Metrin Skin Care – A cruelty and fragrance free skin care system – AD

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Quite a while ago I was approached by Metrin skin care to work with them on the relaunch of their products. They did a rebrand of the packaging in April (the formula stayed the same – more on that later) and this post should go live as part of the launch. But Anne, I can hear you say, April was like… two months ago?

Indeed it was, and there is only one thing to blame for the delay: German customs, the bane of every international collaboration. They decided to hold my parcel for a total of five weeks until I finally got it and that combined with diligent testing really did mess up the time schedule. But that is passed, lets focus on the present: Metrin skin care and their 5 step skincare system – in brand new packaging!

 

Metrin Skin Care System For Her
Metrin Skin Care System For Her

 

What is Metrin Skin Care?

Metrin is a Canadian skin care brand that follows a pretty unique approach: Instead of marketing their skin care for different skin types or conditions, they aim to enhance the skins natural performance by “giving your skin the tools it needs to renew and refresh itself”. It was founded in 1932 by Dr. Runnels, a pharmacist who suffered from dry and acne prone skin and found none of the products available could heal his problems, so he formulated his own line.

The formula hasn’t changed since, and backed up by over 85 years of success they are confident enough to offer a 6 month promise, which means that if you purchase a full size set of their skin care system for the first time, they offer to refund you if you end up not liking the products even if you used them up to the last drop!

Their skin care system is targeted at all ages, genders and ethnicities, you can however purchase a system for her and for him. The only difference is that the Skincare system for him is four steps only, it is missing Step 5, the Enriched Vita Conditioner. The reason behind that is according to the website that women are more prone to dry skin and benefit from the addition of the richer step.

All of their products are formulated without fragrance, dye or gluten and are not tested on animals.

 

Metrin Skin Care System For Her
The promise

 

The claims:

The only skincare system designed to normalize oily, dry, and combination skin. The system works for all types of skin because Metrin adjusts with the metabolic rate of each individual and normalizes dry or oily skin. With the use of METRIN, dry skin will no longer be dry, oily skin will no longer be oily. Metrin skin care is cost effective as it removes the need for eye cream, masks, scrubs and a makeup remover as well as suitable to all ages, all genders and all ethnicities.

Metrin also proud itself to offer the oldest Double Cleanser formula on the market with their Step 1 and Step 2, both designed in 1932.

 

Metrin Skin Care System For Her
Neatly labeled 1 to 5 to avoid any confusion

 

How to use the Metrin Skin Care System

The Metrin skin care system is designed to be used exclusively morning and night, repeating every step by number to take the guess work out. They offer specific instructions on how to apply the products so you can maximize their benefits, which I will highlight in the individual product description and show you in the video you can find underneath.

 

 

Metrin Skin Care Step 1 Cleanse: Deep Cleanser

Instructions

Wash your hands with the cleanser and pat them dry. Then pour cleanser in the palm of your hand and smooth onto face and neck. Gently remove with a washcloth and lukewarm water.

 

Ingredients

  • Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil:Rich in Vitamin E and linoleic acid, anti-inflammatory
  • Stearic Acid:Fatty Acid, mild surfactant
  • Methyl Propanediol: Humectant, Penetration enhancer
  • Cetyl Alcohol: Emollient
  • Triethanolamine: ph adjuster, potential irritant
  • Phenoxyethanol: Preservative
  • Organic Aloe Vera: Soothing, humectant
  • Vitamin E (Tocopherol): Antioxidant
  • Allantoin:Aminoacid, soothing irritated skin
  • Methyl-/ Butyl-/Ethyl-/ Propylparaben: Preservatives

 

My take

The Deep Cleanser feels like a rich balm cleanser and has a slightly medicinal smell. Despite the claims that the Metrin skin care system removes the need for a makeup remover, I did find that if I wore heavier eye makeup or waterproof mascara, the Deep Cleanser was not enough to remove that completely. It did however gently clean my skin without irritation or tightness. As most products in the system it contains Sunflower Seed Oil for antioxidants and Aloe Vera and Allantoin for soothing.

 

Metrin Skin Care Step 2 Exfoliate: Lathering Cleanser

Instructions

Pour cleanser into the palm of your hand and add water to work up a bubbling lather. Apply to face and neck without massaging. Remove cleanser thoroughly with a damp washcloth and lukewarm water, repeat the process if needed. Splash your face with water several times to remove every trace of cleanser.

 

Ingredients

  • Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate: Surfactant
  • Stearic Acid:Fatty Acid, mild surfactant
  • Organic Aloe Vera: Soothing, humectant
  • Hydroxyethylcellulose: plant based amino acid, preservative, emulsifier
  • Cocamide MEA: coconut derived cleanser, foaming
  • Panthenol: B 5, humectant, penetrates into deep layers of skin, moisturizing, antiinflammatory
  • Chloroxylenol: Skin disinfectant
  • Soy Protein: Humectant
  • Phenoxyethanol: Preservative
  • Allantoin:Aminoacid, soothing irritated skin
  • Methyl-/ Butyl-/Ethyl-/ Propylparaben: Preservatives
  • EDTA: Preservative, enhances foaming abilities

 

My take

I was a little surprised at first, as it is called Exfoliate, but does not contain an chemical, physical or enzymatic exfoliants. A quick check back with their customer service gave me an explanation though: By “exfoliate” they refer to the process of removing the dead skin cells that have been softened by Step 1 with the lather created, the gentlest way to exfoliate your skin. Quite reassuring, because using a physical or chemical exfoliant twice daily could get you into trouble fast! The lather is created by mild surfactants and a coconut derived cleanser, Cocamide MEA, so you don’t have to worry about it being too harsh on your skin. I wouldn’t call it hydrating either, but it did not leave my skin tight. Interesting is the added Chloroxylenol, a skin disinfectant that I have, to my knowledge, not seen in other skin care products yet.

 

Metrin Skin Care System Step 3 Hydrate: Vita Conditioner

Instructions

Pour into your hand and smooth onto clean skin. The right amount will leave your skin feeling smooth and moisturized, but not oily or dry.

 

Ingredients

  • Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil:Rich in Vitamin E and linoleic acid, anti-inflammatory
  • Stearic Acid:Fatty Acid, mild surfactant
  • Organic Aloe Vera: Soothing, humectant
  • Methyl Propanediol: Humectant, Penetration enhancer
  • Cetyl Alcohol: Emollient
  • Triethanolamine: ph adjuster, potential irritant
  • Phenoxyethanol: Preservative
  • Vitamin E (Tocopherol): Antioxidant
  • Allantoin:Aminoacid, soothing irritated skin
  • EDTA: Preservative, enhances foaming abilities
  • Methyl-/ Butyl-/Ethyl-/ Propylparaben: Preservatives
  • Retinyl Palmitate: Weakest form of retinoid, bound to a fatty acid. Less irritant, but usually less effective
  • 3-O-Cetyl Ascorbic Acid: Vitamin C derivate, brightening,

 

My take

Finding the right amount is really key here, the product is surprisingly creamy (I cannot be the only one that expects a clear liquid when hearing Hydrate?). Once you have figured out the amount needed your skin feels nicely hydrated, yet always a little tacky. Apart from the Sunflower Seed Oil, Aloe Vera and Allantoin the Vita Conditioner contains Retinol Palmitate and 3-O-Cetyl-Ascorbic Acid. Both are esters of the Vitamin, very weak in their performance and are added last on the ingredient list (after Phenoxyethanol, which usually indicates the 1% concentration line), so I wouldn’t expect any significant results from both. When I checked back with customer service on that topic, I received the following answer:

Unfortunately the formula – the quantity of each ingredient – is proprietary information – these details are not available to the public. While the listing order for an ingredient on the labels must reach a certain level set out by the FDA, the percentage of an ingredient within a formulation is not necessarily a good indication of its effectiveness. For example, a high acid content indicated on a label may mean little if the acidity needs to be neutralized by other ingredients within the formulation to meet desirable pH levels. In this respect, the delivery of nutrients to the skin through antioxidative properties of the certified organic high oleic sunflower is a smarter and more effective delivery of Vitamin C more so than its simple inclusion of higher volumes. “

I really enjoyed the lightweight, immediately absorbing texture.

 

Metrin Skin Care System Step 4 Protect: Protective Lotion

Instructions

Place lotion into the palms of your hands. Gently pat hands together, then onto the skin. Skin should feel completely dampened. Allow lotion to absorb completely.

 

Ingredients

  • Methyl Propanediol: Humectant, Penetration enhancer
  • Organic Aloe Vera: Soothing, humectant
  • Allantoin:Aminoacid, soothing irritated skin
  • Aluminum Chlorhydroxy Allantoinate: astringent, mildly keratolytic
  • Panthenol: B 5, humectant, penetrates into deep layers of skin, moisturizing, antiinflammatory
  • Chloroxylenol: Skin disinfectant

 

My take

Again a surprise in texture – this one is the most watery out of all products. It feels almost like a toner or essence step and absorbs quickly. Ingredientwise this again contains Chloroxylenol as skin disinfectant and Aluminium Chlorhydroxy Allantoinate, a substance with astringent and mildly keratolytic properties, probably very helpful in targeting acne.

 

Metrin Skin Care System Step 5 Nourish: Enriched Vita Conditioner

Instructions

Place conditioner in palm of hand and smooth onto face and neck. The correct amount will make your skin feel smooth and moisturized and nourished for one final step of enrichment.

 

Ingredients

  • Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil:Rich in Vitamin E and linoleic acid, anti-inflammatory
  • Stearic Acid:Fatty Acid, mild surfactant
  • Methyl Propanediol: Humectant, Penetration enhancer
  • Cetyl Alcohol: Emollient
  • Triethanolamine: ph adjuster, potential irritant
  • Organic Aloe Vera: Soothing, humectant
  • Phenoxyethanol: Preservative
  • Allantoin:Aminoacid, soothing irritated skin
  • Panthenol: B 5, humectant, penetrates into deep layers of skin, moisturizing, antiinflammatory
  • Vitamin E (Tocopherol): Antioxidant
  • EDTA: Preservative, enhances foaming abilities
  • Methyl-/ Butyl-/Ethyl-/ Propylparaben: Preservatives
  • Pyridoxine HCL: Vitamin B 6, deficiency leads to skin irritation, topical effect not well researched
  • 3-O-Cetyl Ascorbic Acid: Vitamin C derivate, brightening
  • Retinyl Palmitate: Weakest form of retinoid, bound to a fatty acid. Less irritant, but usually less effective

 

My take

This was the product I struggled the most with, because despite my best effort to find the right amount, it would always keep sitting on my skin for at least 30 minutes until fully absorbed. That was no problem at night, I tend to do my skincare routine two hours before bed time, but in the mornings I struggled, because makeup application on top of it proved difficult. Once it had absorbed though my skin felt very nice and soft to the touch.

 

Metrin Skin Care System for Her
Close up of the Deep Cleanser

 

Is it a complete skincare set?

That depends on your definition and personal preference.

In my opinion it is missing a key component that I firmly believe is essential in every skin care routine: Sunscreen. Metrin products have not been tested for SPF (and don´t contain ingredients that would work as SPF from my understanding). But I understand that sunscreen isn’t part of their regime, but more a necessary addition after their skin care is done. On top of that I do feel the need for a dedicated makeup remover, at least for the days I wear more than just the basics.

The Metrin Skin Care System will respect your skin and help it balance itself by using soothing and anti-inflammatory ingredients as well as humectants and emollients. It is easy to understand, the numbers make it easy to follow and it takes the guesswork out of pairing different skin care brands and products, always uncertain about whether or not they will work together.

For someone like me though, that likes to experiment with different “actives” like retinoids, Vitamin C, Peptides, it is not enough to use solely that.

Another aspect I wasn´t entirely happy with is the sensory experience: While I loved how it made my skin feel, the way it felt on my skin didn´t blow me away. It wasn´t uncomfortable, but not up to par with the luxurious creams and serums I have in my stash. Call me superficial, but for me that is part of the experience, and even though my brain knows that how my skin feels in the end should be what counts, I will forever be drawn to silky smooth, light pink creams with a soft scent.

If you, however, are more sensible than I am and want a no fuzz, no guesswork skin care system to help balance your skin, Metrin skin care might be worth checking out – after all there is not much to loose with the six month money back guarantee.

 

Metrin Skin Care
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If you want to learn more about Metrins, make sure to visit them on Instagram and Facebook.

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