Introducing… Serum Serene
When I launched my skincare range, I did it in response to hundreds of conversations with my skin clinic clients, all of whom told me they felt anxiety when choosing skincare products because it can be so confusing. All they wanted was an easy to follow and easy to understand routine, with just a few products that really made a difference to their skin.
The problem is that there is so much mystery around skincare, mainly driven by the advertising of the big brands and the latest ‘must have’ in your skincare routine. For a while it was retinol, then hyaluronic acid, then AHAs, peptides, niacinamides… No wonder users get confused. Yes, all these things can be really effective, and are indeed important to a great skincare routine, but where to start?!
So, when I decided to create a skincare range it was with two key things in mind: keep it simple but make sure it really works, and address my clients’ greatest concerns.
Feedback (and repeat purchase) suggests I am delivering on both my goals. I started with a core collection of products to cleanse, hydrate and protect skin. Since then, I have added products that address specific concerns my clients bring to me.
Which brings me to my newest launch - Serum Serene. This gorgeous fluid is designed to provide effective hydration and proactively trigger the formation of new collagen and elastin, specifically for women with sensitive and easily irritated skin.
Sensitive skin tends to be the result of a skin barrier that doesn’t function as well as it should. It can be genetic, or the result of changes in hormonal balance or because of aging. As we age, bits of us simply don’t work as well as they used to, from our eyes to our joints to our skin. I can’t do a lot about the first two, but skin - let me at it.
My new serum is gentle enough for even very sensitive skin, takes a swing at the effects of aging (dry skin, fine lines and wrinkles) AND promotes a stronger skin barrier, so reducing sensitivity.
Soothe sensitive skin
Serum Serene contains Albatrellus Confluens extract, Sweet Orange extract, Radish Root extract and Chinese Hickory extract, all of which reduce skin sensitivity and reduce redness. These extracts are underpinned by Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) juice, which is renowned for its soothing and healing properties, and Vitamin E, which has many wonderful properties in addition to its facility to soothe and support irritated skin.
Support sensitive skin
It’s all very well treating sensitivity once it’s apparent, but what I really wanted to do with this serum was to support skin in building a stronger skin barrier function, so reducing skin’s sensitivity and the likelihood of irritation occurring, and the intensity of any irritation experienced. Enter Sh-Oligopeptide-1, a peptide that not only promotes skin cell regeneration, but strengthens the skin barrier. In a beneficial double whammy, the serum also contains Saccharide Isomerate Complex, a 100% plant-derived carbohydrate complex, similar to that found in human skin. The molecules bind to the skin, and are immensely powerful at preventing water loss, so maintaining a level of hydration that supports skin barrier function.
Turn back time
Unlike Cher, my approach to turning back time isn’t to wish I had done things differently, but to include ingredients that encourage skin to remember how it used to perform and start doing more of the same. As we age, our skin ‘forgets’ how it once worked - skin cells reproduce less rapidly and are often weaker versions of their younger cells. It’s like a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy. At first, the copies are great, but as you copy a copy, the image becomes less perfect and doesn’t really deliver the impact it once did.
All of my products include active ingredients that positively impact the way our skin works. In Serum Serene, this includes a complex cocktail of proven effective ingredients including three powerful peptides, Palmitoyl Tripeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, and the previously mentioned Sh-Oligopeptide-1. These peptides Stimulate collagen production; improve skin texture by increasing its thickness and density; boost skin hydration by improving the skin's ability to retain moisture; enhance skin elasticity and so reduce skin laxity; and reduce inflammation, which can help reduce redness, irritation, and other signs of inflammation in the skin such as breakouts and flaky patches.
I developed Serum Serene to overcome a specific issue - the lack of options for people with sensitive skin, and built in all the extra benefits I believe my clients need.
I hope you love it as much as I do.
Penny x