GOOD SCIENCE BEAUTY | 004-BR SKIN BRIGHTENING CREAM

This product review was originally part of my blog article titled, Super Lightweight Summer Moisturizers SS21 Part 1 – Best Brightening Moisturizer, Best Face Creams For Oily Skin (And All Skin In The Heat!). You can catch the full piece here.

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As I do each summer, it’s time to feature what I consider the best lightweight moisturizers of the season — the ones that have stood out to me since the weather began to warm up in June. And, as in years past, I’m segmenting it into two digestible parts.

Last year, I featured five of my favorite warm weather face creams in an article titled, Summer Moisturizers Part I – Some Of The Best Lightweight Face Creams For Oily Skin And All Skin Types In Hot Weather. Perhaps the star of the range was the Organic the New Beauty Clear 1% Centella Cream Serum — one of the best organic face creams I’ve ever tried. I’ve long been out of it and I still miss it, which says a lot.

SUMMER MOISTURIZERS PART I – SOME OF THE BEST LIGHTWEIGHT FACE CREAMS FOR OILY SKIN AND ALL SKIN TYPES IN HOT WEATHER

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Two others in that initial SS20 collection of lightweight face cream were The Inkey List’s Peptide Moisturizer and the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Oil-Control Moisturizer — one of the best face creams for oily skin.

First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Oil-Control Moisturizer remains a favorite of mine on the hottest, most humid day. In fact, Ultra Repair Oil-Control is as light as air and feels virtually weightless on the skin — something I know people with oily skin can appreciate.

It’s more oil control than moisturizer, though. Since there are no oils in Ultra Repair Oil-Control Moisturizer, it doesn’t actually infuse skin with moisture; rather it helps prevent moisture and water loss through the inclusion of occlusive Dimethicone and a small amount of humectant Sodium Hyaluronate — the salt form of Hyaluronic Acid that’s the most skin-compatible.

PRODUCT REVIEW: FIRST AID BEAUTY ULTRA REPAIR OIL-CONTROL MOISTURIZER – BEST FACE CREAM FOR OILY SKIN

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Controlling surface oils is the main benefit of the Ultra Repair Oil-Control formula. One of my favorite brands for sensitive skin, FAB achieves that with what the brand refers to as Oil-Absorbing Microspheres — a blend of mineral powders that absorb excess sebum on the surface of the skin to mattify the complexion. If you’re super oily, give First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Oil-Control Moisturizer a serious look.

With seriously hot weather upon us here in NYC, and humidity reaching 75% on even seemingly pleasant, rain-free days, I’m reluctant to put anything on my face. Some days, I struggle to apply much more than a humectant serum, my favorite Niacinamide serum (the Paula’s Choice 10% Niacinamide Booster!) and sunscreen.

But, I know my skin needs more than just that no matter the weather. The heat is both drying and dehydrating and while it may not seem like it when your face is greasy, skin needs oil replenishment, too.

What’s the Difference between Dry Skin and Dehydrated Skin?

Many people confuse the two. They’re not the same thing and it’s helpful to understand the difference in order to advance your skin health. For the answer to that vexing questing, as I most often do, I turned to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team for insights. There’s a superb piece on the Paula’s Choice site titled, What is Dehydrated Skin & How to Choose the Best Products. Here is an excerpt:

Dehydrated skin often looks and feels like dry skin all over your face, but there's a major difference between the two: dehydrated skin is usually a temporary concern (with various surprising causes) and dry skin typically doesn't change over time. If you have dehydrated skin, your skin may also produce a normal or even excessive amount of oil on its surface.
"Dehydrated skin" is something we’re asked about frequently. It seems there’s a lot of confusion about what this skin concern is about. A major part of the confusion is that the term "dehydrated skin" is often used interchangeably with "dry skin" or "combination skin" but they are not the same! Dehydrated skin can occur in all skin types and is not exclusive to those with dry skin or combination skin.
The Difference Between Dry Skin and Dehydrated Skin
Having classically dry skin is easy to recognize. Dry skin frequently feels tight and dry, with no oil anywhere to be seen. This situation rarely fluctuates; skin feels dry all year long. The dryness might get worse depending on the climate, season, or activity, but regardless of those things, without great skin care products, the uncomfortable dry, tight feeling will persist.
As mentioned above, dehydrated skin can look and feel similar, but there’s a major difference: Dehydrated skin tends to come and go, it does not persist.

Have a look at one of my five super lightweight summer moisturizer picks for SS21…

Good Science Beauty | 004-Br Skin Brightening Cream

I first explored Good Science Beauty on the blog in the winter of 2017, soon after the brand launched (and soon after Skincarma was born, come to think of it!). Developed by Dr. Suzanne Saffie-Siebert, each of Good Science Beauty’s products is powered by what the brand calls Good Silicon+ technology, a skincare delivery system developed to help drive active ingredients deeper into the skin and to release benefits over a sustained period for enhanced efficacy.

Funny, looking back on that initial blog article, I’m reminded that I was headed on vacation to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and took the entire Good Science Beauty skincare collection along with me.

With four heavy glass bottles, my carry-on weighed like 87 pounds and my right shoulder was sore the whole trip! What price good skincare, huh?

I recall being most impressed with the Good Science Beauty 004-Br Skin Brightening Cream on the trip. It felt great on my skin in the Mexican heat and humidity.

To this day, Good Science Beauty’s 004-Br Skin Brightening Cream is among the best brightening face creams for most skin types.

With its lighter texture, it’s ideal for a summer skincare routine, but particularly for those with normal, dry and combination skin. In fact, the texture is so light, I think of it as more of a thick, milky serum. It feels like nothing on the skin.

“I know from surveys that for most people healthy skin is almost as important for their personal happiness as family and health. Skincare really matters. Frustratingly, a lot of people spend time and effort on their skincare with disappointing results. I know this all too well, I’ve been through it for many years myself. For me, science is the answer. My team and I spent almost ten years developing a unique technology to make skincare products more effective. We’ve called it Good Silicon+. We’ve made it our mission to use science to solve problems without creating new ones. And help everyone to feel great in their own skin.”

- Dr. Suzanne Saffie-Siebert, Ph.D. Chief Good Scientist, GSB Laboratories

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The people behind Good Science Beauty like to emphasize the distinction between silicone and silicon, upon which their proprietary technology is based. To start, it’s essential to understand that silicon (without the E) is a natural element, a mineral found in the body that’s part of what makes us human.

In the body, silicon works to enhance the remineralization of bone tissue, helping to ensure calcium and other minerals are deposited onto the bone. Not to be confused with silicone — a controversial, manmade substance — silicon is recognized by the body in much the same way Hyaluronic Acid and Squalane are, making all three “bio-compatible” and more effective and beneficial for the skin.

The brand’s proprietary Good Silicon+ technology was developed to enhance the penetration of each formula’s actives into the skin barrier. The delivery technology’s silicon molecule is actually wrapped in skin-compatible lipids which allows the formula’s ingredients to be drawn deeper into the skin’s outer layers.

Armed with this advance in skincare technology, Good Science Beauty uses it to power up well-known active ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Omega-3 and Barley Extract — all proven to be pro-skin health. By enhancing the benefits and delivery of proven ingredients, Dr. Saffie-Siebert was able to develop more effective skin care. It’s really as simple and beautifully scientific as that.

THE BEST BRIGHTENING SERUMS

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Good Science Beauty’s serum-like 004-Br Skin Brightening Cream moisturizer combines what the brand refers to as “power partnerships” — the pairing of select active ingredients. The Skin Brightening Cream formula features a trio of brightening actives: Glutathione, Melatonin, and L-Ascorbic Acid (pure Vitamin C) — a combination that makes for an effective complex of skin brighteners.

The most intriguing of the trio to me is the Glutathione. As I indicated in my review one of my favorite brightening serums, the Faded Serum For Dark Spots & Discoloration, Glutathione has an unpleasant sulfuric scent that gives any product a medicinal, often foul odor. And as with Faded’s Serum For Dark Spots & Discoloration, I appreciate the fact that Good Science Beauty used no potential skin irritants like masking fragrances or essential oils to conceal the stench.

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PRODUCT REVIEW: TOPICALS FADED SERUM FOR DARK SPOTS & DISCOLORATION - BEST BRIGHTENING SERUM

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What Is Glutathione and What Is the Use of Glutathione in Skin Care?

Glutathione is generally known as the body’s “de-stressing antioxidant.” In fact, it happens to be one of the most powerful antioxidants found in the human body. Glutathione helps to interrupt the synthesis of melanin and protect against collagen degradation to support skin’s innate reparative processes. The substance achieves its exceptional brightening effect by interrupting melanocytes from forming in the skin’s layers, helping to encourage a more even and unified complexion.

In addition to reducing oxidative stress in both the body and the skin itself, Glutathione has been shown to minimize cell damage by protecting the cell’s mitochondria and eliminating the presence of free radicals in skin cells.

In a skincare formula, Glutathione also has the ability to moderate Vitamin C degradation and to improve the powerful antioxidant activity of the vitamin.

According to the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team, Glutathione is considered among the best skincare actives. From the team:

Powerful, non-enzymatic antioxidant which naturally occurs in the skin where it serves to help defend it against the visible effects of environmental damage. The gradual decline of the natural supply of glutathione in the body is believed to be a key marker of many outward signs of aging.
Glutathione is a tripeptide comprised of three amino acids (cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine), which work in unison to offer skin-restoring and brightening benefits when used in topical products.

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In addition to its potent brightening complex, Good Science Beauty’s 004-Br Skin Brightening Cream also contains numerous skin replenishers at relatively high concentrations. Among them, non-fragrant plant oils like Shea Butter, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, and Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oil — at ingredients one, two and three respectively.

Notably, the brand claims that its 004-Br Skin Brightening Cream was proven in a clinical study to deliver a 44% reduction in age spot pigmentation within 28 days. I have no way to put that to the test since my complexion is free of age spots, thanks to my liberal, consistent use of sunscreen beginning in my 20s. If true, though, that’s a significant benefit.

SHOP THE BLOG: Skincarma Exclusive! Enjoy 33% off all Good Science Beauty skincare. Purchase the Good Science Beauty 004-Br Skin Brightening Cream for $52.26 (reg. $78) here. Click here and enter code GOODCARMA33 at checkout.

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