Skinceuticals Blemish + Age Defence Serum Review

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I'm sure you know I'm a huge fan of Skinceuticals. Their science backed formulas are super efficient. On paper the Blemish + Age Defence serum sounds perfect for me. It's a serum containing a mix of glycolic, salicylic and dioic acids that work together to tackle both blemishes and signs of aging. So I was surprised when I initially didn't get on with it. It's a lightweight serum that absorbs quickly into skin. The first thing that I noticed was how strongly it smells of alcohol. Now I'm not against alcohol in skincare, especially when it's an exfoliating product as it acts as a penetration enhancer, meaning that it helps the ingredients get into you skin better. I did however find it quite overpowering. Luckily the smell dissipates very quickly. Aside from that, the consistency of the serum and how it absorbs felt great. I didn't have any pilling issues when applying further products. 

For the first couple of week of me using this - I found that it gave me some sensitivity and made my skin feel really hot when first applied. It wasn't the normal acid tingle feeling though. It was a flush of heat alongside redness to my skin. I was worried it could be a reaction so I stopped using it for a bit. However I decided to give it a second chance and I'm so glad I did! After using it again a couple more times, my skin stopped flushing and there were no issues with it at all. I even got used to the initial alcohol smell. So I think it was maybe just my skin getting used to it as it's a potent product. After that I saw nothing but great results! It helped keep my skin clear, clearer than it had been for a long time, which says a lot as I have acne. It helped shift some stubborn blocked pores that I had, as well as keeping my skin smooth. So in the end, I've been incredibly impressed with this serum and am so glad I gave it a second chance!

Skinceuticals Blemish + Age Defence serum is available from Skinceuticals & Look Fantastic for £90 and Skin City for £73.