Beauty Tips For Body Care
TL;DR: I just finished my bottle of this serum, it lasted 4 months, and I will definitely be repurchasing this because I have noticed such a positive difference in my skin, though not the change that they primarily advertise.Back in July, I went out and got a sample of this serum because I became interested in retinol/retinoids, but my skin can be sensitive and reactive and I wanted to just test the waters. I am in my early 20s and don’t currently have concerns with aging, but I do have increased pore size near my nose due to a combination of some nasty skincare habits when I was younger and probably genetics. Sometime in the next few years I will probably start out small with some of The Ordinary’s mildest retinoids, for mostly preventative measures. I wanted to see if this “natural alternative” could help with keeping my skin happy and reducing the appearance of my pores, and act as a preventative measure against factors of aging. I ended up loving this serum for different reasons, buying the full size and using it every night (and missing it when I didn’t use it)Here are the claims on Sephora’s website about the three main components: - Bakuchiol: Smooths signs of fine lines and wrinkles to refine skin’s overall appearance. - PHAs (Polyhydroxy Acids): Resurface skin to enhance absorption while strengthening skin by providing hydration and antioxidant benefits. - Tremella Mushroom: Helps to hydrate skin and retain moisture with its ability to hold up to 500 times its own weight in water.So, Bakuchiol is an ingredient that hasn’t been widely researched yet as an effective substitute for retinol. There are a few studies that Herbivore are happy to mention, but obviously it hasn’t been studied extensively yet like retinol. There are a few other products with Bakuchiol in them on the market — The Inkey List (not available in Canada where I live), Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum (has orange oil, Limonene, Linalool so a no go for my reactive skin), Olehenrisken Retin-Alt Power Serum (Again, Limonene and Linalool).This Herbivore serum does contain plant extracts that can potentially be reactive, but importantly, contains no fragrance or irritating essential oils. As someone who gets horrid clusters of red spots and irritation from fragrance/essential oils, the Herbivore has been blissfully non-reactive for my skin. The Inkey List serum looks like another great ingredient list without fragrance ingredients, however it’s not available where I live.Apart from Bakuchiol, the Herbivore contains Tremella Mushroom, which I suppose acts similar to hyaluronic acid as a humectant. It already has glycerin as a third ingredient though so the mushroom is mostly just marketing, but the hydration effects have been a great addition to my routine. Speaking of, I’ll drop my fall/winter/cold weather routine in here so that you can see my specific combination of products:(Skin type: Drier on cheeks, oilier on nose and forehead, fairly sensitive and reactive to fragrance or drying ingredients, easily congested centre/nose area.)AM:CeraVe Hydrating CleanserCeraVe Ultra Light Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30PM:CeraVe Foaming CleanserCosRx Centella Water TonerHerbivore Bakuchiol SerumMissha Time Revolution FTECeraVe PM mixed with The Ordinary Rosehip OilEvery 4-5 days I’ll add in The Ordinary Mandelic Acid in the PM, but the real benefit I’m seeing from the Herbivore serum is from the PHAs (Polyhydroxy Acids). The first time I used it I was shocked to see how clear it made my skin. I went from using AHAs and BHAs to mainly using the Herbivore. Traditionally, the skin on my nose is prone to clogging, but I can confidently say that using these PHAs every night is a godsend and they are amazing at mildly exfoliating without irritation. I think the main benefit is having an exfoliating ingredient that is gentle enough to use every day without having to worry about irritation (even TO’s “mildest” AHAs like Mandelic and Lactic 5% have given me some grief).As far as the retinol-like effects, I think the reduction in clogging is the PHAs at work, and any reduction in appearance of my pores is due to the gentle everyday exfoliation. The few lines on my forehead still look about the same after four months, reduced slightly but it could also be the increased hydration doing that. As far as my main concern, which was my pores, this serum has done an admirable job at keeping my skin clear and happy.So… is the price worth the premium? Here in Canada it’s $71 which after tax comes to around $80 CAD. That’s about $20 a month for once-nightly use. For me, that’s worth it — I have finally found a product that I can use every day without issues, and that keeps my skin clog-free and beautifully glowy. I am planning on trying out some different PHA products to see if there’s anything out there that can compare.For me it’s been a great pre-retinol serum, but I really don’t think it can replace traditional retinol/retinoid, which I will still seek out in the future. But if your skin doesn’t react well to retinol, you may want to try this for its super gentle exfoliating and restorative effects. I don’t think Bakuchiol as an ingredient is the miracle it’s made out to be, though.So that’s why I’m going to continue using this, maybe not for the Bakuchiol itself (which may still be doing good things behind the scenes) but for the great combination of ingredients that my skin is loving, and the exfoliating that my skin can tolerate.A quick overview and personal opinion of the main qualities:Ingredients: Great ingredients — radish root ferment, PHAs, mushroom, some nice plant extracts like turmeric, aloe. Fragrance/essential oil/irritating compounds like limonene and linalool are thankfully NOT present, but your mileage may vary with the specific plant extracts in the ingredient list. Powdered amethyst is a gimmick.A note on “clean” ingredients and preservatives: Herbivore has seen some controversy in the past due to the infamous mold issues. I am more confident with this serum because of its consistency and the fact I went through it in four months. However, preservatives are not the devil in skincare and I think Herbivore takes the “clean” label too far sometimes. For this serum in a glass bottle with a dropper, fine, but I don’t think I’d ever want to look into their moisturizer in a pot without any preservatives. This serum, though, has not given me any issues and has not changed its appearance throughout its duration, so I think Herbivore gets a pass on it. Though I am careful with storing it with the cap tight and out of sunlight.Product qualities: Bouncy texture, absorbs quickly, amazing spreadability, NO smell which is awesome, layers well and doesn’t pill once absorbed. No stinging or irritation in my case, YMMV. If you’ve ever used CosRx Snail 96 Mucin Essence, it’s very similar to that but less sticky/stringy.Price: $71 CAD is steep, if this was closer to the $50 point it would be more accessible HOWEVER compared to other pricey skincare at Sephora including other Herbivore products, this is not the most wallet-damaging product out there. I am still on the lookout for a cheaper PHA product to compare with.Effects: Significantly less congested skin, added hydration, effective exfoliation for people who maybe can’t tolerate AHAs or BHAs. Best of all, zero irritation even with daily use. My skin has never looked better!Retinol alternative?: Remains to be seen, but doesn’t seem to compare to actual retinol and since that is the main advertised benefit I think that drags it down. The main benefit I’ve seen with regards to my pores and glowiness can probably be attributed to the PHAs instead of the Bakuchiol.Verdict: If you’re looking at this strictly for a retinol alternative, you may be disappointed by Bakuchiol as an ingredient. However, I’ve personally gotten a lot of value out of the ingredients listed, and noticed a big improvement in my skin, even if it’s not exactly the main selling point of this serum.
Girls Blog 2015
Submitted by dmndheart
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