For years, I thought the best way to go with skincare was to look for the products with the most active ingredients, the most concentrated formulas and the most potent results.
What I didn’t pay attention to is the fact that my incredibly sensitive skin didn’t like these acids and actives, and I’d be better off remembering that slow and steady always wins the race.
Which is why when I heard that Fresh Skincare was launching a new re-surfacing serum — which gently exfoliates to bring you the skin of your dreams in as little as 10 nights — I was all ears.
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Could this product be the answer to giving my delicate skin the glow it deserves without compromising my much-ravaged skin barrier?
Here’s how I got on.
What is the Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Resurfacing Dream Serum?
The newest launch from Fresh Skincare ($98; Sephora) aims to turn traditional exfoliating on its head.
Rather than cannonballing the skin with actives and acids, the product aims to go low and slow with its potent ingredients.
Gentle enough for nightly use, the serum is formulated at a pH range of 4-4.5 to ensure effective performance without stripping the skin’s barrier.
As well as AHAs, it is paired with skin-loving ingredients including prickly pear extract, which has resurfacing properties and a natural ability to support skin renewal activity, Super Lotus, which is rich in antioxidants, and peach leaf extract, which soothes and de-stresses the skin.
It also has polyglutamic acid — which promises to lock in moisture on the skin’s surface, forming a protective film on the skin to help prevent water from evaporating.
In amazing news, polyglutamic acid holds four times more weight than hyaluronic acid.
Lotus Youth Preserve Resurfacing Dream Serum delivers multi-level exfoliation.
Glycolic acid penetrates deeper layers of the skin’s surface, while citric acid helps to detach dead skin cells from the top layer.
Finally, there is prickly pear extract, which has resurfacing properties and supports skin renewal activity that enhances the exfoliation process and allows for it to be gentle on the skin and therefore suitable for nightly use.
Fresh promises that the results will be up to 23 per cent smoother skin texture after nightly use.
After 10 nights, a consumer study of 33 subjects found that shoppers saw 16 per cent fewer visible dark spots and 26 per cent more radiance.
“We wanted to create an exfoliating serum that’s gentle on skin, and that’s when we had an ‘aha moment’ to use prickly pear flower extract,” Fresh co-founder Lev Glazman told Best Picks.
“Its resurfacing properties paired with a duo of AHAs turned out to be a dreamy combination for the smoothest, most radiant complexion.”
How to use the Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Resurfacing Dream Serum?
When it comes to serums, they are best applied after cleansing and ahead of any moisturisers or oils — which allows them to penetrate deep into your skin’s epidermis.
To use the serum, Fresh recommends you apply 2-3 pumps to clean skin at night and let the gel cream texture gently absorb into the skin.
Once it has done this, you can pair it with the Lotus Youth Preserve Dream Face Cream ($90) for optimum results.
The products work their magic overnight while you sleep, aiming to provide you with radiant skin by the time you wake up.
Take care when applying the products around the delicate eye area, and warm the serum up in your hands for the best results.
My verdict
I’ve been trialling the Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Resurfacing Dream Serum for about three weeks now, and I have to admit: I am loving it.
My skin is temperamental at the best of times, and there are plenty of acids, actives and toners I simply cannot use.
But this resurfacing serum is a dream.
Not only do I love the smell, but it glides on all light and silky and soaks in instantaneously.
Even better, after one night when I woke up I felt my skin felt softer and looked brighter.
Three weeks in, I can see significant improvements in my skin’s overall texture.
I even think my fine lines look slightly reduced.
Other reviews
I’m not the only one raving about it either.
Despite being new to launch this year, the Fresh serum already comes with more than 1,000 positive reviews on the Sephora website.
“I really like this product! I use it at night a few times a week with just my usual moisturiser and oil and I wake up with clearer and more refreshed skin. It hasn’t irritated my sensitive skin and spreads nicely,” one reviewer wrote.
“I absolutely fell in love with this serum! The overall texture and scent is lovely — does not dry sticky or pill when using under other skincare.
“It’s a great night exfoliating serum that isn’t too harsh. I immediately noticed dark marks reduced, my skin look brighter & stayed looking hydrated and plump,” another added.
A third said: “Lovely smelling and effective”.
For more information and to shop the Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Dream Resurfacing Serum, head here now.
