Serum Question

[happyhiker]

Last night I tried a sample of Super Serum for the first time. My skin did *NOT* like it as it turned a very angry red on the sides of my face (cheekbones down) and was warm to the touch. The killer is that my skin looks great this morning and the acne that was starting to form is almost gone! UGH!

So here's my question...if my skin was so reactive to the Super Serum, do you think I will have the same kind of problem with the Vitamin C Peptides serum? I love how the SS made my skin look, I just don't love how it felt right after I put it on.

[JenW]

There are enough differences between the two for ingredients that it is hard to say if you will react similarly to the C Peptide Serum. I recommend a small test patch. On the Super Serum......had the reaction gone away by morning/was it just temporary? If so, I might try a test patch for a few days to see if it was not just a fluke. Sometimes it takes a bit for skin to get used to actives. Still, only you know your skin better than anyone, and whether it is something you want to test again or not.

[happyhiker]

Jen,

Thanks for your response. My skin actually looked fantastic in the morning! The redness went away overnight. I think I'll go ahead and try a patch test for a few days and see what happens.

[Cupcake]

This may or may not be appropriate, so could someone wiser than me come and say thumbs up or thumbs down, but if there isn't a sensitivity to the ingredients in a serum, rather if the problem is just that the serum actives are too strong at first, could it be 'diluted' for want of a better word in another serum? Something like Green Tea and Aloe if that's easier to tolerate? Perhaps adding a few drops of Super Serum into a few drops of GT&A serum would carry a smaller 'dose' of the Super Serum's goodies but in a weaker form?

[JenW]

This may or may not be appropriate, so could someone wiser than me come and say thumbs up or thumbs down, but if there isn't a sensitivity to the ingredients in a serum, rather if the problem is just that the serum actives are too strong at first, could it be 'diluted' for want of a better word in another serum? Something like Green Tea and Aloe if that's easier to tolerate? Perhaps adding a few drops of Super Serum into a few drops of GT&A serum would carry a smaller 'dose' of the Super Serum's goodies but in a weaker form?

Yes. It might be a good idea to try it diluted with one of the simpler serums. Green Tea and Aloe would be good because there is green tea in the Super Serum.

[royalgoddessbeth]

Did you by chance use any acids on your face before applying the Super Serum? If you use an alpha or beta hydroxy acid simultaneously with Super Serum, the niacinamide in it will react and turn your face temporarily red.

That said, the Super Serum is probably one of the crown jewels of the skin care line. It benefits me in sooo many ways.

[happyhiker]

OMG, my toner uses AHA!! I had no idea! I generally use it right after the apricot oil cleanser (which I love, BTW!!) just to make sure everything is clean. I read your post and had to go check the website for the ingredients...I currently have been using Ole Henriksen's Pick Me Up Tonic and one of the key ingredients is AHA. Maybe I should find a different toner as I loved how my skin looked in the morning with the super serum! Thanks for your comment!

[happyhiker]

So after the little revelation triggered by royalgoddessbeth, I used the super serum this morning (yes, it took me a while to get dressed and going this morning) without using the toner first. And no red reaction! I let it sit for a while and then added the firming moisturizer and my skin is doing fine. Hurray!

[Cupcake]

happyhiker - excellent! Hope you'll enjoy the Super Serum, it's superb.

royalgoddessbeth - wow! congrats on first-class diagnostic work! Great insight

[royalgoddessbeth]

Aww, it wasn't anything that I did. It's on the website as a warning- don't mix acids and Super Serum- it converts the niacinamide to niacin (which is red) and turns you red.

However, I will go a little further and say that the niacin also causes the flushed sensation.

Drastic amounts of niacin and beta carotene in supplements can also turn you orange. But that's only if you overdose. I've also seen babies turn a little yellow because their parents overdose them on carrots and squash.