All actives, no fillers: my 5 top picks from Skin Actives

Written by Jenny Wu
Jenny Wu

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  1. melody marilyn says:

    Do you keep the collagen serum in the fridge?

    • Jenny says:

      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 says:

        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 says:

          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!

  2. Alyssa says:

    Never heard of this brand before but it sounds like their products will really suit me :)

    xx Alyssa // STYLE VANITY

  3. Deborah says:

    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 says:

      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!

  4. 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 says:

      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.

  5. Marina Rosie says:

    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 says:

      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

  6. jeanine says:

    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 says:

      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 says:

        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 says:

          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! :)

  7. jeanine says:

    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 says:

      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?

  8. Corina says:

    I have never heard about the brand, but it sounds perfect! I need to give the products a try!

    xo Corina
    http://www.unbouquetdamour.com/best-online-shopping-sites

  9. Violette says:

    They all look great! Thanks for sharing!

    http://violettedaily.com

  10. Nastia says:

    Hello! Just wanted to say that your website is so beautiful. I like all about it.

  11. Kris says:

    These products look so cool, I’m def entering the giveaway!

    Have a lovely day!
    xx Kris

    https://dreamingofpink.wordpress.com

  12. Brandy says:

    Thank you for sharing your awesome experiences. I look forward to reading more. <3

  13. Cat L. says:

    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.
    http://www.CatsDailyLiving.com

    • Jenny says:

      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! :)

  14. Naya says:

    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 says:

      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??

  15. Emily says:

    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 http://www.coatandcoffee.com

    • Jenny says:

      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!

  16. Laura says:

    The mask for pores sounds promising x

    Laura
    Pink Frenzy

  17. Shivangi says:

    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 says:

      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!

  18. Amy says:

    This sounds like a good range. I like it when brands are transparent with their ingredients!

    Amy – https://amyevans.co.uk

  19. 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 says:

      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

  20. Velvet Blush says:

    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 says:

      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!

  21. 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 says:

      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!

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