little white truths

If you read this blog, you may know two things: first, Alpha-H is perhaps my favourite skincare brand of all time; and second, my skin is sensitive to retinol and I've struggled to find retinol products that don't leave my skin feeling super dry and looking ashy and awful.

So when I saw that Alpha-H had released a retinol product, I had to try it: if anyone could do retinol well, it was these guys. It was a gamble because the product ain't cheap, but happily it paid off and I'm pleased to report that I can safely use this without irritating my skin. Huzzah!

As you can see, the product showed up in a fancy box that made it seem extra special. It comes in a little tub and, to use it, you remove the clear plastic cap and push down on the white lid (see photos below). There's a hole in the centre of the lid that dispenses one application of product.

I do like the packaging and it's obviously been done this way to protect the contents from exposure to the elements so that it lasts longer. I must say, Alpha-H is very good with designing packaging that keeps its products stable, so the brand gains points on that front.

Alpha-H claims/product details:

• Clinical exfoliation and rejuvenation are just one sleep away with the latest innovation in overnight repair
• A dynamic, dual-purpose resurfacing treatment and anti-ageing skin restorative, which boosts collagen and stimulates cellular renewal while helping to reduce sun-induced ageing, scarring, acne and wrinkles
• A combination of active ingredients - glycolic acid, retinol, chronodyn, hydranov-P and axolight - work the night shift so you wake up to a fresher, firmer complexion
• Clarifies and brightens the complexion
• Exfoliates and stimulates cellular renewal
• Reduces the appearance of pigmentation, sun damage, fine lines and wrinkles
• Firms, tightens and plumps the skin
• Increases moisture within the skin
• For mature, sun damaged, prematurely ageing, lacklustre and acne-scarred skin
• RRP $129 AUD for 50ml, but do shop around (I've seen it priced for half that amount)

There's a closer look at the packaging below. Note the hole in the centre of the white lid that dispenses the product - just the right amount. This is good for trigger-happy lasses like me who have the tendency to squirt or pump too much product out when they're not concentrating ; )

Verdict

This is a great product and I'm so glad I bought it because it's one of the few retinol items I've tried that doesn't irritate my skin, plus I've seen good results over time so it was worth the outlay for me and it's a definite repurchase.

It's a lemon-coloured cream that's lightweight and glides beautifully onto the skin. I always feel tingling when I apply this (that'd be the glycolic acid) but the tingling isn't uncomfortable and it just tells me the product is working.

The first few times I used this, I was pleased to discover that I didn't wake up with ashy, dehydrated skin that looked worse for wear, nor did I develop dry, flaky patches. These things normally happen to me when I use retinol products, so I was pleased to avoid that landmine with this one.

To begin with I was using this twice a week (as the directions call for), and while my skin did look a touch brighter and happier the next day, the results weren't enough to make me feel that this peel was worth the price tag (I was receiving better results from Alpha-H's Liquid Gold, a glycolic treatment without retinol).

So what I decided to do was take a punt and apply this more often. Now I wouldn't recommend this because I have no idea whether the product is designed for more frequent applications, but it was a risk I was prepared to take and fortunately it paid off. 

What I did was apply it three evenings in a row, and when my skin told me this was enough, I started applying it every second night. The results were almost instantaneous: my skin looked brighter and younger, felt smoother, and I reckon it became clearer too.

What also happened is that everyone started telling me how good my skin looked! When others notice a change in your skin, that's telling you something - it must be pretty good for others to see a difference. Since this is the only thing I've changed in my skincare recently, I know that this product is responsible for the changes in my skin.

I kept up the more frequent applications for over a fortnight, and now that I've seen more solid results, I've dropped the applications back down to twice a week. I haven't noticed a drop in benefits since doing this, and the good news here is that I won't be getting through the product too quickly.

As for claims: I do think this has a restorative and renewing effect; I have noticed that my wrinkles are less pronounced and my skin looks more even, so it must be doing something towards reducing pigmentation (I think more acne scarring as opposed to age spots); it has helped keep blemishes at bay (especially those around my chin area); and it has given me a fresher, firmer complexion overall.

All in all, I'm thrilled with this purchase and plan to keep using the product indefinitely. If you're sensitive to retinol like I am, I recommend grabbing a sample of this because you may find your skin can tolerate this better than it can others.

A great product.