Exuviance by NeoStrata

This rating has been hovring between four and five lippies, but after using it for about six weeks I can only give it a five.

It's a thick, sticky, glycerin rich serum with PHAs (5% gluconolactone, 4% lactobionic acid and the odd percentage of mandelic acid). It's not a hardcore exfoliant. You wont peel or flake using it. The pH can't be very low, because I can use it all around my eyes with no problems. I experienced a slight tingling the first few days, but after that - nothing.

There's a world of difference between PHAs and AHAs like glycolic acid. Poly Hydroxy Acids are moisturizing and antioxidant and not the least irritating. It doesn't have that quenching, plumping feel you get from hyaluronic acid products, so at first I was a bit fisappointed in the moisture it gives, but once your skin has shed all it's rough bits I don't need more.

I use it at least once daily, sometimes both morning and night. 1-2 pumps under moisturizer or retinaldehyde treatment. The initial stickiness might want you to pass on putting an extra moisturiser over it, but since it's oil free, drier skins like mine needs some extra emollients.

So far my skin is a lot smoother, feels almost denser, lines are a bit softer, foundation glides on more smoothly.

It has a fragrance with the allergens Limonene and Linalool listed, but it doesn't bother my skin or nose at all.

A plus is that it never pills up whatever I put on over it. Will definitely buy again. This bottle will last me at least four months so to me it's quite affordable.

I got this as a free sample from Ulta. The price per treatment is about $12.83 (but is sold 6 for $77). I would not buy this, it's just not worth it. If it were say, $0.50 a treatment (even $1 is almost too much, but I'm cheap and want things to actually work vs the experience of using it), it might be worth it.

I have super sensitive skin and don't tolerate much at all (no fragranced or harsh products, pretty much what Paula Begoun's advice for sensitive skin is about all that works for me). It did sting a little but much less than expected and I tolerated it pretty well for the full 10 min. I wasn't as red as I expected to be, so the overall irritation was not bad all things considering. I tend to look sunburnt from a lot of fragrance free products marketed at sensitive skin, much less something like this. It did feel "tight" on my face but overall I tolerated it well. The 2nd step was very gentle and I rinsed with water after.

However...I could see very little difference in my skin, no more than after using my clarisonic (which I do think is worth it). Certainly not $12.83 an application's worth. Likely the product is like most cumilative in use, but at that price it's outrageously expensive. I've never had a derm peel, but I can't imagine that this is as advertised equivalent.

Before using it I used my clarisonic as usual (Cerave gentle cleanser) and toner and rinsed with water. I used a debriding tool on my nose where I get clogged pores (you can't see to the naked eye, but with 10 magnification) to open them up for the product to unclog.

Where the product did well, was that while my pores did not look better after, I found the treatment softened up what was left in my pores and it removed easily with the tool. It got out more than I though it would. For that, I would use it again if it were say $0.50 a treatment, but not at $12.83 per treatment. For that price it had better make my skin and pores look amazing.

I do think that the product itself it in a bottle and affordable price, over time might do some good. But it's not a quick fix, nor dramatic. Frankly an aspirin or powdered milk mask does more for my skin with better immediate results.

If you have a lot of money to burn and patience to get results, it might work for you, but it might not. I think it would take many applications to see a difference. And there has to be something else out there that is a lot cheaper that also would work.

I have aging combo skin and had high hopes for this moisturizer. So many great ingredients! After a couple days my skin looked clear and my pores were much smaller. However, this product left my skin feeling tacky and sticky so I ended up returning it. I think this product is better for someone with drier skin.

My skin was acting up and my Pixi toner didn't help, so I decided I needed something a little bit more potent. I bought this and Night Renewal Hydragel and my skin looks so much better. I don't really have problem skin, but once in a while, it acts up. This toner helps keep my skin clear, which I love. I apply it with my fingers so as not to waste product. The bottle itself isn't too expensive, but you only get 100 ml, which is not a lot. It hasn't done anything bad to my sensitive skin, so for me, that's a big plus. However, I think that it would be too harsh to use all over the face, twice a day as it contains 8 percent AHA. I therefore use it only in the evenings (but not every day) and only where I need it.

Thin silky sunscreen with a dry matte finish. Its tinted with a slightly greyish beige shade that does NOT work for my very fair skin. It makes me look very old dull, and grey toned, way different from my neck.

The texture feels nice going on but it stops there. Claims its non-acnegenic, non-comedogenic but it gives me breakouts and irritates my skin slightly. Dries with visible cakey streaks, tiny flakes, and highlights any dry flakey patch. My skin is normal to oily and and I've tried it by itself or over moisturisers or serums or sprays but nothing works. Does not play well with others. I've even tried to pat a moisturising spray toner or makeup finishing spray to after ward to disguise the flakey bits or smooth out the cakes, but it won't shift. Pretty disappointed as it was a splurge for me.

I prefer First Aid Beauty Triple Protection Skin Tint in "Fair". Its non-cakey, and the tint is much more brightening for my skin tone. I also use Clarins SPF 50+ Body Sunblock on my face. Its non-tinted, has a light fresh scent, and has a lovely and moisturising texture. Hubby likes the Clarins too as he says it rubs in fast, doesn't ball up on stubble, and stops him burning when he's in the sun for hours.