Holy Grail Beautyy . . .

• Cruelty Free YES
• Medical Grade Skincare
• Clinically Proven
• 20% Ascorbic Acid
• Airless pump jar
• Dermatologist formulated
• Paraben, sulfate, pthalate and sls free
• Natural fragrance orange oil
• High end pricing $220 AUD 50 mls 1 fl.oz

This is my 9th review on Glyco Skincare, you can refer to the product review list here for the other reviews.

Beauty News

This is the first solely vitamin c product I have bought from Glyco Skincare.  Other products I have purchased contained vitamin c in their formula, but were not sole vitamin c products like this crême.

I purchased this creme in January 2019 and I use it everyday morning and night; it is now 12 May and it is still going!  One thing I have noticed is that Glyco products are very long lasting which is great as they are a higher price point.  I have had two products last over six months from the Glyco Skincare brand; one I am still using now and is one month shy of a year of using it.  That product is AOX Peptide Cleansing Gel which is now called Peptide Cleansing Gel and you can read it here and the other was Cellular Defence Day Creme SPF 15+ which lasted approximately 9 months and you can read that review here.

This creme is 20% vitamin c and is contained in an airless pump jar to preserve the vitamin c's integrity, vitamin c is a highly unstable ingredient particularly when in the form of ascorbic acid.   The crême is a pleasure to use, a very tactile experience.  Its velvety soft and absorbs instantly, with a matte texture.

Vitamin C is an incredible antioxidant and I have to say Glyco has improved my skin yet again! I have noticed an even more refined complexion, my cheeks and under eye area looks fresher, brighter and rejuvenated.  You are directed not to apply right under the eye, so I stay just above the nostril area and go no further but it seems that is enough to help my under-eyes!

Vitamin C assists skin in collagen production; as the body ages, collagen production slows down, and topical application of vitamin c is the best way to get it back into your body as it is absorbed far better than ingesting it.  It is the skin's version of a new building's scaffolding, it holds up our muscles on our body, provides hydration, improves skin elasticity and improves fine lines and wrinkles. You can easily tell when collagen is lacking in the skin as it sags. I believe it has assisted my skin in this manner which couldn't please me more! This is another essential product for me from Glyco Skincare.

I definitely recommend this product!

Thankyou for reading.
Not sponsored.
Image via Glyco.com.au
Glyco

• Cruelty Free YES
• Fragrance is Clinical 
• Medical Grade Skincare
• For dry to normal skin types
• High end price point $250 AUD 50mls
• 15% Glycolic Acid 
• Indian Gooseberry - containing the highest amount of natural occurring Vit C
• Collagen
• Marine Algae
• Peptides

My skin type is 39 years old and oily/combination.  This is one of my reviews on Glyco Skincare, you can read the rest by going to the product index here.

UPDATE APRIL 2019:  I have recently joined Glyco's new affiliate program and if you wish to enhance your skincare wardrobe, then please use this code for $20 off your purchase.  SAVE20-TZHESI

Beauty Guru

This luxuriant creme is abound with clinically proven skin care intensives with an impressive 15% glycolic acid, vitamin C, marine algae peptides to combat wrinkles, ageing and other skin and age concerns which all work in conjunction to  rejuvenate the skin.  It's a powerful cocktail that you will be quickly obsessed with! I saw an overall change in my skin which had already been overhauled by the other Glyco Skincare products I own and have reviewed already which you can read about here, I didn't know my skin could look even better!

It works in tandem with all of the other beneficial skincare product ingredients Glyco Skincare employs and has given my skin a vastly more plump, supple, complexion that is no longer developing pigmentation, deep wrinkles, sagginess, redness, texture, fine lines, and has replaced those negatives with these positives! it is firm, fresh, even toned, smooth and soft, vital, moisturised, hydrated, awake and so youthful!

The creme itself is rich in texture but feather light upon application and absorbs quickly; there is nothing worse than products that just sit on the skin's surface that end up on your pillow at night! It has a slight warming sensation due to the glycolic acid but it's so subtle I don't even notice it after a few applications; this formulation is created with the right ingredients to help buffer that tingling sensation that accompanies AHA products that are formulated with an effective ph level to perform exfoliation.   It comes in traditional jar packaging with a product protection lid as the formula is too thick for an airless pump.  I apply it everywhere, from face, neck, decolletage to the tops of my hands.  You can use this up to twice a day.  


This product is primarily formulated for dry to normal skin so if you have an oily and/or combination skin type it can be too rich for these skin types (which is what I have) , so its best to apply it in a minimal manner by taking a small amount and emulsifying between your fingers to break up the oils and then apply. 

A very important note when using intensive actives like glycolic acid is that you must be vigilant with your sunscreen as your skin will be more prone to burning due to the application of this product.  For optimum skin and personal health you should be using SPF products 365 days a year,  Glyco Skincare also has an SPF moisturiser called Cellular Defence Day Creme SPF 15, you can read that review here.

*It is important to not apply the product if you have irritated skin and do not apply close to the eye contour.

Ingredients

Water, Glycolic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Ahnfeltia Concinna *Algae Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Juniperus Communis *Juniper Fruit Oil, Citrus Grandis *Grapefruit Peel Oil, BHT, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

I definitely recommend this product! 

Thank-you for reading.
Not sponsored.
Images via Glyco.com.au
GLYCO

• Cruelty Free YES
• Fragrance Free YES
• PH Balanced
• Australian brand and made
• Mineral oil FREE
• Paraben FREE
• Sodium Lauryl Sulphate FREE
• PEG and Synthetic Penetration ingredients FREE
• Reasonably priced $34.90 AUD 2.6 ounces

This is my first time using MooGoo products.  I needed another moisturiser after I finished the Strivectin SD Advanced Intensive Concentrate for Wrinkles and Stretch Marks moisturiser and I use the Drunk Elephant B Hydra Intensive Gel moisturiser at night time.  After cleansing with the Sante micro fibre facial cleanser disc, I use this moisturiser then a 50+ SPF by Banana Boat.

Beauty Guru

I definitely wanted to get a new moisturiser by a cruelty free company.  MooGoo is certainly cruelty free and affordable as well!

Here is an excerpt from the Moo website that explains how the brand came to be: MooGoo came about when the head of our herd thought it was unusual that his mother was using a product made for cows for her skin condition. The "Udder Cream" being used in dairy farms was designed to help keep the skin on cow’s udders in prime condition for milking. Cow’s udders need to be soft and supple, not dry or cracked. However the original Udder Cream his mother used was very thick to apply. So he set about adapting this cream for humans by making it lighter and non-greasy.

And now there is a whole range of products including hair-care, deodorant, a special oncology pack and so much more! I had no idea there was so many products.  So far, my experience has been great with this cream.  It is better to apply it with a slightly damp face because I feel it absorbs better.  The two main stars of this product is an oil soluble Vitamin C and Resveratrol, both strong antioxidants.  There is another moisturiser with sunscreen in it in the range.  But I chose this one deliberately.

Now the product is housed in a opaque pump bottle.  It has a slight sweetish milk scent which figures because it is based on milk! It is a white lotion that spreads quickly and leaves a matte feel to the skin.  I apply it to my neck as well and tops of my hands.  I accidentally got some cream in my eye and it felt funny because I had something in my eye and i simply wiped it out and that was that.  Some products if they make their way to the eye can cause intense irritation and loads of rinsing out but the lack of reaction for me speaks to how safe these ingredients are.  I feel that this cream leaves a great base for the next product you wish to layer with and so on, due to the matte effect.

Usually I list the ingredients with hyperlinks out to what they are but the MooGoo site lists their ingredients and it includes what those ingredients actually are in a table below the product description, so I am just going to link that address instead and you can see the list all at once below.

I definitely recommend this cream as a great source of natural efficient ingredients at a reasonable price.  Holy grail status!

Thank-you for reading.
Not sponsored.
Image via MooGoo.com.au
MooGoo

Storytime

I used to have very obvious pores and I once got stopped in a department store by a Clinique sales assistant and was offered to sample a pore blurring product.  This was at least eight years ago.  I ended up purchasing it I can't remember the exact name of the product but it was a blurring product of a light mousse texture in the shade light.  I didn't think anything of it to be honest, but as I got older *I will be 37 in Sept* it was becoming more of an issue.  I have mentioned my current regime in other posts, especially ones pertaining to the products I used or use now.

***The AHA I am still using has been discontinued now by Olay under the Regenerist range, but apparently it has been re-released under the Olay Pro X range.  I have yet to be able to buy off the shelf in Australia and when I run out of my last bottle of it I will need to find a replacement product.

Beauty Guru

Once I started paying more attention to my skin my large pores did look better but it was not until I introduced my essential trifecta: Neutrogena Anti-wrinkle deep wrinkle night SA Moisturiser, Olay Regenerist Night Resurfacing Elixir and a Vitamin C product.  PLUS I also use my Swisse Skincare Argan Face Oil  nightly also.  The vitamin C was the kicker, it took my skin to another level.

I am waiting for my new Vitamin C product to arrive from America from Skin Actives, so I am leaving a specific product out of the regime description.

Vitamin C is a potent anti-oxidant for the skin; it can remove dullness, diminishes discoloration, refines the surface for a younger skin look, it assists the skin with a robust barrier from your environment which aids the skin in conjunction with sun protection products. It softens fine lines and wrinkles, I had one horrible line under my left eye and now with five months of using vitamin C with my Olay Regenerist Resurfacing Night Elixir, Neutrogena Anti-wrinkle Deep Wrinkle Night SA Moisturiser and now the Swisse Skincare Argan Oil as well; the wrinkle has really improved and my skin overall is on another level.

I believe in using good ingredients but you do not have to spend crazy amounts.  I like products that have factual empirical research on the efficacy of the ingredients not just the potential and hyperbole advertising to work in the hopes that I might be the lucky person the ingredient that may work, works on me.  Most people don't have money to spend on inefficient products.  Below is my simple skincare regime:

I now rarely use a face primer that is pore hiding specific.


PRODUCTS AND PRICES

The Neutrogena Anti-wrinkle Deep Wrinkle Night SA Moisturiser is $30, the Olay Regenerist Resurfacing Night Elixir was $50,  Serumtologie C Serum 22 Treat/Correct incl shipping to Australia and a small exchange rate was $50 dollars and the Answers From Nature Peptide C Serum was very expensive but that was a markup from the chemist selling it from US $35 to AUD $84.95 which was crazy! The Swisse Skincare Argan Face Oil  is $15.99.  The Skin Actives Vitamin C product was AUD $23.

DAYTIME 

In the morning I use Neutrogena extra gentle cleanser.  Twice a week  This leaves my face feeling good and not stripped dry.  If its daytime, I will also use Klara Cosmetics RESET Instant New Skin to remove any left over dead skin so I can then apply my daily face product of choice Revlon Photoready BB Cream Skin Perfector SPF 30.

EVENING

I cleanse again with the Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser, dry my face off and I apply my Olay Regenerist Night Resurfacing Elixir  next and leave that for a while before applying my Swisse Skincare Argan Face Oil ( I alternate between oil or the retinol moisturiser), as the face oil does not layer very well with the previous products and will start to ball up in places.  Same thing for when I use my Neutrogena Anti Wrinkle Deep Wrinkle Night SA Moisturiser.  I always use the cream last as anything you put on top of creams will not be able to be absorbed as well as it could be as there is a thick barrier to the skin now created by the cream.

WEEKLY

Twice a week I will use Neutrogena Pore Refining Cleanser, I only use it a few times a week because daily use is too harsh and leaves the skin tight and dry feeling.
I use a face mask once a week.  My next mask is by Skin Physics Spot + Blemish Anti-Spot & Pore Refining

DIET & EXERCISE

I do not drink full sugar sodas or juices only water and a dietary fizzing supplement called Berocca.  I only drink alcohol probably twice a year as it causes premature ageing and I quit smoking a year ago.  Sugar is an anti-ageing enemy as it breaks down the collagen fibers in our skin which leads to our skin ageing. Sugar and Your Skin


I also exercise very regularly doing step aerobics, yoga, Pilates and walking, which is important for many reasons one being efficient circulation through out your body and the sweat that is produced to enable toxins to be removed regularly.
So really all you need is to have a solid skin care regimen coupled with healthy lifestyle choices with alcohol in moderation to follow plus consistency in your regimen *Sunscreen is mandatory* and soon you will be ditching those extra products to cover pores which will save you money, time and vanity desk space.

Thank-you for reading.
Not sponsored.
Photos by me.

Storytime

I was running out of my first vitamin C serum, Answers From Nature Peptide C Serum  and I was unable to purchase another, so I was on the hunt for another good vitamin C product.  I ended up on Amazon after reading good reviews on Serumtologie Vitamin C 22% on a few websites devoted to skin care products.  I bit the bullet and ordered it from Amazon.  It took two weeks to get to me as I live in Australia.  It was in perfect condition on arrival. 
I paid $50 in total with some of that being shipping to Australia and the exchange rate.  It arrived in two weeks with no issue and I received tracking information and updates throughout the two weeks.



Serumtologie C Serum is an off white liquid, with an inoffensive light smell that dissipates quite fast.  You draw up as much as you can  in the dropper and apply to your face, neck, decolletage and tops of hands.  Its absorbed very quickly, and can give a tight feeling when applied over the whole face which does dissipate after a little while.  Due to its formulation its best to use this by itself and not immediately layer products on top of it for at least half an hour. The directions say to use morning and night but I found that if I used it in the morning, it would not react well with my Revlon Photoready BB Cream Skin Perfector as I tried to apply it on top of the serum it started to ball up everywhere.  I need to protect my skin over using this serum in the daytime so I changed to evening only or on days when I am not leaving the house only application.  Oils are also not advised to be applied afterwards as the serum balls up and off the skin.


After two months of using this serum every night my thoughts are that this serum is not as powerful as the Answers From Nature Peptide C Serum I used previously which contains a different form of Vitamin C which is L-Ascorbic Acid.  It did not exfoliate my skin like a good amount of Vitamin C should be doing alone and in conjunction with my other products like AHA and the Retinol.  So I decided to check out what these 'beneficial' ingredients are as it was obvious to me it wasn't as great as I hoped it would be or some of its excellent reviews online.   Here are the ingredients contained within:

Deionized water Why is it used?
Organic Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) What are the benefits?
Wildcrafted Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) What are the benefits?
Wildcrafted Taraxacum Officinale (Danedelion) Is this beneficial?
Wildcrafted Geranium Maculatum (Wild Geranium) What are the benefits?
Organic Aloe Barbadensis Leaf (Aloe) What are the benefits?
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C) What are the benefits?
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) What are the benefits?
Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide (Botanical Hylauronic Acid) What are the benefits?
Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Is this beneficial?
Carbomer What is it for?
(2s)-2-Amino-5-guanidinopentanoic Acid (L-Arginine) What are the benefits?
Ferulic Acid What are the benefits?
d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) What are the benefits?
Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Oil) What are the benefits?
Phenoxyethanol What is it for?
Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin What is it for?


What I noticed was when I applied this formula it would plump out my skin but when it was not freshly applied to my face; my skin did not look like it was actually changing my skin so it would look progressively better as it should with vitamin c being part of the formula. 

Vitamin C  IN the form of Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate is not proven to be a very effective version of Vitamin C - compared to the more common forms.  It was not exfoliating my skin and apart from plumping my skin temporarily it wasn't actually doing much of anything.  It is an antioxidant but that is not enough to exfoliate the skin successfully.  Gotu Kola is part of the base of the serum and that too is not empirically proven to successfully help skin's appearance like retinols, AHA's etc.  It is said to have potential to help.

This blog article from The Beauty Brains delves into the different types of Vitamin C in skincare and it shows that the type of Vitamin C in Serumtologie C Serum does not penetrate the skin and has limited ability in being effective. Various types of Vitamin C in skincare


Witch Hazel is a known irritant even though it contains anti oxidants from the tannin in the bark the alcohol added is for distillation of the bark  and it also includes alcohol in its formulation.  Alcohol is a big no no for healthy skin.

Horsetail Extract is a very common ingredient in skincare but it is not proven to have any skin soothing or anti oxidant activity on the skin. 


I found the dropper applicator to not be the best dispensing tool for vitamin C products as you are constantly opening the bottle top to access the dropper.  A pump dispenser for products like this is the best kind as well as having an opaque container to avoid sunlight deterioration of the product contents.  This bottle is dark blue which is good.  Ideally you should keep any products like this in dark cool areas for preservation. 

I feel after two months of use I can conclude it is not a good Vitamin C product for skin.  The vitamin C is supposed to be the star ingredients of this product and it does fall short.  I don't recommend it however it does have some good ingredients that make up somewhat for it.

I have ordered a new product from a company called Skin Actives so my next vitamin C product review will be after trying that product.

* If you have sensitive skin you should patch test a little of the product on yourself first before applying to your face and ALWAYS use sunscreen.


Thank-you for reading.
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Image my own.