If you’ve tried every kind of exfoliator and still find your skin feels like sandpaper, reach for this instead.
As someone with rosacea and blemish-prone skin, striking the right balance when it comes to exfoliation is tricky; use too strong an acid (I’m looking at you, glycolic) and my cheeks are left inflamed, but avoiding the ritual completely often leads to clogged pores and pesky pimples. It’s nearly impossible to get my skin happy and smooth.
I’d taken to using a tranexamic acid-based toner three times a week as a compromise, and while it’s done wonders for my hyperpigmentation without upsetting my skin, a facialist recently told me it wouldn’t banish debris from my clogged pores or leave my skin feeling like a kitten. So, I was back to square one.
As a result, my skin felt rough and looked a bit meh; I wasn’t unlocking the glow I was seeking. Then I was introduced to Dermalogica’s latest innovation: the Futurecode Booster Damage-Correcting Longevity Serum.
While I don’t usually judge a serum based on before-and-after pictures from clinical trials, these ones were hard to ignore; the women had juicy, glowy skin after a matter of weeks. Naturally, the techy formula was immediately added to my skincare routine that night.
Dermalogica Futurecode Booster Damage-Correcting Longevity Serum
I’m a big fan of Dermalogica’s Stabilizing Repair Cream, so I had high hopes my skin barrier would also love this new addition. It aims to rebuild the skin barrier, protect against environmental aggressors that might impact it, as well as eliminate damage and support the skin in repair, so you’re left with glowy, happy skin.
While this formula doesn’t contain NAD+, it is designed to talk to your skin to boost its levels of the buzzword, while also containing multi-molecular hyaluronic acid, biomimetic phospholipids (a mouthful, yes, but there are essentially naturally-derived lipid molecules that replicate the building blocks of the skin) – I did warn you it was techy – and antioxidants. Whether it’s UV, pollution or stress, this serum is designed to prevent your skin from taking the hit.
You can either apply this as a serum or mix it with your moisturiser, and the brand says you can use this up to four times daily. I started using this once in the evening and in the morning, but it did cause me to break out a little, so I cut it back to just one application in the AM, and it worked a charm. When I say this works quickly, it really does. Skin gets drenched in hydration instantly, with a visible, radiant effect from the get-go.
The packaging takes a little getting used to, though. Instead of a pump format, this serum has a dropper that instantly allocates the right amount of product for one dosage with no effort from your side. Simply press the button at the top, and you’re good to go – no need to pump (I made this mistake the first time around).
Credit: Charlotte Bitmead
Within a week, my skin felt like butter, and I couldn’t get over how smoothly my make-up applied. After months of my skin looking a bit lacklustre, this seemed to be the perfect antidote. Two months on and I’ve seen my skin look more even and plumper. It gives you that ‘just been for a facial’ glow. No exfoliant, mask, or moisturiser has made my skin quite so silky smooth.
If you’re also finding that your skin just isn’t feeling and looking as healthy and radiant as it once was, I urge you to slot this one into your skincare routine – you won’t regret it.
Image: Charlotte Bitmead