Review: Skinceuticals Hyaluronic Acid Serum – H.A. Intensifier

Where to purchase: Available on the Skinceuticals Website HERE

Price: £90.00

Volume: 30ml

What is it?: a Hyaluronic acid serum containing proxylane™ , liquorice root extract and purple rice – meant to support the skin’s hyaluronic acid levels (and therefore help plump the skin which in turn helps firm + make lines less visible) ”It can be used as part of a home skincare regimen after dermal fillers.”

Description: This new serum effectively delivers surface hydration to the skin, whilst improving the appearance of crow’s feet area, nasolabial folds and marionette lines for a more refined complexion.

Good for: I think all skin types could use this.

Packaging: Glass bottle with a dropper. I like that the bottle is dark (to prevent light-induced degradation).

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Directions: ”Once or twice daily, apply 4-6 drops to the palm of the hand and dab onto forehead, cheeks, chin and neck. Blend the product into skin. If using in the morning, apply after a vitamin C antioxidant serum and before a sunscreen. If using with a retinol at night, apply after retinol application.” (from the Skinceuticals Website).

How I use it: I apply this after my Vitamin C or Peptide serum in the PM. Due to the texture, I can actually use this as a Moisturiser (last step in my routine) if it is hot and humid, and it doesn’t feel like it’s letting hydration out of the skin.

Key Ingredients: Sodium Hyaluronate (Humectant, Skin Conditioning) / Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract (Skin conditioning, Emollient / Liquorice Root Extract (Skin Brightening). Pro-Xylane (proxylane™)– (According to L’Oreal’s claims) – Pro-Xylane can ”boost the production of important skin-building blocks called GAGs (aka glycosaminoglycans, important NMFs) in the extracellular matrix (the goopy stuff between our skin cells) that results in better hydrated and firmer skin.” (From the Incidecoder website).
This also contains Capryloyl Salicylic Acid (exfoliant).

Full Ingredients: AQUA / WATER / CYCLOHEXASILOXANE / GLYCERIN / ALCOHOL DENAT / HYDROXYPROPYL TETRAHYDROPYRANTRIOL . PROPYLENE GLYCOL / DIPOTASSIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE / POLYSILICONE-11 / POLYMETHYLSILSESQUIOXANE / SODIUM HYALURONATE / DIMETHICONE / TOCOPHEROL / PHENOXYETHANOL / CAPRYLOYL SALICYLIC ACID / OCTYLDODECANOL / BIS-PEG/ PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 DIMETHICONE / PEG-20 METHYL GLUCOSE SESQUISTEARATE / AMMONIUM POLYACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATECAPRYLYL GLYCOL / XANTHAN GUM / DEXTRIN / ORYZA SATIVA EXTRACT / RICE EXTRACT / DISODIUM EDTA / CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE / SODIUM HYDROXIDE / ADENOSINE / CITRUS NOBILIS PEEL OIL / MANDARIN ORANGE PEEL OIL / LIMONENE / T-BUTYL ALCOHOL / CELLULOSE ACETATE BUTYRATE / POLYPHOSPHORYLCHOLINE GLYCOL ACRYLATE / POLYVINYL ALCOHOL / SODIUM CHLORIDE / BUTYLENE GLYCOL / PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE

NOTE: In this research Paper HERE – the researchers were able to conclude that on Mice skin, Rice + Resveratrol application on the skin, reduced chronic inflammation (itchiness) on the skin.

NOTE: The Incidecoder has a full ingredient list breakdown HERE

It’s interesting to see Silicone and Butylene Glycol as well as Glycerin – I’m sure these help to provide a smooth, viscous texture and make the product sit nicely on the skin, as well as other ingredients of course. Adenosine is a nice anti-inflammatory ingredient and

Texture: It’s an interesting texture! It’s so hard to describe as it’s a serum but almost is and could be classified as a gel moisturiser (like an aloe vera gel or a Snail Mucin Essence – it has that level of thickness). This product is not too watery, it’s more on the viscous side – but this doesn’t mean that it is thick and gloopy and it doesn’t make my skin feel like it’s unable to breath. It’s almost like a jelly, but it spreads around the skin as easily as any serum. It has the kind of texture where I can use this in the place of a moisturiser (during a very hot day when I don’t want to use a moisturiser) and I still feel like this will ‘seal it all in’ without balling up under SPF (or in the PM without an SPF and simply using it as a last step in my evening routine). This almost disappears into the skin and doesn’t give me that feeling like a layer has formed on top of the skin like the Geek & Gorgeous Vitamin C Serum does. It has enough presence on the skin where I feel like this would be a great primer to fill out those little fine lines before applying foundation.

I find that even applying a lot of this doesn’t make my skin feel sticky either.

This is thicker than the Niod MMHC and I would say is similar in thickness to the Hada Labo Premium Lotion (but not as hydrating)

I do think for Dry skins this absolutely isn’t enough to hydrate/moisturise the skin on its own. But for those in hot/humid weathers and those who prefer thin textures, this could be good in a 4 step routine (Cleanser, Tone, Serum 1, this) OR (Cleanse, Tone,This, Moisturiser) – PM routine.

I will say that to me, this doesn’t feel like a fresh drink of water for my skin (and feels more gel-like). It’s similar in texture to the Ordinary’s HA serum (but that serum balls up/pills on me whereas this doesn’t).

Has a reddish/brownish colour – you can see it has a sort of gloopy (not smooth) texture at first glance – almost like it’s a jelly.

Spreads very easily and absorbs fast.

Youtube Video (Live Swatch):

If you want to see how the product swatches LIVE – then please watch the video! I also explain how I use it and discuss the ingredients.

Fragrance?:  Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil/​Mandarin Orange Peel Oil, Limonene – I find fragrance unnecessary so I’m not a fan. Also it doesn’t (in my opinion) make the product smell nicer as the product itself smells quite ‘chemical-y’ so I find that it is unnecesary.

Good Under Makeup?: Yes – I think this actually would be a great primer in terms of filling out those fine lines before foundation application.

How long have I been using this?: About a month

The Effect?: This has simply helped to keep my skin condition in tact – it has kept my skin from feeling dry or dehydrated. I’m not saying it has really boosted the hydration levels of my skin, but at least it has prevented it from getting worse and helped maintain its condition.

What I like:

• Dries really fast (means I can move on in my routine ASAP which I appreciate)
• Easily spreadable (doesn’t drip down my face and isn’t messy to use
• Lightweight (my skin can breath)
• Helps fill out fine lines
• Good for readying the skin for makeup application
• Really good if it’s too hot to wear a moisturiser/ too humid – this is a great substitute as it reminds me of an aloe vera gel in terms of texture.

What I don’t like:

• Addition of Limonene and Mandarin Orange Peel Oil (unnecessary – not a fan and it doesn’t particularly make the product smell nicer in my opinion).
• Price (can be off-putting!)
• My skin doesn’t feel as hydrated as something like the Niod MMHC / Hada Labo Premium Lotion does.
• I’ve found it a bit tricky to incorporate into my routine (during hot weather) as it’s meant to be used after the treatment stage (I say this because I use a vitamin C in the PM so it’s after my ‘treatment’).

Overall Rating and Conclusion: 3.5/5 – Not a bad serum! The texture is definitely uniqur and I haven’t felt a texture like this in a serum, the closest feeling would be the COSRX Snail Mucin Essence – but even then this is slightly less gloopy. My favourite part of this product is definitely its texture and wearability on the skin.

I think for the price however, I expected my skin to really feel plump and luscious after just one use. The texture and the wearability of this however is really nice – it spreads nicely, it absorbs nicely too and it can be worn under and on top of skincare without balling up. I think the added essential oils was unnecessary and doesn’t actually make the product smell nicer (in my opinion). I like the bottle (it’s a good quality one) and I like that this has some skin beneficial ingredients, and the addition of proxylane™ is unique (see key ingredients section). I do wish however that as this has a laundry list of ingredients, adding just a few more Hyaluronic Acid compounds (like the Hada Labo Lotions) and making the product more multi-molecular would have been nice and really accentuated the ‘H.A Intensifier’ aspect of the product. I do think that this is more of a balancing act between both a hydrating and moisturising serum instead of simply being a hydrating serum (like the MMHC, but a moisturiser is required after application) or a moisturising serum (usually an emulsion-type product) – this is somewhere in the middle (may be enough as a last step in one’s routine whereas possibly not for others).

Would I Purchase?: Personally, I wouldn’t because there are HA products out there without essential oils / fragrance (this is just a personal preference and I don’t want to scare you from using fragrance in skincare).

Dupe?: In terms of texture – I think the Ordinary’s HA serum is similar (has that thicker HA feel commpared to a thin serum (however I find that that balls up – OR the Good Molecules HA Serum HERE like the NIOD MMHC (which is still my fav HA serum). OR The COSRX Snail Mucin Essence (it has a similar texture when spreading across the skin).

My Skin Type: I am acne prone and have combo skin. My skin is usually tight where the cheeks and eye area is and the outer parts of my face. My T zone is oily. My skin isn’t a fan of thick/heavy formulas so I opt for lightweight formulas to prevent it from clogging up. My skin doesn’t like essential oils either and I try to avoid fragrance when I can.

Disclaimer: I am a skincare enthusiast and not a skin expert. I am not qualified to give out dermatological advice. This type of advice should only be given by a medical practitioner. Upon trying / using any of the reviewed products on the blog, please follow the manufacturer’s instructions and warnings and please seek medical advice if needed.