Today I'm playing a little catch-up with some reviews of two products I purchased a looooong, long time ago.... They're not ones that I am planning to repurchase at the moment so I'm going to make it snappy.
In this post...
Disclosure: I purchased the both of the items featured in this post. Some affiliate links are used. Purchasing through an affiliate link is greatly appreciated and helps me support this blog. If you are curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.
INGREDIENTS Water, Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Phloretin, Pomegranate Seed (Punica granatum) Oil, Tocotrienols, Vitamin E Oil (Alpha-D-Tocopherol), Astaxanthin, Lycopene, Lutein, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Beta Carotene, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Essential Oils, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid. (COSDNA ANALYSIS HERE *Also, did you know that you can get CosDNA to display all results in the same order as the actual ingredients lists? Pro-tip: just click the sort [no matched results] by original order button at the bottom of the listing.)
Is it potent? Yes. It's got the strongest form of vitamin C, l-ascorbic acid. At a concentration of 15%.
Is it stable? Check, check. It's got ferulic acid and vitamin E, which will make the serum last longer than a month. In my experience, this lasts 3. It also comes in a dark plastic pump container which helps guard it against early oxidation too.
Is it moisturizing? Definitely. Within the formula there are a bevy of hydrating and moisturizing ingredients. Glycerin and hyaluronic acid draw water to the skin, while pomegranate seed oil and caprylyl glycol are emollients that help to soften the skin.
Anything else noteworthy? Why yes, it's got some interesting antioxidants like phloretin, astaxanthin, lutein, lycopene, alpha lipoic acid, and beta carotene. Beta-carotene and astaxanthin are both rumored to be even stronger than vitamin C.
Does it have anything you'd rather avoid? No, not really. It's preserved with phenoxyethanol, and contains some citrus extracts at the very end of the ingredients list, but those are not dealbreakers. Some people say that citrus can be phototoxic (cause free radical damage on the skin once irradiated) but they're present in concentrations of less than 1%; I've seen a source state that the phototoxic compound present in citrus extracts and oils is often discarded, and c'mon that's a crazy cornucopia of antioxidants in the ingredients list. I'd place my bets on the free radical scavenging powers of the featured antioxidants over the troublemaking fruits any day.
Is it irritating? And theeeeere's the rub. The pH of this product is on the low side for a vitamin C serum. It clocks in between a 2 and a 2.5, which led to some redness and irritation for me.
I tested this over the past 3 months, using it daily after my morning cleanse. My AM routine went cleanse, vitamin C serum, 15 minute wait time, various moisturizers, sunscreen during this test period.
INGREDIENTS Water, Glycereth-26, Wine Extract, 1,2 Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Diglycerin, Wine Extract, Palm Kernel Oil, BIS-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Lactobacillus Turmeric Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces Platinum Ferment (1000 ppm), Carbomer, Tromethamine, Adenosine, Ammonium Lactate, Urea, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Chondrus Chrispus (Carageenan), Sodium Polyacrylate, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Ulmus Campestris (Elm) Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Filtrate, Beta-Gluan, Rubus Fruticosus (Blackberry) Fruit Extract, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Rice Ferment Filtrate (Sake), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Albumen Extract, Echinacea Angustifolia Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Viginiana (Witch Hazel) Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Extract, Anthemix Nobilis Flower Water, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Fragrance, Butylene Glycol, Torreya Nucifera Extract, Cornus Kousa Extract, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract, Chloranthus Glaber Extract, Musa Basjoo Extract, Lilia Candidum Bulb Extract, Iris Versicolor Extract, Freesia Alba Flower Extract, Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus (Daffodil) Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower/Leaf Extract, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Rheum Palmatum Root/Stalk Extract, Asarum Sieboldi Root Extract, Persicaria Hydropiper Extract, Illicium Verum (Anise) Fruit Extract, Corydalis Turtschaninovii Root Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Machilus Thunbergii Bark Extract (COSDNA ANALYSIS HERE *Also, did you know that you can get CosDNA to display all results in the same order as the actual ingredients lists? Pro-tip: just click the sort [no matched results] by original order button at the bottom of the listing.)
I was most interested in the wine extract which contains reservatrol, the turmeric, a source of curcumins plus kind of hot right now in South Asia... It's even fermented for easier 'digestion' by the skin. Everything else was just the icing on the cake: Niacinamide, Adenosine, Licorice Root Extract, Allantoin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (samesies as SK-II Pitera), Berries... The list goes on.
Potential acne triggers include Niacinamide, Olive Oil, and Butylene Glycol. Potential irritants are Carbomer, and for me personally, Papaya Extract. Potential health triggers are Tromethamine, Urea, Sodium Polyacrylate, and Disodium EDTA.
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 3.5 4 5
I'm sorry, I meant to rate this a 3.5 not a 4. I'm a little tired right now. : O
Please let me know in the comments below!
Disclosure: I purchased the both of the items featured in this post. Some affiliate links are used. Purchasing through an affiliate link is greatly appreciated and helps me support this blog. If you are curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.
In this post...
- Skin Actives Vitamin C Serum in 15% L Ascorbic Acid, a vitamin C serum for those looking to stretch their dollar
- Skin Factory 7 Seconds Morning Sheets (7 in 1), a multi-tasking toner, exfoliator, and moisturizer in a living, breathing can according to Wishtrend below.
Disclosure: I purchased the both of the items featured in this post. Some affiliate links are used. Purchasing through an affiliate link is greatly appreciated and helps me support this blog. If you are curious about my policy on press samples, affiliate links, and sponsors, please see my disclaimer and policies.
I'm kicking this post off with the vitamin C serum review as it's the more recent purchase and I can actually remember why I purchased it. Yay ٩(⁎❛ᴗ❛⁎)۶
If you're joining me for the first time on the blog, I have dry, 30 year old skin. It's not sensitive, but I treat it like it is.
Vitamin C serum is one of the pillars of my routine, and I'm never without it because it's proven to fade hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage or acne in the midst of healing, and stimulate collagen synthesis.
My preferred vitamin C serum up to this point has been the Paula's Choice C15 SuperBooster Serum because it's a stable serum that uses the most potent form of vitamin C, and does not cause irritation as the pH is not too low and the concentration not too high.
Paula's Choice and I were happy, BUT I wasn't ready to DTR, so I went back out there to hunt for a similar vitamin C serum that was... well, cheaper. Enter Skin Actives.
Vitamin C serum is one of the pillars of my routine, and I'm never without it because it's proven to fade hyperpigmentation caused by sun damage or acne in the midst of healing, and stimulate collagen synthesis.
My preferred vitamin C serum up to this point has been the Paula's Choice C15 SuperBooster Serum because it's a stable serum that uses the most potent form of vitamin C, and does not cause irritation as the pH is not too low and the concentration not too high.
Paula's Choice and I were happy, BUT I wasn't ready to DTR, so I went back out there to hunt for a similar vitamin C serum that was... well, cheaper. Enter Skin Actives.
Is it potent? Yes. It's got the strongest form of vitamin C, l-ascorbic acid. At a concentration of 15%.
Is it stable? Check, check. It's got ferulic acid and vitamin E, which will make the serum last longer than a month. In my experience, this lasts 3. It also comes in a dark plastic pump container which helps guard it against early oxidation too.
Is it moisturizing? Definitely. Within the formula there are a bevy of hydrating and moisturizing ingredients. Glycerin and hyaluronic acid draw water to the skin, while pomegranate seed oil and caprylyl glycol are emollients that help to soften the skin.
Anything else noteworthy? Why yes, it's got some interesting antioxidants like phloretin, astaxanthin, lutein, lycopene, alpha lipoic acid, and beta carotene. Beta-carotene and astaxanthin are both rumored to be even stronger than vitamin C.
Does it have anything you'd rather avoid? No, not really. It's preserved with phenoxyethanol, and contains some citrus extracts at the very end of the ingredients list, but those are not dealbreakers. Some people say that citrus can be phototoxic (cause free radical damage on the skin once irradiated) but they're present in concentrations of less than 1%; I've seen a source state that the phototoxic compound present in citrus extracts and oils is often discarded, and c'mon that's a crazy cornucopia of antioxidants in the ingredients list. I'd place my bets on the free radical scavenging powers of the featured antioxidants over the troublemaking fruits any day.
Is it irritating? And theeeeere's the rub. The pH of this product is on the low side for a vitamin C serum. It clocks in between a 2 and a 2.5, which led to some redness and irritation for me.
In the photos above, you can see that in the BEFORE picture on the left, my skin is actually smoother, and more even in tone. On the right, 15 minutes AFTER I've applied the vitamin C serum, my pores look a big enlarged and my skin looks red.
The product performed pretty well in terms of keeping my sun spots and freckles from multiplying on my face. I'm also no longer able to use my old concealers and bb creams because my face has gotten so pale, so I reckon it did its work in the brightening department as well.
The serum also didn't smell too bad. Kind of like detergent...
I said I won't be buying it again because now I know that a serum with a pH lower than 3 causes more irritation than I am willing to put up with. I'm going to try either the Nufountain 20% serum or the Timeless 20% serum next as they're both potent and stable. I'm leaning towards Nufountain since the Timeless brand seems to have raised their prices over the past few months.
It's just too bad that it wasn't gentler to my skin. I think it's a great value product overall, and if your skin is made of steel, it's not a bad choice. ::another glowing review::
Over on my instagram, I did say that I was planning to DIY my next vitamin C serum using a combination of glycerin, l-ascorbic acid powder, and green tea. I took my idea to some experts (r/DIYBeauty, On Wrinkles and Rosacea) and they basically (very lightly) slapped my wrist and said don't do that ::haha::. So yeah, I have a lot of green tea laying around to drink.
1 2 3 3.5 4 5
Skin Factory 7 Seconds Morning Sheets (7 in 1)
This I bought so long ago, I don't even remember why I picked it up. It was back when I was dabbling in manual exfoliators again. OH actually, I recall I was going to do a comparison review between this product and the Neogen Bio Peel Gauze Peeling Wine Kit.
After spending a few weeks with this product (which I do like), I figured out that I don't really need a multi-tasker like college me did. Back then, I was a borderline narcoleptic and fell asleep anywhere and everywhere, so it would have been awesome to have a couple of these tucked away in a zip-lock bag somewhere. Right now, all I have is time... and an affinity for layering many different types of skincare products.
Suffice it to say that this breathing can didn't really leave me breathless, but I wasn't disappointed with my purchase.
There it is. Pictured above is my first sighting of a living, breathing can. ::lulz:: The 7 Seconds Morning Sheets come in a plastic container that is sealed with a metal pop can top. There are 20 pieces of dual-sided exfoliating pads soaked in a highly nutrient dense essence.
The can comes with a little set of tweezers, and a plastic cap.
The product must be stored in the fridge.
The product must be stored in the fridge.
I was most interested in the wine extract which contains reservatrol, the turmeric, a source of curcumins plus kind of hot right now in South Asia... It's even fermented for easier 'digestion' by the skin. Everything else was just the icing on the cake: Niacinamide, Adenosine, Licorice Root Extract, Allantoin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (samesies as SK-II Pitera), Berries... The list goes on.
Potential acne triggers include Niacinamide, Olive Oil, and Butylene Glycol. Potential irritants are Carbomer, and for me personally, Papaya Extract. Potential health triggers are Tromethamine, Urea, Sodium Polyacrylate, and Disodium EDTA.
The 7 seconds morning sheets each have a little pocket so you can fit it over your fingers.
The A side of the 7 seconds morning sheets have little nubby plastic beads on them, which are used to exfoliate the skin.
The B side of the 7 seconds morning sheets is a patterned cloth-like material which is used to tone and moisturized.
The light, milky essence absorbs quickly into the skin, but leaves it looking moisturized in a lasting way.
The pH of this product is 5. So I felt comfortable using it as a second cleanser, in addition to relying on it as a toner, exfoliator, and essence.
As a makeshift second cleanser:
It's gentle and milky. There are no real cleansing agents but when I've used a solid first cleanser that I'm confident in, I'm fine with that. It whisks away the last traces of the oil-based cleanse. Also kind of interesting, I've gotten it in my eyes a bunch of times and it doesn't hurt as much as you'd expect from a wine-based product.
As an exfoliator:
It's really fun. The plastic beads are kind of on the rough side, but you can always lay off the pressure. That said, I didn't really feel as though this product improved my skin that much when compared to other physical exfoliators and acids I've used (pending review).
As a toner:
It's also pretty difficult for me to evaluate it as a toner since I really think Curology retin-A is the answer for my enlarged pores.
As an essence:
I did really enjoy the fruity-smelling essence and the product made me less afraid of papaya extract again.
1 2 3 3.5 4 5
I'm sorry, I meant to rate this a 3.5 not a 4. I'm a little tired right now. : O
That's all for today... Just a quick poll for you... I have the following products in the queue to review. Are there any that you'd like to see sooner rather than later?
Primary Raw Doyou Soy Milk Ferment Essence Skin (press sample)
A-True Vanilla Black Tea Day Relief Body Wash (purchased)
Skylake hanbang Sheet Masks (purchased)
May Coop Cleansing Mousse (press sample)
Iope Air Cushion XP in C21 (press sample)
Leaders Cosmetics Deep Aqua Acai Berry Soothing Gel (press sample)
Leaders Cosmetics UV Perfection Aqua Sun Block (press sample)
Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil (purchased)
Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion (purchased)
Beyond Angel Aqua Cream (purchased)
Stiefel Physiogel Cream (purchased)
Memebox Nooni Snowflake Cleanser (press sample)
Memebox I'm Dual Pore Brush (press sample)
Please let me know in the comments below!
No comments:
Post a Comment