little white truths

We received this serum in our Winter Edits of Marie Claire's Ageless Parcel, and I've been using it for six weeks now so I'm more than ready to review it.

While I think it's an ok serum that performs well enough for the price, I haven't been wowed by it and I'm not seeing any cumulative benefits over time - so if like me you rely on serums to carry the weight of your skincare routine, I personally wouldn't rush out and buy it because I think you can do better.

But it's not a bad product and I wouldn't discount it if you're younger than I am and don't need as much from your skincare as I do.

• A ground-breaking natural serum, scientifically formulated to lift, re-volumise and smooth skin
• Harnessing the power of Dragon’s Blood, a unique tree sap extract, to deliver noticeable results and more youthful looking skin, instantly
• Visibly lifts and firms sagging, tired skin
• High in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and collagen repairing properties
• Quickly absorbed and deeply penetrates for instant results
• For all skin types
• Plant-derived, cruelty and paraben free
• RRP $30 AUD for 30ml

Verdict

I think this serum is fine for the price (particularly if you can grab it at the chemist or supermarket when it's on special) and if you have great skin or you're under thirty, you could do a lot worse than this. 

But if like me you're over thirty and need skincare that really performs, I reckon you're better off spending a bit more and finding something that works harder. I also feel that serums are more important than eg moisturisers - so if you're on a budget, I'd suggest going for a higher quality serum and picking a cheaper moisturiser because in my experience a great serum can make all the difference but a great moisturiser doesn't have quite as much impact.

Anyhoo. The product is an off white serum that's more like a gel in texture and has a fresh, fruity scent that's not overpowering (I smell apples), but I would sniff it first if you're not big on fragrance because the scent is definitely there and you mightn't be ok with it if you're sensitive to smells.

It applies and spreads well, and while I do think it partially absorbs, it also leaves a slightly sticky coating that feels a like a film and dries down to stay that way, which is something I don't love. Having said this, it's not as bad as other products I've used recently so it's something I can live with.

To start with I was using this as both my day and night serum because I wanted to give it the best chance to work, but after a few weeks I switched to using it during the day only and I think it's better suited for that purpose: it has a slight brightening effect that's good for day use but it's not as hydrating as I would like, so I'd prefer to use something else at night.

On the claims, I'm not sure why they're calling it ground-breaking and while I do think it has a slight firming and brightening effect, I think the 're-volumising' claim is rubbish (and let's face it, it sounds pretty rubbish) and I don't think this smooths the skin either. But it does add a bit of radiance and that's why I think it's best for morning.

The claims don't say anything about hydration, but it's worth mentioning that this isn't hydrating enough for my dry skin on its own and I absolutely need to apply something nourishing over the top because this leaves my face crying out for moisture. While you don't have to rely on your serums for moisture of course, I personally prefer to use something that juices up my skin because that's what I need more than anything else.

In sum, I think this is fine for the price and it's certainly one to look out for if you don't need too much from your skincare because it's an ok product that has a nice brightening effect. But it doesn't do much otherwise - nor does it have any cumulative benefits over time, or at least not that I've noticed - so I'd skip this if you need something extra.

Ok.