Skincare That Works: Vitamin C Retinol + Anti-Oxidant Moisturizer from Natural Skin Shop

As a beauty blogger, I've seen it and done it all when it comes to beauty products. So it's hard to impress me. Of course, it doesn't help that I do tend to take a skeptical approach to skincare, so I rarely ever pile on the compliments for any one product (if you don't believe me, you can check out this mascara review, this other mascara review, this face mask review, this slimming body cream (hah!) review, this moisturizer review, and this face wash review, among others). So sometimes blogging gets a little boring - there are only so many creative ways to say "this sucks" or "this is meh". But. For this product, I don't have to! This is one genuine rave for a product that has really worked for me. I'm talking about my beloved Natural Skin Shop Vitamin C Retinol + Anti-Oxidant Moisturizer.

Initially, I didn't like this as much - it's got oils (okay, jojoba, and apricot kernel were the two main ones - some might consider this a good thing), it felt oily on the face, smelt a little strange (it had that "retinol"-ish smell that was exactly the same as my prescription retinoid), and took awhile to sink in. But over time, I found it worked really well for me. I felt like my skin texture was finer, clearer, and brighter, and my overall skin condition had improved. In fact, I liked it so much, I actually used up the entire tub! And a week after being done with my first tube, I think my skin kind of misses it.

One of the key advertised ingredient in this product is retinol. I'm not sure what the percentage of retinol s, but coming in at number 6 on the ingredients list (after Distilled Water, Jojoba Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Squalane, Hyaluronic Acid), it seemed to be decently high. At least, it was high enough for me to see an effect in my skin. And unlike other retinoids I've tried, which can be effective but drying, this one strikes a nice balance between being moisturizing (thanks to the ois and squalane) and being effective. I do think the oil content in the cream helped with my skin quality, too - I've never really been a fan of putting oils on my face (since I have acne and pimples) but it does seem to have moisturized my skin too.


I really liked this product. I just applied it at night (I don't use retinol products in the day) before I went to sleep each night, and that's all I did. Perhaps the only thing I didn't like with this product was the plastic pot (because I have to dip my fingers into the pot, and because both retinol and Vitamin C do degrade in sunlight rather quickly). Also, because of the oils inside, it is a little oilier in texture than you might expect from a typical cream, but not by much. It does take a while to sink in, which is another reason why I use this at night only. I know some would say that you shouldn't formulate products with both retinol and Vitamin C together, but for the Vitamin C Retinol + Anti-Oxidant Moisturizer, I felt that the product worked very well regardless.

I do have too much skincare as it is (I buy stuff in my moments of weakness - don't judge me! :P) so I don't know if I'll ever use it all up. But if I did (or if I tried all the other stuff and found that they sucked), this is one I would definitely come back to. I do highly recommend this for anyone, unless you are sensitive to retinoids. It's a great all-arounder that moisturizes, brightens, improves texture,and helped to improve my skin overall.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

Skincare That Works: Vitamin C HA Peptide Serum

If you've been reading my blog long enough, you'll know that on the rare occasion, I can be a little cantankerous. (Okay, okay, sometimes I can be a lot cantankerous, LOL.) Although it may not always endear me to PR folks, my cantankerousness leads me to do all sorts of things - sometimes I dismiss the marketing claims made by products, sometimes I make fun of brands, and sometimes I just plain outright say that a product sucks. So, when a product makes me rave, you know its gotta be good!

I was sent this Vitamin C HA Peptide Serum from Natural Skin Shop a loooong time ago (shamefully long, I'll admit!), but on the bright side, you know this means I've had the chance to use it fully, and give you a totally thorough review!

I was pretty excited to try this product, as vitamin C is one of the few things proven to actually help your skin in the long run, and, along with retinoids and sunscreen, are actually backed up by published studies in science journals. But, it just doesn't get as much hype from a marketing perspective, I guess.

Even when companies put out Vitamin C products, not all of them package the product securely. Vitamin C can be very volatile, depending on the type - L-ascorbic Acid is the most effective but also the most volatile, as compared to its other forms, e.g. magnesium ascorbyl glucoside, ascorbyl glucoside, ascorbyl palmitate etc. The best way to package these are in small, dark bottles or airtight pumps. Fortunately, the Natural Skin Shop Vitamin C HA Peptide Serum is packaged in a dark bottle - great!

Anyway, this product is a watery, clear liquid with a slight brown tinge, like most well-formulated Vitamin C serums. This photo was taken sometime after I actually began using the serum, so it isn't this brown when you first get it - when you first get it, the product is almost colorless. It just oxidizes and turns brown with exposure to air and the elements. So, I do advise you to 1) store this in the fridge to slow down the oxidation process, and 2) use it as soon as you get it!


So, how exactly do you use a Vitamin C Serum? I've personally found it best to use in the day - there is some evidence that Vitamin C and E when used topically, can help to boost the UV protection you receive from your sunscreen. So I personally like to use this as the first thing on my skin after I wash my face in the morning, before moisturizer and sunscreen. As the texture is watery, it absorbs really quickly, thus making it a quick and easy addition to any skincare routine. Also, as it has a slightly drying/matti dying effect on the skin, people with oily skin will also like that it doesn't make them look like a greaseball, although its suitable for all skin types too. The exception would be people with rosacea, since acids can irritate their skin.

Here are the ingredients. As you can see, there's a lot of good stuff in here - L-Ascorbic Acid is the most potent form of Vitamin C that can be applied topically (and also the most volatile, hence the need for storage in brown bottles, refrigeration, and for quick usage). There's also Hyaluronic Acid, which helps to moisturize skin, and a whole lot of botanical extracts and peptides. I have to say, I'm impressed by the ingredients list!

LABEL INGREDIENTS: Distilled Water, L-Ascorbic Acid, (Vitamin C), Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl -3 (Argireline), Hibiscus Extract, Seaweed Extract (Plankton Extract, Sea Buckthorn Extract, Watercress Extract, Marine Algae), Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Hexylene Glycol.

I really enjoyed using this product - I did find when using it that my skin quality was better overall - my skin seemed a little brighter, less tired and I had better skintone overall. I rarely do this with skincare products, but I really recommend the Vitamin C HA Peptide Serum from Natural Skin Shop. It is effectively formulated, well-packaged, and easy and quick to use. The only drawback is the price (but then again most similarly formulated and packages Vitamin C serums also tend to be priced around the same range, or more expensive). If you are looking for one skincare product to splurge on that really works (and don't have rosacea0, this is it. The Natural Skin Shop ships internationally and have other equally excellently-formulated products, so it's worth checking out.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)