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It would have been so easy to talk about food in this intro. I mean, come on, „Buffet“? Something along the lines of „Do you prefer it over a la carte?“ or „Do you think we eat more or less when there is buffet?“
But I refuse to take the easy road (I save that for late night blog post writing mere hours before something needs to be published) and instead want to talk about a change that I have noticed over the course of the last years in terms of skincare brands and marketing.
It might be my focus (and age that makes me remember times when many of my readers weren´t even born), but recently science became increasingly popular. Gone are the days when „look young and fresh“ was enough to sell a moisturizer. These days words like „SYN™-AKE peptide complex (with dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate)“ are casually thrown around, as if everyone was supposed to know what they mean.
Well, most people don´t.
I don´t. At least not without research.
But I can´t help but feel impressed by all the science that obviously went into development and am more inclined to purchase.
What The Ordinary Claims
This formula combines a comprehensive array of studied technologies to target multiple signs of ageing at once. The technologies are Matrixyl™ 3000 peptide complex (with palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7), Matrixyl™ synthe’6™ peptide complex (with palmitoyl tripeptide-38), SYN™-AKE peptide complex (with dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate), Relistase peptide complex (with acetylarginyltryptophyl diphenylglycine), ARGIRELOX™ peptide complex (with acetyl hexapeptide-8, pentapeptide-18), Probiotic complex (with lactococcus lactis lysate), in a base of 11 skin-friendly amino acids and multiple hyaluronic acid complexes. The total concentration of these technologies in the formula by weight is 25.1%.
Facts
Prize and size
One dropper bottle contains 30 ml and retails for 14,80 € on the website here.
Texture and smell
Clear, a little goopy. No noticeable scent.
Application and effects
It sinks in quickly, but leaves tackiness behind. I have used it both morning and nighttime, my preferred way to use it though is to mix it in with another serum.
There weren´t any overnight changes when using it, but my face looks hydrated and fresh with continuos use. Again, it is meant for prevention, nothing will reverse deep wrinkles, so I didn´t expect much.
Ingredients
Favorable ingredients
- Glycerin: Humectant
- Lactococcus Ferment Lysate: Antioxidant, according to the manufacturer it positively influences both the speed and quality of epidermal growth that results in better barrier function and overall skin quality (no independent studies so far)
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-8: Agireline, “natural botox”, peptide
- Pentapeptide-18: peptide, reduces fine lines
- Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1/-7/-38: Matrixyl complex, increases synthesis of collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans
- Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate: neuro peptide, relaxes facial muscles
- Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine (Relistase): tri peptide, inhibits elastase and boosts collagen 1 synthesis
- Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer: Humectant, five times as effective as sodium hyaluronate
- Sodium Hyaluronate: Hydrating, smaller form of hyaluronic acid with deeper penetration
- Allantoin: Aminoacid, soothing irritated skin
- Glycine: Aminoacid, hydrates, promotes healing
- Alanine: Aminoacid, hydrates, promotes healing
- Serine: “silk protein”, aminoacid, aids in collagen production, boosts elasticity and replenishes moisture
- Valine: Aminoacid, hydrating
- Isoleucine: Aminoacid, aids in protein synthesis and repair
- Proline: Non-essential amino acid needed to build collagen
- Threonine: Aminoacid, improves collagen production
- Histidine: Aminoacid, antioxidant
- Phenylalanine: Aminoacid, needed for protein building
- Arginine: Aminoacid, healing, increases cell turnover, stimulates growth factors
- Aspartic Acid: Aminoacid, important for building skin cell DNA
- Trehalose: “Sugar of life”, forms gel protecting against dehydration, humectant
- Fructose: Humectant
- Glucose: Humectant
- Maltose: Humectant
- Urea: Humectant, very effective
- Sodium PCA: Humectant, naturally occurring in skin (drop with age), protecting skins acid mantle, antiinflammatory
- Sodium Lactate: Salt of lactic acid, humectant, pH adjuster
- Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin: Stabilizes antioxidants, humectant, brightening, tightening (no independent studies)
- Butylene Glycol: Humectant, draws moisture to the skin
- Pentylene Glycol: widely used as a humectant, but has been reported recently as potential trigger for contact dermatitis. Evidence is still low, as there are only case reports published.
- Acacia Senegal Gum: Anti-inflammatory, tightening
- Caprylyl Glycol: Emollient
Other ingredients
- Citric Acid: AHA, used as preservative
- Sodium Chloride: Table Salt, thickening
- Sodium Hydroxide: pH adjuster, can be irritating
- Xanthan Gum: Improves viscosity
- Carbomer: Thickener
- Polysorbate 20: Surfactant
- PPG-26-Buteth-26: Emulsifier
- PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil: Emulsifying, should not be used on broken skin
- Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate: Chelating agent
- Ethoxydiglycol: Solvent, controls viscosity
- Sodium Benzoate: Preservative
- Ethylhexylglycerin: Preservative
- Phenoxyethanol: Preservative
- Chlorphenesin: Preservative
Peptides, amino acids, this serum is filled with ingredients that are said to do miraculous things. I say „said to“ because, as it is the fact with many things in skincare, there are no huge Independent studies proving these claims. If you strip the list back to the hard scientific facts, you´ll get a bunch of humectants. But if you believe in the effects only shown in small studies, most often performed by the manufacturer, you´ll get a formula that really fights the signs of aging in every possible (non-acidic) way.
Does it live up to its claims?
Yes.
It contains all the ingredients claimed and „targets multiple signs of ageing at once“. It does not claim to erase them, reverse them or whatever, just to target them, and it has the ingredients to back that up.
Would I repurchase?
Yes.
As I mentioned here before, you will have to decide for yourself whether or not you believe in the preventive effect of peptides. But I think that for 14,80 €, it doesn´t hurt believing, you are not wasting much money anyway.
Who do I recommend it to?
Anyone that wants to keep a peptide rich serum in his routine, but isn´t ready to invest too much.
I actually prefer it over the The Ordinary Matrixyl 10% that I reviewed here and will most likely only keep one of them in my stash.
