If you guys have been following me on Instagram then you probably saw I attended the AAD Conference which as an Esthetician it was like being a kid in a candy store. I actually attended the conference and spent the weekend with the SkinCeuticals team which was so fun because it’s a brand I’ve admired for a long time but just haven’t gotten a chance to really play around with and test as much as I’ve wanted to.
I wanted to give a solid amount of time before writing this review so that I could actually try the products for a long period of time regularly and giving you guys a sincere review of what I actually thought and how my skin has been looking/feeling since using them regularly.
While at AAD, I had the opportunity to learn from SkinCeuticals General Manager Christina Fair and board-certified dermatologists about different SkinCeuticals products, hear about clinical trials that have been done and get to ask one on one about the particular uses for each product. I was most interested in SkinCeuticals’s status as the Antioxidant Authority and wanted to touch a bit on that today as well as a few of my favorite products in general. I had the opportunity to sit and speak with SkinCeuticals General Manager Christina Fair who really went into the core of the SkinCeuticals mission with me, their dedication to science and brand as a whole as a leader in the advanced skincare arena. Christina went through the history of SkinCeuticals with me and explained how Dr. Sheldon Pinnell (founding scientist) established SkinCeuticals as the skincare industry’s antioxidant authority. His research and knowledge ultimately resulted in the Duke University Antioxidant patent which is now the gold standard for topical antioxidant formulations and licensed exclusively to SkinCeuticals. Pretty remarkable, right?!
In the years since the patent, each subsequent antioxidant generation has been subjected to rigorous clinical studies— the most recent is one published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology which shows that C E Ferulic and Phloretin CF effectively diminish loss of collagen caused by ozone pollution.
So first off let’s talk about antioxidants. As an esthetician, I’ve always known antioxidants are very beneficial to the skin and provide a lot of benefits. UVA/UVB, infrared radiation, pollution, and lifestyle factors generate damaging free radicals that prematurely age skin and let’s be honest, NO ONE wants that. SkinCeuticals antioxidants provide advanced environmental protection and are clinically proven to improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and promote a naturally even skin tone by neutralizing free radicals.
A topical vitamin C antioxidant must be formulated properly to be effective on skin. This is dependent on three factors: The form of vitamin C used, the concentration, and the pH of the solution. Over the last 15 years, the SkinCeuticals scientific team has researched 100s of antioxidants, discovering only four get into skin and effectively supplement its natural antioxidant reservoir. These include L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C), alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), ferulic acid, and phloretin.
SkinCeuticals is skin care literally backed by science. And when I say that I mean that they have nearly 3 decades of research developing formulations that protect against these environmental aggressors that cause skin damage. I mean, have I convinced you yet?
Now lets dig into some of my absolute MUST have SkinCeuticals products to date:
CE FERULIC
Okay guys, get ready for it. This stuff is like serum gold. Literally. True story, I wasn’t too sure what all the rage was about CE Ferulic until I got to speaking with Christina but she explained how this is basically the “must have” product in the SkinCeuticals line and well, I was all ears.
This product contains 15% pure vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), 1% vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) and 0.5% ferulic acid. Ferulic Acid helps to enhance protection against environmental damage caused by free radicals.
C E Ferulic improves your skin’s ability to fight aging due to sun exposure. When you use this in conjunction with daily SPF, you create an intense shield against photo-aging. Also, this vitamins C serum remains effective for a minimum of 72 hours! Now that I have started using it, I literally can’t stop. My skin tone appears much more even, sun spots look visibly lessened and fine lines look noticeably reduced.
PHLORETIN CF
Phloretin CF is another amazing vitamin C antioxidant face serum that delivers advanced environmental protection and diminishes the appearance of fine lines and discoloration. It aims to protect, prevent and treat most pigmentation problems. Here is a little run down of the key product ingredients:
RESVERATROL B E
Resveratrol B E is a first-of-its-kind concentrated night face serum with pure antioxidant-rich resveratrol to reveal visible radiance and firmness. Its ingredients include 1% Resveratrol, 1% vitamin E and 0,5% baicalin. I love it because the gel is packed with the highest level of the resveratrol which amps up the skin’s ability to defend itself from damage while repairing existing trouble. When I used my skin looked brighter and smoother after just one week of using it nightly.
AOX+ EYE GEL
I am always preaching to clients and friends about using an eye cream and many people are always surprised to know its definitely important to use a separate eye cream/gel since the skin around your eyes is much for thin and needs some extra care. The AOX+ Eye Gel prevents signs of aging, protects skin, and reduces undereye puffiness and I love the it is lightweight enough to wear under makeup!
PHYTO CORRECTIVE MASQUE
You guys know I’m a collector of masks and I swear you guys, I’m obsessed with this one!! While I was at AAD and talking with Christina Fair of the SkinCeuticals team, one of my first questions (of course) was if they had a great mask she recommended, and she raved about this one which of course had me immediately begging her to try it! I literally cannot stay away from a good mask, it’s like an addiction!
This mask is amazing for any skin sensitivity and/or skin redness you may be having. To be honest, I LOVE to use it as a hydrating mask as well. It is basically a botanical face mask with hyaluronic acid (the best) that is clinically proven to calm, sooth and replenish reactive skin. It is a super gentle formula that kind of has a cooling effect on the skin which could be very nice when you use it post-procedure or something like that! I’ve also used it after working out or traveling which feels amazing!
DISCOLORATION DEFENSE
Obsessed with this stuff.
Here’s the thing about me. I naturally have an olive skin tone which means it looks nice to most people but when I do breakout it means I scar very easily. Not only that but the same happens for me with dark spots and they stick around for a very long time. As an esthetician, I usually will do peels and such but sometimes it’s not always convenient since it does require a bit of a downtime and I have always been looking for some kind of product/serum that not only works but does not cause any side effects either. This is an amazing lightweight serum that works well with all of your other skincare products. It contains key ingredients like niacinamide, kojic acid and a sulfonic acid plus a blend of other ingredients that work to visibly reduce stubborn brown patches. I will be honest and say I have only been using the SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense for about four weeks now, but I am seeing a difference in my skin overall, especially in the appearance of some of my lighter dark spots that have been difficult to fade. Keep in mind however, this is not an overnight treatment. Because this is something that you can put on and not have to worry about side effects such as peeling, sun exposure and such it also will take a little longer to see some results but I’m seeing a much more even complexion which I’m loving! Another thing I love, it has not broken me out one bit!
HYALURONIC ACID INTENSIFIER
The H.A. Intensifier is a serum proven to amplify the skin’s hyaluronic acid levels and delivers surface hydration helping improve the visible appearance of firmness, smoothness and facial plumpness (my favorite). The SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier comes in a dark purple bottle with a dropper. I use about 4 drops twice daily along with the rest of my products and apply it gently to my skin. My skin feels and looks firmer, more hydrated and much smoother/brighter.
TRIPLE LIPID RESTORE 2:4:2
Last but not least, the Triple Lipid Restore is a beyond amazing anti-aging cream that needs to be discussed! This is an anti-aging cream formulated with a maximized concentration of lipids: 2% pure ceramides, 4% natural cholesterol (the good kind), and 2% fatty acids. This cholesterol-dominant ratio works to strengthen your skin’s “barrier”, while providing deep hydration and encouraging your skin to naturally self-repair itself. It has also been clinically proven to improve the visible appearance of skin smoothness, laxity, pores, and overall radiance while boosting hydration in 24 hours. In other words, it’s kind of a big deal.
What I love most about it is that because I am so dry it is perfect for my skin type since it tends to provide me with amazing hydration and goes perfect when combined with my other SkinCeuticals favorites.
To be honest, as of now I don’t have one bad thing to say about SkinCeuticals products. I’ve been so incredibly impressed with the brand and the results that I’m actually getting since using them. It’s no surprise they have been raved about for so long and people swear by their products because they truly are top notch! Make sure to check out the rest of their amazing line of products available here. As usual, please let me know if you guys have any skin questions or concerns!
Big thanks to SkinCeuticals for sponsoring this post.
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These products sounds great, especially the eye gel. I have to check out this brand!
xx Freja
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