All posts tagged: serum

Liz Earle Superskin Face Serum

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As a completely self-aware beauty junkie, I’m used to reading a lot of bold claims.  Certain products promise to decrease wrinkles, add glow, or take years off the complexion.  It’s easy to get drawn in because I do want to believe all of this is possible, but experience has taught me to be wary.  Products may be good, but they are rarely all they promise. I approached  Superskin Face Serum with only moderate expectations.  I suppose I do expect a lot from Liz Earle.  I’ve been a fan of Cleanse & Polish for years, and her Skin Repair Moisturiser is one of the best around.  So I expected this serum to be good, and I’m happy to say that it didn’t disappoint.  In fact, it blew me away. After one use, my skin appeared less tired and dull.  After a week, I noticed a lovely glow.  Three weeks in, my skin appeared a lot smoother and nicely plumped.  And by the time I finished the bottle, I couldn’t believe how well this serum had performed.  It …

Natura Bisse Essential Shock Retinol Fluid

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Full disclosure: I received this product as part of a gift-with-purchase beauty bag.  I’d never heard of it and had no idea what it was supposed to do.  If I’d looked, I would have seen that it’s a sort of hydration serum containing retinol.  Since I have to be quite careful with retinol, I delayed using it for a few weeks because I was afraid of the inevitable irritation and dry skin I usually get with vitamin A.  And then one night I threw caution to the wind and tried it.  And I am so glad I did! Natura Bisse Essential Shock Retinol Fluid is an amazing product and can be used in several ways.  As a serum, it sits nicely under other skincare and gently resurfaces the skin while plumping out fine lines.  As a night cream, it hydrates the skin and evens skin tone.  As an instant hydrator for dry skin, it sinks in quickly and relieves that tight, dry feeling.  It’s gentle, too.  I can use it around my eyes without any …

Superdrug Simply Pure Hydrating Serum

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When trying out a beauty product, I try not to factor the price into my impression of the product.  Am I more demanding when something costs a lot?  More forgiving when it doesn’t?  Price doesn’t affect how well a product performs.  If it did, this particular product should cost at least ten times more than it does.  I’ve tried plenty of costly serums that don’t work nearly as well. Superdrug Simply Pure Hydrating Serum is an impressive product at any price point.  It contains hyaluronic acid, two ceramide blends and lactic acid.  It doesn’t contain fragrance, which is a welcome omission for my sensitive skin. The consistency of this serum is almost like a light lotion, but it sinks into the skin quickly and hydrates well.  I’m able to use it around my sensitive eyes without any bother, and it never feels sticky or tacky on my skin.  If you suffer from sensitive or dehydrated skin, I’d recommend giving it a try.  For £2.69 (often less as Superdrug is fabulous for promotions), you can’t go wrong. Effectiveness: …

Lacura Restorative Multi Intensive Serum

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One thing that makes me happy is being able to use and recommend skincare that doesn’t cost a lot, so today is a very good day.  Today I get to recommend another wonderful Lacura product, this time in the form of their superb serum. Lacura Restorative Multi Intensive Serum is easily one of the best I’ve tried.  I’ve mentioned before that I’ve yet to find the perfect serum, and while the search goes on, this passes the time quite nicely.  It’s a lovely, light serum with argan oil, a calcium complex, Q10, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E.  It penetrates skin quickly, hydrates immediately, and helps plump fine lines. Don’t be put off by the low cost.  This serum is full of good-quality ingredients and works as hard as serums ten times the price.  I use it daily and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Effectiveness: 4 – easy to use.  Skin is hydrated and lines are plumped. User Experience: 4 – it glides on easily and has a light, pleasant scent. Comfort: 5 …

Oskia Super 16 Serum, Restoration Oil & Renaissance Cleansing Gel

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I tend to be fairly agnostic with it comes to skincare brands.  A brand can excel at one product, and completely fail with another.  Just because someone makes a great cleanser doesn’t mean their facial oil is just as good.  But sometimes, it is.  In fact, sometimes a brand gets a lot of products just right. British skincare maker Oskia is trying hard to tempt me into brand loyalty.  So far, I’ve been impressed with every product I’ve tried, and their Super 16 Anti-Ageing Super Serum (£80) is no exception.  It boasts sixteen different nutrients and bio-actives, including hyaluronic acid and vitamin A palmitate.  There are exotic ingredients, too, such as bakuchiol and seaweed extract, all working together to deliver a nutrient boost to the skin.  With regular use, my skin is noticeably smoother, brighter, and soothed. It’s also a pleasure to use.  It sinks in quickly, relieves any dryness or tightness and is brilliant at calming upset skin.  It reduces redness and irritation better than any I’ve tried, which is amazing when you consider its anti-ageing properties. Effectiveness: …

Avène Hydrating Serum

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Every now and then my skin becomes grumpy and sensitive for no obvious reason.  I suspect it’s down to my ever-changing hormones, but diet, lack of sleep and stress can also have an effect.  My poor skin goes dull and develops dry patches, and the more I worry about it, the worse it gets. Avène Hydrating Serum to the rescue.  This light, soothing serum contains thermal spring water and glycerine to immediately hydrate the skin.  It glides on effortlessly and sinks in quickly.  I like to apply it twice for a double layer of comfort. Even thought it’s designed for sensitive skin, it works well as an everyday serum.  I like it during the summer months when my skin doesn’t need a lot of rich moisture.  I also like that I can use it around my always-sensitive eyes without bother. Effectiveness: 4 – quickly works to hydrate dry, irritated skin. User Experience: 4 – melts into the skin and doesn’t have a strong scent, which is appreciated when my skin is feeling fragile. Comfort: 4 – I usually need to …

8 Steps to Fabulous Skin

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Layering skincare has been a revelation for me.  Without really noticing, I’d been slowly adding steps to my routine for the past few years.  I started with cleansers and SPF day creams.  Then I added serums and night creams. Soon after came essences and chemical exfoliants.  Early last year, I discovered the joys of facial oils, and more recently, facial mists. If I’d started with all eight steps at once, I don’t think I’d be able to appreciate how each new step/product benefitted my skin.  To be honest, I probably didn’t need all of this skincare a few years ago, but it’s become essential since I’d been edging ever closer to the big five-o.  I’ll take you through the routine that works for me.  Feel free to pick and choose the bits you feel will benefit you. Cleanser – I think I’ve mentioned before that this is my favourite type of skincare.  There are few things I love more than taking off my makeup at the end of the day and treating my skin to some much-needed care and …

By Terry Cellularose Brightening Serum

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I have a funny relationship with serums.  They’re an essential part of any good skincare routine, but I’ve yet to find one I love.  I’ve found plenty I like, but every one I’ve tried has left me asking ‘is there something better?” Even so, I do like By Terry Cellularose Brightening Serum.  It promises to hydrate the skin, increase radiance, diminish dark spots, and even out skin tone.  And for the most part, it does.  It’s full of beautiful plant extracts including rose cells which help to brighten skin and retain moisture.  It also contains sodium lactate – a powerful humectant which draws moisture to the skin and helps hold it there. I’m lucky in that I don’t suffer from dark spots, so I can’t say if it helps with that or not, but I have noticed a slight improvement in the luminosity of my skin, especially over winter when my skin goes a bit dull.  What I haven’t seen is an improvement in hydration which is the main thing I’m after in a serum.  This serum …

Odacite Pure Elements Serums

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It might seem counterintuitive, but massaging oil onto your face a couple of times a day is great for your skin.  Applied over serum, facial oil helps to restore natural lubrication to the skin, making it appear healthy, plumped and glowing. Odacite Serums, which contain no water or silicones, are actually closer to a facial oil than a serum.  Don’t let this put you off – they work brilliantly and offer a lot of choice, depending on what your skin needs.   As my skin’s needs seem to change daily, I keep four Odacite oils on hand. Camelina – Chamomile for sensitive skin – this blend soothes and pampers stressed or irritated skin.  I use it when my skin is extra dry or chapped.  I often suffer from extremely dry eyelids, and use this oil neat with great results. Green Tea – Lemongrass for radiance boost – I use this blend when my skin needs a bit of perking up.  I find myself reaching for it on days when I’ve not had enough sleep the night before and my …

Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation Serum

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As I’ve aged, I’ve had to take a less-is-more approach to makeup.  Sure, the 1980’s full-on cake-face makeup of my teen years was toned down some time ago, but I’ve had to really lighten my hand since hitting my mid-40s.  Full-coverage foundation doesn’t work for me any more – it looks heavy and it can gather in the fine lines around my eyes.  That isn’t a good look and can be very ageing. There are several brands of makeup on the market now that double up as skincare, and not just in the SPF sense.  A few actually benefit your skin, and in this time-starved world, what could be better? Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation Serum moisturises, evens out the skin tone, and provides sun protection of a whopping SPF 30.  And because it’s a thin serum, it never looks heavy and it doesn’t settle into lines and wrinkles.  You don’t even have to colour match it because it adapts to your skin tone.  It is truly a faff-free multitasker.  I wear it almost every …