All actives, no fillers: my 5 top picks from Skin Actives
Written By Jenny Wu on
Of all the skincare brands I’ve tried, there are a few that really stand out for me, and you’ll recognize them because I mention them repeatedly on the blog. One such brand is Skin Actives (which I reviewed previously) and I’m a big fan of how their product ingredients and formulations are all backed by scientific studies and testing.
While the “all actives, no fillers” headline is a bit of an exaggeration (how else could I get your attention?) , it’s 100% true that you’ll find very few, if any, filler ingredients and each active is explained by the founder, Dr. Sivak, about what its purpose is. Certainly makes my job as a beauty blogger much easier!
Ever since I discovered them a year ago, I’ve had the chance to try out more of their products, some misses, but some were immediate hits. So today, I’d like to share with you my top 5 picks from their extensive range that I think are must-tries for anyone wanting to add some oomph to their skincare routine without breaking their bank.
- Every Lipid Serum (ELS) – Without a doubt my favorite product in the winter time when my skin gets dry and easily irritated. While this does feel oily and heavy initially, it nourishes and protects my skin like none other. Whenever my skin feels angry from Curology, I lather this on (and by lather I mean apply 1 pump) and my skin is happy again the next morning.
- Key Ingredients
- Ceramides, fatty acids, squalane, rosehip oil, pomegranate seed oil, chia seed oil
- Anti-Aging HydraMist* – This is such a fantastic makeup setter!! Dr. Sivak explains the science behind this, and I can vouch that it really does make your skin look better, even when applied on top of makeup. Plus it comes in a convenient spritz tube that makes it perfect for on the go. Sadly I don’t know where mine went, hence it’s not pictured here, but dammit I’ll find it if it’s the last thing I do.
- Key Ingredients
- neroli flower water, strontium chloride
- Cranberry Moisturizing Serum* – 99% of Skin Actives products are fragrance-free, which means the scents range from eh to did-Shelly-just-poop, but this serum is an exception. Made with real cranberry juice, it smells absolutely yummy and is a delightfully lightweight hydrating serum. The finish is a little sticky at first, but then dries to a natural (not matte…at least not for me) finish. It’s been a staple in my makeup bag for my past 2 trips!
- Key Ingredients
- sea kelp bioferment, cranberry juice, hyaluronic acid, sodium pca
- Collagen Serum – I said this smelled like Shelly’s butt in my previous review, and it does, but it also works well. It contains a smorgasbord of excellent antioxidants and I don’t find myself reaching for any other serums when I use this one. They also have a fragranced version* which is easier on the nose, but after using both I may actually prefer the original formula. Shelly’s butt – 1, fragrance – 0.
- Key Ingredients
- vitamin c, niacinamide, green tea extract, sea kelp bioferment, centella asiatica extract, sodium pca, EGF, collagen
- Pore Refreshing Mask* – If you have combo/oily skin and enjoy a good peel-off mask, you’ll really like this. Again, full of great ingredients, but it does contain alcohol quite high up the list so keep that in mind. As for the results? My skin feels really clean and but not dry or tight, though there is a slight tingling sensation when first applied. Ignore the instructions and apply a thin layer, otherwise it’ll drip and take forever to dry.
- Key Ingredients
- honey, hyaluronic acid, green tea extract, willow bark extract, niacinamide
Each of the bottles may be small, and not exactly luxurious looking, but it’s truly what’s inside each bottle/jar that counts. I’m a huge packaging snob and love me some good skintertainment, but I find myself continuously reaching for the above products, often times over the fancier bottles. Plus a little goes a long way – I still have my Every Lipid Serum from last year!
So if you want no-frills, good ingredients and a formula that is backed by science, I would highly recommend the above Skin Actives products. They also have moisturizers, though sadly my experience with both the anti-aging cream and antioxidant cream have been mediocre at best. But then again, YMMV when it comes to skincare, so your experience could be very different!
Overall my experience with Skin Actives have been positive, and I love that they’re always developing new formulas. They have a forum where you can provide product feedback and ask questions about the actives used. I really respect how transparent they are when it comes their products and ingredients.
Hope you’ve enjoyed this brand review, and let me know if you’ve ever tried their products before or which one of the above appeals to you most. If you’re interested, there’s a giveaway on my Instagram now where 3 winners will get their pick of the above 2 products to try!
And for my fellow GoT fans, OMGSEASON7!!!! *enters fangirl mode*
Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.
Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨
Comments & Questions
LindaLibraLoca
That sounds like the perfect brand for me, how come I have never heard of them before? I want one of each you have mentioned.
Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking
Jenny Wu
Thank you for reading Anne! I stumbled upon this brand by accident and they're definitely very underrated. They've started reaching out to bloggers more now and have a more active presence on social media, so hopefully more people will learn about them in the future, as they have some fabulous products!
Velvet Blush
The cranberry serum sounds amazing! I was always searching for serums for dry skin before, and now that I have a handful already, more and more keep popping up haha! xx
Jenny Wu
Thanks for reading! The cranberry serum isn't heavy like traditional moisturizing serums, so it's nice for those with combo/oily skin who still want to add hydration without the heaviness :) If you’re interested there’s a giveaway on my Instagram where you can win that and another product!
Camilla @Gracefulface.com
Wow I hadn't heard much about this brand before, but it's definitely on my radar now. I love everything about their skincare philosophy. That cranberry serum sounds sooo lovely. I may pass on the Shelly's butt for now though ;).
Jenny Wu
Thank you for reading Camilla! The cranberry serum is definitely more easy on the nose than the other products, though the collagen serum really does make my skin bouncier...though the scent was tough to get over at first, haha
Amy
This sounds like a good range. I like it when brands are transparent with their ingredients!
Amy - https://amyevans.co.uk
Jenny Wu
Thanks for reading Amy! It's always nice when brands put in the effort to educate users on how the ingredients work :)
Shivangi
OOOOHHHH!!! I would love to try the Cranberry Moisturizing Serum! <3 You have described it's fragrance so beautifully! :)
xx
Shivangi
http://www.outoncatwalk.com/is-it-all-destiny/
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much for reading Shivangi! :) The cranberry serum is really lovely, I use it everyday! If you're interested there's a giveaway on my Instagram where you can win that and another product!
Laura
The mask for pores sounds promising x
Laura
Pink Frenzy
Jenny Wu
Thanks for reading Laura! There's a giveaway on my Instagram if you're interested in trying out the pore mask :)
Emily
Never tried or heard of this brand before. That's what I love about you! You're always reviewing brands I've never heard of. I really need to branch out. Since my blog isn't skincare related anymore, I haven't been trying as many new things. Definitely saving money! But it's hard to be in the know. I'd definitely be interested in trying that pore mask. I need the most help there! Thanks for sharing these. I love that they are are super simple.
-Emily www.coatandcoffee.com
Jenny Wu
Aww thank you so much Emily! I do love discovering and sharing lesser known brands that work well, it's always nice to know more options, especially when you're not having any luck with more mainstream products. There's a giveaway on my Instagram if you're interested in trying out the pore mask and one other product for free!
Naya
Great roundup Jenny! I haven't heard about this brand before, but would love to try the serum, especially since my skin is dry. On a side note - what do you think about Ed's cameo? lol I was honestly distracted for a moment (or entire scene). Sad we only get 7 episodes this season :(
Jenny Wu
Thank you Naya! If you're interested there's a giveaway on my Instagram now that's open worldwide :)
I thought Ed's cameo was totally random and I definitely got distracted trying to confirm if that was really him, haha. On the other hand...ONLY 7 EPISODES??? Why are they doing this to us??
Cat L.
I wasn't familiar with this brand but they are on my radar now! Their serums and face mask sound wonderful and like something I would enjoy as well. Often times I find that ingredients might look/sound good but not really be as effective when applied topically on the skin. So I really like the fact that the brand backs up their formulations by scientific research. Great post Jenny and thank you for always introducing me to new brands!
~ Cat L.
www.CatsDailyLiving.com
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much for reading Cat! I agree, sometimes the ingredient may sound fancy but when you actually research it, there's very little evidence that it provides any skin benefits. Almost all the ingredients used in Skin Actives are well known and well researched, so I definitely feel more confident applying them - the results show too! :)
Brandy
Thank you for sharing your awesome experiences. I look forward to reading more. <3
Jenny Wu
Thanks for reading Brandy!
Kris
These products look so cool, I'm def entering the giveaway!
Have a lovely day!
xx Kris
https://dreamingofpink.wordpress.com
Nastia
Hello! Just wanted to say that your website is so beautiful. I like all about it.
Jenny Wu
Thank you so much Nastia!
Violette
They all look great! Thanks for sharing!
http://violettedaily.com
Jenny Wu
Thanks for reading Violette!
Corina
I have never heard about the brand, but it sounds perfect! I need to give the products a try!
xo Corina
www.unbouquetdamour.com/best-online-shopping-sites
Jenny Wu
They really are fantastic!
jeanine
I started using their LAA vitamin c a month or so ago and really like it. It doesn't smell great but it's such a faint bad smell that it's okay if I see results. From your list above, the cranberry serum sounds amazing. Thanks for hosting a giveaway, I'll pop on over to Instagram to enter!
Jenny Wu
That's the one serum from them I've yet to try, but I think I'll give that a go next! Did it sting more compared to other LAA vitamin c serums you've used before?
jeanine
It's actually the first LAA I've tried. I researched it to death and, in the meantime, used the Mad Hippie which was super gentle. It stings but not a whole lot for me and sometimes it's only a few pricks of stinging. The one thing I don't like is that it's a bit oily, but I just use it at night so it's not an issue {I've heard it's best to use in the daytime or I wouldn't be bothered by this}. I'll have to consult my photos in a month or so to confirm, but I think it's fading a sun spot I've had for years so I'm quite happy. I've also left it in my bathroom in the summertime heat/humidity and it's not oxidizing so that's another thing I like about it. I've heard of other brands that oxidize quite quickly.
Jenny Wu
Aww no, I really dislike the oily feeling and had to stop using the hylamide vitamin c booster as a result :( But the fact that it doesn't oxidize super quickly and that it's fading your sun spots is awesome! I'll have to check it out when I'm done with my Triple C Lightening serum!
jeanine
It's not super oily but I did notice it when applying and on different skin than mine perhaps it would be more noticeable. When I used it yesterday it dried down a bit sticky but the oily part disappeared. Just a warning if your skin is sensitive, that it does make part of my face red {I wait 25 minutes before continuing on with my routine} so I do think it's strong. My face used to be prone to redness before I worked to make my skincare routine address this, and it brings that redness back for an hour or more. That's another reason why I use it at night. I didn't start with the 15% like they suggest, so I don't know if gradually increasing the % would have helped. I'm still happy with the results so far, so I'll continue using it, but I didn't want to say it's totally without any drawbacks. I don't use any sort of AHA/BHAs so this would be the most harsh product I use.
If you do wind up trying it I'd love to see your thoughts. :)
Jenny Wu
Thank you for the additional info, this is super helpful Jeanine! I've noticed that initial stickiness tends to be a common trait with their products, but it's a small annoyance compared to the results I see on my skin. I do have AHA/BHAs in my routine now so I may want to finish those first before starting this. Will post a review if I ever do try this out! :)
Marina Rosie
Yesss loving my serums at the moment and a cranberry serum sounds right up my street! Never heard of skin actives but will definitely be looking further into them soon! Thanks for sharing gorge! xx
Marina Rosie xxx
Jenny Wu
I think you'll really love the cranberry serum, it's so light and perfect for the summer! There's a giveaway going on at my Instagram if you're interested, it's open worldwide! :D
Face to Curls
This sounds like a great brand and I really love when brands are transparent with their ingredients! Their serums sound lovely. Great review Jenny! x
Ann-Marie | http://facetocurls.com/
Jenny Wu
Thanks for reading Ann-Marie! And yes, I wish more brands could be upfront about their ingredients, rather than waiting until we review them to call them out on it.
Deborah
Hi I am am older woman who swears by the Skin Actives Anti-Aging cream. It is likely that you did not get an effect from it because your skin does not yet need the actives in it. The "beauty" to Skin Actives is that they have simple, effective products for all skin needs.
Jenny Wu
Hi Deborah, thank you for your comment, and I'm glad to hear the anti-aging cream works great for you. Unfortunately my issue with the cream wasn't so much that I didn't notice any effects (although that's partly the case), it's that it seemed to pill when used with my other products, and I wasn't a fan of the scent. Skincare by nature is very subjective, and I do try to reiterate this and point out that other people's experience could be very different. Thanks for sharing yours!
Alyssa
Never heard of this brand before but it sounds like their products will really suit me :)
xx Alyssa // STYLE VANITY
Jenny Wu
I definitely recommend checking them out, they have some great products!
melody marilyn
Do you keep the collagen serum in the fridge?
Jenny
Hi Melody, I don't because I find it too much of a hassle, but I do keep it on my vanity in my bedroom away from heat, sunlight, and humidity. Hope this helps!
melody marilyn
The ELS serum contains highly comedogenic oils like flax seed oil and chia seed oil. Do you use it every day? Are you prone to clogged pores and breakouts?
Jenny
I'd take comedogenic ratings with a grain of salt as the tests are flawed and they're not universal. What may be comedogenic for someone else can work perfectly fine on my skin, and vice versa.
With that said, I don't have acne prone skin, but I can break out if the product is too heavy. I only use the Els serum when my skin is feeling really dry or irritated, and I only use a little bit. I've never broken out or had any adverse reactions using it. Hope this helps!