Category Archives: FACE SERUMS OILS MOISTURISERS

Haruharu Dark Spot Go Away Serum Review

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Hey hey everyone!

I hope all is good! Spring is in the air in the UK and Im so glad brighter days are coming back

I’ve used up the dark spot serum from Haru Haru so it’s time for a full review and some progress pictures!

The Centella 4% TXA Dark Spot Go Away Serum has 5 main ingredients that promise to work together to fade dark spots & hyperpigmentation, soothe the skin and leave it hydrated. These are Vit C, niacinamide, tranexamic acid(4%), squalene and centella complex

Experience

I started using this product on the 1st of feb alongside other Haru Haru products for my 30 day skincare challenge. See my full post here.

I was using this once a day for the 1st 3 weeks then went to 2x a day in the last week and a half. I finished this product on the 6th of March, it lasted 4 weeks and 5 days. It probably would have last a bit longer if I used 2ish pumps lol but Im a bit heavy handed with my products, so with most serums I use 3ish pumps.

The texture is like gel – its very lightweight and soothing on the skin. It feels great and layers very well with other serums. I’ve experienced no irritation or pilling with this. It doesn’t have a strong scent either- I think its also unscented like the rest of the products from Haru Haru Wonder.

How do I feel about this serum? Is it effective? Well, I’m 50-50 on this

I was using the Niod repigment serum which was working very well in Jan but I stopped using it on 28Jan to allow my skin to ‘normalise’ before starting the Haru Haru serum. I started the dark spot serum on the 1st of feb. As with all new active/treatment serums, I use it 2-3 times in the 1st week to minimise any irritation. I was using this serum to treat the 2 dark spots on my chin that resulted from plucking but now that I’m doing laser the hair hasn’t been coming back and I’m able to fade them! I was using the serum all over my face btw lol, but those 2 were my target spots to gauge effectiveness.

Anyway, I noticed by the 4th of feb- the pigmentation was coming back after I stopped using the Niod serum. Something I wasn’t expecting to be honest. It took at least 2 weeks for me to see a noticeable difference with the Haru Haru serum. You can see by 18feb, the intensity of the dark spot was reduced! I was really happy with it, but I don’t think I got any more reduction after this. Looking at the pics from the 21st of feb and 6th of march- I don’t see any more reduction especially in the large dark spot on the right but this may be down to my laser session on the 21st. (the pic was taken before the laser session). As laser can cause pigmentation it makes sense that from the 21st to the 6th I didn’t really see any reductions, infact I even think its slightly(just a tad bit) darker.

I also had a reaction to the laser on the 21st! I totally forgot and was playing with my face later that evening and doing this causes me to have a breakout! This time was bad and it left some dark spots- on my cheeks. It’s like I took several steps back. Sigh!

So why am I 50/50 on the serum?

Well I think I did hit a plateau after the 18th because I still don’t see any huge reductions in the dark spots. Even with the mini breakout I had the serum hasn’t been able to fade those marks and I feel like those are mainly superficial.

Verdict

Hyperpigmentation is extremely hard to treat and for me who is prone to getting it, it makes my serums work even harder! I really like this serum on paper- it has a blend of 3 ingredients known to combat dark spots and other ingredients to soothe and hydrate the skin. I really like the texture of the serum, the gel like texture is very soothing on the skin and I love that it layers so well other products. I used it with retinols & acids with no issues

It works, after 2 weeks I started to see results, but I feel like once I got there, there wasn’t any further progression. I know the dark spots in that area are deep and therefore harder to treat so perhaps I was expecting too much from the serum?

Will I recommend the dark spot serum? Yes and no- I think for deep, hard to treat hyperpigmentation it may be best to go for more potent treatments and a chemical peel( having my 1st one this year after I finish my laser!) if you are doing any sort of treatments that leave you prone to pigmentation e.g. lasers I think this might not be able to keep it at bay and you need something else

For superficial pigmentation or if you are someone who doesn’t really suffer from pigmentation then this serum is more suitable for you. It has the blend of actives to fight the pigmentation and added ingredients to soothe and hydrate the skin.

I wish it also mentioned the concentration of vit c and niacinamide alongside the TXA

I’m really glad I got to try this product and was gifted it- it was on my Stylevana wish list! of course SPF is non negotiable when treating hyperpigmentation!

This serum is available from Superdrug or Stylevana if you’re interested!

catch you laterrrr

Naturium Vitamin C Complex Serum Review

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hey hey people! I hope all is well with you.

Today’s post just highlights the importance of 2nd chances and why we should be giving people and products (lol) one * within reason lol

Today I will be reviewing the vit c serum from Naturium. This came in the Spacenk 2024 beauty advent calender

Let’s begin

This is a vit c complex serum which is formulated with highly stabilized l-ascorbic acid vitamin C complex, sodium ascorbyl phosphate and a bioactive fruit blend that helps defend skin from environmental stressors, promoting healthier-looking skin ( from website)

I started using this on 22nd Dec and run out of it on the 2nd of Feb so it lasted 6 weeks. I mainly used it in my am routine but also a few times in my pm routine. I experienced no irritation with it.

Experience

This is a lightweight serum that feels hydrating on the skin. I really like that it sinks into the skin with ease and doesn’t have any stinging sensations you can get with vit c serums. The brand directs users to use a pea sized amount but I have to tell you I used more than that- 2 to 3 pumps over my face neck and chest then hands with whatever was left

Performance? yes it delivers! I love vit c serums because they work to brighten the skin whilst protecting against environmental aggressors! This serum feels nice on the skin and a pleasure to use. After 2 weeks of use, my skin was glowing and overall my complexion just looks healthier! The serum is a combo of different types of vitamin c: ascorbic acid & SAP and fruit blends also known to have vit c. It also has aloe vera leaf juice which I have come to love for its hydrating properties esp for my hair! Look at my skin!

Verdict

oh how I miss vit c serums! I’ve been using the Paula’s Choice super antioxidant serum for a while and I really enjoyed it but I wanted to use Vit c serums again! This serum just reminded me why Vit c is the gold standard for skin brightening and a glowing complexion. The serum is well packaged to protect against the unstable nature of pure vit c, so it didn’t oxidize in the time I was using it.

I’ve used my fair share of vit c serums in the past and I can say this is up there with my favorite ones! I’m genuinely surprised by this product because I HAD written off Naturium as a brand! I have previously tried 3 of their most popular best selling products and they were so disappointing so I thought to never try the brand again. With this coming in the advent calendar I had no choice but to give it a 2nd chance and I’m really glad I did! I’m thinking of trying their peptide serum now ( even though I HATE their peptide eye cream lol) because of this.

I highly recommend this and will purchase this again!

the serum is available from Boots or Spacenk

Dose by VH Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum Review

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hey hey, you good? I hope all is well.

I have an exciting review today for you. Having hyperpigmentation means I’m always on the hunt for a treatment serum to help deal with it. There are many serums with even bigger claims and I really enjoy looking for new serums to try.

Today I will be talking about the Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum from Victoria Health. Dose is Victoria’s Health own brand and their aim is to provide solutions for various skin concerns that deliver results. The Alpha Arbutin 2% and Kojic Acid 1% Serum is designed to fight to help target uneven skin tone, dark spots, age spots and post blemish marks, together with 1% Kojic Acid, a powerful antioxidant and skin brightener.

Experience

I’ve known about Victoria health for a long time, do you guys remember when the ordinary skincare first came to the UK? VH were one of the retailers to first stock the brand! I didn’t know they now had their own skincare range( I think the garden of wisdom brand was theirs too but I’m not too sure). Anyway whilst looking for a new treatment serum I found Dose and was really intrigued by the ingredients at that price point.

I used the serum for about 7 weeks in my evening routine last year with no irritation issues. I also appreciated how easy it was to add to my routine, I used it with retinol & acids with no issues. It layers well with creams and I had no issues with pilling.

The serum is a bright yellow gel textured serum with no noticeable scent and doesn’t stain the skin.

Does it deliver on claims?

My baseline picture was taken on the 28th of Sept however between that date to when I started using the serum on 2nd November I wasn’t using any other treatment serum for hyperpigmentation. I used the serum from 2nd Nov to 22nd Dec 2024

I wanted the serum to target a stubborn patch of pigmentation near my jawline and I can say it did work to lighten the intensity of the spots but not completely get rid of it which is understandable. I also felt like my skin in general looked brighter which I liked. I have ‘lighter’ dark spots on my cheeks which it didn’t get rid of however I just feel I would probably have to laser/ have a chemical peel to get rid of those as nothing has been able to completely get rid of them so far.

Verdict

I do like this serum and I was pleasantly surprised with my results. That stubborn patch of pigmentation did lighten a bit and overall my skin was left brighter. I also liked the range of skin brighteners in the serum: vit c, alpha arbutin, niacinamide & kojic acid as well as glycerin & Lactobacillus Ferment. I always try to get treatment serums with a mix of brighteners because hyperpigmentation is so difficult to treat. Alpha arbutin has never worked for my skin alone but in combo with other ingredients it seems to work.

The customer service from VH is outstanding. I emailed to ask if my serum was oxidized as I was taken aback by the bright yellow color and I got a reply straight away confirming it was ok to use! I also had no issues with ordering and shipment

Will I recommend this serum?- Yes. This is an effective hyperpigmentation serum with a range of well known ingredients that work to brighten the skin over time as well as some skin conditioning ingredients. if your pigmentation isn’t as deep/stubborn as mine then I have no doubts you will get much better results. It goes without saying, SPF is KEY when dealing with pigmentation issues and should be worn everyday. Try to avoid direct sunlight where possible. Dealing with the root cause of the issues causing pigmentation rather than pigmentation itself is the best cause of action. However, I do understand that sometimes there isn’t much that can be done in some cases. This year I focusing on treating my underlying causes and I will be sharing some of the clinic treatments I will be doing

The serum is available from Victoria Health for £18

catch you later!

SupraFade Hyperpigmentation Review

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hihi everyone, I hope all is well. Today I have a full review of the Supradafe hyperpigmentation serum I finished last month

Suprafade is the first product from HUE, a black owned skincare brand based in the UK. The promise is “A serum formulated with 7 active ingredients and antioxidants working synergistically to target the signs and causes of hyperpigmentation, discolouration and dullness. Engineered to be gentle enough for nightly use, our formula starts working in as little as two weeks. To ensure maximum efficacy and results, we always use ingredients at their active level. “

Experience

I introduced this to my routine on 9/6 very slowly. In the first week I used it once then twice in the 2nd week- I do this to prevent any irritation when starting new products. I started using nightly from 23/6. I finished the product 20/8. I experienced no issues with the serum.

Suprafade has no noticeable scent and I didnt find it particularly hydrating. It layers well with other serums with no pilling and works well with retinol ( I use MEdik8’s r-Retinoate® Intense) and acids with no issue

The serum has really big claims, on the website they claim: In a consumer study, participants agreed that there was a dramatic improvement in hyperpigmentation within 6 weeks. 2 weeks- 80% agreed skin tone was more even. 4 weeks- dark spots were obviously reduced. 6 weeks- complexion was significantly more even

For me the experience was very different, by 4 week I couldn’t really tell if my dark spots were fading or not, infact by the time I finished the bottle I was still on the fence. June to Aug were bad skin months for me, I had a lot of texture and spots that led to new hyperpigmentation. I’m not sure if the serum helped deal with that. I had 2 old spots I really wanted to target with the serum and to me they dont look any better.

Mark 1 is an old hyperpigmentation spot Ive been trying to get rid of and it was what I wanted Hue to target. I can barely tell the difference by the 20th when I finished the serum. Mark 2 looks slightly better but 3 is also confusing, Im not sure if there was any improvement. Other areas of my face are also the same I can barely see a difference.

I do like the texture of the serum, its very lightweight and it pairs well with other products. Whilst its not the most hydrating serum out there it is ok. I also like the pump jar it came in.

Verdict

To be totally honest, I’m disappointed with the serum. I saw so many good reviews and improvements from other people but I really cant tell if the serum did anything for me. I did have bad skin this summer as I have new pigmentation spots to treat but I wanted the serum to target older spots I had. Side by side pictures tell me there was hardly any improvements. the newer pigmentation spots look slightly improved? Im not even sure

Will I repurchase? Honestly I did consider it because perhaps I needed more time with it? however after 8 weeks of daily use and not seeing major improvements, I didn’t want to spend another £52 on it plus shipping. I wont repurchase.

If you want to check out Suprafade, check the website here

AXIS-Y Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum Review

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hihi everyone, I hope all is well. Today I have a full review on the Axis Y Dark spot serum I have been using for the last 2 months

This serum is described as rich in several brighthening ingredients (like niacinamide and sea bucktorn) and will help to improve the overall complexion of the skin. As the packaging comes with a pump dispenser, the serum is easily to dose and therefore also easy to use. On top of niacinamide, you will find here plant-derived squalane. It makes skin soft and supple without greasiness or stickiness. Rice which is rich in over 100 types of antioxidants like vitamin E and ferulic acid and omega fatty acids will fight free radicals and bring anti-ageing properties. The serum contains also calendula, a wound healing plant extract containing flavanoids that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant abilities. Finally, sea bucktorn, rich in vitamin C, omega 3, 6 and 9 and many antioxidants, calms down inflammation, boosts hydration, and is known for its soothing, protective abilities. Suitable for all skin types, including acne-prone and sensitive skin.

Experience

I was been using this serum from the 6/4 to the 8/6 in my nightly routine. It is a lightweight watery serum that sinks into the skin with ease. I have no irritation with it. It has a mild scent but nothing offensive, its almost herbal but doesn’t linger too longer. It doesn’t pill with other products and it pairs well with other active like acids and retinols. It doesn’t leave a sticky residue

I find this serum hydrating which was surprising to me because Niacinamide usually dries out my skin, usually at 10% conc so I can only use it for a few days at a time. I think this works well for my skin because its at 5% and paired with other hydrating and soothing ingredients. For this I like it however for the main reason why I got it, I don’t find it effective

This serum claims to be an effective dark spot correcting serum which is my main reason for purchasing. I am very prone to and suffer from hyperpigmentation. Did this serum fade any dark spots? NO. it did absolutely nothing to them! I have a patch on my cheek that remained the same through out! Did it leave my skin glowing? Somewhat, my overall complexion was healthier but I cant say its due to this serum only but a combo of this and the Ramsou 100% bifida. You can read my full review here

Verdict

If you suffer from hyperpigmentation, this is NOT the serum you would get to tackle it, if you were very serious about fading it. To be totally honest I got this because of its popularity and whilst I’m not 100% disappointed with it, I really wont recommend it for hyperpigmentation. I really like its hydrating & soothing properties, and I like its packed with antioxidants and does really well with other actives. I also like the 5% niacinamide and the fact that I can use it regularly without drying me out.

Will I repurchase this again, solely to treat pigmentation-NO. I do however have a mini travel size version that I will use on trips because of the hydration and soothing properties

I purchased mine from Stylevana but if you know their shipping takes SO LONG! I don’t recommend you get it from there. its only £3 more on Amazon and you can get it on prime so it comes literally the next day. Its really frustrating shopping on SV because even though items say shipped within 24hrs, it can actually take up to 10 days to ship then another 10-15 days to get the items! sigh. I made another order on 24th May, as of 14June its not here!

Thats all folks! I started using Suprafade this month and I really cant wait to share those results with you!