Skincare Cosmetics Retinol Advanced Brightening Serum

Packaging/Pricing:

~24$ for 30ml (1fl.oz). However if you are lucky, you can find it at TJMaxx for 13$! It is also sold on Ulta.com (here). The product comes in opaque plastic pump bottle (but I appreciate that you actually can tell how much product is left). Though the opalescent white-pink packaging looks quite high-end, the plastic is a bit cheap, and the bottle is not "weighty" (looks better on the shelf, than when you hold it in your hand). Not that it matters much, but something to note.

[I have to say, that ingredient list on the product I've purchased is very different from the one I've found on Ulta.com (official website does not provide the full list of ingredients). I assume, that the one I've purchased from TJMaxx features an old formula. Sadly I have to report that an older version, before reformulation, is much better. However I will be reviewing the newer version, since it is the one that is currently widely available.]

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearoxymethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Dimethicone, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Propanediol, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Morus Alba Root Extract, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid.

A Bit of Shopping

I have to admit, I am a little bit addicted to shopping at TJMaxx. It has an adventurous feel to it. You never know what treasures you can find each time you go. Sometimes I emerge with empty hands, sometimes I find too much and blow my budget. I can spend several hours going through one ingredient list after another (since it is a deciding factor for me when I purchase a skincare product). My limit is 20-25 products at one go (it is hard to process more information than that on one trip). Also, products are 30 to 50 % of original price, so I can afford to try out more products. Unfortunately there is a downside: there are a lot of discontinued products, which you cannot repurchase if you happen to like them. I may review one of these products in the future. So here is my recent catch...

Left To Right: Juice Organics Pomwash cleanser and Pompeptide moisturiser, Sonoma Naturals Chia Oil, Skincare Cosmetics Retinol Anti-Wrinkle facial serum, Elizabeth Arden 2 in 1 cleanser, Hydra-Splash toner, Perpetual Moisture 24 lotion, Alpha Hydroxy Anti-Wrinkle 10% Glycolic treatment

Left To Right: MEDYSKIN Natural Argan oil, 7 Day Facelift retinol serum, Vitamin C anti-aging serum, Line Eraser eye serum

 

List of Products:

• Juice Organics Pomwash facial cleanser (6.99$ / 150ml)
• Juice Organics Pompeptide facial moisturiser (5.99$ / 60ml)
• Sonoma Naturals Chia Oil anti-oxidant facial treatment serum (9.99$ / 30ml)
• Skincare Cosmetics Retinol Anti-Wrinkle facial serum (12.99$ / 30ml)
• Elizabeth Arden 2 in 1 cleanser all skin types (7.99$ / 150ml)
• Elizabeth Arden Hydra-Splash alcohol-free toner normal/dry skin (7.99$ / 200ml)
  
• Elizabeth Arden Perpetual Moisture 24 lotion (14.99$ / 50ml)
  
• Alpha Hydroxy Anti-Wrinkle 10% Glycolic treatment oil free (6.99$ / 50ml)
• MEDYSKIN Natural Argan argan oil (7.99$ / 30ml)
• MEDYSKIN 7 Day Facelift retinol serum (7.99$ / 30ml)
• MEDYSKIN Vitamin C anti-aging serum (7.99$ / 30ml)
• MEDYSKIN Line Eraser eye serum (7.99$ / 30ml)

P.S.: After coming home and closely examining products, I realized that I overlooked very irritating coriander essential oil in MEDYSKIN argan oil blend. So that product I am not recommending putting on your face!

Skincare Cosmetics Retinol Anti-Wrinkle Facial Serum Intensive Firming Treatment

This review is devoted to the product that  became absolute staple in my regime 8 months ago.  Usually I am a believer in prevention measures and consistent use of skin beneficial ingredients. I usually do not expect product to work overnight, and also, most of the times, do not expect any visible results. I just can sleep well knowing that I do as much as I can to keep my skin in the best condition possible. But it is one of the few products I used that gave visible results in just few months.

 

Packaging/Pricing:

30ml (1fl.oz) Use within 12 months once opened. Product comes in brown glass bottle with a dropper, which is mostly good packaging. Though it is hygienic enough (unless you wipe pipette on the skin or something) I still do not trust dropper bottles as much as I trust pump bottles (they are air tight!). It seems that the opening still allows generous amount of oxygen to get inside each time you open it. But I wouldn't pass on this product just because of that.  Also dark glass should keep ingredients safe and sound. You can find this product at various places in US (Ulta, Sally Beauty, Amazon etc) priced up to ~25$. I personally found it at TJMaxx for 12.99$, which is a bargain for such an amazing find.

 

Ingredients:

Water, C12-15 Alkyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Retinyl Palmitate (Vit A), Isostearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Carrot (Daucus  Carota Sativa) Root, PEG-40 Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Sorbitan Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Yellow 5, Tetrasodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit E), Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate (Vit C), Beta-Carotene (Vit A), Vegetable Oil, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbomate, Fragrance, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool. 

Excellent (only beneficial ingredients, proven research)

Good (mostly beneficial, not extensive research or just not quite outstanding properties)

OK (mostly thickeners, emulsifiers, mild preservatives, pH adjusters, all that is necessary, but not a skincare per se) 

Bad (irritants and anything bad that shouldn't be in skincare, usually fragrance)

 

Ingredients Discussion:

I am quite impressed with amount of Vit A you get here (fourth on the list of ingredients). Vitamin A is both antioxidant and