Let’s address the elephant in the room: this serum is $84 (Amazon). It’s steep, especially when you compare it to hydrating hyaluronic serums at Sephora: Glow Recipe Plum Plump ($45), Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Plumping Serum ($68), or even the infamous Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Serum ($49).
At such a high price point, what’s the appeal of “just another” hydrating serum?
Why I Liked the Allies of Skin Serum
If something costs so much, I definitely have higher standards for how it performs—sensorially, efficaciously, and ease-of-use.
On that last note, it’s important to highlight the much improved packaging. The previous one was very aesthetic, but the nozzle got very messy with dried-up product as you continued to use it over weeks. This new one has a much finer tip that is not as prone to creating a dried-up “plug” at the end.
More than Just Hydration: Antioxidants
A lot of the time, you’ll find people calling out hydration or hyaluronic serums as not being essential steps of skincare. The main argument is that there is hyaluronic acid, glycerin, propanediol, and other humectants in your moisturizer and toner steps. So why do you need to put even more on?
I agree, for the most part, but it’s ignoring the psychological part of skincare. I do it to make myself feel better, like I am nourishing my skin. I don’t want to skip a step just in case there are some added benefits of it.
With the Allies of Skin Multi-Hyaluronic Antioxidant Hydration Serum, you don’t really have that same issue. It’s not just hydrating; it’s also giving your skin much-needed antioxidants.
And yes, we all know vitamin c/ascorbic acid as this great antioxidant, but there are lots more out there that are super beneficial to the skin as well. In this specific formulation, you get:
Resveratrol: A polyphenol (like the ones in wine!) that promotes collagen production
Superoxide Dismutase: Evens your complexion and fights signs of premature aging and dullness
6 other antioxidants: Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Niacinamide, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Licorice Root Extract.
Weightless Layerability
When I talk to friends about hydrating serums, I often hear complaints about pilling or tackiness/stickiness. Thankfully with the one from AOS, you don’t have to worry about that. It works well under moisturizer, SPF, and makeup. There’s no pilling, and I never felt any stickiness.
So yes, you can slap, pat, spread, rub, etc your next layers after this serum and you should be fine!
For sunscreens that worked well with this serum:
Skin Smoothing, Pore Tightening
This next part is just something I have personally experienced after using one bottle of this years ago and then with this current bottle that I recently emptied. I have seen my skin look smoother and my pores get smaller (which they can never physically do, but they can appear smaller). I’ve honestly been trying to wrap my head around this, but I’ve noted it both times I’ve used this serum (and both times, using 2x a day).
Skin smoothing and pore tightening are not benefits reported by the product description. But I wonder if the list of heavy-hitting antioxidants has been helping in this department.
Regardless, with a sample size of one (aka just me), I gladly will spend the $84 on this serum because I’ve experienced benefits that go beyond the hydration and traditional antioxidant benefits most serums report.
What I Did Not Like About This Serum
It’s pretty much a glowing recommendation, but I always have to have a balanced review.
The Smell
There’s not a very strong smell, but there is a notable scent to the product. There’s no fragrance added, so you’re just smelling the ingredients. It’s not unpleasant, but it’s there. I don’t really know how to describe it either.
Do with that what you will.
Ascorbic Acid
Working with vitamin C is a double-edged sword: it’s a great antioxidant, but it oxidizes quickly in aqueous environments (which this serum is). This conundrum is actually why Matter of Fact became so popular!
The formula has a yellow/orange hue to it, which is fine. But combined with the fact that I know there’s ascorbic acid in the ingredients, my brain can’t not think that some of the color can be attributed to oxidized vitamin c. And while it is fine to have oxidized vitamin c in the product, I want it to be as effective as possible.
I don’t choose to use orange vitamin c products, so why should I sacrifice with this $84 serum?
At the end of the day, I don’t know how much vitamin c is actually in this formulation and if it is a negligible amount anyway. But as a consumer, I would like to know if there is a good amount of active vitamin c in there or not.
Final Thoughts
After emptying two of these serums, I am still a fan. Despite the 2 negative points I mentioned, I will continue using this product in the future! I really enjoy how it creates visible changes in my skin without being harsh.
The smell of the product is not a dealbreaker for me personally. And the intrusive thoughts about the vitamin c are something I can work past (especially when I can just add a separate vitamin c serum or even ascorbic acid powder into this serum).
I just can’t get over how good it makes my skin look when I use this serum! That’s mostly what keeps me coming back to it.
So what do you think—are you going to pick one up?
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