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You’re reading our Spenny vs Penny series, where we compare pricey products against cheaper versions.
I’m in my early thirties, which means I’m increasingly concerned about my skin – more specifically, my ageing skin. Against my better (feminist) judgement, I find myself suddenly envious of younger people – newborn babies in particular – for their wrinkle-free complexions. And it doesn’t help that some of my friends are starting to get botox.
But rather than turn to injections or sucking the life out of the young, I’d rather take a less invasive tack. Those in the know tell me my basic micellar-water-followed-by-generic-night-cream routine needs a shake up and that, if I’m going to add a step, it should be hyaluronic acid.
This much-hyped ingredient promises to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate – not only making your skin look plumper but supposedly reducing the appearance of fine lines. I’ve never thought of my oily-combination skin as particularly dry, but it has its moments. And while acid sounds terrifying, when I realise it hasn’t melted the glass of the bottles it comes in, I feel more confident.
I’ve spent a few months trying three different products to see how they measure up. Here’s how I got on.
This one is easy to apply from the pump and I can follow up with my moisturiser straightaway, rather than having to wait for it to soak in – ideal for someone like me who is always running late. At night, it replaces my moisturiser completely, and it feels like plenty to keep my skin hydrated.
The product has quite a positive impact on my dull complexion, so much that a few people tell me my skin looks good, even without makeup. I’m not one to brag but one person even used the word “glowing” (no, I’m not pregnant). It also works as a nice base for my moisturiser and foundation – happy families.
Downsides? Hmm, it’s quite a big bottle to be carting around, I go to the gym some mornings and find it a pain to add to my already bulging backpack. But the product is available in travel sizes, too.
One word: wet. So wet that I have to wait a good few minutes until I’m able to put my moisturiser on. It feels like I’ve splashed gloopy water on my face – odd, tolerable, but not ideal.
This isn’t so much of an issue in the evenings, only in the mornings when I’m clambering out of the door to make it to work on time. Tick tock.
I do feel quite bamboozled by all of the science surrounding this product. Ingredient-led skincare may be the current trend, but it reminds me of Jennifer Aniston’s “here comes the science bit” from her L’Oréal days. I didn’t buy into it then either. After all this, I don’t really notice a difference while I’m using the product, apart from the wetness.
This product is more expensive than Drunk Elephant (per millilitre at least), but its minimalist appearance (including pipette) is more like The Ordinary, which is some £30 cheaper.
The serum itself is incredibly lightweight and watery, a welcome property for my oily/combination skin. But it soaks in so quickly, I struggle to see if it’s doing anything – and over a few weeks of use I can’t see a major difference in my skin.
I note the product has 4.9 stars out of five on beauty site, Look Fantastic, with fans praising its consistency and brightening qualities. This suggests it could be having a positive, beneath-the-surface impact over time for some people, but if I’m shelling out £39 for a product, I expect to see visible results pretty quickly.
My verdict:
Drunk Elephant is definitely my pick of the products I try, I think because it has more of a traditional serum-y feel to it – silky and luxurious. Turns out it does come in smaller travel sizes which can be bought as part of a set – the retinol and Vitamin C serum are also great. The impact of the Pestle & Mortar was negligible, at least for me. As for The Ordinary, I don’t think my oily/combination needs quite such a dramatic moisture hit. Or maybe I’m just getting old...