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Beauty

HW Beauty Review: This new super...

R / Reviews

HW Beauty Review: This new super serum comes with anti-ageing benefits & made my tired skin glow

I used it for a week and was left impressed

by Penelope Chan  /   July 3, 2020

Review: This Kiehl's Serum made my skin stronger

Everyone says working from home is wonderful. And it is – in many ways. I’ve saved so much time and money on my daily commute. And I thoroughly enjoy being able to leap out of bed at the last minute and still “arrive” at my “office” on time.

What I’m not enjoying, however, is the lack of work-life separation. My work and home life have become one. And this fluidity isn’t good for my skin – and the stress of it is showing. There’s a network of fine lines around my eyes, my skin looks dull and tired, and it seems to be reactive to changes in temperature and dust. It’s also more dehydrated than usual – even though I apply a rich-enough moisturiser at bedtime, my skin still looks dry the next morning. And the rare zit I get seems to take longer to heal.

Every day, skin comes into contact with internal and external stressors such as UV rays, pollution, or in my case, lack of sleep and work stress. These stressors all contribute to accelerated signs of ageing as they weaken the skin’s barrier, making it vulnerable to free radical damage. This, in turn, triggers the release of cortisol, often dubbed the stress hormone, which causes skin to lose its resilience, suppleness and radiance.

So when I had a chance to try the new Kiehl’s Vital Skin-Strengthening Super Serum, said to be able to resist skin stressors so that skin is two times stronger – meaning, it will look more plump and supple, and be more resilient* – I couldn’t wait to give it a go.

https://www.herworld.com/gallery/beauty/reviews/kiehls-anti-ageing-serum/
HW Beauty Review: This new super serum comes with anti-ageing benefits & made my tired skin glow
What’s in the Kiehl’s Vital Skin-Strengthening Super Serum?
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I love the idea of a serum that makes your skin stronger. After all, if I’m working hard (as much as I can, anyway) to make my body stronger by working out and eating right, it makes sense that I should be doing the same for my skin, no?

I’m talking about making it more resilient to external stressors like pollution, and internal issues like dryness, fine lines and wrinkles. Like a strong body, my skin should be able to bounce back quickly when it’s hit by stressors, and not succumb by looking tired, dull and blemished.

The new Kiehl’s Vital Skin-Strengthening Super Serum promises to help my skin do just that with its super-powered formula of a unique 11kDa Hyaluronic Acid and Adaptogenic Herbal Complex. Together, they address the signs of ageing by restoring skin suppleness, plumpness and resilience. In a clinical and consumer study by Kiehl’s on 58 Asian subjects living in a polluted, urban environment, users reported that, after using the serum for four weeks, their skin felt stronger and healthier, and looked more youthful.

First Impressions
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Generally, when I test skincare products, I like to see how it stands up to being the only product I use that day, even if it’s not meant to be used in that way. It helps me see how the product works on my skin.

I start on the serum for the first time at night, on cleansed skin. The instructions say to apply two pumps, but I find that one full pump is just right for my face.

Upon first application, I notice that the serum doesn’t take too long to get absorbed into my skin. It looks instantly more hydrated.

With its micronised 11kDa hyaluronic acid – 11kDa being the molecular size that is smaller than conventional hyaluronic acid molecules – it is not only able to be absorbed faster, but is also delivered deeper into skin to hydrate it layer by layer, while locking moisture in at the same time. And this is important because after a whole day working, I want my skincare regime to be fast yet effective.

In fact, this active ingredient is the smallest molecular weight of hyaluronic acid in the brand’s portfolio. It is considered the ideal molecular size, helping the formula to penetrate up to the eighth layer of skin**. That’s deep enough to deliver skin-strengthening hydration for more bouncy, supple and resilient skin.

In the morning, my face looks relatively hydrated – it must be the 11kDa Hyaluronic Acid at work – even though I didn’t apply a moisturiser the night before, as I normally would, and I sleep in an air-conditioned room. But as my skin is on the dehydrated side, I can see that using the Vital Skin-Strengthening Super Serum alone isn’t going to be enough.

For my day routine, I apply the serum, then a sunscreen. My skin looks brighter and feels comforted and hydrated.

That same night, I add the serum to my full skincare routine, using it before my next serum, then finishing it off with moisturiser.

The Verdict
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It’s been a week since I started on the Vital Skin-Strengthening Super Serum, and I’m starting to see glimpses of how strong and healthy my skin can get.

My complexion isn’t looking as dull or tired, even if I’m still not clocking my full eight hours of sleep every night. My skin is also smoother to the touch and feels plumper too. And I do believe that it is slowly, but surely, getting healthier and stronger.

And this is probably thanks to the serum’s Adaptogenic Herbal Complex, which contains Indian Ayurvedic holy basil, Korean red ginseng root and Chinese schisandra berries that not only neutralise the free radicals that contribute to skin ageing, but also boost the renewal and resurfacing of skin cells***. Basically, it makes your skin smooth, radiant and glowing.

You’ll be happy to know that the Kiehl’s adaptogenic herbal complex also has anti-fatigue, anti-pollution and anti-stress properties, so that it’s better able to defend against those skin-ageing aggressors. And this is what every working woman needs.

Overall, I’m enjoying using the serum. There is no added fragrance and the scent from the adaptogenic herbal complex is uplifting and herbal, which is why I have developed a habit of inhaling deeply before I smooth and pat it into my skin because it smells so good.

When applied, the texture isn’t too watery, neither is it too thick, so it sinks into skin relatively quickly. But do wait a minute for it to fully absorb before applying other serums, as you don’t want the active ingredients from each to mix, which can sometimes render the other not as effective.

* Stronger skin results based on skin strength index = composite average score of skin suppleness, plumpness and resiliency.

**Formula penetration results based on a clinical study of 25 panelists measuring the penetration of the full formula via tape stripping.

***Results based on the inhibition potential of sebum peroxidation compared to untreated skin using a polluted model consisting of UV and cigarette smoke.

 

Kiehl’s Vital Skin-Strengthening Super Serum is retailing at $79, 30ml. Shop now at all Kiehl’s stores and selected online retailers.

 

Brought To You By Kiehl’s

  • TAGS:
  • anti-ageing
  • anti-ageing serums
  • anti-ageing skincare
  • beauty review
  • kiehl's
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