See the end for my verdict! Discount code: RUTH10 *Disclaimer: I was sent the products to trial. This review is in no way influenced by the company and are my own. It's almost an inherent instinct when you shop for skincare to pick up a product, turn it around and check out the ingredients list. 'A-ha! It's got aloe vera in it!' One of the few ingredients recognised by gurus and newbies alike. However, chances are, you've probably been overwhelmed by the long list of - thanols, -vinyls and the hexanediols. All of them sound foreign and slightly scary. I mean, how do you know that the select few ingredients they highlight in the marketing isn't just so they can mask some ingredient that's probably not-so-great for your skin? The good news is that these days there are a lot of skincare companies that advocate for transparency and blanket ban ingredients that could potentially cause any irritation to the skin. One such company is IRÉN Skin - a vegan Japanese skincare company that promises clean ingredients across their products and offers a tidal wave of information alongside them. They boast a claim of being the first Japanese clean beauty brand to ban more than 2000 ingredients that are toxic, comedogenic or allergenic. They are a firm believer in one-size-does-not-fit-all and prioritising effective ingredients to deliver actual results. As someone who's been consistently pigeon holed into the acne-prone oily skin category, the generic products simply don't cut it for me. That's probably because there's a combination of factors that will help resolve your skin concerns, hence a need for a combination of products that do multiple things. The fact that IRÉN Skin recognise that is a big tick from me. 7 serums for 35 different combinationsIRÉN Skin offers seven different serums, each addressing a different need and colour coded for added aesthetic. See below for each of the serums and the concerns they address:
IRÉN Skin claim their serums showcase 'ziplock encapsulation technology' - a patented method of encapsulating active ingredients for a time released effect and optimal penetration. Basically their active ingredients are individually encapsulated to allow for easier into the deeper layers of the skin. Two things I wish they had in their range - moisturiser and sunscreen. Serums are usually lighter in texture, have more actives and are designed to penetrate deep into the skin fast. Moisturisers on the other hand are generally thicker compared to serums, help maintain hydration throughout the day/night and prevent water loss. Serums and moisturisers compliment each other and one cannot take the place of the other. As someone who is allergic to sunscreen, it would be amazing to see the type of sunscreen they introduce for people who can only use the zine based ones. As we all know, sunscreen is the most effective skincare for preventing premature ageing brought on by over exposure to UV rays. The three serums I choseMy serums of choice were the 'Skin Reboot', 'Glow-Getter' and 'Clearer Days' priced at $51.00 AUD each for 15mls. That's effectively $3.4 AUD for 1 ml. Ritzy. The anti-blemish serum was a no-brainer for me - I have terribly oily skin and I'm still suffering from regular breakouts. I needed something that would not be overly stripping, but could help control the oil slick that is my face. The 'Clearer Days' serum's star ingredients:
I chose the 'Glow-Getter' because I needed something to help promote skin cell turnover and remove any dead skin cells that might cause pimples. Key ingredients include:
The final serum I chose was to help repair my skin and protect it from further environmental damage. Just a side note, this is not a replacement for sunscreen!! It contains:
The Skin VaporiserNow for the application device recommended by IRÉN Skin - the Skin Vaporiser. The name sounds like something straight out of a Star Wars movie with a design that makes it resemble pepper spray fit for a storm trooper. It also comes with a price tag that's out of this world - $205.00 AUD. It comes with a mixer bottle, charger and instruction manual. IRÉN Skin claims this device can 'nebulise skincare of high viscosity', meaning it can breakdown thicker liquids into smaller particles for more effective absorption. IRÉN Skin recommend using this to apply all three serums at once, and should provide an even and more sanitary application. They also said you can apply foundations with the device. Very nifty. My ExperienceI love the serums. I love the beautiful packaging and that the serums are unscented. The texture is smooth and the formula is quite thin which means they get absorbed into the skin quickly. Coupled with the Skin Vaporiser and it's match made in heaven for a fuss-free skincare application. I noticed that the serums do leave a slightly sticky texture, but very liveable for my fellow oily-skin citizens. You definitely need to purchase other skincare products from other brands to go alongside the serums; cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. Not a deal breaker though as I do like to mix and match different brand's products to create my own skincare routine. As mentioned, serums alone aren't enough to hydrate your skin so please make sure you have a moisturiser in your routine. The Skin Vaporiser is so unnecessary, but I love it. Yes I know that applying serums don't take much effort, but being able to apply three serums in seconds is goals. Plus it's more hygienic as you don't have to expose the rest of the serum to air twice a day or accidentally touch the dropper end to your skin and transfer bacteria into the serum. I can see this being very handy for makeup artists for skincare or foundation application. Now for the negatives. It's soooo expensive. IRÉN Skin recommend using three serums, which means $153.00 AUD out of your pocket before you even look into the rest of your routine. I'm just saying, for $153 you can purchase some great skincare products and create a pretty decent full skincare routine. Additionally, that $153 only gets you 45 ml in total. For a reasonably fair comparison, Drunk Elephant - a brand that also subscribes to the clean beauty philosophy - has a range of serums that are around the same price or more for a similar amount of product. So the price is not totally unreasonable. I don't imagine trying to produce an effective product and sourcing high quality ingredients would be easy so the price is slightly justified. The Skin Vaporiser is definitely not necessary, but it is a very nice luxury item to have if you want to level up your skincare game. Final thoughtsI would recommend IRÉN Skin to those that can afford it as their clean beauty philosophy is something I subscribe highly to. The serums feel great on the skin and can be easily added into any routine. However, the price point makes them more of a luxury high-end skincare brand, but you could probably get away with just having one in your routine.
While they're not game changers for my skin, they are one of my favourite products at the moment and I will probably continue to use them. If I can afford it.
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