Tag Archives: DECIEM

by | February 21, 2018 · 7:00 am

Morning Skincare: Two Serums from DECIEM

It’s taken me a while to catch on to the fact that it’s serums that make a real difference to your skin and not moisturiser. Now I’ve found a few I use regularly and have incorporated these two into my morning skincare routine.  Both are from brands under the umbrella of DECIEM “The Abnormal Beauty Company”.  Journalist and vlogger Nadine Baggott recently filmed a fascinating interview with the founder of DECIEM, Brandon Truaxe, which is well worth a watch if you’re into skincare.

I alternate these two serums each morning after a hydrating spritz and applying hyaluronic acid to my neck in the form of Multi Molecular Hyaluronic Complex by NIOD.

 

Copper Amino Isolate Solution 1% by NIOD

Another catchy name from NIOD. CAIS has become quite the cult product since its release, being thought to promote long-term skin health and combat the effects of skin ageing. Copper peptides are supposed to have multiple benefits including assisting with wound healing, collagen synthesis and anti-inflamatory responses.  Victoria of Bois de Jasmin didn’t think much of it  so I didn’t expect great things. However I found my skin really liked it. It seemed to soothe and strengthen my reactive skin.

It has very low viscosity (it’s like water!) and absorbs really well. The main reason I like it is that it feels healing on my cheek and neck which are constantly battling eczema. Maybe if you skin is already healthy you won’t notice a difference.

It comes in two bottles which you combine to create a bright blue liquid. A friend of mine doesn’t like face products that are blue, in the same way she doesn’t trust blue food, but I like it. It also smells faintly of rusty pipes which I don’t mind one bit. I’m sticking with it for now and will purchase the new improved CAIS 2 when I run out of the original formula. If the price of £38 for 15ml is a bit rich for you, The Ordinary are launching The Buffet + Copper Peptides 1% in the spring.

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Niacinamide 1% + Zinc 1% by The Ordinary

Niacinamide + Zine 1% regulates the skin’s sebum activity, reduces the appearance of blemishes and brightens skin tone. I use it because I have combination skin and this has noticeably helped to balance it out: I no longer have an oily T-Zone. I like The Ordinary’s version because it states it has a high 10% concentration of niacinamide (vitamin B3) whereas some don’t tell you the exact percentage. Paula’s Choice do a Niacinamide Booster at 10% but it costs considerably more then £5 for 30ml, at £40 for 20ml.

I really like the texture of this serum because although it combats oiliness, it doesn’t feel  drying.  I don’t use it at the same as my Vitamin C serum because this can cause a redness reaction.

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Do you use a serum in your morning skincare routine? Please share your choices in the comments. I love to hear what works for other people.

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by | August 4, 2017 · 7:00 am

My Dehydrated Skin Saver – Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex by NIOD

I’ve been using hyaluronic acid products for a few years now to try and combat skin dehydration. I’ve tried a couple of different brands and gone through tube after tube, bottle after bottle.

Throughout this time, I never saw a noticeable difference in my skin although it felt good straight after application. I was convinced it must be doing something though. It’s one of the few products that has been proven to plump and hydrate the skin and I am forever hearing how it can ‘attract up to one thousand times its weight in water’.

I persevered with hyaluronic acid, even as my skin deteriorated last autumn and I developed an extremely dehydrated, flaky patch on my cheek. My skin had become ‘compromised’.

Then after becoming intrigued by The Ordinary, I read on the DECIEM website that the effectiveness of  hyaluronic acid to penetrate the skin depends on the size of its molecules. The Ordinary’s offering has three different sizes of molecule but the site actually points customers to sister brand NIOD for a more advanced formulation. Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (MMHC) has – count them- 12 different sizes of molecule as well as a precursors to hyaluronic acid.

 

“Many products have used HA to claim hydration benefits, but HA is too large of a molecule to penetrate the skin and instead sits on the surface and can draw moisture out of the skin making the surface feel soft and hydrated temporarily.” – The Ordinary website

 

Therefore when I visited the London DECIEM store with Val the Cookie Queen in mid-May I decided to go straight for the big guns and purchased the more expensive NIOD version (£25 for 15ml or £38 for 30ml).

 

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I cracked open NIOD’s MMHC and applied a few drops after cleansing as instructed.

After one day there was a marked improvement, after two days the dryness was almost gone, after three days I was so happy to get my smooth skin back I can’t to tell you. I know it was the Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex that made the difference because  I hadn’t changed anything else.

Hyaluronic acid had finally lived up to its hype and done the business.

Since then NIOD have released MMHC2 with an improved formula, which they are calling ‘the second generation’ of MMHC. I will be purchasing it as soon as my bottle runs out.

 

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How have you got on with hyaluronic acid products?  Do you recommend anything else from DECIEM brands?

 

 

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by | May 2, 2017 · 7:00 am

What Do You Think of The Ordinary?

There’s been a buzz around skincare brand The Ordinary since it launched last year. They offer no frills “clinical technologies” at low cost, with the aim of improving price integrity in skincare. You can get most products for under a tenner and last week I finally jumped on the beauty bandwagon and placed an order.

The very first time I checked out The Ordinary website, I was so baffled by the long chemical names of the products, I clicked away pretty sharpish. I’ve only upgraded from a basic three-step routine relatively recently, so all the jargon was a mystery to me. Even the explanations of each product were as clear as mud. Unless you’re a beauty geek, you really need to research the ingredients and find the ones that are right for your skin type. Luckily there are lots of reviews around.

Thanks to a hugely helpful post by Victoria on Bois de Jasmin, I felt a little more confident. I did a bit more reading and tried again. This time I purchased Buffet, Natural Moisturizing Factors +HA, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F (see what I mean about the names?) and 100% Plant Derived Squalane. All of these seemed suitable for my combination skin with dry patches.

 

My Routine

AM

‘Buffet’ is a serum containing a number of peptides which I apply in the morning after cleansing, in the hope it will increase my skin’s collagen. I love it and find it a dream to apply.

I follow this with Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F, which is a Vitamin C serum for brightening the skin. The Ordinary offer four different Vitamin C serums and this is what confused me the most. They do have a guide but it still uses a lot of technical language. In the end I plumped for Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F because it combines high potency with a very low risk of stinging.

The consistency turned out to be quite watery even though it’s a light oil. Next time I’ll go for the Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate which is a light cream formulation with a very low risk of stinging and medium potency.

Next is a couple of drops from my Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster. In time I’ll be replacing it with The Ordinary’s version seeing as it’s  a whopping £38 cheaper!

Everywhere except my t-zone, I apply the Natural Moisturizing Factors +HA which is a non-greasy, easily absorbed moisturiser with added hyaluronic acid which has a comforting feel.

For sunscreen and its make-up priming properties, I finish with Paula’s Choice RESIST Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense SPF 30.

PM

In the evening after cleansing and toning, I use the Buffet serum again followed by Paula’s Choice Hyaluronic Acid Booster and Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment. But again, once the Paula’s Choice product runs out I’ll switch to The Ordinary’s Advanced Retinoid 2%.

Lastly, I apply the 100% Plant Derived Squalane to try and combat the patches of lizard skin on my cheek and neck which I’m thoroughly fed-up with. When I’ve used it up I’ll try one of the number of plant oils (probably the 100% Cold Pressed Virgin Marula) to see if that gives a better result. I finish my evening routine with Natural Moisturizing Factors +HA.

 

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The Ordinary’s “apothecary chic” packaging.

 

I want to try the Lactic Acid 5% + HA 2% as a weekly exfoliating treatment but feel nervous about the fact it’s described a “peeling formulation”. If you’ve tried this direct acid, please let me know in the comments.

Apart from the Vitamin C Suspension 23% and the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, you can use any combination of products as long as you apply the water based formulas before the oil based formulas (there is a table that tells you which are which). However, they recommend using no more than 3 serums at any one time.

Obviously I haven’t used the products long enough to review them, but overall I’m impressed with those I’ve tried so far. They are easy to apply and I’ve had no adverse reactions. What I’d love to hear about is your experience.

Have you tried anything from The Ordinary? Do you have advice to offer? If possible, please share how you combine your products.

 

 

 

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