also works out better value for me with the 30ml being £65. CAIL does go a long way and is lovely to use as a treatment (especially in winter!) but I just love the serum more! 

CAIS comes in both 15ml and 30ml versions while the CAIL only comes in a 15ml tube. As well as the DECIEM website NIOD is available from Cult Beauty, Space NK and Beauty Bay.  

See my other NIOD reviews here and here if you want some more ideas for the sale! Have you tried the brand before? Let me know your favourite product or what you are planning to pick up!

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me.

All opinions are my own. Affiliate links used.

See my full disclosure here.

Danielle xx

If you want to keep up to date with my posts, don’t forget to follow me on

Bloglovin | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter