Serums are where skincare marketing gets loudest. Encapsulated this, clinically proven that, a study of thirty people. I test each one for weeks, layered under moisturizer and alongside the rest of my actives. Then I compare the INCI against my results to see whether the star ingredient elevated my experience and delivered what it promised.
This is where I review all of it: retinoids, vitamin C, peptides, hyaluronic acid, PDRN, and whatever is trending next.
Ready for retinoids? Start with the retinal serums that actually delivered.
Dehydrated skin? Here are the best hyaluronic acid serums at every price point.
Maelove’s Peptide Squad Collagen Renewal Serum does a lot, without the luxury price tag. Look around any beauty retailer and you’ll agree that peptides appear to be the ingredient of the decade. The issue: navigating through the marketing buzz and…
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Potent but polished, Paula’s Choice 25% Vitamin C + Glutathione Serum is proof that high-strength actives don’t have to come with side effects. When I’m asked about no-nonsense skincare, I think Paula’s Choice. It doesn’t just top the list, it…
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Only if your skin need a hydration/moisture balance. When it comes to face serums, the bar is set very high. To get my attention, it must feel borderline weightless while also becoming the hardest working step in my skincare routine.…
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Murad expanded on the popularity of its best-selling Targeted Wrinkle Solution and launched two new 5-Minute Fixers: Targeted Eye Depuffer and Targeted Pore Corrector. These clever formulas promise (and deliver) instant, visible results with just one catch: proper application. I’ll…
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Slightly off-topic but not really: while prepping and researching a bit before writing this post, I noticed Philosophy is no longer at Sephora. When did that happen? It felt like Philosophy literally carried the retailer back in the early 2000s.…
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(And it is.) I’ve learned to manage expectations when hearing about a new face oil. Is it because there are already so many options? Maybe. Does the world need another face oil? Debatable. This is why I have the strictest…
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It’s 5 stars kinda good. Oh how I wish The Inkey List existed when my skincare journey started over twenty years ago. Navigating around drugstore shelves circa 2000 only led me to overstripping my skin with acids I knew nothing…
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Especially, if your skin is in recovery mode. The La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 serum was not where my relationship with this range started. Have you ever been so underwhelmed by a cult favorite product that you wonder if you’re even…
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