Blemish + Age Defense
The Little SkinCeuticals Serum That Could
I thought that once I crossed into late the twenties-early thirties stage of my life, I would finally experience acne-free living but sadly I am not so blessed. Once a month or so I still get a pesky set of intruders on my chin or cheek and I wince with discomfort and anger until they go away. Misery loves company so there’s never really just one zit, is there? Aside from trying to keep tabs on my bumpy chin, I'm also becoming more and more observant of every nook and cranny of my face, trying to catch those fine lines and minimize them before they turn into wrinkles. A wild life I lead, right?
Thankfully the kind people at SkinCeuticals have heard the cries of us in this awkward "adult-but-still-breakout-prone" phase. When they contacted me and asked me if there was anything I'd like to try from their range, the Blemish + Age Defense serum was at the top of my list.
SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense is a clear runny liquid housed in a dark brown glass bottle and comes with a pipette dispenser. The serum itself is very watery. It's got a bit more density to it than water, but it's not thick or oily by any means. The hero ingredients here are both alpha and beta hydroxy acids: well known players such as glycolic acid to exfoliate the top layers of the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and acne scarring and salicylic acid to penetrate deeper into the clogged pores and clear them out as well as prevent from future breakouts. There's also a new kid on the block - dioic acid, which is meant to reduce excess sebum production.
Sebum = the oil your skin produces. It's great but like all things, only great in moderation. When your skin produces excess sebum, your pores get clogged and become a feast for acne-causing bacteria.
I inserted the full ingredients list of this serum in all its glory. Now, to be honest, my first impression before I started using this product was "UGH, ALCOHOL" - you open the bottle and the alcohol fumes hit your nostrils. It's the first thing on the ingredients list. For the longest time I believed the alcohol-in-skincare-is-the-devil myths that circulated the internet, but upon educating myself (this post by Lab Muffin is a great place to start) I softened my stance.
To my initial surprise, SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense did not leave my skin feeling parched. It applied on the skin very nicely and had a bit of slip to it, making it easy to spread around. It did not sting upon application, did not leave a sticky residue, nor did it leave my skin feeling dry and tight. I followed up with my night moisturizer and called it a night. The next day my skin looked awesome. After a week of use, my skin was totally clear of any unwanted intruders. The cystic mountain that was starting to grow on my chin on Wednesday was reduced to nothingness by Sunday. I kept using it sparingly in the following 2 weeks, popping it on just on the areas where I felt a bit of congestion coming on. It kept the acne at bay.
While I would not recommend this product if you are very dry or have sensitive skin, I'm super pleasantly surprised by this serum. If you are normal/combination/oily and acne prone, in your late twenties and beyond and looking for a blemish buster that also prevents aging, SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense is your guy. It retails for $92 USD ($110 CAD) and you can buy it here if you’re in the United States or here if you are in Canada.
