Exclusively from the editors at Total Beauty
Get the Buying Guide to see these top-rated products!
Get it now »
12 Best and Worst At-Home Facial Peels
-
Is
Very pricey but works very well.This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 2 of 4 people said helpful
-
C no difference
This water-based serum is said to be excellent for treating cystic acne, rosacea, and insect bites—quite a diverse range of problems. Pro-Heal Serum has a formula that differs little from the other vitamin C–based serums from iS Clinical, although those others are sold with quite different claims. I suspect iS Clinical didn’t think anyone would notice. As it turns out, this serum is neither ...read morehealing nor helpful for any skin problem, especially rosacea, because it contains alcohol. Alcohol causes free-radical damage and irritation, and hurts the skin’s ability to heal. The amount of alcohol isn’t considerable, but its mere presence isn’t good news for skin battling acne or rosacea; plus, it’s listed before the beneficial ingredients such as retinol and tocopherol (vitamin E). Particularly troubling is the claim that this serum can treat cystic acne. This type of acne, which can lead to disfiguring scars, is not treatable with over-the-counter skin-care products. Even well-formulated anti-acne products that contain ingredients that research has shown to be the gold standard for acne (i.e., benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid) don’t offer much relief for this severe condition. Medical intervention is needed to get this type of acne to heal. Moreover, there is minimal research indicating vitamin C (the main “active” ingredient in this serum) is a winning ingredient for any type of acne. It is definitely not preferred to retinol or salicylic acid, and the form of vitamin C used in published studies on treating acne isn’t the same kind that iS Clinical uses (Sources: International Journal of Cosmetic Science, February 2009, pages 41–46; and Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, April 2008, pages 955–971). What about rosacea? Unfortunately, the acid component of ascorbic acid (vitamin C’s native form, which is what’s in this serum) can be too irritating for rosacea-affected skin. Stabilized forms of vitamin C (e.g., magnesium ascorbyl phosphate or tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate) may prove helpful for rosacea due to their anti-inflammatory action. However, anyone struggling with rosacea should avoid products or ingredients that cause flare-ups, regardless of any specific ingredient’s traits.This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 3 of 5 people said helpful
-
9 Best At-Home Microdermabrasion ProductsExclusively from the editors at Total Beauty
Get the Buying Guide to see these top-rated products!
Get it now » -
Truly works- I've lost 4 big "grooves"- so I'm sold on this product!
I use this alternately with the IS Clinical Advanced Serum (which I also reviewed). IS Clinical Serums were recommended to me by a beauty mag editor when I asked her to PLEASE help me figure out which of the gazillion anti-aging products out there I should try! I'm 51 & like to think I don't look it (!), but I'm always looking for the "miracle" lotion or potion to get rid of lines and fight gravit...read morey! In a couple of months, using both the Advanced Serum and this, my 3 big forehead lines and the big double groove between my eyebrows are literally gone, so I'm sold! Like the Active Serum, this tingles (not stings) and makes my skin feel a bit 'taut', and I use it in the morning and at night on my face & neck, and now I've started using it on the back of my hands, too. Can't hurt! No, IS Clinical serums aren't cheap, but they actually work- amazingly!This review is: Helpful | Not helpful | Inappropriate | 4 of 6 people said helpful
too?
