Product Reviews

CeraVe's Resurfacing Retinol Serum is a gel-like serum that spreads easily and has a comfortable, soothing feel on the skin. It's not too thick, doesn't feel heavy, and is the kind of product that fits easily into a routine. At first glance, the formula looks good. Niacinamide is high up on the ingredient list, alongside dimethicone, dipotassium glycyrrhizate and the expected combination of three ceramides (NP, AP and EOP). There's also cholesterol, hydrogenated lecithin and phytosphingosine, which contribute to the barrier-supporting side of the formula - all things CeraVe is known for (and expected to deliver). However, even though retinol is the star of the marketing, the overall experience is much more that of a soothing, comforting barrier-repair serum - and nothing more. I didn't experience the degree of skin renewal that I associate with a retinol treatment. That doesn't mean the retinol isn't doing anything, but the results weren't noticeable, at least on my skin. The only iffy ingredient is alcohol, but I also don't think it's a major concern in this formula. It's relatively low on the ingredient list, and I experienced no irritation, no tingling, no sensitivity - it's most likely there as a solvent, to help dissolve or incorporate ingredients into the formula. For someone trying retinol for the first time, I think it could be a sensible option. The combination of retinol, niacinamide and barrier-supporting lipids makes it a good introduction, and I think anyone could start using it daily straight away. For someone already accustomed to retinol, however, I think expectations need to be different. I'd approach this as a barrier-supporting serum that happens to contain retinol, rather than a dedicated retinol treatment. The formula is good, and the experience is pleasant, but I found the results underwhelming compared with stronger, more targeted retinol products. That's why this gets a good rather than great rating from me. Not because it's a bad product — quite the opposite. I just find the marketing a little misleading about what the product actually delivers. If you're looking for a gentle introduction to retinol, it's worth considering. If you're looking for noticeable skin renewal, I'd look elsewhere.

At first glance, this looked like just a hyaluronic acid serum to me. I'm usually not that excited about those - hyaluronic acid has been everywhere for years now, and the hype around them is a decade old at this point, so it feels like old news and quite honestly, unnecessary to have a dedicated serum, since it’s in practically everything. I approached this with fairly low expectations. And then I was genuinely surprised. The texture is quite different from the usual watery HA serum. It’s a thicker, gel-like serum that spreads easily but has some substance to it, and it leaves a slight tackiness behind once it dries down. There are multiple forms of hyaluronic acid here, alongside NMF components such as amino acids, PCA, sodium PCA, sodium lactate and betaine. Then there’s a rather ridiculous collection of polysaccharides and film-forming ingredients, and a few interesting antioxidant compounds. And, lo and behold, I could actually tell a difference after using a hyaluronic acid serum. My skin looked noticeably plumper after using this. I know I've used that adjective before in my reviews, but I don't think I've ever noticed a plumping effect as strongly as I did with this serum. It wasn't just more hydrated in the way that makes your face feel slightly damp or comfortable, but genuinely fuller and more luminous. It gave me that juicy, light-reflecting glow that I usually associate with vitamin C serums, which was probably the biggest surprise of all. Of course, the glow from vitamin C is produced by different processes than those at work here, and this serum won't target hyperpigmentation - but the strong hydrating effect paired with the hydrated film on the skin's surface gave a similar luminous effect. The skin felt and looked good. I think calling it simply an HA serum undersells what is going on. The formula is essentially an elaborate hydration and film-forming system, with multiple types of HA sitting alongside a pretty impressive collection of other humectants, polymers and actives. Still, its main active is hyaluronic acid, and it made me rethink this ingredient and how I incorporate it into my routine. For a category I thought had become completely uninteresting, that's quite an achievement.

I really like the idea behind this cleansing balm. Cleansing balms tend to be marketed much more towards dry skin, while oily and acne-prone skin is often pushed towards astringent foaming cleansers. But the fact is, a balm cleanser is usually the best format to dissolve hard-to-take-off makeup (at least in my experience). So having a balm specifically formulated for oily and acne-prone skin, which works well and leaves the skin feeling supple and hydrated without the risk of congesting it, just makes a lot of sense to me. The formula contains capryloyl salicylic acid (LHA) and salicylic acid, as well as gluconolactone, giving it a combination of exfoliating ingredients that makes sense for congested skin. Then there is tea tree (melaleuca alternifolia) in several forms, which gives the formula another ingredient associated with blemish-prone skin. Obviously, these are all in a rinse-off product, so I wouldn't expect this to behave like a leave-on acne treatment, but I like that the formula is addressing the concerns of the skin type it's aimed at. There is also parfum, which I'm less enthusiastic about, and it's relatively high up on the list. But this isn't a product that stays on the skin for long, so it's less of a concern (and I didn't have any irritation from it). My main problem with this product is actually the packaging. The jar is enormous. If you have limited counter space in your bathroom, it's a nuisance, and the whole process of opening it, removing the little inner cap and getting the product out is unnecessarily cumbersome because the packaging is so damn big. It's not a dealbreaker, but it makes something that should be a very simple step in your routine feel weirdly inconvenient. The other thing I've noticed is that it takes a little longer to wash off than other cleansing balms I've used. It does emulsify and you do get there eventually, but it takes more work — and therefore more time — massaging it around with water before it feels completely gone. You could argue that this gives the exfoliating ingredients a little more contact time, but for me and my skin, I'm not convinced that's enough of a benefit to make the extra effort worthwhile. And those two things are really what's keeping this from being a great product (rather than just a good one) for me. I love the concept, and I love having a cleansing balm that feels much less likely to be a problem for oily or acne-prone skin. If you have acne-prone skin, I definitely recommend it. Personally, I'm unsure if I'll repurchase - if they change the packaging or sell it in a smaller format, then I most certainly will.

This product is as straightforward as it gets. It's fabric sheet mask soaked in a very hydrating formula. Quite literally: the moment I put it on, it felt like I had applied a very heavy layer of moisturiser to my face. It caused no irritation, and I also didn't experience any congestion or breakouts afterwards - which I was slightly worried about, given that's how my skin reacts to some heavy moisturisers - although this does not feel like a particularly occlusive formula. It's more like a heavy serum than a thick cream, if that makes sense. The ingredient list contains glycerin and niacinamide, which I always like to see and make perfect sense for this mask, followed by other humectants and emollients, and there is also panthenol, allantoin and sodium hyaluronate, so there is plenty here to attract and retain water while also making the skin feel softer and more comfortable. Then there is a fairly impressive collection of Centella components — madecassoside, madecassic acid, asiaticoside and asiatic acid — covering the main compounds associated with Centella’s soothing, antioxidant and skin-repair properties. There are some other interesting actives here too. Adenosine has evidence for improving the appearance of fine lines, but I wouldn't expect a single sheet-mask application to suddenly deliver those benefits. In a daily moisturiser, though, that's a different story. If I had one issue with this mask (which I don't), that would be it. The formula is good, but I'm not sure the sheet-mask format adds that much to it. Most of the ingredients I'd actually be interested in using are ingredients that make more sense as part of a regular leave-on routine. For a one-off treatment, you do notice increased hydration with no side effects, but that would probably also be true if I had put a disproportionately thick moisturiser on my face for 15–20 minutes. It's inexpensive, so not an outrageous product to try (and the main reason why I don't have an issue with it), but instead of repurchasing, it made me want to get the actual Extreme Cream moisturiser.

This is the worst rating I've personally given a product. The brands instructs to leave eye patches on for 20–30 minutes, but I can barely make it to 15 before the stinging around the tops of my cheekbones becomes too uncomfortable. And I wouldn't mind stinging if this was a formula made purposefully with aggressive actives. I've used strong vitamin C and chemical exfoliant products to know that sometimes, a tingling sensation is part of the process - although that has never happened for a product marketed for the eye area. The ingredient list starts with glycerin and niacinamide, followed by a whole collection of humectants and water-binding ingredients including butylene glycol, propanediol, pentylene glycol and betaine. There's also sodium hyaluronate, so from a purely hydrating perspective, this should be a pretty sensible eye patch. It even has some soothing ingredients, like allantoin and dipotassium glycyrrhizate, while adenosine is a legitimate anti-ageing ingredient with evidence for improving the appearance of fine lines. There's also tocopherol, plus a list of antioxidant-rich extracts. None of these make my skin react. There's also no exfoliating acid or retinoid here that I could attribute the stinging . So what makes this so bad? And what makes it sting? The obvious thing to look at is the fragrance load. And ironically, the biggest culprit seems to be the thing they advertise the most. This contains lavender flower powder, lavender flower extract and, worst of all, lavender oil, quite high up in the ingredients list. It also contains linalool, a recognised fragrance allergen. Lavender oil contains fragrance compounds that can irritate or sensitise skin, and the eye area is probably the last place where I want a product to introduce a fragrant cocktail, especially in the concentrated format of a mask. The brand also claims that lavender flower extract is “renowned for its firming property.” That was news to me; I had never heard of "firming properties" being associated with any lavender-derived ingredients. I went looking and couldn't find good clinical evidence to back up that claim. There are laboratory and animal studies looking at lavender preparations related to collagen production, but they involve things like lavender essential oil, fermented lavender extract or wound-healing models, rather than lavender flower extract being used on intact human skin. So while there is some preliminary research around lavender and collagen-related processes, calling it “renowned for its firming property” makes the evidence sound considerably more established than it actually is. I won't be using these again on my face. I was wondering where else I could use them (on my body) that wouldn't trigger such a reaction, but eye patches are a weird thing to repurpose. I might just toss them.

This is a very simple, oil-based formula, and that is both its main strength and its main limitation. The serum is a clear, thin oil that feels extremely light on the skin. It isn't completely a dry oil, but it comes quite close: there is plenty of slip and softness without the heavy, greasy feeling I usually associate with oil serums. I use it when I have a product that could benefit from a little more slip, rather than necessarily as a treatment on its own. For example, it works particularly well with a sunscreen I use that has a very dry finish. The formula is essentially a blend of emollients and plant oils: caprylic/capric triglyceride and coco-caprylate/caprate provide most of the lightweight, silky feel, while olive husk oil and rosehip seed oil (the highlight of all the ingredients in this formula) add more emollience. Tocopheryl acetate and BHT are antioxidants that are there mainly to protect the formula from oxidation. There are no fragrance ingredients or essential oils, and there isn't anything in this formula that is known to trigger irritation. For sensitive skin, that's a genuine advantage. You get a moisturising, skin-softening oil without adding a collection of potentially irritating extras. But I think the “soothing” part of the name is somewhat misleading. The formula can help reduce moisture loss and make the skin feel softer and more comfortable, but there aren't any particularly compelling soothing or anti-inflammatory ingredients here. If your skin is reactive and you need something that will provide immediate relief, this probably won't cut it. The other thing worth keeping in mind is that this is not really a concentrated rosehip oil serum. Rosa Canina Seed Oil is fourth on the ingredient list, after two lightweight emollients and olive husk oil. It's nice that it's there, but if you are looking for a rosehip oil serum that are other, more potent options in the market. My classifier gives it a mid-to-good rating, which feels about right for the formulation itself. But I'm giving the product a Good rating overall, largely because of the price. It's currently available for under €3 on some online retailers, and I'm sure I paid less than €5 when I got it on a brick-and-mortar store. At that price, I don't expect miracles (although the marketing could be a little bit more honest). What you actually get is a pleasant, lightweight moisturising oil with a very low-risk formula, and I'd rather products like this exist than not. Not every skincare product needs to contain a dozen actives and promise to transform your skin. Sometimes you just want something cheap, uncomplicated and moisturising that you can add when your skin needs a bit more comfort (or when a sunscreen needs a little more slip). For that purpose, this does the job well.

This is one of those products where I noticed the results most clearly when I realised I wasn't having any skin problems to complain about. I don't struggle severely with acne, but my commitment to using sunscreen all day every day (and keep trying new ones) does mean my skin gets clogged pores more often than not. After 3 weeks of using this booster consistently, I realised I had no acne at all. I didn't realise exactly when my skin cleared up, but it stayed that way the entire time I used this product. And the pores around my nose actually looked smaller. The texture is a smooth paste, but it's not thick or difficult to spread. Paula's Choice describes it as a booster that can be used on its own or mixed with a serum or moisturizer, but I use it on its own as a serum. It layers easily with everything else in my routine and doesn't require any particular strategy. The formula combines 10% azelaic acid with salicylic acid, which makes sense for the results I've seen. Azelaic acid is useful for acne and redness, while salicylic acid is particularly good at getting into pores and helping prevent the buildup that leads to congestion. There's also licorice root extract and Boerhavia diffusa extract, both ingredients that target uneven pigmentation and, along with adenosine, allantoin and bisabolol, have soothing properties. What I appreciate most, however, is that this doesn't have that typical anti-acne product behaviour of stripping the skin of moisture and making it feel tight. It's actually the other way around, my skin feels well moisturised after using it. The texture still feels light and comfortable rather than oily, so I think people with oily skin that might be more sensitive to very emollient textures won't feel uncomfortable with this product. It's moisturising but does not feel like another layer of grease. There's nothing complicated about this cream. It works, it layers, it keeps my skin clear, and I don't have to put up with dryness to get those results. Fully recommend.

I really wanted to love this one. The formula contains a serious amount of good ingredients. You get a high concentration of galactomyces ferment (64.69%), plenty of humectants, panthenol, beta-glucan, squalane, a full ceramide complex with cholesterol and phytosphingosine, plus glutathione and a vitamin C derivative. It's the kind of ingredient list that makes you think you're in for a fantastic brightening, barrier-supporting product. In use, it was... ok. The texture is pleasant, layers well and feels comfortable on the skin. That said, I didn't notice much in terms of brightening. If my skin became more radiant, the effect was subtle enough that it never stood out. To be fair, I'm used to stronger vitamin C serums, so my expectations for visible brightening are probably higher than average. My biggest issue, though, is the fragrance. It's not just that the formula contains fragrance; it's that, judging by the scent that strikes you as soon as you put it on, it probably contains a lot of it. The scent is not only strong, but it lingers long enough that I found myself actively avoiding the product. I never experienced any irritation or sensitivity while using it, but I also didn't apply it when my skin was more reactive. Ironically, the fragrance bothered me far more than my skin ever did. Because of that, despite supposedly being a barrier supporting cream, I never felt comfortable reaching for it when my skin barrier was compromised after using stronger retinoids. I didn't want to take the risk. What confuses me is that this product is marketed toward sensitive skin. If that's your target audience, why add irritating fragrance ingredients so prominently? The underlying formula is already excellent—it has soothing ingredients, barrier supporting lipids and a thoughtful blend of antioxidants. It simply didn't need a perfume-like scent. That's what makes this product so frustrating. It isn't a bad formula at all. In fact, it scores well on our classifier - that's how many good ingredients it has. But the aggressive fragrance takes away from the experience and makes it harder to recommend, especially to the people it's supposedly designed for. If the brand released a fragrance-free version tomorrow, I'd be much more enthusiastic about recommending it. As it stands, I won't be repurchasing.