Gold Collagen® Instant Glow Serum 30ml RRP £36 / Hydra Essence Serum 30ml RRP £36

I was looking forward to reviewing both these serums, as recently I’ve been riddled with colds and my skin is really lacking radiance. Ill health can play havoc with our skin, changing the condition (it often becomes more sensitive) and dehydrated due to lack of water (especially if you’ve had a temperature). Then of course there’s those pesky hormones. I’m 5 years ‘post’ menopause and my skin is definitely needing more active ingredients to help keep it looking and feeling firmer. Both these serums contain amazing ingredients, that really give your skin back that glow.

Hydra Essence Serum for Intensive Hydration

The Hydra Essence Serum is a potent serum that gives intensive hydration to skin that is feeling tight, mature and dry. Maybe you’ve been out in the cold weather, or you work under air conditioning. Maybe your skin is flaking due to hormonal changes from pregnancy or menopause. Or perhaps you’ve come back from a winter break and your skin is looking more lined and dehydrated due to the sun. This is the one for you. It contains amazing ingredients that really work to nourish the skin from within. 

As with both Serums you only need 1 pipette massaged onto your face daily (use under moisturiser). It’s a lightweight consistency so a little goes a long way, and it immediately sinks into the skin, leaving it feeling comfortable and not tacky.

So what exactly is in the Hydra Essence Serum that helps your skin health, whilst the claims of 8x Hyaluronic Acid Complex ﹢Pro-Vitamin B5 may sound like a chemistry lab, but it’s worth reading up on exactly how the ingredients work.

• Panthenol - helps soothe the skin and as it acts as a humectant it binds water to the skin, preventing moisture loss.
• Hydroxyacetophenone - this rather scary ingredient acts as a preservative however, is also a synthetic antioxidant which helps condition the skin.
• Arginine - an amino acid that is skin repairing, excellent for damaged skin from UV rays.
• Hydrogenated Castor Oil - non pore clogging, this acts as an emollient to help keep skin nourished and supple.
• Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans - another long worded ingredient that actually helps with skin cell renewal. It contains glucosamine and glucuronic acid (as sugar acid) that helps to support your skin protein (collagen). 
• Sodium Hyaluronate - the last ingredients are all about the ‘Hyaluronates’. This ingredient binds water to the skin, so that your skin immediately looks plumper, lines are visibly diminished, and it also works by getting into the deeper layers of the skin. 
• Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer - this is essentially the same ingredient except the ‘Crosspolymer’ acts as a structure to keep it within the skin, thus aiding in longer hydration.

Instant Glow Serum Vitamin Complex

This is the one that I’ve been religiously using every day. It’s ideal as mentioned above if you have been unwell, your skin is lacking radiance and you look tired and lack colour. It has great ingredients (well known in the beauty industry), that really inject a cocktail of ingredients to liven up dull skin types.

It is slightly milky in texture, and again you only need 1 pipette to cover your face. There is a massage technique on the side of the box that is recommended for both skin serums, and it’s recommended you massage with their ‘heart shape’ technique.

Whilst it is difficult to show in the photo, there is a definite difference on my hand. You can see that the skin glows from within, illuminating the skin.

So what are these amazing ingredients! 

• Niacinamide - one of the top ingredients listed (so in high quantity), Niacinamide is the ‘Holy Grail’ ingredient that gets us beauty editors in a tizzy. It is actually vitamin B3 and on the skin has the ability to boost skin brightness, giving that youthful glow.
• Hydrogenated Lecithin - contains essential fatty acids that soothe and nourish dry skin types. 
• Ascorbic Acid - Vitamin C, often used in skincare to give radiance and a natural glow. Vitamin C also reduces the signs of aging.
• Citric Acid - is an ingredient used to prevent inflammation, and is ideal if you have oily and acne prone skin. It also helps to work on pigmentation and correct uneven skin tone.
• Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil - Orange Peel Oil, again this has high quantities of Vitamin C, that helps protect the skin from UV rays and pollution. 

Both serums have impressed me, as there wasn’t too many ‘filler’ ingredients so you can be assured that the quality and quantity of actives are very good. Both are free from chemical nasties such as Silicones, Sulphates and Alcohol.

You can check out more on the products or purchase by clicking the link HERE