My skin is looking so good that I've stopped using concealer—I think this face serum is why

3 hours ago 6

I am particularly outspoken when it comes to not believing that topical skincare products hold the key to our skin woes. Why? Because as a beauty editor who battles hormonal acne, I know that despite having access to all of the best skincare products around, if you have a troublesome skin condition that is getting you down, a medical route is often the best. And yet, here I am declaring that I genuinely believe the new Skin + Me products (most notably one of the serums) has resulted in me having the best skin I've had in ages.

Let me explain. While I don't believe in skincare products that will totally 'fix' your problems, I do believe in skincare products that will make you feel a whole lot better about your overall complexion—and that's exactly what I have discovered here. My skin looks so plump, so glowing and so healthy, in fact, that I have found myself postponing my next Botox top-up and have even been steering entirely clear of make-up in recent weeks.

Shannon lawlor after using Skin + Me products

You might know Skin + Me for its personalised skincare products, but earlier this season the brand launched its first range of off-the-shelf products into retailers. On first introduction, I was impressed—the range is easy to navigate (three ranges for for oily/combination skin, dry/normal skin and sensitive skin), easy to shop (a cleanser, night serum, moisturiser within each skin type range) and, most importantly, it's really cohesive when it comes to using it. Essentially, it is a simple three-step daily skincare routine that has absolutely no frills.

I have now been testing and trialling these products for three months—and, within the routine, have found some products I really rate. This is what I think you should know...

How does Skin + Me work?

As mentioned, Skin + Me started off as a personalised skincare brand. The concept is that you fill out a consultation, which then gets sent off to one of the brand's in-house dermatologists, and a bespoke Daily Doser serum is then formulated for you and delivered straight to your door. These serums can contain certain ingredients at prescription level that otherwise would not be available to buy.

However, while I would still absolutely recommend the brand's bespoke service for those who have a serious skin concern (most notably acne), the new range of off-the-shelf products that don't contain any prescription-only actives is now available at Boots for those who just want to get the most out of their skincare. The products deliver a simple, fuss-free routine that targets your specific concerns.

The range is broken down into products to suit three different skin types:

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Oily/combination skin
Dry/normal skin
Sensitive skin

Within each of those ranges, you will find a cleanser best suited to your chosen skin type, five night serums and one moisturiser, again, best suited to your general skin type. For the night serums, the intention is that you buy one that best suits your main skin concern. There is a different night serum for the following concerns:

Hydration + Glow
Pigmentation + Dark Spots
Fine Lines + Elasticity
Redness + Uneven Tone
Breakouts + Visible Pores

This means, if you choose to invest in the whole range, you should come out with a simple, three-step routine made up on one cleanser (to be used morning and night), one night serum and one moisturiser (which can be used morning and night, or just at night if you'd rather use a different SPF moisturiser of your choice in the morning).

My review

As somebody with oily, acne-prone skin, it's almost needless to say I headed straight for the Oily/Combination Skin range. I threw the cleanser and moisturiser straight into my bag, and felt spoilt for choice when it came to the serums. Although I felt like Breakouts + Visible Pores would suit my concerns best, I noticed quite quickly from a visual scan of the packaging that the hero active ingredient was azelaic acid—and my skin has never and will never like it as an ingredient (although I know heaps of people who swear by it). Instead, as my winter skin was looking a bit beaten and drab, I opted for Fine Lines + Elasticity.

At face value, I was impressed with a few things from the outset—I adore how easy it is to shop, without fear of overcomplicating your routine. Then we come onto the packaging. It's needless to say I adore the simplicity of the Daily Doser Serum; it dispenses all you need and shows you exactly how many days of use you have left (there's 30 days' worth of product in each). Plus, the tube packaging of the mosituriser and cleanser is robust enough that it doesn't split and end up leaking out the sides. All in all, I'm very happy.

So now let's address my experience with each product I tried ...

Cleanser

Skin + Me Foaming Cleanser

Although this cleanser is dubbed 'foaming', I would say the foaming aspect is on the lighter side of things. I'd describe the texture as cream/gel and with ample water it does lather up into a very light, fine foam. It is gentle enough to use morning and night and doesn't strip skin in the slightest. However, as someone who has skin that is very prone to congestion, I would say I typically benefit from using a separate, gently exfoliating cleanser at night. Therefore, after a few weeks of using this day and night, I did find swapping it out for a salicylic acid cleanser in the evening more effective. Having said that, it is the perfect morning cleanser for oily skin.

Will I repurchase? Yes, probably—but only for a morning cleanse.

Serums

Skin + Me Fine Lines + Elasticity Daily Doser Serum for Oily to Combination Skin

If you only take one thing away from this review let it be this: if you also have oily, breakout-prone skin and are looking for a great, everyday retinoid, this is it. Honestly, I have never found a daily retinoid serum that my skin has tolerated—until now. From the first few days of use, my skin looked notably more glowing, healthier and my active breakouts seemed to have calmed down. For the whole duration of use, I didn't have a single hiccup with my skin. My skin has been looking so good, in fact, that I haven't worn concealer for weeks now. Plus, I actually found myself pushing back my Botox top-up last month—I just didn't feel like I needed it. How does it produce such magic? It starts with a retinoid complex: a combination of HPR and a retinoic acid booster to help speed up cell turnover and boost glow. Then we come onto the star of the show: acetyl hexapeptide-8, a peptide that works to reduce the formation of expression lines. All in all, I'm obsessed with this stuff.

Will I repurchase? Yep, it's a no brainer.

Moisturiser

Skin + Me Light Moisturiser

For those with oily skin prone to shininess, this is the perfect daily moisturiser. However, as my skin is particularly oily, I don't double up my morning moisture and instead opt for a particularly hydrating SPF. Therefore, it's worth noting that I have only been using this face cream at night. It applies like silk, not leaving behind even a hint of greasy residue. If you want a rich sumptuous face cream, this won't be for you. However, if you're after ample daily hydration, it's great.

Will I repurchase? For me, personally, this just isn't impressive enough to keep me going back. However, it's worth remembering that I am somebody who really understands my own skin and the products I apply to it. If you consider yourself suitably confused by skincare, sticking to the whole Skin + Me line-up isn't going to hurt.