That lit-from-within glow is what every woman is searching for from their skincare. Enter brightening skin serums you can buy at Life Pharmacy, editor Trudi Brewer shares her picks from the ranges on offer.
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Potent, targeted, and stacked with antioxidants, these serums are loaded with vitamins that help diminish the look of dark spots, refine your complexion’s texture, and boost your skin's overall luminosity. Yes, a skin serum is an extra step in your beauty routine, but it's a step that is simple, feels luxurious, and you will love the results. Applied after cleansing but before moisturising, you will need to wear less makeup to hide imperfections and your skin will be sporting that glow we are all searching for.
Here's our pick of serums from Life Pharmacy that will suit every budget.
Dermalogica Power Bright Dark Spot Serum, $180.
It's the first serum (it's more like a lightweight moisturiser than serum, so don't use too much) from Dermalogica that has made me think these guys are back to their best. For a 35-year-old skincare brand, they know a thing or two about brown spots, acne and an uneven skin tone. Utilising the goodness from niacinamide (vitamin B3, which strengthens the skin barrier and improving the skin texture, balancing oil production and the look of open pores), and shiitake mushroom, blackcurrant oil, and peony flower extract. Together these ingredients help to fade the look of brown spots, which ultimately brightens the skin. You can use it twice a day, am and pm, for best results, much like an intensive treatment over autumn. While it's on the pricier side, if you want to boost your skin's clarity - it's worth the investment - you only have one face, right?
Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Rapid Brightening Treatment with Ferment + Vitamin C, from $158.
The latest serum to join Estée Lauder's skincare stable is this newbie made to brighten the skin fast. Busy women listen up. It will blur dark spots; when used daily, illuminate your skin, as well as correcting sallowness, an uneven texture and last but by no means least, help to restore radiance, something we all want, right? The formulation contains a patented brightening complex made from three potent ferments (yeast, molasses and algae) combined with powerful vitamin C. It helps curb the overproduction of melanin (responsible for tanning your skin), so why do we rate it? It will give blotchy skin clarity, soothe irritation and calms redness, too - a month into our bottle; we can't wait to see the results in another month.
Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Intense Brightening Essence Ampoule with Vit C/E + Licorice, $218.
To kick start the brightening process in your skin, there is also booster treatment available. Four vials make up one month's intensive treatments (use one vial each week) to help jump-start the brightening process, improving the skin's general texture, reducing pore size, blurring acne marks, and pigmentation. For best results, use in conjunction with the Perfectionist Pro Serum.
Elizabeth Arden Vitamin C Ceramide Capsules Radiance Renewal Serum 90 Piece, $210.
Elizabeth Arden pioneered mono-dose technology in skincare, kicking off with Ceramide Capsules in the 1990s. It was revolutionary at that time, but fast forward to 2010, and their measured dose of skin goodness is now available in ceramides, retinol and now a super-size vitamin C. Why have we done a shout out to the new 90 piece bottle of vitamin C caps? Not only is it so good for the skin (like the body), but it's a notoriously unstable ingredient. The capsule format contains oil-soluble vitamin C, which optimises your skin's delivery because your natural oils attract it, making it far superior to traditional water-soluble vitamin C skincare formulas. These glow-givers in a single measured dose minimise the look of dark spots, which let's face age you well before your time, along with vitamin E, soothing clary sage, avocado, sunflower seed and olive oils boost hydration from the inside out. If you're busy and want a fast fix, this mono-dose serum will give your skin exactly what it needs in the simple twist of a tiny capsule - and with 90 caps in this bottle, you can share them with your friends. Apply morning and night before moisturiser.
me today Vitamin Glow C Serum, $45.
For natural skincare lovers, the brightening botanicals, including strawberry and kiwi seed, are boosted with vitamin C ( a stable six per cent vitamin C) are made to target brown spots and improve that annoying sun damage fast. A vitamin brand at heart, me today takes all the goodness from supplements and stacks it into skincare, something we rate. They know what busy women want and what busy women like. Natural skincare that delivers on its promise - we can all relate to that. Best applied to a cleansed skin and neck before night cream. No parabens, silicone or mineral oil in this formula.
