I live in the US so I'm lucky to have access to pretty much whatever my heart desires. As a result I got to try a lot of deciem products very early. And I've tried everything else in the market na yata. Skin care addict ako, as in. I throw products and I keep buying. Overflowing sa medicine cabinet namin walang room for hubby's things pero he indulges me thank God.
When I first discovered them over a year ago, I had to order from them directly but this year they are not available online via Sephora.
Disclaimer sis: skincare is relative in that our needs are different and the effects on us our different. So before I go on a review I'll explain what my skin condition is, and needs are.
I have combination skin and a bit acne prone. Nothing major but when I get a breakout it's usually a big cystic acne. My needs naman: well I want my pores unclogged constantly because I have that cystic acne fear. I also apply tretinoin as per my Derma, so I need sun protection. I have dull looking skin even when my skin is clear, so I want to brighten my skin.
Sa lahat ng na-try ko na products ng deciem, yung repeat buys ko are the following:
- NIOD MMHC2
For me this is the best hyaluronic acid (which helps our skin absorb and retain moisture). When I use this I feel how supple my skin is again after a few days. Supple as in baby skin. As we age our skins ability to retain moisture weakens so even if you put good moisturizer, pointless. I love this one since it is easy to absorb, instant, and I noticed a difference.
- Granactive Retinoid Emulsion 2.0%
Tried this to compare with prescription retinoids, and I love it. The formation is obviously different but this is a good daily Retinoid treatment. Retinoid is pretty much the magic of science based skin care.
- Azelaic Acid 10%
This really brightened my face. Effective sya for dull skin. Using this is a matter of preference - do you want this acid or vitamin C and how? You prefer cream or serum? Plus will it work with your other regimens? I don't think tretinoin and vitamin C/Azelaic Acid go together so I had to give this up and just go on a milder formulation (Drunk elephant c-firma) which I use on mornings when I didn't tretinoin the night before para alternating.
- AHA/BHA peeling solution
This one is, IMO, a must for every skins type. This is my holy grail deciem product. It's a once a week peel to resurface our skin. I find this formulation perfectly balanced - strong enough for my sensitized skin, but mild enough not to cause damage and for novice use. Everyone benefits from peels and as a maintenance super okay sya for me -- instead of going to a Derma/skin spa, mas mura pa Ito and comfortable to use in my own home. (I highly recommend this)
I also use/used a lot of other Deciem products like the ELAN, EUK, Vitamin C suspensions, the silicone primer, mastic musk, regular hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, etc. But like I said our needs and priorities are different. The mastic musk is not skin care, I find it effective but it's an emergency treatment not long term. When I use it, wow major skin-glow. But it's a superficial treatment that has no long term effect. So I only use it on days I want to look my best like if hubby and I have an event, or something. Niacinamide is well-loved but somehow does not work for me, I find hyaluronic and a good moisturizer (abuse la mer cream) way more effective for me so I skipped niacinamide. The other acids like EUK? Vitamin C spheres and suspensions naman and Azelaic, they all worked well for me but it all boiled down to preference and how they fit into my regimen.
Finally,some resources:
Here's a routine guide from deciem:
https://theordinary.com/regimenguideThere is an IG account that breaks down cult favorite skin care, I follow it and it's very informative. It's called re_issue
https://www.instagram.com/re_issueOne more thing:
There's serious drama going on at Deciem. It's founder Brandon has been having a long public meltdown on social media and has marginalized a lot of his business partners and suppliers and has created a toxic environment at Deciem. IMO, he is a brilliant mind (hence the great products), but has poor management and leadership skills. Like Steve Jobs. I'm saying this because I'm bating my breath that this will cause the company to be sold/or change its value-proposition (estee Lauder has a stake in them) which will change pricing.
https://quartzy.qz.com/1214781/why-the-social-media-implosion-of-a-prominent-beauty-brand-matters/
