Thursday, 21 June 2018

Skinceuticals HA Intensifier*




Hyaluronic Acid is probably my favourite skincare ingredient. I have quite a few favourite ingredients but HA is a constant in my routine. It’s an essential for oily dehydrated skins like mine, giving it much needed bounce and plumpness. It acts as a humectant, carrying up to 1000 times its weight in water, therefore holding the moisture into your skin. This is key for my dull and rather lacklustre complexion. It’s ability to hold so much water makes it invaluable in my routine as it acts like a sponge plumping and smoothing things out.

So, you can imagine my excitement when Skinceuticals kindly reached out to me and asked whether I would like to try their newly released serum. This is not your standard HA serum though. Rather than providing immediate relief it works over time to correct the HA content in your skin. Clever hey?!

The formula contains a heavy dose of HA (obviously) – 1.3% to be exact and 10% Proxylane which is a molecule derived from beech wood. This supports the skin’s lipid layer and prevents moisture loss. The addition of 0.2% Purple Rice and 2.0% Liquorice root extracts reduce flaking and add antioxidant protection. Working together these ingredients boost collagen and HA levels so over time firmness and fullness are restored.

HA naturally occurs in our bodies with 50% being found in our skin. It has an important role in retaining moisture and as with most things, as we age our body’s natural production slows down. In a 4-week study of daily use the HA Intensifier resulted in a 30% increase of HA within the skin. That’s pretty impressive results!

Now does it work? Yes, yes it does. At around £83 for 30ml you are looking at a skincare investment. It does plump and firm the skin and there is no doubt that it successfully kept my moisture levels in check. I felt that I wasn’t excessively oily throughout the day and that my skin had a bouncier texture. I am just not sure that I need this serum right now. I already use a HA serum every day which as I say is a constant staple, so I didn’t feel my skin necessarily needed a ‘corrective’ treatment.

Despite this I thoroughly enjoyed using it. Morning and night, I would apply around 4 drops. I actually finished the bottle a few weeks ago, so that tells you how much I used it within 3 months (yes, this review is well overdue!!). The formula is elegant, a purple gloopy liquid that is not sticky or heavy. As with most HA serums it gives a slightly tacky finish but it glides onto the skin with ease and straight away injects moisture and happiness! My skin looked fantastic straight after applying, bouncy and lush. Any products that I used following applied with ease. No piling or having to wait for it to be absorbed. It sinks into the skin beautifully and quickly leaving it super silky. 




I would say if you haven’t tried Hyaluronic Acid before and your skin’s moisture levels are all over the place i.e. perhaps you have excessively oily skin but it feels tight and uncomfortable then this would be perfect for you – (i.e. skin is overproducing oil to restore the balance because of dehydration). Maybe I’ll purchase this when I need extra oomph in the winter months, the central heating usually pulls the life out of my skin so I’d imagine this would be incredible for that. I’d also recommend this if you prefer to lightly layer your skincare. This with a lightweight gel/water based moisturiser would be amazing for skin’s that don’t like to be overloaded. Thick creams and oils don’t suit everyone!

 Ingredients:

AQUA / WATER / EAU / CYCLOHEXASILOXANE / GLYCERIN / ALCOHOL DENAT. / HYDROXYPROPYL TETRAHYDROPYRANTRIOL / PROPYLENE GLYCOL / DIPOTASSIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE / POLYSILICONE-11 / POLYMETHYLSILSESQUIOXANE / SODIUM HYALURONATE / DIMETHICONE / TOCOPHEROL / PHENOXYETHANOL / CAPRYLOYL SALICYLIC ACID / OCTYLDODECANOL / BIS-PEG/PPG-16/16 / PEG/PPG-16/16 DIMETHICONE / PEG-20 METHYL GLUCOSE SESQUISTEARATE / AMMONIUM POLYACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE / CAPRYLYL GLYCOL / XANTHAN GUM / DEXTRIN / ORYZA SATIVA EXTRACT / RICE EXTRACT / DISODIUM EDTA / CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE / SODIUM HYDROXIDE / ADENOSINE / CITRUS NOBILIS PEEL OIL / MANDARIN ORANGE PEEL OIL / LIMONENE / T-BUTYL ALCOHOL / CELLULOSE ACETATE BUTYRATE / POLYPHOSPHORYLCHOLINE GLYCOL ACRYLATE / POLYVINYL ALCOHOL / SODIUM CHLORIDE / BUTYLENE GLYCOL / PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE

*This product was gifted to me, but you can buy it from Effortless Skin for £78.00 – link here

Thank you for reading xx

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