12 Days of Giveaways - Day 2 - Deciem

Day Two comes to you from Deciem. Up for grabs in this giveaway is:

Hylamide High-Efficiency Face Cleaner
Hylamide Hydra-Density Mist
Hylamide SubQ Anti Age
Hylamide SubQ Eyes
Hylamide HA Blur
Hand Chemistry Intense Youth Complex 100ml
Heel Chemistry 100ml
HIF Hydration 180ml
Stemm Density Stimuli
The Ordinary NMF
The Ordinary Caffeine
The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid

The total value of the collection is £222.70 and to win it, you have to be in it. Open Internationally.

Simply enter below via Rafflecopter as always!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Thanks Deciem! www.deciem.com



*This post contains no affiliate links.
See my full disclaimer here: http://bit.ly/1rpEmSq
The views expressed on this site are the author's own and are provided for informational purposes only. The author makes no warranties about the suitability of any product or treatment referenced or reviewed here for any person other than herself and any reliance placed on these reviews or references by you is done so solely at your own risk. Nothing on this site shall be construed as providing dermatological, medical or other such advice and you are always advised to seek the advice of a suitable professional should you have any such concerns.

The Ordinary - a few words from Brandon

In six and a half years of blogging I have never had so many requests to review a brand. Ever. The Ordinary has certainly hit the industry with a bang. A big bang. 

Brandon Truaxe, the Founder of Deciem, The Abnormal Beauty Company, and the parent company behind Grow Gorgeous, NIOD, Hylamide, Hand Chemistry and so many others, has traditionally been very kind to this blog and its readers, and he has once again taken some time to answer some of my initial thoughts/questions. Do bear in mind that I know Brandon, and therefore the questions are a little more 'direct' than they perhaps may have been if I was talking to a stranger. He doesn't mind. :)

Why have you made the Ordinary?
Because brands, big and small, continue to disguise commodity innovation for ingenuity through creative use of packaging, communication and pricing. It had to be done. No one in the world of vitamins can charge $300 for a tin of vitamin A tablets because that industry comes with more transparency but you can easily find virtually the same formulations ranging from $5 to $500+ in the world of beauty.

How have you made it so affordable?
We have applied our very standard margin % across all the products in The Ordinary and, in fact, our average margin % in The Ordinary is far higher than, say, NIOD's Flavanone Mud, which has our lowest margin to make it sensibly priced. For example, very high purity Niacinamide costs under $10 per KG and so the cost of all materials in Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is under $1 (£0.5). Most of the cost actually goes into compounding, testing (inbound and outbound) and retail costs/margins. We haven't cut any margin % and The Ordinary is a sustainable model.

How do the %s of actives compare with the rest of the Deciem range?
If we use an active ingredient, we almost always use it at the highest, or a very high, concentration, regardless of the brand and The Ordinary is no exception. Our other brands simply have different approaches in the ingredients they use (some are over $5m per KG) and their combinations (it's a nightmare to stabilise all of the ingredients in NIOD NEC). I am not sure that any of The Ordinary formulations can actually include any more % of the actives used (chemically or legally).

Are you worried that people will buy the Ordinary and that it will hit the sales of your more expensive brands?
Not at all because any offering we have that is more expensive is not so because the "brand" is more expensive but because the product offers something else. If any product from The Ordinary was offered under NIOD or Hylamide, its price would have been the same. The Ordinary is not a mass-market brand and it actually targets a very educated audience (just look at the product names) irrespective of budget who understands ingredients and does not allow marketing to win over very clear science.

Would you have been able to produce the Ordinary without the sales/income stream from Deciem e.g. selling Grow Gorgeous? 
Beauty is still a business, while I completely agree about £500 creams etc, surely brands are allowed to make a profit?
Any business requires capital to start—whether it's tax-paid money, loans, investments or revenue stream - makes no difference. DECIEM has been fortunate to be successful and we have invested our resources to create The Ordinary amongst many other things. Selling Grow Gorgeous was done to have the cash to open DECIEM stores globally not to fund new brands. Yes, beauty is a business and yes brands are allowed to make a profit: The Ordinary has a higher profit margin than many NIOD products and I shared an example cost breakdown. But no, it does not make sense for a brand to sell a simple commodity formula that costs $1 to make for $500 while the rest of the world operates on less greedy margins. The Ordinary is a very serious business and is not formed as a charity or to make a point.


So there you have it. The Ordinary is here to stay, a serious brand, not temporary, not gimmicky, the real deal. The proof will be in the pudding and repeat business. I strongly suspect The Ordinary to fly. I know Brandon and know that he would never put something to market that didn't work. It would go against his DNA. I personally would've preferred the products to be less confusing than NIOD, but those of you hoping for an easy-to-read 'serum' explaining when to use it and what with, you're out of luck. The products are still labelled very scientifically with what they are made up of, rather than what they will actually do for you.
See 'Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F (coming soon)' for example.

Brandon is absolutely right on one score, I know brands that charge nearly £500 for a 50ml moisturiser that cost 8€ a kilo to make. Ridiculous.
While there is an absolute need for more transparency and brilliant affordable products, I do wonder if Brandon, being a geeky male (sorry Brandon - but you know what I mean! It's a compliment. :) ) is potentially underestimating the pleasurable side of skincare. Yes it's a necessity and there should be affordable options - lots of them - but I still think people will continue to pay for their favourites in the same way that we do for fashion and pretty much everything else we consume.
Having Shoe Direct provides an affordable option for a necessity, it doesn't stop Louboutin, Adidas and Clarks from their huge trade.

Thoughts?

The Ordinary is available from ordinaries.com and VictoriaHealth.com

12 DAYS OF GIVEAWAYS - DAY SEVEN - ABNORMAL BEAUTY COMPANY

Day Seven starts with Abnormal Beauty Company, aka Deciem, aka NIOD, aka Grow Gorgeous etc etc

The Abnormal lot are offering one lucky reader all of the following:

• Hylamide SubQ Anti-Age 
• NIOD Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex 
• Grow Gorgeous Shampoo Intense 
• Grow Gorgeous Hair Growth Serum Intense 
• AB CREW Body Wash 
• HIF Hydration
• Hand Chemistry Hyaluronic Body Mist

To WIN all of the above simply enter via Rafflecopter below as previous entries. Comments are closed, full T&Cs are available here: www.carolinehirons.com/12-days-of-giveaways - there's also updated information on how the 12 Days are chosen and what happens to your email address after you enter (absolutely nothing, it's not for sale).

Good Luck everyone! Open Internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Guide to NIOD

OK here's the thing - I have loved everything I have tried from Deciem. Grow Gorgeous, Hylamide, Hand Chemistry etc - all excellent. There is no doubt in my mind that Brandon, the founder, is at the forefront of science in products and he talks in a way that very few people I have met in the industry talk. Passionately, intelligently and with love and excitement.

I have not had as much success with NIOD as I have with the rest of the range, but this is purely, 100% because of my own limitations and frankly, because the range confuses me. I like to know exactly how something works, when it works and how quickly it works. NIOD has no interest in my problems, it just wants to get on with the job. It cares about the science, but I think that sometimes the science overshadows the 'PLEASE GOD JUST TELL ME HOW IT WORKS!!!'

I know I'm not alone. As NIOD's success has grown, I am asked more and more often about their products, and I found myself unable to answer properly so I asked Brandon, a man who by his own admission will use 597 words when one will suffice, for 3 sentences on each product. I asked politely, but I did say 'THREE SENTENCES BRANDON. THREE.' ;)

Being the total gent that he is, he entertained my impertinence.

'Beauty science is on the verge of an explosive level of innovation and the next 5 years are going to be revolutionary.'

CAIS - Copper Amino Isolate Serum
1. If you're going to use 1 product from NIOD, use this one.
2. It focuses on skin health and not lines/wrinkles or specific signs of age.
3. It has a very high long-term value to the skin.

MMHC - Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex
1. If you're going to use 2 products from NIOD, MMHC should be the second one.
2. It shows visible results faster than CAIS.
3. It provides visible anti-aging value quickly and in the long-term but, unlike CAIS, its long-term value to skin health and quality is limited, if any. Basically MMHC is a much more advanced version of Hylamide HA Booster. (SCORE! CH)

HV - Hydration Vaccine
1. Use only if skin has lost hydration. I do not believe in hydration when it's not a necessity.
2. Seals in supplemented and naturally-present NMF instead of "hydrating" the surface.
3. Is a very pro-silicone product. Silicones are extremely misunderstood, extremely underrated and are extremely advanced today. The silicons in HV are very advanced and cost many times more than many active peptide technologies used in skincare.   (I'M BEGINNING TO LOVE THIS MAN. CH)

FECC - Fractionated Eye Contour Concentrate
1. Is not meant to targets signs of eye aging that are common to the rest of the face. For these signs, CAIS and MMHC should be used under the eyes as well.
2. FECC focuses largely on eye-area-specific aging including puffiness, darkness and fine dynamic lines. Deeper lines cannot be fixed topically except when they're static which MMHC will help with. Hollowness also cannot be fixed topically (except with temporary topical filling-type spheres which offer very minimal improvement for a very short time).
3. Is low in viscosity. NIOD is absolutely against eye creams. They do not absorb well and actually cause water retention/puffiness.

ELAN - Ethylated L-Ascorbic Acid 30% Network
1. Is not part of the core NIOD regimen. It should be used at nighttime only.
2. Is for those who are educated and users of topical Vitamin C.
3. It's 30% Vitamin C in a stable antioxidant network that is more advanced and 5% more concentrated than Hylamide C25.

LVCE - Low Viscosity Cleaning Ester
1. Dissolves impurities instantly without water.
2. It's ideally wiped and rinsed to allow for a single-step cleaning.
3. Leaves a comfortable ester cushion on the skin. This will not clog pores and will help everything applied to penetrate better. If left alone without other topical treatments on top, this cushion will disappear and actually balance (not trigger or reduce) natural sebum production.

NIOD overall:

1. All you really need is CAIS for skin health and quality. The other products are basically better forms of skincare but CAIS is care for the skin's health.

2. If you use everything, the order should be:
AM: LVCE, CAIS, MMHC, FECC, HV
PM: LVCE, CAIS, MMHC, FECC, ELAN (If extremely dry skin, follow with HV)


PHEW. Right. Now that I'm a lot clearer, I'm off to get it all on my face again.

Thank you so much Brandon! (I have asked for an update on Photography Fluid - will add to this post hopefully tomorrow - Brandon likes a good question - hit him up in the comments. ;) )


Further information on NIOD including all prices is available in detail here: niod.com/products

Hylamide SubQ Eyes

What is it?

An eye cream/serum

Who is it for?

Anyone with visible signs of ageing in the eye area that they would like to part company with.

What’s in it?

aqua (water), propanediol, perfluorodecalin, glycerin, perfluorohexane, aminobutyric acid, polymethylsilsesquioxane, perfluoroperhydrophenanthrene, adipic acid/neopentylglycol crosspolymer, nylon-12 fluorescent brightener 230 salt, albiziajulibrissin bark extract, polyvinyl alcohol crosspolymer, myristoylnonapeptide-3, dipeptidediaminobutyroylbenzylamide diacetate, hydroxyethylacrylate/sodiumacryloyldimethyl tauratecopolymer, fucusvesiculosus extract, vp/vacopolymer, dimethicone/vinyldimethicone crosspolymer, polyacrylatecrosspolymer-6, epigallocatechin gallatylglucoside, cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone, isohexadecane, gallyl glucoside, propylgallate, polysorbate 60, caprylyl glycol, hexylene glycol, amodimethicone, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, benzyl alcohol, pentylene glycol, xanthan gum, darutoside, dehydroacetic acid, chlorphenesin, phenoxyethanol

(Lifted from the website - clearly some spacing between words needed along the way chaps! I fixed what I can.)

Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?

Not that I can see, but have you seen those ingredient names? Who would know outside of a lab? :)

Natural? Organic? Man made? Vegan?

Man-made

Tested on animals/sold in China?

No/No

What's not in it?

mineral oil

parabens

bismuth oxychloride

How do you use it?

Apply Am and PM after toning

What’s good about it?
Extremely light, immediately hydrating and a little goes a long way. Loaded with peptides, retinol and a ton of other actives, this is an excellent product, the price of which, moves it into the 'must-have' category. Whilst it hasn't miraculously lifted my hound dog eyelids - it's a serum, not a plastic surgeon - it has made a difference to the overall appearance of my eyes - including the dark circles.

What’s not so good about it?

In my last post about a Deciem product, I mentioned how disgruntled I was about the dropper/bottle packaging. Not long after that was posted, I heard from Brandon Truaxe, the founder of Deciem. Brandon wrote me a long email explaining the packaging choice - some of which I am reprinting for you below - with his permission - obvs:

'The biggest formulation nightmare is always the same: your skin likes oil and repels water (contrary to popular belief). Since almost all good technologies are water soluble, for a serum to be truly absorbed into the skin (very different to below the skin in the comparison you made to injections), you need very good delivery mechanisms (and they really really do exist today) and these systems generally yield very thin liquid formulations when in water-only formulations. 

Most premium products (or most products really) offer emulsions of oil and water (creams, emulsion "serums", etc.) to simply offer a thicker, richer formula that "feels" more effective and lovely but, as importantly, opens the door to any type of packaging you wish to have but this viscosity adjustment does nothing other than impede absorption of water technologies in any formula. It's simple: If you feel something on your skin, less got in. 

When you avoid such systems, you're left with highly liquid formulas. With such low viscosities, airless pumps are definitely the wrong choice as the pressure causes a harsh spurt to come out and splash in your hand. Regular air (pump) systems have the same problem to a lesser extent. The other alternative is truly very narrow nozzle tubes which waste about 15% of the product that cannot get out at the end. Please believe me. We were not being cheap. Those simple glass bottles and droppers with a label cost about 50% more than the most sophisticated airless bottles. I am sure there will be a solution soon in the world. It's just not obvious today. 

As a result of this position, our most complex formulations in Hylamide, NIOD and WhiteRx are in dropper systems. We really were not trying to look apothecary or cheap. The alternatives were simply more problematic and I didn't want to sacrifice the formula.'

So that's me told. :) Although it's worth mentioning that my favourite Zelens serums are extremely 'high liquid' serums - they feel almost like water - and they are in a pump that works without splashing. Still, I have huge respect for someone that goes to such lengths to explain their reasoning without being defensive or aggressive. Thanks Brandon.

Similar products?

For this much active ingredient busyness and this good a price point? No, frankly. Eye creams have long been more expensive than their 'face' counterparts, annoyingly so in a lot of cases. This goes some way to bringing them back into the real world.

Exchange rate – does it punish the UK?

No. Deciem products are based in Canada but generally launched in the UK as the lead market and so priced accordingly. 

The Hylamide SubQ Eyes is £27.00 and available from Hylamide.com and Boots.

Deciem - the parent company that is also responsible for my favourite Grow Gorgeous hair products - are doing things differently and stirring up the way beauty is sold, talked about and ranged. It's so worth checking out their website here: deciem.com

Deciem Hylamide SubQ Anti-Age

What is it?

'A highly active concentrate of advanced hyaluronic complexes, next-generation peptides and biotechnological technologies to target rehydration on and below skin surface, while visibly improving lines, wrinkles, sagging skin and textural damage.'

Who is it for?

Everyone. Especially those with signs of ageing, problems with dryness and dehydration.

What’s in it?

aqua (water), glycerin, ethoxydiglycol, hydrolyzedyeast extract, sodiumhyaluronate crosspolymer, pentylene glycol, tamarindus indica seed gum, pseudoalteromonas fermentextract, hydrolyzed sodiumhyaluronate, sodiumhyaluronate, polyacrylatecrosspolymer-6, trisodiumethylenediamine disuccinate, lactobacillus/eriodictyoncalifornicum fermentextract, saccharideisomerate, copperlysinate/prolinate, palmitoyl tripeptide-38, myristoyl nonapeptide-3, ahnfeltia concinna extract, ethylhexylglycerin, methylglucoside phosphate, cetylhydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcyclodextrin, polyglucuronic acid, hexylene glycol, salicylic acid, lecithin, phospholipids, caprylyl glycol, sodiumhydroxide, citric acid, potassium sorbate, sodiumbenzoate, sodium citrate, chlorphenesin, phenoxyethanol, leuconostoc/radish rootferment filtrate.

Possibly acne/allergy/troubling for some ingredients?

Nope.

Natural? Organic? Man made? Vegan?

Most definitely man made and vegan.

Tested on animals/sold in China?

No/No

What's not in it?

Mineral oil

Fragrance

How do you use it?

Serum stage. After toning, before moisturiser.

What’s good about it?

This is an excellent serum. Despite its claims of penetrating deeper than ever before, you can't reinvent the wheel. Nothing penetrates that deep without a needle. You can, however, make your delivery system the best it can be and this certainly does that. 

Hylamide instantaneously hydrates for the immediate gratification effect, yet skin still feels hydrated at the end of the day. 

Contains 5 forms of hyaluronic acid of differing molecular weights to target all areas of dehydration/dryness including fine lines and surface dehydration - the two most visible. Matrixyl Synthe 6 is an updated version of the Matrixyl peptide, used widely in skincare to help boost collagen and support existing collagen, and copper lysinate/prolinate to aid penetration, enhance stability and again, aid collagen support and production. 

It's a hefty serum without a hefty price tag. However, I would have rather they added a fiver to the cost and changed the packaging.......

What’s not so good about it?

If you really are 'next-generation' you might want to stop using 1920's apothecary packaging. 

The eye product is even worse. The product is really good, but it's too runny to be in a dropper. Where you want to use a couple of drops you end up with enough to use around your eyes, lips and elbows if you're even a little heavy-handed. Sorry Deciem. 

*Update

I received the below from Brandon, the owner of Deciem shortly after this review went up. As always, I'm happy to give brands a response to any post on here and Brandon's was very interesting:

'The biggest formulation nightmare is always the same: your skin likes oil and repels water (contrary to popular belief). Since almost all good technologies are water soluble, for a serum to be truly absorbed into the skin (very different to below the skin in the comparison you made to injections), you need very good delivery mechanisms (and they really really do exist today) and these systems generally yield very thin liquid formulations when in water-only formulations. 

Most premium products (or most products really) offer emulsions of oil and water (creams, emulsion "serums", etc.) to simply offer a thicker, richer formula that "feels" more effective and lovely but, as importantly, opens the door to any type of packaging you wish to have but this viscosity adjustment does nothing other than impede absorption of water technologies in any formula. It's simple: If you feel something on your skin, less got in. 

When you avoid such systems, you're left with highly liquid formulas. With such low viscosities, airless pumps are definitely the wrong choice as the pressure causes a harsh spurt to come out and splash in your hand. Regular air (pump) systems have the same problem to a lesser extent. The other alternative is truly very narrow nozzle tubes which waste about 15% of the product that cannot get out at the end. Please believe me. We were not being cheap. Those simple glass bottles and droppers with a label cost about 50% more than the most sophisticated airless bottles. I am sure there will be a solution soon in the world. It's just not obvious today. 

As a result of this position, our most complex formulations in Hylamide, NIOD and WhiteRx are in dropper systems. We really were not trying to look apothecary or cheap. The alternatives were simply more problematic and I didn't want to sacrifice the formula.'

Thanks Brandon. Isn't it great when brands take the time to make their point/case clear?

Similar products?

Not really. This is quite unique. It matches up to most collagen-led serums on the market, is more affordable and does work. If you can get past the packaging, it's brilliant. 

Exchange rate – does it punish the UK?

No. Deciem tends to launch their products here so we lead the way.

Hylamide is a very good product for £30.00 and is available here: www.hylamide.com and from Boots.

FOUNTAIN - the Hyaluronic Molecule

First dibs for you here. Hyaluronic acid - something that regular readers of the blog will be more than aware of - is now, for the first time, available as an ingestible liquid form to hit the system quicker and more effectively.

Hyaluronic acid is omnipresent in skincare - primarily because although we produce hyaluronic acid in our bodies, our ability to hold on to it declines as we get older, resulting for example in dryer skin and aching joints (its not the sole reason, its a factor).

Think of hyaluronic acid as the cushion for your joints and along with collagen, as the support structure for your face. We need it.

Serving the theory of inside and out very well, Deciem's Fountain is a concentrate of hyaluronic acid and ginger extract and will be available from Boots from 2nd October.

It's a gel-like texture, which although strange to drink, doesn't taste bad at all - it has a light ginger taste - very gentle - not strong at all. I wash it down with bottled water but you can mix it with your favourite juice if you prefer.

For £27.99 for a 3 week supply, I'm trialing it with a view to using it as a treatment a fwe times a year.

You can see it yourself from next Wednesday at Boots - online and instores.

*PR Sample