May 8

May 8 PRODUCTS I 🖤 AND BELIEVE IN : Deciem’s NIOD Low-Viscosity Cleaning Ester

AM Regimen, Best exfoliators, cleansing, face cleanser, facial skincare, facial treatments, PM Regimen, skincare, Toners, Treatments, Best cleansers

I make no secret of the fact that I'm kinda sorta obsessed with Deciem's NIOD brand. In fact, several weeks back, I wrote an entire over-the-top gushing post on NIOD which you can read here. I first discovered this quirky, nerdy, high-science brand about a year ago. Haven't heard much about it? That's no surprise since NIOD gets drowned out by its sister brand — the more buzz-worthy, popular and ordinary, The Ordinary!

NIOD's MMHC2 Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex

My first NIOD product discovery was their Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex — essentially the mother of all Hyaluronic Acid treatments, boasting 15 unique forms of Hyaluronic Acid. In fact MMHC2, as it's referred to in Deciem parlance, literally reprogrammed my thinking about proper skin hydration. Soon after, I discovered two more NIOD formulas that have impacted my thinking — and my skincare regimen — as much. Both Hydration Vaccine and Copper Amino Isolate Serum (CAIS2) have been part of my daily regimen for much of the last year — and integral to the literal transformation my complexion has undergone.

And now comes NIOD's Low-Viscosity Cleaning Ester. LVCE is, hands-down, the most unusual facial cleanser I’ve ever come across. And certainly the oddest cleanser I’ve ever loved! It’s taken me a few weeks to really get what this cleanser is and how it functions. I like to think of LVCE as that shy, smart kid in class who doesn’t say much — but when he does open up, he blows you away with his wild imagination. Upon closer inspection of the ingredients and technologies behind the formula, I've learned that LVCE contains zero cleansing plant oils, zero detergents, and zero water! So with all that you'd expect to be in it that isn't actually in it, what the hell is in it?!

LVCE is that shy, smart kid in class with the wild imagination!

Well, isolated sugar, butyl avocadate (an ester derived from avocados), and fatty alcohol ethylhexanoic acid esters, of course! Look, I don't want to get too deep in the weeds. What I know is this ultra-lightweight oil cleanser is both extremely gentle and quite possibly the least non-stripping cleanser I’ve ever used on my face. It feels like liquid velvet. And, it simply DOES NOT EMULSIFY.

Which, in my book is everything.

I get that some people need their cleansers to emulsify in order to have eye-witness proof that the cleanser is cleansing. I'm not one who needs that kind of proof. I trust a cleanser to cleanse. What I don't trust is that a cleanser isn't stripping away the healthy oils my skin needs to function like skin! The technology at the heart of LVCE breaks down oil like an oil-based cleanser should — without stripping anything from the skin. Trust me, I can tell with this one. It actually feels like you haven't washed your face. It’s quite magical really. As much of a weird kid as LVCE is, I've grown to appreciate how outrageously gentle and effective it is, too.

IMO, a cleanser can never be too gentle on your skin.

🖤 SKINCARMA