If you’re after a new brand of targeted serums at reasonable prices, without controversial marketing, Skin Deva might be up your alley! This brand (which has free shipping in the US, although they ship worldwide as well) has a range of simple serums containing 1 or 2 evidence-backed ingredients only.
I personally prefer to use these sorts of targeted serums in my routine. I like the flexibility it allows – if I have a breakout or irritation, I can just cut out a few products instead of having to find alternatives. It also means I can figure out what’s working for my skin concerns a lot more easily!
Skin Deva has a great range of serums that work for my skincare preferences. The serums have very short ingredient lists which is great if you have sensitive skin, or if you just prefer to keep your routine simple. The serums all contain hydrating humectants as well, which is great for dehydration-prone skin like mine! They’re all cruelty-free, paraben-free and fragrance-free, and made in the USA.
Skin Deva’s star product is the 20% Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Acid Serum ($24.99 for 30 mL), a lightweight water-based serum that has the holy trinity of antioxidants: vitamin C (in the form of L-ascorbic acid), vitamin E, and ferulic acid.
Ascorbic acid has a whole bunch of awesome anti-aging properties:
- it’s an antioxidant that will protect against free radical damage from the sun, environmental pollution and the course of natural aging
- it can increase the protein collagen, which plumps up your skin and flattens out wrinkles
- it can even out pigmentation, like the brown marks from acne and sun spots
Ascorbic acid is notoriously unstable – it breaks down in water, in light, with exposure to air. But it’s also the most effective and proven form of vitamin C for skincare. Vitamin E and ferulic acid are great to have with it since they can regenerate vitamin C after it’s broken down, turning it back into the unoxidised, active form. Having this combination in the one product means it’s more stable and less likely to break down, giving it a shelf life of somewhere in the region of 3 months (or more with refrigerated storage). The combination also means it’s more stable on your skin. One study found that adding ferulic acid and vitamin E to vitamin C increased its ability to protect from sun damage by 8 times!
The scent of this serum is pretty much the same as other vitamin C/vitamin E/ferulic acid products – a bit strange, though not as strong as the Paula’s Choice and Skinceuticals versions. It’s a LOT more affordable than both of those versions as well – it’s one of the most inexpensive versions I’ve seen.